Principal's Report 10-5-2020
News for the Ottawa Family
Ottawa Family
By now you have probably had a chance to hear about the Chippewa Valley School Board's decision to move forward with a Hybrid Learning Plan for our K-5 students. The Hybrid model is the first step towards getting our students back face to face full time as we always have in the past.
In the Hybrid model, families of K-5 students will be designated as A or B families and the days in which you receive face to face instruction will be determined by that. For example, students with an A designation will attend school for face to face instruction on Monday, Wednesday, and alternating Fridays. B students will attend school on Tuesday, Thursday, and alternating Fridays. More detailed information has been provided by the district including specific days in which there are half days or no school.
ECSE students along with CLP students will be attending school five days per week during this time.
Please know that our school and district have been preparing for the return of our students for quite some time. Please see some of the precautionary measures we have taken at our school. Face to Face Changes at Ottawa
Upcoming Dates
- October 6th- No School for elementary (including CVVA), ECSE, and K-12 CLP students
- October 9th- No School for elementary (including CVVA), ECSE, and K-12 CLP students
- October 12th- Hybrid Face to Face model begins for A students
- October 13th- Hybrid Face to Face model begins for B students
NWEA (MAP) ASSESSMENT
This week our students will begin taking the online MAP assessment for reading and math. Your child's teacher will notify you as to the testing dates. More information is available below.
If you have any questions at all, please know that we are here for you.
Thank you for being a part of our Ottawa Family! We truly appreciate all you do for our school.
Back to School Student Information Forms
Parents, please access either one of these links below to complete important student information for your child. This information includes the basic back to school emergency information and other important details regarding your child.
PLEASE COMPLETE THIS ASAP- Click one of the links below:
use this https://form.jotform.com/202585262503148
or this: https://tinyurl.com/CVSEleStuInfo
What's Coming Up
- October 6th- No School for elementary (including CVVA), ECSE, and K-12 CLP students (No work provided on this day)
- October 9th- No School for elementary (including CVVA), ECSE, and K-12 CLP students (No work provided on this day)
- October 19th- SACC program begins- SACC will be available only for students who are attending school in-person that day.
- October 21st – Half Day, dismissal at 11:35 - Virtual Parent Teacher Conferences in the evening - 5:30-8:00
- October 22nd – Half Day, dismissal at 11:35 - Virtual Parent Teacher Conferences in the afternoon 12:30-3:00 and evening - 5:30-8:00
- October 23rd – Half Day, dismissal at 11:35
- October 30th – Half Day, dismissal at 11:35
- November 2nd - No School All Students
- November 3rd- No School All Students
- November 25-27th-Thanksgiving Break
- December 1st- End of First Trimester – Elementary
- December 22nd- Christmas Break Begins After Student Dismissal- FULL DAY SCHEDULE
- January 4th- Classes Resume
- January 18th -No Students - Martin Luther King Day (Teacher professional development
- January 19th - No Students (Teacher professional development)
NWEA- MAP assessment- IN PROGRESS
Please see the attached district letter regarding the NWEA-MAP (Measurement of Academic Progress) assessment that all K-5 students will need to take beginning Monday, September 28th. The NWEA- MAP assessment is an online assessment and this assessment fulfills various requirements need by the state each year.
This year, we will begin the fall assessment season by taking the NWEA-MAP assessment remotely while at home.
Your child will be taking one of the two following assessments
(Your teacher will send you one of the two helpful documents)
- K-2 Test Guidance
- 2+ Test Guidance (Higher scoring 2nd graders through 5th grade)
Please let us know if you have any questions at all. We do realize that not all of our families have laptops yet and we also understand that there have been challenges with technology. We will do our best during this time to assess our students in the NWEA-MAP assessment.
TRANSLATED PARENT LETTERS:
CVS Board approves Hybird Learning for students
When Chippewa Valley began the year with a Remote Learning Plan our intent was to return our students to the classroom when COVID-19 conditions improved in our school community.
At the October 1st School Board Meeting, members of the Chippewa Valley Board of Education approved a Return to School Plan that would allow face-to-face learning for our elementary students, ECSE (Early Childhood Special Education), and CLP (Creative Learning Program, Grades K-12). Our ECSE and K-12 CLP students will attend daily.
Return to the Classroom – A Hybrid Learning Model
The Board approved administration’s recommendation to transition from Remote Learning to a Hybrid Learning Model for our students. The Hybrid Learning Model would consist of a combination of in-person and asynchronous learning.
Many factors were considered in the development of the plan including our ability to meet state guidelines for a safe return to school. Careful and deliberate planning has gone into transportation procedures, entering and exiting the building, lunch procedures, rules for recess, and the disinfecting of our classrooms to keep all students safe.
CVS elementary students will be separated into two groups – an A Group and a B Group. Students will attend in-person learning on two to three days a week (either Monday/Wednesday with alternating Fridays or Tuesday/ Thursday with alternating Fridays). In this model, having two or three full days of in-person learning each week will allow teachers the opportunity to work with a smaller class to progress through the curriculum. When students are not at school, they will work on practice activities and complete assignments.
A/B Groups have been carefully developed to balance the number of students in each classroom. Siblings who live at the same address will be grouped together and attend school in-person on the same days. The assigned A or B groups cannot be changed because of our commitment to balancing classes and maximizing social distancing for students in their cohorts.
