Jaguar Journal
Information and Changes to UBMS School Day Beginning Feb 23!
News from Principal Nicely's Office!
Greetings Unity Braxton Family!
Please save the link to this newsletter. We will be updating this space almost every day with the topics listed below, as well as other important information as we get closer to the return to school. There is a lot of information, procedures and expectations that we will be reviewing so that we are all prepared - whether you currently in the building, will be returning to the building, or are staying home and remaining virtual.
To our UBMS Students.....
We are just two weeks away from moving into our next phase of learning. I realize this means something a little different for many of you; over half of our school will remain virtual and continue to join your classes online. For those whose parents have chosen to return to in-person learning, you will begin coming back to school two days of the week in a just a little over two weeks!
I have stressed to your parents, and want to continue to stress to you, that the school day and the school experience will look much different in person than it has in previous years. This includes what teaching and learning looks like in the classroom, how you will arrive and be dismissed from school, how you will walk in the hallways, the procedures used for breakfast and lunch, and even bathroom and water fountain procedures. All students will need to learn and follow the new procedures and expectations in order to remain an in-person student.
If you are a virtual only student, there will still be a few changes for you as well when some of your classmates return to the building. Your class times and lunch times will change, and the time you have in between your classes will be shorter. It will be more important than ever that you keep your cameras on when possible, that you attend every class, and that you are actively engaged and participate! You cannot learn and make progress just by joining the zoom class meetings. You must participate in class, and submit your work so that teachers can provide you with feedback.
Over the next two weeks we will begin sending frequent e-mails, videos and having discussions in advisory about the changes in front of us.
To our UBMS parents...
For parents of in-person students:
It is very important that we have the most updated phone numbers and contact information on file. If you have changed phone numbers or addresses since the beginning of the school year, please update this information in ParentVue, or send an e-mail with the updated information to Helpdesk-UBMS@pwcs.edu
If your student starts experiencing symptoms consistent with COVID, or are determined to be a close contact with someone who does, our school nurse will immediately move them to an isolation room and call you to come and pick them up from school. We will need this to be done as quickly as possible. If your work situation will not allow you to immediately come to pick up your student in this situation, please begin working on a backup plan (or plans) so that you have someone available to do this.
If at any point you decide you would no longer want your student to attend school as an in-person student, please keep your child at home and let the school know of your requested change. There is no waiting period for this change - it can occur immediately.
For parents of virtual only students:
Please remember that teachers are continuing to practice and prepare for simultaneous (or concurrent) instruction, but there will be an adjustment period when students actually return to the buildings. Please encourage your students to be patient, if for example, they are in a waiting room longer than they are used to waiting, of if they experience technical difficulties during class.
In the event your student experiences technical difficulties, or the teacher experiences technical difficulties, your student will still be able to share this with the classroom teacher and participate in asynchronous work. If your child has a need for a computer, has an issue with their school issued computer, or have a change to your internet availability, please contact us at school so that we can work together to find a solution.
At this time, it is not possible for parents to switch their preference from virtual only to in-person. Adding additional students impacts the plans we have made for spacing in the classroom, the number of desks and students in the cafeteria, and transportation bus routes. If you would like for your student to change from virtual only to in-person, you can call the school and we will work to accomodate your request. We are currently analyzing our spacing and transportation.
Once students have returned to school, and we have an opportunity to assess our spacing and plans, we will accomodate the request. Please note that it may take a week to two weeks to implement, and may involve class / teacher changes for your student.
Thank you for all that you are doing to support our students and our teachers. It is an honor to lead Unity Braxton.
GO JAGUARS!
Sincerely,
Mike Nicely
Principal
KEY INFORMATION FOR PARENTS AND STUDENTS BY TOPIC (Info will be shared on the date listed beneath the topic)
What do I do before I come to school? What do I bring every day?
Before Leaving For School:
Students should complete the Daily Home Screening with their parents. This screening asks about any health related symptoms you may be experiencing, and any possible contact you may have had with a person who has or potentially has COVID-19. The Daily Home Screening and what to do if you answer yes to any of the questions are in the image below.
Items To Bring To School:
Students should bring the following items to school with them each day. Please make sure that you are bringing only the items necessary for school as students will not be issued nor will they use lockers throughout the day.
1. A cloth mask (this should not be a bandana/gator or a mask with a vent)
2. School issued laptop
3. Small notebook / binder (something with paper to write on / store paper)
4. Pencil and/or Pen
What if I forget something?
If you forget your mask, you will be given a cloth mask before boarding the bus, or before entering the building. If you forget your school issued computer, you will have to use an alternate / paper-based activity. It is VERY IMPORTANT that you bring your computer each time you attend school. If you do not have a school issued computer, you will be issued one when you return to school.
