New Lebanon Re-Opening Update
New Lebanon School
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Hello Bobcat Families!
The five words above words say everything about what we as teachers, administrators, and families need to do for this next school year. We all need to work TOGETHER to make sure we are creating a safe environment for the wellbeing of our community and our town. Learning will also be positively impacted when we work TOGETHER. Teachers are the experts on the curriculum, but parents are the experts on their own children. Make sure that you are taking the time to make notes on how the remote learning last spring affected your child, and how his or her summer has gone as well. Whether your child is learning in the physical school building or learning remotely, your child’s teacher will need your help in getting to know your child to help them best. Be willing to share with the teacher whether they reach out with a survey or in person. Develop a relationship with your child’s teachers so that both of you can make sure that you are supporting your child and their learning in the best way possible.
TOGETHER we can do this - for safety and learning!
The three most important things we must remember every day to keep everyone safe are:
1. Wear your mask.
2. Wash your hands.
3. Watch your distance.
Below are some of the precautionary measure we are taking at New Lebanon:
1. Wear your mask.
All students and adults will wear masks. If your child is not going to wear one, you should strongly consider choosing the remote learning option. Per state mandate, unless there is a documented medical reason why your child cannot wear one, they must have one on at all appropriate times. There will be multiple mask breaks during the day scheduled by the classroom teacher.
When students are outside, they may take their mask off if they are more than 6 feet apart from others.
We encourage you to dress your child in easy-to-wear clothes (especially for our youngest learners). For example, sweats and t-shirts are great. Teachers want to avoid having to zip, button, and tie clothing during the day.
2. Wash your hands.
Hand sanitizer will be available in each classroom, outside of each bathroom, in the gym, and in all other rooms and small offices including the main office and nurse's station.
- The building will be disinfected daily and the cafeteria will be disinfected after each group of students.
3. Watch your distance.
Students will spend most of their day within their classroom and with their classroom teacher or a specials teacher (art, music, media/library, & PE). There will be time to go outside for PE, Lunch, and Recess, as well as additional "mask breaks" taken outside. We encourage you to put sunscreen on your child each day when appropriate. We will not be able to put sunscreen on your students during the day.
We will ‘cohort’ kids by teams of approximately 50 students. That means that these 50 students interact mostly with one another and the teachers within their cohort during the course of the day. Teachers within their cohort include their classroom teacher, perhaps a literacy specialist, ESL teacher, and special education teacher. We are working to keep most teachers assigned to 1-2 grade levels.
We will allow and encourage class time outside when appropriate. We will keep students more than 6 feet apart when outside without a mask.
Lunch: Students will eat lunch outside as long as weather permits. They will always be 6 feet apart without a mask when they eat. Students are allowed to bring whatever storage container they would like from home. If you would like to send your child with a towel to sit on, please feel free to do so.
When lunch needs to take place inside, students will sit two to a table in the cafeteria, and additional students will sit in the gym (with the doors open), always 6 feet apart when they are eating without a mask.
Recess: Recess will be outside as long as weather permits. Teachers are working with PE staff during our Professional Development Days to plan safe and distanced organized activities during recess.
Recess: If there is inclement weather, students will stay in their classroom for an organized activity.
We already set up classrooms so students are approximately 3 feet (or more) from one another when wearing a face mask. If there is a need to share a table, while still 3 feet apart, plexiglass dividers will separate the children (see pictures below for more details!).
We are also limiting the number of adults your children will come in contact with.
Students will be with their classroom teacher for the majority of the day.
Media (Pre-K-2 only), Art, and Music will be taught in your child’s classroom. The teacher will come into the room. We are still finalizing a schedule for this.
PE will take place outside whenever possible. In the case of inclement weather, we will have PE in the gym with all students six feet apart.
Students who receive intervention, special education services, and ESL services will continue to receive their services in small groups either inside or outside of the classroom, but always within their grade level cohort.
Hallways already have arrows and footprints for students to follow, so they walk on the right side of the hallway. Feel free to start practicing this at home!
Students will be permitted to carry backpacks in and out of the building.
We will use multiple entry points to the building for arrival and dismissal (final plan coming soon). Please note the building will open at 8am this year and breakfast will be a grab-and-go brown bag. Please start planning your schedule now to accommodate this new entry time.
Signage throughout the building will remind students and adults to socially distance.
Teachers who work with students in small groups (ESL, Literacy, Intervention, Special Education) will have additional PPE including plastic and/or plexi dividers for students.
While guests (including parents) will not be allowed in the building this year, we look forward to taking advantage of virtual opportunities streamed to us from across the globe: museums, author visits, and ballets just to name a few! We will have a drop-off system located outside on the main entry bridge for anything you may need to deliver to us.
If you scroll down, you will see pictures of our updated classroom layouts to maintain distance and promote safety. Please take a look and start sharing them with your students, so they can begin to visualize what their classroom might look like this year!