The plan also recommends that our most vulnerable learners, including our Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) students and K-12 CLP Special Education Learners, return to the classroom on a full-time basis.
Elementary and identified special education students will return to school in-person on Monday, October 12th, or Tuesday, October 13th (Depending if they are in the A or B cohort) with other grade levels being added over time.
The adoption of the Hybrid Model does not impact the Chippewa Valley Virtual Academy (CVVA). CVVA students will continue to learn virtually.
Our SACC program will begin on October 19th, and will be available only for students who are attending school in-person that day. SACC will not be available during the week of October 12th.
What will our classrooms look like in a Hybrid Model?
- Only one half of the general education students will be in session each day.
- Students and staff will be required to wear masks.
- Desks/tables will face the same direction when possible.
- Within the given space, physical distancing will take place.
- Excess furniture will be removed.
- Soft touch surfaces that cannot be cleaned will be removed.
- Cleaning products and hand sanitizer will be provided.
- High-touch areas such as desks will be cleaned and disinfected between groups.
- Students will be encouraged to use their own materials.
Friday Rotation Schedule for Hybrid
Friday, October 16, 2020 – Schedule A
Friday, October 23, 2020 (Half Day) – Schedule B
Friday, October 30, 2020 (Half Day) – Schedule A
Friday, November 6, 2020 – Schedule B
Friday, November 13, 2020 – Schedule A
Friday, November 20, 2020 – Schedule B
Friday, December 4, 2020 – Schedule A
Friday, December 11, 2020 – Schedule B
Friday, December 18, 2020 – Schedule A
Arrival and Dismissal
Parents
- Parents cannot drop students off prior to 8:24
- Busses will release students at 8:24
- An area will be set up by the front door buzzer for signing in and signing out students or if something needs to be dropped off for a student.
- Limited number of safeties will walk students to and from the bus
Classroom Set up
Seating Expectations:
· Students will use the same desk everyday
· Desks will be facing the same direction when possible
· Desks and chairs will be sprayed at the end of each school day
· Social distancing will occur wherever it is possible
Classroom Materials:
· Sharing materials is discouraged
· Any shared items will be cleaned after each use
Masks
- Student masks should be labeled on the outside with student's name and grade
· Staff will provide masks for any student that does not have one
Specials
- Specials teachers will provide instruction within the students' classrooms
School Visitors
- Materials will be dropped off in a bin or on a table outside by the buzzer
- Families are to stay outside for tardy/late arrival and early pick-up
- You can call the office from your car ahead of time so we can get your child ready
Clinic and Health Concerns
- Students with a fever will be placed in the isolation room so they can be monitored
- Parents will be called and students sent home
Water Bottles & Drinking Fountains
- Students can bring water bottles - all bottles must be labeled with student name
- Water fountains in hallways and classrooms are turned off
- Water bottle filling stations can still be used
Media Center
- Students in grades K-2 will have books available to them in their classrooms
- Books will be changed every two weeks
- Students in grades 3-5 will be able to check out books but only a few students at a time will be allowed in the library
Treats/Birthday and Daily Snacks
Treats:
- Birthday treats, food or non-food items, will not be allowed in school this year
Daily Snacks:
- Please check with your child's teacher about having daily snacks
- Allergies will be considered and families informed, if necessary
Breakfast
- Students wishing to have breakfast in the morning will not be allowed to come into the building until 8:20 am.
- Please let your child's teacher know if your student will be having breakfast so they are aware.
- Students having breakfast will be placed strategically at the tables to ensure social distancing.
Lunch/Cafe
- Students will still need to order hot lunch the day BEFORE.
- Don't forget to put money on your student's account via Send Money to School
- Teachers will seat their students regardless of lunch choice
- Students will be called up by lunch monitors to get into the hot lunch line
- Students will have assigned seats.
Ottawa PTO Members
Michelle Pirkola
President
Samara Dykstra
Vice President
Kaleena Migliorati
Treasurer
Dana Lange
Secretary
Chippewa Valley Schools and Ottawa Elementary Safety Drills
Parents, please know that at Ottawa Elementary we conduct scheduled school-wide drills all year. In fact, we do more than the required number of drills. Please note that we will not notify you beforehand that we are conducting any drills. Having drill unannounced is part of our safety plan.
2020-2021 EMERGENCY DRILLS
FIRE DRILL
Monday, November 2 @ 2:15
Thursday, November 4 @ 9:40
Tuesday, November 10 @ 2:15
Monday, May 3 @ 2:15
Wednesday, May 5 @ 9:35
SEVERE WEATHER DRILL
Monday, March 1 @ 2:15
Thursday, March 4 @ 9:35
LOCK DOWN DRILL
Description of different lock-down drills will be provided upon parent request
Monday, November 23 @ 2:15
Thursday, December 3 @ 2:35
Tuesday, May 11 @ 9:35
School Board approves 1:1 technology for CVS students
The Technology Plan approved by the Board of Education at their September 21st Meeting, allows for the purchase of over 9,200 additional laptops bringing the district’s student computer total to over 16,000 devices. The laptops, purchased with CARES Act Funding and Safe Schools, Strong Schools Bond Funds, will provide every CVS student with computer access. The plan will utilize existing computers in lower elementary classrooms for in-school practice and instruction and allow newer computers to be used for 1:1 instruction with our older students.
Three thousand new computers will arrive soon and should be ready for distribution by late October or early November.