The Lions' Roar Newsletter
January/February 2021 Parent Newsletter-Volume 11, Issue 7
Happy New Year!
Upcoming Early Release/PD Days
We will also not be having school on January 18th in observance of Martin Luther King Day, or on January 19th, which is a district Professional Development Day.
Classes will resume January 20th with our normal school hours.
Kindergarten Registration Information
Dates have been set for the Wentzville School District’s kindergarten screening process. This event is for all children who will turn five BEFORE August 1, 2021. Parents are asked to register online using the Quick Registration and Screening form. If your child has not been screened at the Parents as Teachers office or his/her preschool this year, appointments are required and can be made when you register online. Screening appointments are available in the morning and evening and are filled on a first come, first served basis. Please note that due to social distancing and space limitations, it may be difficult to accommodate siblings at the screen appointment. Please be sure to check your address with the District’s Boundary Locator tool to determine which school your child will attend prior to registering your child for kindergarten.
All screening appointments will take place at the Parents as Teachers Office at One Campus Drive, Wentzville, MO 63385.
Screening dates are as follows:
· Thursday, January 14, 2021
· Thursday, January 21, 2021
· Wednesday, January 27, 2021
· Thursday, February 4, 2021
· Tuesday, February 9, 2021
· Thursday, February 11, 2021
· Wednesday, February 17, 2021
· Thursday, February 18, 2021
· Tuesday, February 23, 2021
· Wednesday, February 24, 2021
Your information will be sent to your child’s elementary school. The school will contact you to complete your child's kindergarten registration. To access a list of necessary materials and documents for registration, please see our Kindergarten Registration Procedures page. For additional information about kindergarten registration and screening, or to check if your child has a current screening on file, please contact the Parents as Teachers office at 636-327-3863, ext. 22281.
If you do not have a Missouri birth certificate, you may obtain one at a cost of $15 from the St. Charles County Community Health/Environment-Vital Statistics Office, 1650 Boone’s Lick, St. Charles, MO 63301, or by calling (636) 949-7558 for more information.
Six Flags Read to Succeed Update
During the 2019-2020 school year we had many students participate in the Read to Succeed program and earned a ticket for Six Flags. Tickets were distributed with the supply pick up at the end of the previous school year. Six Flags has extended the expiration date for any unused tickets. So, if you haven't used your ticket, your ticket is now valid through August 31, 2021. Please contact our librarian, Mrs. Cook if you have any questions at jennifercook@wsdr4.org.
WSD Meal Distribution Update
The District continues to provide free meals for all students through June 30, 2021 or until available federal funding runs out. The meals are being provided regardless of eligibility as a result of the extension of waivers by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) related to the Seamless Summer Option program. This includes children ages 1-18 who reside in the Wentzville School District boundaries but are not enrolled in a WSD school. For more information please contact the Child Nutrition Office at 636-327-3858 or click here
WSD Updates
Modified Quarantines
The district has implemented the Modified Quarantine Protocols for Contacts in Schools that we received from the St. Charles County Department of Public Health. We have posted a new Frequently Asked Questions document related to modified quarantines to help address some of your questions. Additionally, we have shared a document that outlines acceptable masks that should be worn at school in order to allow for the opportunity to obtain a modified quarantine if exposed to a COVID-positive individual.
We are aware that the CDC has issued new options to reduce quarantine times and we are awaiting further guidance from county health officials as to how that may change our protocols and procedures in the District related to quarantines.
Previously, we notified you that we would not be having Late Starts in November and December while some schools were at Level 3. We have decided to extend that through Monday, January 4, so we will not have a late start on that date as well. We recognize how important this time is for staff collaboration, data analysis, and planning, and we hope to resume Late Starts beginning with the February 8th date.
Emergency At-home Learning Days
As we work through this unprecedented school year, we would like to share our plans with you to provide students with learning activities and assignments in the event we have to suddenly close school for a day. Beginning this school year, Missouri school districts with an approved plan for at-home learning may count those as days of student attendance. This could occur due to COVID, weather-related events, water main breaks, etc. On these days, students will participate in learning in a variety of ways. When an at-home learning day is utilized, we will contact families via our usual channels: phone call, text, push notification, email, social media and website.
An important note about snow days: We have built six days into our school calendar for the 20-21 school year to be utilized as snow days. We will not utilize at-home learning on those six built-in days. If we were to have additional snow days after the first six, we plan to utilize at-home learning days. By doing that, we avoid extending our calendar at the end of the school year.
For our K-5 students, they will not have Chromebooks on these days since it will be an unplanned school closure. Because of this, they will have a combination of learning assignments and optional virtual interactions with the teacher. Parents and guardians should expect an email the morning of an at-home learning day outlining what needs to be completed for that day. Students will access learning in their Google Classroom and via Google Meet. Students must return completed assignments the next day to be given attendance for the day. These assignments will be clearly outlined by the teacher.
Grades K-5 Virtual Academy schedules will not be impacted by an at-home learning day. Students will continue their regular schedule of learning on these days.
For our 6-12 students, they will have their Chromebooks at home and therefore, will receive a modified virtual instruction schedule. On these days, students will meet virtually with classes following their daily bell schedule. Students will be expected to attend these classes virtually and attendance will be taken. Additional assignments and activities may also be provided by the teacher. Grades 6-12 Virtual Academy schedules will follow the building’s daily bell schedule, which is their typical virtual schedule.
