The Wolverine Way
Kind. Determined. Together.
November and December 2020-2021 Newsletter
Superintendent - Mr. Kenneth Slater
Return To Learn Plan
We have personally seen how quickly it can spread if we let our guard down. At the same time, it can be contained by avoiding close contact and crowded places. Masking up is required when we can't social distance and it has helped minimize the number of students we have to send home.
When would we go to Remote Learning?
The state guidance uses a couple of measures schools can use to help decide on going to either Hybrid or 100% Remote learning. Those measures include:
- County positivity rate being over 15%
- Student Attendance over 10%
Currently, the counties positivity rates are:
- Woodbury - 23.8%
- Cherokee - 19.7%
- Ida - 28.9%
For River Valley, we have not been close to the 10% of students absent figure. It should be noted that the 10% attendance rate only includes students who are absent because of illness and does not include quarantined students.
The positivity rates are high as you can see and hopefully, shows the importance of following the Dept of Health recommendations. Our concern so far, has been the number of cases among our faculty. We went through a difficult time as it is difficult to find substitutes for our teachers and support. I can see having to make a change due to staffing issues.
Our staff used part of our training on November 16 to become better prepared for the situation that may require us to go remote.
Remember, our goals are:
- Keep students and staff as safe as possible
- Remain in 100% in-person learning as long as it is safe to do so.
- Provide the best education as possible as we navigate this year's challenges.
Sharing Survey Results
Should the District Consider Sharing Extra-Curricular Activities?
Should we only consider sharing activities when we have low numbers?
Which sharing option would people support?
Elementary Principal & Curriculum Director- Mrs. Melissa Holtz
Curriculum Corner
During the 2019-2020 school year, a team of teachers from Kindergarten through 12th Grade, along with Mr. Bisenius, Mr. Slater, our District Instructional Coach, and I spent the better part of six (6) months reviewing literacy curriculum with the intentions of purchasing new curriculum that would provide some structure while allowing for teacher autonomy, increase collaboration, support our Iowa Common Core, and provide rigorous, relevant learning for all. This process was lengthy but thoughtful. We sought to use research-based material that met the full range of needs for students and teachers. We started our search using EdReports.org to filter out materials that did not meet our specified needs. From there, we reached out to our AEA Literacy Consultants for insights, suggestions, and general guidance. After reviewing several research reports and considering the AEA staff's suggestions, we began requesting sample materials for review. This process allowed our team of teachers to get their hands on some of the authentic resources and make a more informed decision. Shortly thereafter, we agreed upon a few different texts and then sought the input of our ELA teachers who began filtering through the materials and providing input. When we finally narrowed it down to a couple of different curriculum choices at each level, teachers engaged in some webinars to learn more. This work led us to the new materials we now have in our hands and are using with our students.
Here is the bird's eye view of the benefits of our new materials:
Curriculum Name: ReadyGEN (K-5th Grade) & myPerspectives (6th-12th Grade)
Publisher: Savvas Realize (formerly Pearson Realize)
Key Features:
- Syncs with Google Classroom
- Access to hundreds of online reading material
- iLit Intervention Program
- Aligned to the Iowa Common Core Standards
- Online and Print Resources
- Whole Group and Small Group Instruction
- Beginning/Middle/End of Year Assessments
- Provides curriculum for both English and Reading content, supporting teacher collaboration
- K-12 Scope and Sequence of Instruction
Teachers continue to engage with professional development provided both virtually in an on-demand basis and via webinars with program specific trainers. This work allows them to become more familiar with the programs themselves and continue to engaging with new features and content as the year progresses.
While 2020 hasn't been the most ideal circumstances for implementing a new curriculum, our teachers are committed to the process and our students are certainly benefitting from their efforts!
Thank you, School Board, for your support of this purchase and ultimately, our students!
TOGETHER, We CAN!
- Thank you to our substitute teachers and substitute support staff that have made themselves available to us and are so very reliable!
- Thank you to our support staff for being flexible, making schedule adjustments, and bringing solutions to the table to help us meet the needs of our students.