School Issued Computer
Charging Your Device
Masks Are Required
Class Meeting Schedule and Bell Time / Class Time Changes (posted Feb 13)
There are many changes to the school day that are scheduled to begin the week of February 23. Although 6th grade students don’t return until February 25, and 7th and 8th grade students don’t return until March 2, we will begin using this meeting schedule and class times starting February 23rd so that we can practice.
Meeting Schedule Changes
The first change that will happen is the meeting pattern. On each student’s schedule, there are some classes that students see every day, and others that students see every other day. If you have class with a teacher every day, this will not change. You will continue to have this class every day. If you have class on Tuesday and Thursday, we will be changing this so that you will now have this class on Tuesday and Wednesday. If you have a class that meets on Wednesday and Friday it will now meet on Thursday and Friday. You will still have the class the same amount of time, but the days that you have these classes will change.
This is necessary because our in-person students will attend school on either Tuesdays and Thursdays, or Wednesdays and Fridays. Making this change allows for our in-person students to see each of their teachers face to face at least once a week.
Bell Times / Class Times Changes
The second change that will happen is the times that each class will meet. The school day will still begin for all students at 8:15. There will be a shortened advisory period every day from 8:15-8:30. Most of your classes will begin meeting at different times as well. This will happen for two reasons: 1) To make sure there are not too many in-person students changing classes in our hallways at the same time and 2) We will need to have multiple lunch times depending on grade level and teacher to ensure we are able to provide the appropriate 6-foot physical distancing in the cafeteria.
Breaks between classes will be shorter than they are currently, and the school day will end at 2:25. Teachers will no longer have open-office hours after school.
Mondays Do Not Change
Finally, our schedule on Mondays will not change. Teachers will continue to have open office hours in the morning to meet with and assist students and parents. Students will still continue to log in and work on asynchronous work that is assigned weekly by each teacher.
Please see the Class Meeting Schedule and Bell Times Video for more details and visuals about how these changes impact you / your student!
Hallways and Class Changes (posted Feb 16 / updated Feb 17)
Primary Impacts: In-Person Students
To prevent overcrowding and issues with physical distancing this year, most of our hallways are one way only. We have marked our floors with stickers and arrow direction markers spaced 6 feet apart. This will remind student the directions they may walk in the hallway as well as how far they need to be apart from one another. Additional markings are posted on the walls.
The video below shows some of these stickers and arrows on the floor, and posters and signs on the walls, and explains in more detail how students should expect to move from class to class.
Restroom and Water Fountain Procedures (Posted Feb 17)
Primary Impacts: In-Person Students
There are several changes to restroom and water fountain procedures for the remainder of our school year for in-person students.
Water Fountains
The use of waterfountains for students will be suspended for the school year. All water fountains have been covered so that they are not accessible to students. Students are permitted to bring water bottles / containers from home, and refill these at the bottle filling station in each hallway. Our school can provide water to a student upon request.
Restrooms
The biggest change for restroom procedures at UBMS will be that restrooms will be closed during the 5 minute transition period for each grade level. This is done to be able to monitor restrooms to ensure that the number of students who are using the restroom at one time are equivalent to the amount of space available in each restroom.
Once the transition period is over, students will be permitted to use the restroom during class when requested. In each restroom, some stalls and sinks will be inaccessible in order to maintain physical distancing. Staff members will be assigned to each restroom to help monitor the number of students using the restroom and / or waiting to use the restroom.
Students will utilize a single-use restroom pass / ticket, and will display it to the staff member monitoring the restrooms in order to enter.
Handwashing
The Centers for Disease Control continues to emphasize that frequent handwashing will help to prevent the spread of Covid. Signs are placed in each restroom reminding students of the appropriate ways to practice appropriate hand hygiene, and wall mounted hand sanitizers are located in over 30 locations throughout our hallways.
Focus on handwashing
Bottle filling stations
6 foot distancing also applies to restrooms!
Cafeteria Procedures (Posted Feb 19)
Primary Impacts: Both In-Person and Virtual Students
Cost
Breakfast and Lunch are free for all students for the remainder of the 2020-21 School Year.
Breakfast Procedures
Students will not get breakfast in the cafeteria lines during the return to in-person hyrid learning plan at UBMS. As students enter the building through the walker/car rider door, or through the bus rider door, there will be mobile breakfast stations set up. Students will pick up "grab and go" breakfasts and take them to their first classroom of the day. All students will eat breakfast during the advisory period.
Lunch Procedures
Lunch will take place in the cafeteria. Each teacher will have an assigned lunch period, and students from this class will sit near one another in assigned seats. As students enter the cafeteria, there will be specific floor stickers where students will stand and wait in line to ensure appropriate physical distancing. Students will have a choice of main dish, but side dishes will be preloaded onto all trays. Since there is no cost for lunch, and no self-serving areas for side dishes, students should move fairly quickly through the lunch lines. Students will use disposable trays and silverware.
COVID Safety in the Cafeteria
All seating areas will be sanitized in between lunch shifts. Students may bring their own bagged lunch, however there will not be a microwave available for student use. In addition, sharing of food / lunches is not allowed at this time.
