Principals' Weekly Newsletter
From Rob Lupisella, Jenn Miller, and Ryan Wagner
March 2, 2021
K-12 Information
Masking: Please be aware that the school district requests that all visitors on school grounds and within school buildings wear face masks. Concerns have been raised by a few parents and guardians, especially during parent pick-up times at the elementary school, that the adults are not wearing masks when they get their children at the end of the day. Although we are not addressing this directly with people at that time, we do encourage people to follow these safety protocols.
Late Arrival Days: Please note that the district calendar (attached) was updated by the Board of Education just recently. The two upcoming late arrival days, that are designated for professional learning, were moved from Thursdays to Wednesdays. Therefore, the late arrival day scheduled for March 11th, will now take place on March 10th. The April 15th late arrival day will now take place on April 14th.
Rotary Interact Club: During this unprecedented time, the Rotary Interact Club would still like to give back to our community. For the month of March, our club is running a fundraiser for our local food pantry in time for their Easter baskets. Donation boxes will be located at the offices of the elementary, middle, and high schools. Any donation is much appreciated and the last day to donate is March 18th.
COVID-19 Prevention and Management: Please keep your child at home if he/she is sick (cough, fever, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, runny nose, stomach ache, sore throat, headache, etc.) If your child comes to school sick and the illness is reported to the health office either by your child or a staff member, your child will be evaluated by the school nurse and will need to be evaluated by their primary care physician as well.
As always, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us if you have any questions. Please feel free to call or email us:
- Ryan Wagner 9-12 rwagner@avoncsd.org (585) 226-2455 extension 1719
- Jennifer Miller 5-8 jmiller@avoncsd.org (585) 226-2455 extension 1430
- Rob Lupisella K-4 rlupisella@avoncsd.org (585) 226-2455 extension 1108
K-6 Parent/Teacher Conferences
K-6 Parent /Teacher Conferences (3/18/21 and 3/23/21): Due to the pandemic, all parent conferences are being held via Google Meet, unless there are specific circumstances which makes an in-person conference essential. The dismissal time from school on these designated days will occur at 12:10 pm. Parents who transport their children home from school should plan on being here by noon (K-4) and 12:10 pm (5-6). For helpful questions to ask your child’s teacher, you can go to our Parent Teacher Conferencing Webpage.
7th and 8th Grade Transition to a Four Day Learning Model
9th - 12th Grade Transition to a Four Day Learning Model
As communicated from the District previously by Dr. Pacatte: “COVID-19 cases in Avon are trending downward and the Livingston County Health Department is now recommending that, in most cases, schools no longer consider proximate contacts when quarantining students because there have been so few cases of transmission at school. On a national and state level, case studies and communication by the CDC have also confirmed these findings.”
Given this information, the high school is preparing to return grades 9-12 to a four day in-person learning model on Monday, April 12th. The framework from the 7th and 8th grade plan will be used to guide the 9-12 transition. Parent/guardian informational meetings will be scheduled in the coming weeks. At the meetings we will present our plans and do our best to answer any questions you have. Specific information will be shared in next week's newsletter along with times and links for the informational meetings.
We look forward to having students in the building four days per week. This has been a challenging year and we appreciate the support of the school-community as we strive to serve our students best.
Athletics
On February 22nd, online registration opened for the following modified sports at Avon Central School: Modified Girls Basketball- March 6th, Modified Football - March 15th, Modified/JV Cheerleading- March 15th, and Modified Volleyball- March 27th. Please use the following link to register your child: Link https://avoncsd-ar.rschooltoday.com/. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Andy Englert, the ACS Athletic Director.
Please Note: Modified spring sports will start at the end April, online registration will open early April for all spring sports. Game schedules will be posted soon, which will show who will be having spectators pending at each school and the LCDOH.
Fall 2 Sports Starting March 1st
Football- JV and Varsity
Volleyball- JV and Varsity
Cheerleading- Varsity
Online Registration: Link https://avoncsd-ar.rschooltoday.com/.
Effects of Stress and Healthy Habits to Reduce Stress
Stress is something we all deal with; and prolonged or excessive stress can have negative impacts on the mind and/or body. In 2007 the American Psychological Association began commissioning nationwide surveys on stress in America to learn more about what is stressing out the American public and how we are dealing with that stress. Many of the surveys since 2007 have found teens to be one of the most stressed populations in America. In 2009, 45% of teens between 13-17 said they worried more than the year before. In 2010, children reported being in a cycle of dealing with stress in unhealthy ways, then feeling bad about themselves. The 2013 survey found that teen stress far exceeded what they believed to be healthy, which tended to have a negative impact on their physical and mental health, as well as their healthy behaviors (such as sleep and exercise). In 2015 it was reported that over time it was clear that younger generations were consistently reporting higher levels of stress. On the 2018 survey more than nine in 10 Gen Z (those between 15-21) said they had experienced at least one physical or emotional symptom because of stress, such as feeling depressed or sad (58 percent) or lacking interest, motivation or energy (55 percent); and only half of all Gen Zs reported that they felt like they did enough to manage their stress.
While stress has been on the rise for our kids for years, the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic has brought on a whole new set of stressors. From changes to school, to their schedule and to how they socialize, the past year has been difficult to navigate for our kids. However, there are some healthy habits that can help mitigate the effects of stress on the mind and/or body.
- Get enough sleep. Practice good sleep hygiene. Avoid cell phones or TV before bed, try to go to bed at the same time each night, make sure the room is dark and quiet enough, and practice breathing or mindfulness exercises if your thoughts are too “loud” to sleep.
- Exercise regularly. There are free exercise videos on YouTube or Go Noodle for adults and kids.
- Eat healthy foods and drink enough water
- Have social contact with others, even if you can’t see them in person. You can call, video conference, or connect online.
- Uncertainty is often stressful, focus on what you can control. When you get into a negative thought cycle, break the cycle and turn to the positive. (ex. “This is hard, but I can handle this and will work through it!” “It’s a lot to do, but I’ll take it one step at a time. I think I’ll see if my friends can help me.”)
GO BRAVES!!
Avon Central Schools
DISTRICT MISSION STATEMENT
Develop life long learners and responsible citizens equipped to prosper in the global society.
VISION STATEMENT
Avon Central School District will foster an environment where all students will compete globally through the collaborative efforts of the Board of Education, school personnel, parents, community members and students.
Website: http://www.avoncsd.org/
Location: 245 Clinton Street, Avon, NY 14414, USA
Phone: 585-226-2455
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/avonnycsd#