- Thank you to our teachers who have worked overtime to get learning materials ready for students in quarantine, balance Google Meets instruction with regular classroom instruction, supported their grade level teaching partners during unusual prolonged absences, loaded learning content into Google Classroom for ease of access and transitions during quarantine times, took on extra recess and lunch room duties, learned new technology to ease the process along and hold conferences from a distance, and the list goes on!
- Thank you to our families who have graciously accepted phone calls of students needing to be quarantined, engaged in conferences, Facebook Live postings, and other social media forms of communication. (Side note: We SURE missed seeing you in person during conferences! Virtual connection is just not the same.)
- Thank you to our community for always looking out for the best interests of our students...whether it's donations of hats and mittens, providing a simple "thank you" to our staff, preparing for Christmas giving season, providing winter gear for families, or being actively involved with our school! This teaming is crucial for so many!
Thank you, thank you, thank you! Words can't fully express the gratitude we feel for the extra measures taken to provide the needed education, care, planning, and oh, so much more to our students and families!
All that being said, we continue to work to mitigate further spread of COVID-19 to our students and staff. In the past few weeks we have revisited our classrooms to ensure maximum spacing between student desks, increased awareness of the use of our masks when we unable to keep the necessary 6' of social distance, rearranged our lunch room to provide additional seating at a 6' distance between our students, and reorganized our staff lunch room to ensure greater social distancing between adults.
Our goal is and has been to keep kids learning in person as long as we possibly can. With a little luck, a lot of planning, and determination to wear our masks and keep our distance, I am confident we can slow the spread, minimize the need to quarantine, and I look forward to saying "We did it!" come June! However, when we get to say those three little words, it will not be administration saying it alone. It will not be teachers saying it alone. It will not be students and families say it alone. It will be ALL of us, TOGETHER, celebrating our collective efforts to do our best and be our best for our students! And that, my friends, will be worth it's weight in gold!!
Box Tops for Education
High School Principal and Activities Director - Mr. Adam Bisenius
JH/HS WOLVERINE NATION:
The 2020 school year has brought about many changes and challenges that our tremendous staff at River Valley has met head on. Teachers and support staff have proven their willingness to help each other and do whatever it takes to help our students through these trying times. Those sacrifices include giving up their prep time in order to cover for another teacher who has to be gone or spending numerous hours preparing their lessons to reach both in-house students and online learners. We also operated our parent-teacher conferences virtually for the first time. Our staff did a great job of communicating with families. I want to thank the families who met with staff in a different way. Changes for whatever the reasons can be difficult but thank you to all for making the conferences a success. I can’t thank them enough for all of their efforts.
I also want to take a moment and thank the great students of River Valley. This has been a trying semester on all of you. Whether it be wearing a mask and social distancing throughout the school day, or having to learn from home at times, our students have done a really good job of accepting the reality of the situation. I know it is frustrating for them at times, but we need their continued good efforts in order to keep things moving forward and smoothly as possible. All of the little things we can do to help protect each other, will give us the best opportunity for our students to have the seasons and opportunities that they enjoy so much. Please keep up your diligence in following the expectations and to parents, please continue to urge your students to do the right things in order to help keep each other safe and our routines uninterrupted.
Activities
There has been numerous amounts of activities taking place for our students. Our student council hosted their annual blood drive. Students really stepped up with their donations and we also had a large number of first-time donors. Another example of our students and staff being willing to help others. Our 2020 National Honor Society held inductions and welcomed in 13 new members. This ceremony, like many events, was a combination of in-person and virtual inductions. We should all be very proud of the members as it is a testament to their character as a person and their leadership skills. Our fall sports seasons have come to an end. Special congratulations go out to the following individuals for their all-conference and all-district honors: In volleyball- sophomore Maddie Thomas was selected 1st team all-conference and senior Beau Todd was selected as 2nd team all-conference. In football, junior Ethan Thomas and senior Garrett Trapp were selected to 1st team all-district. Seniors Brody Lillefloren and Tyler Towne were selected to 2nd team all-district. Seniors, Colton Johnson and Devin Todd, were selected to the honorable-mention all-district team. Congratulations to the coaches and players for navigating an ever-changing schedule and rules throughout their season. I also want to pay tribute to our band and choir members for putting together a virtual concert that will be shared with our families. I also want to thank our student council for organizing a virtual Veterans Day Program for our students to watch.