Student and staff safety is the most important concern and always at the top of our minds. We are doing everything we can with what we have to keep everyone safe when we are in the building. If you have questions about anything mentioned above, please do not hesitate to call or email me to discuss them further
Email: alexandra_bartholomew@greenwich.k12.ct.us
Cell: 475-333-1732
Love,
Mrs. Michaelson (formerly known as Ms. B.)
A note on class lists...
We anticipate class lists and the home mailer coming out on or after August 28th. We will send this home via regular mail AND email. We thank you for your patience as we fine tune class lists and balance them appropriately based on remote learners.
Additional Updates from Friday's note from Superintendent Dr. Jones!
Planning Updates
We are sharing some updates to planning details.
- Food Service/Lunch: Originally, it was communicated that only brown bags and/or fully disposable containers would be allowed for lunch. However, the District will be allowing reusable containers for both hot and cold food to be brought back and forth from home to help reduce waste and ease meal planning for students and parents. Items that contain peanuts should still be labeled for the safety of all of our students.
- Mask Clarification: In this latest Q&A document there was a mention that valve masks would be allowed due to the low transmission rate. However, we have been advised by medical professionals that valve masks will no longer be allowed for safety reasons. The Board of Education is working to provide more guidance on types of masks and will discuss the policy again next week at the BOE Special Meeting on August 20th.
- Travel Considerations: We have received questions from our families about travel restrictions and safety protocols for quarantining after travel. Please read this note that will be posted on our website for all District families. It shares the importance of understanding and following the State mandates for quarantine after visiting specific locations, both domestically and abroad.
- Signage for All Buildings: All of our school buildings will have this (or similar) messaging posted on their main exterior doors. We ask that you please read and follow this messaging to ensure we comply with our mandate for no school visitors.
Remote School vs. In Person School
A: In your email confirmation you received after you chose remote school, there is an option to switch back to in person learning. If you do not see this, dojo or email me at alexandra_bartholomew@greenwich.k12.ct.us.
Q: What if I signed up for remote school, but once it starts it is too hard for my family and we want to switch to in person?
A: You can do that! We are asking that you give us two weeks (we can probably do it in less time) to make this switch.
Q: What if I choose in person school, but I want to switch to remote learning?
A: You can do that! We are asking that you give us two weeks (we can probably do it in less time) to make this switch.
Q: Will my student(s) have New Lebanon teachers in the remote school?
A: No, this is not guaranteed. The Greenwich Public Schools remote school is its own separate school with remote teachers from across Greenwich schools.
Do you have other questions? There is a wonderful document the district put together to answer the many questions you might have...you can see it here (click on the blue links to open):
The pictures below represent what we anticipate our class sizes looking like - this could change as families change their minds about in person or remote learning.
Sample Kindergarten Classroom
Sample 1st Grade Classroom
Sample 2nd Grade Classroom
Sample 3rd Grade Classroom
Sample 4th Grade Classroom
Sample 5th Grade Classroom
Feel free to download this Social Story to help talk to your children about why we wear masks and where we wear masks. There is a helpful video below, too!
Here are some great no-touch greetings to practice with your students!
In case you missed the School Supply Lists...
IF YOU ARE IN NEED OF HELP/SUPPORT WHILE WE ARE OUT OF SCHOOL
Our School Social Worker School Psychologist are available during the summer via email if you need any support. Please expect a delayed response, as they are on summer vacation, too!
Kaitlin Cyr: kaitlin_cyr@greenwich.k12.ct.us
Sandra Saavedra: Sandra_Corrente@greenwich.k12.ct.us
Support in Greenwich
In case of an emergency, please call 911 or 211 (Emergency Mobile Psychiatric Services or EMPS).
Dial 2-1-1 or 1-800-203-1234 if you or someone you care about are experiencing a crisis or are concerned about someone who might be.
Kids in Crisis - 24 Hour Hotline - (203) 661-1911
Need help? Not sure? Any time of the day or night, there is always a live counselor on the end of the phone. These trained Crisis Counselors are available to provide immediate help and assess services needed to address and work through any situation
United Way - Housing, food, transportation, etc.
Town of Greenwich Human Resources
As the images reflect, we serve as your bridge. In addition to providing direct services, we connect you to the essential resources of the community. These resources provide the support you may need, such as:
Access to Health Care Services
Educational and Employment Opportunities
Food
Personal Safety
Shelter
The available services are diverse and support all ages. Our services are provided by a dedicated professional staff and a network of community partners. We also have staff that are bi-lingual.
To contact us, please call 203-622-3800 or come to our offices in Town Hall between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. After hours appointments are available on request. For those who wish to, complete the Intake form (PDF) and bring it to the office.
Neighbor to Neighbor- 203-622-9208 Provides clothing and food assistance to those in need.