Chartwell School: The Bulldog Bark

What's In This Newsletter

School starts next week! Please take the time to read the Bark thoroughly each week to make your year start off smoothly. If you missed previous issues of the Bulldog Bark, you can find the archives here.

What's New This Week:

REQUIRED: Important Forms to Complete before First Day of School (Docusign)
1st Day of School Overview
Online store for LMS cohort t-shirts and hoodies
After School Homework Program Sign-Up Form (LMS Only)
2021-2022 Yearbooks Arrive Next Week!

Repeated from Last Week

COVID Guidelines for the 2022-23 School Year
Pick up and Drop Off Times
Carline Information and Etiquette Reminders
Robotics 2022-2023 Overview of Programs
Directory Information Confirmation Request

REQUIRED: Important Forms to Complete Before First Day of School (Docusign)

Please click on the appropriate button below to review and sign important documents by your child's first day of school. The forms must be completed for each child.

If you turned in your paperwork at the Back to School Picnic, you do not need to complete the forms again.

The documents included are:

Family Handbook Acknowledgement
Emergency Authorization Form
Counseling Consent Form
Photo Release Form
Field Experiences Permission Form (High School Only)

Families who complete the paperwork by their child's first day of school will receive a Chartwell water bottle or car magnet! Please email info@chartwell.org with any questions or issues. Thank you in advance!

School Begins Next Week!

First Day of School High School - Monday, August 15

First Day of School Lower and Middle School - Tuesday, August 16

On the first day of school for each division, family members are welcome to join their students on the sports court. Students will begin their program at 9:15 am.

All students should bring a backpack, water bottle, and LUNCH.

7:45 am COVID testing in McMahan Hall (see article below)

8:30-8:45 am Unite and gather on sports court

8:45-9:15 am Welcome and brief introduction of faculty

3:05 pm Pickup for High School (see articles below)

3:15 pm Pickup for LMS (see articles below)

COVID-19 and the 2022-2023 School Year

In preparation for the 2022-2023 school year, we are sharing information about the return to school testing requirements, masking guidelines, and ongoing safety measures. As always, we welcome family feedback and are open to listening to our families' concerns and needs as we continue to move through the pandemic.

What You Need to Know

Testing will be required to return to school (at home kits available from school)
New students will need to register for testing; returning students will need to have updated consent forms signed
Indoor masking will be required for the first week of school - August 15 -19
Indoor masking will be strongly recommended but not required beginning August 22

Read below for more details, links, and important registration information.

Return to School: August 15 & 16

Monterey County continues to see a spike in positive COVID cases and to ensure a healthy start to our year, we will require testing for all faculty, staff, and students prior to or on the first day of school.

Option 1- At Home Testing

Families have the option to administer an at-home test within 24 hours of their child’s return to school.

Please send confirmation of a negative result to rharris@chartwell.org by 8:00 am on your student’s first day of school.

Option 2 - On Campus Testing

Previous consents for COVID testing in Primary Health have all expired. Families that were already registered last year and who have NOT renewed their consent, will receive a link this afternoon. New Chartwell families should register their new students and sign the testing consent form here:

New Student Testing Registration Link

Testing will begin at 8:00 am on Monday, August 15 for high school students and Tuesday, August 16 for lower and middle students. Parents/Guardians will be advised to leave campus after drop-off but should be prepared to return should their child test positive.

Masking

Indoor masking will be required for all students and faculty and staff for the first week of school (August 15-19) in an effort to help ensure a healthy start to the school year.

Beginning Monday, August 22, we will follow the California Department of Health guidelines regarding masking and safety measures for the remainder of the 2022-2023 year. The current guidance is that the CDPH "strongly recommends masking indoors in a K-12 school". You can find more information about the CDPH guidelines here and Monterey County metrics here.

Vaccinations

We continue to highly encourage our families to get vaccinated against the COVID virus and stay up to date with booster shots. Here is a list of vaccination locations and clinics in our area.

