WFES Newsletter
September 25th, 2020
The Return to In-Person Learning!
Wildfire staff members have been working diligently to create a reopening plan that will ensure the health and safety of all students and staff, as well as provide our students with an excellent education, regardless of if they are learning in-person or virtually.
To view Wildfire's reopening plan, please click the link below.
What will In-Person Learning Look like at WFES?
- ALL STUDENTS WHO ATTEND IN-PERSON LEARNING ARE REQUIRED TO WEAR A CLOTH FACE MASK AT ALL TIMES EXCEPT WHEN ACTIVELY EATING OR DRINKING
- Students will keep their current grade level teacher
- Students will follow an 8:45 - 3:15 grade-level schedule.
- Students will participate offline in whole group, small group, and individual instruction from their classroom teacher (not through Google Meets or WebX) except when directed otherwise by their teacher.
- At times, students may be required to be on Google Meets or WebX to interact with their virtual peers.
- Students may still be required to use their computer to access online resources and materials (Google Classroom, Zearn Math, AR, Raz-Kids, Success Maker, Moby Max, etc.)
- Students will move to their special area classes
- Students will eat lunch in the cafeteria
- Students will have recess outside, weather depending (must wear a mask)
What will PVConnect Learning Look Like at WFES?
- Students participating in PVConnect will follow the school’s full-day, in-person schedule.
- Students will view the classroom teachers’ instruction from Google Meet or WebEx using their computer device, while teachers are instructing students in-person.
- Google Classroom will still be utilized
- Lessons may include times of direct instruction, classroom discussion, and independent work.
- PVConnect students are expected to join the live instruction at designated times and remain in the virtual classroom until the teacher has directed otherwise.
- PVConnect students will participate in classroom activities as applicable. In some cases, PVConnect students may be given alternative lessons or project-based assignments. For example, when in-person P.E. students are participating in team sports, PVConnect students may need to work on individual fitness activities.
In-Person Learning or PV Connect?
Due to planning, logistics, and disruption of students coming in/out, students will not be permitted to move freely between the in-person and PV Connect learning models (ie. attend in-person Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday and PV Connect Thursday/Friday, etc.). If a student is ill and attends in-person learning, they will be permitted to continue learning with PV Connect at home and then return to in-person learning when healthy.
We ask that parents commit their students to their selection for a period of 3 weeks. After that time, if you would like to switch from in-person to PVConnect or vice-versa, please notify your student's teacher.
Staggered Start Schedule for In-person/PVConnect Return
October 5th through October 7th have been designated as site-based professional development and teacher training and workdays for all teachers. Students will be participating primarily in independent learning activities on these days so that preparations for in-person learning may be made.
Students who are not returning to campus will also participate in independent learning activities to allow teachers and students to work together on class expectations and norms for in-person learning as follows:
Grades Pre-K-3 on October 8 & 9
Grades 4-6 on October 12.
Pre-K - 3rd Grade
October 5 - 7
These days have been designated as site-based professional development and teacher training and workdays for all teachers. All students will be participating primarily in independent learning activities on these days so that preparations for in-person learning may be made.
Students will check-in with teachers in the morning for attendance before beginning their independent learning activities.
October 8 - 9
Students who are learning from home will engage in independent learning activities to allow teachers and in-person students to work together on class expectations and norms for in-person learning.
Students learning virtually will check-in with teachers in the morning for attendance and other announcements before beginning their independent learning activities.
Students learning in-person school day will be expanded to the normal school day of 8:45 AM - 3:15 PM
4th - 6th Grade
October 5 - 7
These days have been designated as site-based professional development and teacher training and workdays for all teachers. All students will be participating primarily in independent learning activities on these days so that preparations for in-person learning may be made.
Students will check-in with teachers in the morning for attendance before beginning their independent learning activities.
October 8 - 9
All students in grades 4-6 will engage in synchronous PVConnect learning within Google Meets/WebX.
Students schedules will remain condensed with direct instruction happening in the morning, lunch/recess from 12:30 - 1:30 PM, and small group activities from 1:30 - 3:15 PM
October 12
Students who are learning from home will participate in independent learning activities to allow teachers and in-person students to work together on class expectations and norms for in-person learning.
Students learning virtually will check-in with teachers in the morning for attendance and other announcements before beginning their independent learning activities.
All students' school day is expanded to the normal school day of 8:45 AM - 3:15 PM.
Staff Shout-Outs
If you would like to thank a staff member for all their hard work or for any of the other amazing things they do, you can give them a shout-out! Simply complete the form below and the shout-outs will be shared with the staff member and without a doubt will make their day!
Health Office Information
News from the Nurse
As we look forward to returning to on-campus learning, I wanted to share a few reminders:
COVID-19 affects people differently and this includes children and teens. Anyone can get the virus and anyone can spread the virus. Twelve percent (12%) of cases in Maricopa County are individuals under the age of 19.