Preventing the Spread of Covid-19 at UBMS (Posted Feb 21)
Primary Impacts: In-Person Student
Mask Wearing
Students and staff are required to wear masks while at the bus stop, on the school bus, and in school, with very limited exceptions. Students, staff and parents are encouraged to read the PWCS EMERGENCY FACE COVERINGS REGULATION by clicking on the highlighted text.
Walkers should wear masks as they wait to cross the crosswalk or if they are around others while walking to school. Students will be permitted to remove their mask only when eating, during an individual mask break designated by their teacher, or during specific activities in approved classes (PE) when there is significant social distancing of greater than 10 feet.
Masks must cover the mouth and nose at all times. Students may not use bandana or gator style masks, and are not permitted to use masks with vents.
Cleaning / Sanitizing
Our custodial staff will be continously cleaning frequently touched areas (such as door knobs, restrooms and railings) throughout the day. Teachers will also be cleaning frequently touched areas within the classroom.
When students enter the classroom, they will pick up a paper cloth and take it to their seat. Near the conclusion of class, teachers will spray the Oxivir cleaning solution onto each students desk and chair. Students will wipe the desk and chair using the cloth they picked up at the beginning of the class. As they leave the classroom, they will be directed to dispose the cloth into the trash can, and use hand sanitizer located at the front of the classroom.
Our amazing custodial staff will be cleaning each room thoroughly after school each day so this procedure will not be required of students for the last period of the day.
If a student would prefer, they are permitted to wipe down their desk and chair when they enter the classroom.
Hand Washing / Using Hand Sanitizer
There are a great number of hand sanitizing stations mounted on the walls around UBMS. In addition, each classroom will have hand sanitizer available for teachers and students. It is recommended that students use hand sanitizer frequently, and follow the posted directions for safe and healthy hand-washing whenever they visit the restroom.
Physical Distancing
All individuals at UBMS will be expected to maintain 6 foot physical distancing from others while in the building, at the bus stop, or walking to and from school. Mask wearing, frequently sanitizing your area and hands, and maintaining physical distancing are among the most important things that students and staff can do to prevent the spread of Covid-19 in our school.
What Happens if I Fail to Follow the Safety Procedures?
Students should be aware of the UBMS safety procedures, and agree to follow these procedures by coming to school each day. As good citizens of our school, we must all do our part to protect ourselves and our neighbors from contracting Covid-19 by practicing the safety procedures at all times. While staff will work with students to educate them, and issue basic reminders as students are transitioning back into the school environment, students who consistently fail to follow the procedures may face disciplanary consequences.
Warnings to students will be given and documented, parent contact will be made, and students may be requested or required to return to virtual-only instruction if they cannot follow the required safety procedures.
Arrival, Dismissal and Transportation
Primary Impacts: In-Person Learning
Bus Riders
The office of transportation has continued to update bus assignments and bus stop information. You can check your bus number as well as your bus stop by logging into ParentVue and StudentVue. In addition, students can click on "Find My Bus" to enter their address and identify their bus number.
Bus riders should arrive at the bus stop at least 5 minutes prior to their scheduled pickup time. Students should wear their masks while at the bus stop if there are others present. In addition, bus riders should expect to be assigned a specific seat on the bus and are also required to wear their mask while on the ride to school. If a student does not have a mask, the bus driver will provide them one before boarding the bus.
Bus riders will depart the bus and enter the door nearest the library. Staff will direct bus riders.
Walkers
Students walking to school should arrive no earlier than 8:05. Walkers should wear their masks when they are in the presence of others on the way to school. Please maintain physical distancing from others walking near you, and while waiting at the crosswalk.
Car Riders
Parents dropping off car riders should enter the building near the electronic sign, and follow the traffic pattern through our parking lot. Car riders will be allowed to exit cars and enter the building at 8:05. Students will not be permitted to be dropped off prior to this time due to spacing and social distancing. A staff member will be located near the student drop off zone alongside the sidewalk near the bus look to assist.
Physical Distancing While Walking Into the Building
Walkers and Car Riders will enter the building near the front office. Bus riders will enter the building near the library. As students approach these areas, they will see jaguar paws painted on the sidewalks at 6 foot spacing. Please make sure that you are not closer than 6 feet to the person in front of you.
Dismissal (Updated February 26)
Students will be dismissed in stages so that we are able to maintain physical distancing in the hallways. Bus Riders will be dimissed first. Next, walkers and car riders will be dismissed by grade level. Students should exit the same doors that they enter.
Unity Braxton Middle School
Please follow us on twitter, facebook and check our school website for important school information!
Email: UBMS-Helpdesk@pwcs.edu
Website: https://unitybraxtonms.pwcs.edu/
Location: 10100 Lomond Drive, Manassas, VA, USA
Phone: (703) 361-3185
Facebook: facebook.com/UnityBraxtonMiddleSchool
Twitter: @unitybraxton