If Your Child Tests Positive

Chartwell will follow the California Department of Health Isolation and Quarantine Guidelines for students, faculty, and staff who test positive for COVID.

Thank You

Our Chartwell community members have been steadfast partners in our efforts to keep our community safe. Thank you in advance for your support and flexibility as we enter a new school year.

Pick-up and Drop-Off Times for the 2022-2023 Year

Lower and Middle School: Monday-Thursday

8:00 am Students drop-off begins and play outside with division cohorts as instructed.

8:20 am First Bell: Homeroom teachers bring students from outside into the classroom.

8:30 am 2nd Bell: School begins with Morning Homeroom.

3:15 pm Last Bell: Students dismissed- Teachers walk students outside

3:15 pm Pick-up begins for LS/MS

Parents may begin arriving before 3:15 pm and wait in the car line that wraps around the circle in front of McMahan and down Numa Watson Road towards Normandy.

High School - Monday - Thursday

8:00 am Student drop-off begins

8:20 am First Bell: Students begin walking to Advisory

8:30 am Second Bell: School begins with Morning Meeting in Advisory

3:05 pm Last Bell - Students dismissed; HS Pick-up begins in faculty parking area

Important: High School pick-up takes place in the faculty parking lot. Enter through the first entry and drive all the way up towards the field where students will be waiting. See diagram attached.

Parents may begin arriving before 3:05 pm and wait in carline that may extend down Numa Watson Road towards Normandy. Staff will direct you.

Fridays: LS/MS/HS

Dismissal for all students is at 12:50 pm. The same locations apply.

Carline Rules and Etiquette

Morning and afternoon carlines are a part of every school’s challenges. Our staff works diligently to manage the traffic as quickly and efficiently as possible, with safety always being the top priority.

Depending on when you arrive for afternoon pick-up, there will be a wait of 5-15 minutes most days. Please plan ahead for this wait, be patient, and adhere to all the safety rules.

Lower and Middle School Pick-up: Please DO this:

As you enter Bulldog Way (the circle in front of the school), pull up as far forward as possible. If the car in front of you leaves, you should continue pulling forward until your child or carpool has been secured in the vehicle.
All children must enter and exit from the vehicle’s passenger side. If this is not possible, inform a staff member so they can stop traffic to allow students to enter/exit from the driver’s side.
All LS/MS students must remain within the circle area and may not walk to meet you at your car. We are required to see each child picked up by an authorized adult.
Drive slowly and stay alert.

High School Pick-up: Please DO this:

As you enter the lower parking area, please pull up as far as possible. If the car in front of you leaves, you should continue pulling forward until your child or carpool has been secured in the vehicle.
When you are ready to exit the carline, you may pull into the right lane to prepare to exit the parking lot as directed by a staff member.
Watch for directions from the carline staff members who will direct you out of the lot safely, and always stay alert for students, faculty members and other cars in the area.
Drive slowly and stay alert.

Please do NOT do this:

Do not use your cell phone.
Do not use your horn.
Do not pass a car waiting in line unless directed to do so by a member of Chartwell’s staff.
Do not park in the spaces on the right side of the field to avoid the carline. Exiting is dangerous and creates a delay for those in the carline. If you park in these spaces, you will be expected to stay until the carline has dissipated.
If you require access to a handicapped parking spot, notify a staff member and they will guide you safely to the spot.

Update on Cohort T-shirts and How to Order Extra

Each student will receive two short sleeve shirts to start off the year. Additional shirts (two additional per student), including long sleeve will be available at the Back to School night on September 8.

If you would like more than the four t-shirts offered by the school, you can order them at the link below. Hoodies in cohort colors are also available. Please email info@chartwell.org with questions.

Sign-Up for Lower and Middle School After School Homework Program

The After-School Homework Program provides an opportunity to complete homework, classwork, and required reading with Chartwell faculty support. The Program is available Monday - Thursday from 3:30 pm - 5:00 pm. Students may attend on a regular basis or drop-in basis, and the fee ($25 per day) will be billed to the student's tuition account. Please use the attached form if you are interested and return it to Roz Harris is Building 200.