Be sure to monitor yourself and your family for the following symptoms:
Fever (100.4 or greater) or chills
Cough
Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
Fatigue
Muscle or body aches
Headache
New loss of taste or smell
Sore throat
Congestion or runny nose
Nausea or vomiting
Diarrhea
If any of these symptoms are present or if a household member or close contact tested positive, please keep your child home and isolated from others. Maricopa County has a useful interactive home decision making tool to help guide you:
https://maricopasneb.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3wLf31Anb2yNAUZ. Also, please be sure to leave a detailed message with regards to illness when reporting absences.
The health office will have a low threshold for sending ill students home. For the safety of your child and others, please make every attempt to pick your child up from the health office in a timely manner.
Your child must be up-to-date on vaccines before returning to campus. Please be sure to send any updated vaccine records to me prior to your child’s first day back.
Over-the-counter medications, such as Tylenol and Advil will only be administered with parent permission for parent-specified conditions (migraines, menstrual cramps, etc..); we will not routinely administer for general headaches or pain because we don’t want to mask any possible COVID-19 symptoms. Please contact me for more information and for the medication form.
With regards to asthma, the CDC recommends metered-dose inhalers with spacers over nebulizer treatments during the COVID-19 pandemic. If your student requires nebulizer treatments, please contact your physician to see if an inhaler with a spacer would be appropriate as we will not be administering any nebulizer treatments in the health office this school year. In addition, all inhalers used on campus must have a spacer. Please contact your child’s physician for a prescription for a spacer if you do not have one (you may also order a spacer online without a prescription). If your student is going to self-carry an inhaler with a spacer, you must still complete an asthma action plan and you must also complete a consent to self-carry. Contact me for the paperwork.
I am excited to see your children back on campus! Stay well and please don’t ever hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or concerns.
Nurse Royce
(602) 449-4303
PTO Information
Donations for Reopening
As teachers are preparing their classrooms for the return of students in-person, keep in mind that the PTO provides additional resources for both school-wide and teacher-specific needs.
If you would like to make a donation to be used at your teacher’s discretion, please use the [Grade level] Teacher Gift & Classroom Supply/Celebration Funds [Teacher Name] link on the Wildfire PTO Membership site. http://wildfirepto.org/donations
Smile.Amazon.Com
AmazonSmile is a simple way for you to support Wildfire Elementary every time you shop, at no cost to you. AmazonSmile is available at Smile.Amazon.Com on your web browser and can be activated in the Amazon Shopping app for iOS and Android phones.
How to turn on AmazonSmile in the mobile app:
- Join AmazonSmile. If you are not already an AmazonSmile member, sign up on your web browser. Simply select Wildfire Elementary PTO to start generating donations, at no cost to you.
- Get the app. Download or update to the latest version of the Amazon Shopping app on your phone. You can find it in the App Store for iOS or Google Play for Android.
- Turn on AmazonSmile. Open the app and find ’Settings’ in the main menu (☰). Tap on ‘AmazonSmile’ and follow the on-screen instructions to turn on AmazonSmile on your phone.
On your first visit to smile.amazon.com, you will be prompted to select a charitable organization. Select Wildfire Elementary School Parent Teacher Organization. Every time you shop on Amazon simply start at smile.amazon.com and the school earns 0.5% of every purchase. It's that easy to make a difference! Ask your friends, family and co-workers to participate too! As always, Thank you for your support!
Coke Rewards
BOX TOP$ for Education
Box Top$ for Education is now digital! No more cutting and collecting box tops.
Click here to see how it works and how to contribute.
Fry's Community Rewards
If you are a Fry's VIP member you can link your card to Wildfire PTO and effortlessly earn money for our school simply by doing your normal shopping. You just have to signup once and the school will reap the benefits all year!
Important Upcoming Dates:
- Fall Break (No School): Sept 28th-30th
- Teacher Prep For Return to In-Person Learning: October 5th - 7th
- Pre-K - 3rd Grade Return to In-Person Learning: October 8th
- STUGO Spirit Day - Breast Cancer Awareness - Wear Pink: October 9th
- PTO End of Quarter After School Treats: October 9th
- 4th - 6th Grade Return to In-Person Learning: October 12th
- Early Release Day - School out at 12:30 PM: October 13th
- Chipotle Family Night Out: October 13th from 5:00 - 9:00 PM
- UPC Virtual Evening: October 16th at 4:00 PM
- Virtual PTO Meeting: October 19th at 5:00 PM
Wildfire Elementary School Firebirds
Email: wfes@pvschools.net
Website: https://www.pvschools.net/wfes
Location: 3997 East Lockwood Drive, Phoenix, AZ, USA
Phone: (602) 449-4300
Facebook: facebook.com/WFESFirebirds
Twitter: @WFESFirebirds