TUESDAY'S NEWSDAY 35

From Principal Hammond

Dear RES Families,

As we hear of restrictions changing and lifting across the U.S. and await the Governor’s announcement regarding the Connecticut reopening, we want to remind our families that the protocols and safety measures we have had in place for the RES community this year will stay in place for the remainder of the school year.

Although we will have some of our RES end of year traditions still in place for our students and staff, they may look different from the outside.

Thank you for your support and understanding as we finish up this year together with health and safety as our continued priorities.

In partnership,
Natalie Hammond

Mark Your Calendar

Friday, May 21 - Early Dismissal, staff professional development day. Gr. K - 4 dismiss at 12:50pm and PreK dismiss at 12:15pm

Monday, May 31 - No School, Memorial Day

Tuesday, June 1 - Redding Board of Education Meeting - 7:30p via ZOOM

Thursday, June 17 - Gr. 4 Stepping Up Ceremony 11:00am (more information to come)

Thursday, June 17 - Minimum Day - Last Day of School; Gr. K - 4 dismiss at 12:50pm and PreK dismiss at 12:15pm

SCAVENGER BOOK HUNT

On Wednesday, May 26 - an email will be sent to all families for a scavenger book hunt in and around Redding and Georgetown. Please click below to read about more information on this fun and exciting opportunity.

Good luck!!

EARLY STUDENT PICK-UP

CLARIFICATION ON EARLY STUDENT PICK-UPS:

In SCHOOL DISMISSAL MANAGER (SDM), If you select an early dismissal to pick-up your child(ren), please pick-up your child(ren) by 2:00pm from our vestibule. On a PLANNED early dismissal (such as our upcoming conference days), please pick-up your child(ren) by 12:00pm.

All exceptions in SDM must be made by you by 1:30pm on full school days, and 11:30a on PLANNED early dismissal days. That is the cut-off times for any and all changes. Reports are sent to the teachers at the cut-off time. Teachers will share the information at the end of the day in the classrooms as to what ALL students are doing at dismissal time.

We begin our dismissal process much earlier this year. Pick-ups near our dismissal time affects not only the student dismissal process but staging of our buses and available parking for you.

We appreciate your attention to adhereing to these LATEST pick-up times for students.

THANK YOU.

GIFTED AND TALENTED NOMINATIONS GRADES 2 & 3 - LAST CALL!!

Attention Grade 2 and Grade 3 Families:

Nominations for gifted identification as well as advanced learning opportunities in Grades 3 and 4 are due THIS Friday, May 21, 2021.

If your child was in class with Mr. Farina this year in 3rd grade, that does not guarantee placement in 4th grade. Any such student has to go through the testing process again.

Please see the information below regarding the nomination and identification process for giftedness as well as information for advanced learning opportunities in Grades 3 and 4.

NEWS FROM OUR HEALTH OFFICE

Update from the Health Office:

Your school nurse, Jennifer Connolly can be reached at jconnolly@er9.org or 203-938-2519 ext. 309. We'd like to give a warm welcome to our new part-time nurse Valeria Itah who can be reached at the same phone number in the Health Office and at vitah@er9.org. Mrs. Itah will be in the office with me 3 days per week and we're very happy to have her.

SPRING IS HERE!!!! Please CHECK YOUR CHILDREN FOR TICKS after outdoor play. Consider applying sunscreen before school, especially on PE days as the students will be outside for recess and PE.
SPRING also brings ALLERGIES!!!! Many students are suffering from congestion and itchy eyes. We continue to encourage the students to try not touch their eyes and make sure they are washing their hands after being outside. You can help at home too by having them shower/bathe after outdoor play and sports and/or wash their faces after outdoor play to help get the pollens off their skin.

Please continue to note student absences in School Dismissal Manager and notify the nurse of any illnesses and covid test results. Please note an updated version of the daily health screening tool to be completed every day. Daily Home Screening Tool

Per Dr. Harrison's email on May 7th there is an update to the Quarantine policy for those who are identified as a close contact of someone with Covid-19:

I am writing to inform you of a minor change to our quarantine policy. Effective immediately, ER9 will shift from a 14-day quarantine to a 10-day quarantine.. Testing will not be required in order to return to school. After the quarantine period, close contacts should continue to monitor their symptoms until the end of the 14th day after exposure. If any symptoms develop at any time within the 14 days, close contacts should immediately self isolate and contact their healthcare provider

CAR TAGS FOR DISMISSAL

This year we used a new procedure for student pick-up at dismissal time. We found that the CAR TAG system has worked out effectively, and we will continue with this same process in the years to come.

Please hold on to the CAR TAG that was issued to you this year. You will continue to use that number until your last child moves on to Grade 5 at JRMS.

Thank you -

Zoom Troubleshooting

Some of our students are signing into a Zoom session and are being directed to the class they previously attended that day. To fix this issue, students should get into the habit of clicking the LEAVE button at the end of each class. Our teachers will also click the END MEETING FOR ALL button to help us work through this common issue. For additional support, please reach out to Pattianne Nordt, our Technology Assistant (pnordt@er9.org), or Rebecca Richards, our Science, Technology Integration Coordinator (rrichards@er9.org).

Click the link to view the Zoom Student Directions video

Zoom Download Tutorials can be accessed here: Zoom Family Resources

Important Reminders

Arrival & Dismissal

Parents/Guardians who are dropping off students in the morning, or picking up students in the afternoon are asked to remain in their vehicles during this process. We will have staff on hand ready to support during these transition times. If you are dropping off your child in the morning please be sure their mask is on and backpack is ready BEFORE you pull up to the drop off location, so that we can quickly and safely transition kids out of vehicles and into the building.

RES Visitors

Due to the current health and safety precautions in place, we are limiting visitors in our building to essential business only. If you need to come to the school to pick up your child, please be sure you have a government issued ID on you for entry each and every time. Even if we recognize you, we will ask for your ID. This is our policy.

Traffic Safety

Please be reminded to follow all traffic rules while driving in our parking lots and around RES, including stopping at stop signs and adhering to the speed limit. Cars may not travel into the bus loop during arrival and dismissal.

School Dismissal Manager

If there are changes to your child's dismissal plans, remember to log in to School Dismissal Manager to update with the new plans. A reminder that 'bus' is the default for all students. Distribution of a student pick up number tag, or the data from the summer survey does not automatically inform us that your child is a pick up.

DROP OFF SAFETY

Please be mindful that there are students being dropped off for classes other than just PreSchool at the far side of the building. There are attempts to make 3 point turns in the middle of the driveway. This is causing vehicles to back into the vestibule entry location, which is VERY dangerous with the students and staff entering that doorway. THANK YOU.