Robotics 2022-2023 Kick-Offs with Expanded Options

Sandra Varajic, Chartwell’s new Director of STEAM and EdTech, is teaming up with Ultra Robotics to expand robotics options for students this year. All ages will have an after-school robotics option!

There will be an on-campus Open House on Saturday, August 27 from 10:00 am - 12:00 pm for Chartwell parents and interested students. Light refreshments will be served.

A very brief description of each program is listed below, along with registration links. To learn more about each program, click here to view a presentation with more information.

Robotics 2022-2023 Overview

FIRST Lego League (FLL) Explore

Ages 6-8

Meets every Saturday beginning September 10 from 1:30 pm -2:30 pm

September - November

Coached by Jenna Jackson, Ultra Robotics

FIRST Lego League (FLL) Challenge (Weekend Practice Team)

Ages 9-13

Meets every Saturday beginning September 10 from 9:30 am - 12:30 pm

September - November

Coached by Jenna Jackson, Ultra Robotics

FIRST Lego League(FLL) Challenge (Weekday Practice Team)

Ages 9-13

Meets Tuesdays and Thursdays beginning September 6 from 3:15 pm - 4:30 pm

Coached by Sandra Varajic, Chartwell STEAM and Ed Tech Director

First Tech Challenge (FTC)

Ages 12-18

Meets every Monday and Wednesday beginning September 7 from 3:15 pm - 4:15 pm

September - April

Coached by Sandra Varajic, Chartwell STEAM and Ed Tech Director

FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC)

Ages 14-18

Meets Thursdays starting 3:15 pm - 4:30 pm, Saturdays from 9:00 am - 6:00 pm, and Sundays from 9:00 am - 6:00 pm. Students are typically expected to attend either Saturday or Sunday to have one full work day per week when possible.

January - May

Coached by Matt Lussier and Patric Herring, Ultra Robotics

2022-2023 Directory Information

This year we will be creating a directory for families with contact information of other families in our community.

The information that will be included:

Student Name
Parent/Guardian Name
Phone #
Email
City in which you live (not your physical address)

If you would prefer any of this information NOT be shared with others in the community, please email info@chartwell.org. Families with two households will also be noted.

The directory will only be shared with Chartwell families and is for personal use only.

Calendar of Upcoming Events

Monday, August 15 - First Day of School - HIGH SCHOOL

Tuesday, August 16 - First Day of School - LOWER and MIDDLE

Thursday, August 25 - Community Workshop: Executive Functioning Tips for A New School Year, 5:30 pm (Zoom)

Saturday, August 27 - Robotics Open House, 10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Tuesday, August 30 - Chartwell Community Coffee, 8:30 am

Monday, September 5 - Labor Day - No Classes

Thursday, September 8 - Back to School Night - LS

Thursday, September 15 - Back to School Night - MS/HS (DATE CHANGE)

Questions?

If you have questions for us, please contact one of the following Chartwell Team Members:

Head of School, Danielle Patterson: dpatterson@chartwell.org

Director of Teaching and Learning, Jodi Amaditz: jamaditz@chartwell.org

Assistant Director of Lower School, Katherine Kanaski: kkanaski@chartwell.org

Assistant Director of Middle School, Karla Bell: kbell@chartwell.org

Assistant Director of the High School, Amanda Zonghi: azonghi@chartwell.org

Director of STEAM and EdTech, Sandra Varajic: svarajic@chartwell.org

Director of Student Support: Billy Swift bswift@chartwell.org

Director of Campus Management and Safety, John Langrill: jlangrill@chartwell.org

Director of Advancement and Communications, Elena Mueller: emueller@chartwell.org

Director of Athletics: Rory Patterson rpatterson@chartwell.org

Technical Support: techsupport@chartwell.org

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