Our Junior High programs also enjoyed a successful fall season. Our junior high football players blazed a trail in sharing with the Kingsley-Pierson junior high football program. The kids did a great job and represented River Valley in a very proud manner. Our junior high volleyball team also had a great season with many victories and continued improvement throughout the season.
Mrs. Taunia Pry - Food Director
November and December
Reminder we are still able to provide free first breakfast and lunch to all students. We encourage you to remind your child that they eat for free and to take advantage of this great program. If your child chooses to eat seconds there is an ala carte charge of .75 cents. and milks .35 cents.
I wish you all happy and healthy holidays and if there are any concerns of needed nourishment during school breaks please contact me and I will be more than happy to help
Taunia Pry
712-372-4656-ext 1234
From the Nurse's Office- Mrs. Lori Baldwin
Thanksgiving
The safest way to celebrate Thanksgiving this year is to celebrate with people in your household. If you do plan to spend Thanksgiving with people outside your household, take steps to make your celebration safer.
Wear a mask
- Wear a mask with two or more layers to stop the spread of COVID-19.
- Wear the mask over your nose and mouth and secure it under your chin.
- Make sure the mask fits snugly against the sides of your face.
Stay at least 6 feet away from others who do not live with you
- Remember that some people without symptoms can spread COVID-19 or flu.
- Keeping 6 feet (about 2 arm lengths) from others is especially important for people who are at higher risk of getting very sick.
Wash your hands
- Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
- Keep hand sanitizer with you and use it when you are unable to wash your hands. (Use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol).
Consider Other Thanksgiving Activities
Host a virtual Thanksgiving meal with friends and family who don’t live with you
- Schedule a time to share a meal together virtually.
- Share recipes and show your turkey, dressing, or other dishes you’ve prepared.
- Participate in a gratitude activity, like writing down things you are grateful for and sharing with your friends and family.
Watch television and play games with people in your household
· Watch Thanksgiving Day parades, sports, and movies at home.
· Find a fun game to play.
Shopping
· Shop online the day after Thanksgiving and days leading up to the winter holidays.
· Use contactless services for purchased items, like curbside pick-up.
Rapid Test for COVID19 provided by Cherokee Regional Medical Center
Thanks to Cherokee Regional Medical Center, our students and staff have access to rapid COVID19 testing. If your child is showing at least one of the high-risk symptoms or two or more of the low-risk COVID19 symptoms, you can contact the hospital to schedule an appointment for the nasal swab. A School Testing Request Form is required and can be found on our website. If students are at school we will print it off for parents to take with you. Testing is available Monday through Friday with an appointment. There is no cost and results are back that day. The school nurse gets notified at the end of the day. Note: students or staff must be symptomatic. They will not test if the individual is asymptomatic (not having symptoms).
Getting a flu vaccine is more important than ever during 2020-2021 to protect yourself and the people around you from flu, and to help reduce the strain on healthcare systems responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Health Tip:
Nutrition is even more important now that we are approaching flu season! Foods containing vitamins C and E can help support the immune system -- so serve up those sunflower seeds, almonds, citrus fruits, broccoli, and green peppers. Limit intake of the concentrated sugar found in soda and candy, as this can impair the immune response right when you want it to be at its best!
I-Smile Program
Kindergarten through 5th Grade students have an opportunity to participate in a free oral health screening. A dental hygienist from Siouxland District Health Department will be at the Elementary School on Wednesday, November 18th through Friday, November 20th. This screening is not intended to take the place of a regular dental exam.
COVID Recovery Iowa offers FREE mental health services for ALL Iowans. Check us out on Facebook or at www.covidrecoveryiowa.org.
River Valley CSD
Email: info@rvwolverines.org
Website: www.rvwolverines.org
Location: 916 Hackberry Street, Correctionville, IA, USA
Phone: (712)372-4656
Twitter: @RVWolverines