Student Password Update
Canned Food Drive Coming to Lakeview
Family members may also choose to donate items online through Walmart. Please click HERE for the donation website.
Thank you again for your generosity and for thinking of those in need during these challenging times.
WSD Inclement Weather/School Closing Information
Timely communication with our District families is always a priority, but especially important in emergency school closing situations. If WSD schools are forced to close due to inclement weather or other factors (i.e. power outages, water main breaks) parents/guardians and students will be notified in the following ways:
District Phone Call/Text/Email
The Wentzville School District utilizes Blackboard, a mass communication broadcast system that allows school administrators to notify all households by phone, text and email within minutes of an emergency or unplanned event that causes early dismissal or school cancellation. The service may also be used occasionally by individual schools to communicate general announcements or reminders. Please be sure to notify the school office about any change in your personal contact information. You always have the option of how you would like to receive notifications (you can turn off the call and only receive texts and/or emails for example). Simply contact the Communication and Community Relations Department to change your delivery preferences by calling 636/327-3800, ext. 20358 or email kathleendelaquil@wsdr4.org.
TV/Radio
When inclement weather causes the District to cancel school or dismiss classes early, please check the following television and radio stations for school closing information.
KTVI - TV Channel 2 KMOX Radio 1120 AM
KMOV - TV Channel 4 KWRE Radio 730 AM
KSDK - TV Channel 5 KFAV Radio 99.9 FM
These TV and radio stations also have web sites with the same school closing information. Look for the Wentzville R-IV School District. Please be advised that individual schools will not be listed separately, closings will always be listed as the Wentzville R-IV School District.
Website
The District website will be updated with any emergency school closing information. Please check on the homepage.
Social Media
The WSD has its own Facebook page (Wentzville School District) be sure to “like” us! It's a great way to keep up to date with the latest happenings in the District, complete with pictures. You can also follow the District on Twitter, just search for WSDinfo or Instagram (wsdschools). All three social media sites will be used not only to keep community members informed about the latest news in the District, but in the event of a school closing or emergency, this will be yet another means of communicating quickly and efficiently.
WSD App Push Notification
The WSD has an app you can download and choose to follow your child's school. The app will be an additional notification tool used in the event of a school closing or emergency to send followers a push notification directly to your phone. You can download the WSD app from iTunes or Google Play.
Face Coverings & Masks Reminder
Given what has been learned about COVID-19 and given the district's new modified quarantine procedure, it is essential that all students and staff continue wearing masks and facial coverings to school. Our teachers and staff will continue finding ways to give students mask breaks throughout the day, but as long as social distancing of 6 feet is not possible, masks must be worn.
Our district leadership has released new Mask Recommendations (linked HERE). Please take time to review this guidance and ensure your child has masks that meet these guidelines.
A note about neck gaiters - moving forward these must be folded in order to create a two-layer facial covering. If the gaiter is NOT worn in this manner, it does not qualify for "modified quarantine." As with all things COVID, this is based on recommendations from the County Health Department and the CDC.
At Home Screening Reminder
Please monitor your children at home before coming to school. If your child has any one or more of the following symptoms, please keep your child at home.
-Fever 100.0 or above
-New onset cough
-Difficulty breathing
-Headache
-Loss of taste or smell
-Sore throat
-Diarrhea
-Nausea/vomiting
-Fatigue
-Runny nose/congestion
If your child is assessed and you are called for pickup, we ask that you pick up your child within one hour of notification.Your child may not return to school until they are completely symptom free for 24 hours.
If your child or a child's immediate family member tests positive for Covid-19, or if you received direct contact notification from the health department regarding quarantine procedures for your student, please notify your school’s nurse of this information as soon as possible. Thank you so much for your continued support and effort to keep all students safe and healthy during this time.
Virtual Academy Update, January 2020
We thank you for your assistance and support of Virtual Academy and for your communication and collaboration with your children's teachers. If you have questions, your child's teacher is usually the best person to contact first. They are all happy to assist you in whatever way they can. They have definitely gone above and beyond to make this year a success.
If your child has reserved library books, please be sure to come to pick them up at our monthly supply pickups. We will typically pull the books out of circulation and hold onto them for a week or so. This means that these books are not available to other students during that time. A HUGE thank you to Mrs. Cook who has worked tirelessly to make sure all of our readers, both in-person and virtual, have great books in their hands!
For families who elected to switch back to in-person learning, this shift will occur on January 20. This gives our office staff and district V.A. staff time to determine teacher assignments, close out grades, and handle other logistics related to these changes. Usually, our first semester and second quarter ends at Winter Break, but due to the new start date this year of August 24th this was not the case this year. If you or your child has any questions about this transition, your child's teacher or counselors will be great resources to help with this process.
V.A. Pages for the 2021 Yearbook
The Lakeview Yearbook committee is looking for photos of our Lakeview students learning from home. We get to speak and visit with your child's teachers and they are bragging and telling us about all the exciting learning that is happening from home. We would love to receive any photos you may have captured during this time of Virtual Learning.
Please email them to:
Thank you,
Lakeview Yearbook Committee
Reporting Absences for Virtual Academy Students
You may contact your child's teacher directly for "make up" assignments and work expectations.
Lakeview Elementary School
Asst. Principals, Pete Johnson & Jessica Hanks
Email: douglasholler@wsdr4.org
Website: https://www.wentzville.k12.mo.us/LVE
Location: 2501 Mexico Road, Wentzville, MO 63385, United States
Phone: 636-332-2923
Twitter: @LVEPrincipal