SaberSpeak
Special Edition - First Quarter Interim Update
Dear Parents,
As we reach the midpoint of the first quarter this week, we are excited that we have been able to continue learning together for a month already during this unique time! Overall, everything has been going incredibly well, and we are grateful for all of your support and patience as we have continued this journey together. Students, staff and parents alike have all proven how adaptable and resilient they are, and we have all come to appreciate the small blessing of simply being able to gather together in our building to learn each day!
With four full weeks behind us, we have had an opportunity to assess situations as they have arisen and determine what is working well and what may need to be adjusted a bit. Please take a moment to read the sections below for an update.
If you have any questions or concerns, please always contact your child’s teacher first. While Mrs. Alexander and I are always here to help, in most cases, situations can be best resolved by the teacher, who has first-hand knowledge of all the facts. Again, we thank you for partnering with us to make this school year as successful as possible despite the unusual circumstances facing all of us.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Woodman
Principal
DISTANCE LEARNING - TEMPORARY AND ONGOING
One area we would like to address concerns our distance learning platform, both for those using this format long-term and for those who may need to use it on a temporary basis during times of absence from school. This is a matter that could potentially affect every student in the school at one point or another, so we ask that you continue reading even if your child is not currently a distance learner. You may want to save this information for later reference.
As a reminder, expectations for distance learners were made clear in August, and these include students being present, in uniform, on screen, during the scheduled times. Students are not permitted to leave the Zoom before the lesson is completed, and may not leave the screen for any reason without being excused by the teacher. Screens must be turned on at all times, students must not mute themselves unless told to do so by the teacher, and students’ full faces must be visible on screen at all times unless told otherwise by the teacher. Students are not permitted to engage in private conversations with other students during the Zoom. We appreciate your reinforcement of these rules with your students who are distance learning in order to help us provide the best possible learning experience short of physically being in the classroom.
Please click here for information about our Distance Learning Option.
Please click here for our Expectations for Distance Learning Agreement.
The above information and expectations apply to all distance learners, whether long-term or temporary.
We are currently asking families to share their intentions regarding distance learning or in person learning for the second quarter. Please email Mrs. Woodman AND Mrs. Alexander at jwoodman@st-hilary.org AND dalexander@st-hilary.org by Monday, October 12 if:
~ Your child is currently participating in distance learning and you would like him/her to continue distance learning during the second quarter, OR
~ Your child is currently participating in distance learning but you would like him/her to attend in person during the second quarter, OR
~ Your child has been attending in person but you would like him/her to participate in distance learning during the second quarter.
You do NOT need to email if your child is learning in person and will continue to do so.
As a reminder, the second quarter will begin on November 2 and end on January 15.
In the meantime, we would like to address what happens when a student will be absent and may need to become a temporary distance learner.
1. For students in grades K-8 who become ill and need to stay home, please request work at the time of reporting the absence. Please allow 24 hours for work to be placed in the pick-up bin outside the main entrance by the Jesus statue. As always, students are not expected to complete work if they are ill, and students have the same number of days to make up work as the number of days missed.
2. Students in grades 6-8 may participate in temporary distance learning from the beginning of their absence, no matter how long or short the absence may be. If a student in grades K-5 will be absent for 72 hours or longer, and is feeling well enough to complete school work, he or she has the option to become a temporary distance learner. NOTE FOR GRADES K-5: If the teacher(s) can prepare distance learning materials prior to 72 hours and the student feels well enough to complete work, an exception MAY be made to this policy, but NO GUARANTEE of earlier distance learning can be made. Please remember that students participating in distance learning on a daily basis have prepared in advance to do so. Students who will be joining class on a temporary basis will need to also prepare in order to have the most beneficial learning experience. This includes emailing the teacher as soon as possible to prepare for temporary distance learning, picking up a work packet to be prepared by the teacher, and ensuring that the student has access to a working computer or other device with functioning audio and video capabilities, as well as a working printer.
3. If these preparatory requirements cannot be met, the student may, as always, simply make up work and turn it in upon returning to school. Distance learning is a new option for our school due to COVID-19, but it does not replace the traditional method of simply making up assignments missed due to absence.
4. Students may not log into Zoom to participate in distance learning without first making arrangements with the teacher to ensure that the above requirements are met. This is to eliminate frustration on the part of students, parents and teachers. The simultaneous learning format we are utilizing this year is a new way of teaching, and limitations and imperfections are part of it. It is not as simple as turning on the TV and tuning into programming already in progress. Additionally, teachers cannot simply stop teaching to help troubleshoot technology issues for students temporarily participating in distance learning. We ask that you work together with us to ensure that your child has a successful distance learning experience should that become necessary. If either the student or the teacher is not prepared, the outcome will be less than ideal and a negative experience is likely to result.
5. Students participating in distance learning are marked present for purposes of school attendance, with the notation DL for distance learning to indicate that they are not physically present in the building. If a student is temporarily participating in distance learning, this notation will be modified to TDL. Students who are not present in the building and also not participating in distance learning are marked absent. Please note that we have eliminated the perfect attendance award so as not to incentivize students being physically present at school when they are ill. It is imperative that if your child is ill, or if you have reason to believe he or she may have had close contact with a COVID-19-positive individual, you keep him or her home in accordance with the school policies on this matter that have been previously shared. Similarly, students are not expected to participate in distance learning, or temporary distance learning, if they are not feeling well.
6. Below is a summary guide of procedures to follow in the event your child needs to stay home and you would like to utilize the temporary distance learning option.
Procedures for Temporary Distance Learners
These are procedures that should be followed by students who need to stay home for 72 hours or longer due to the COVID-19 procedures or for students who have been asked to quarantine due to close contact with a COVID-19 positive individual.
1. If your child becomes ill at home and will be absent from school for at least 72 hours, please email your child’s homeroom teacher as soon as possible so preparations can begin for your child to become a temporary distance learner.
2. If your child leaves school because he or she is not feeling well, all efforts will be made to send home everything from his or her desk and locker that would be needed for an extended absence.
3. If your child becomes ill at home and then becomes a temporary distance learner, arrangements will be made to place all needed materials in the pick-up bin outside the main entrance near the Jesus statue. Materials will be bagged and labeled with the student’s name. Materials will need to be promptly picked up by an adult and taken home for the student to prepare for temporary distance learning.
4. Until your child is feeling well, he or she is not expected or required to complete school work or attend distance learning classes.
5. If your child is feeling well, but is at home due to COVID-19 regulations, he or she may begin to do daily schoolwork and attend distance-learning classes via Zoom. He or she will follow a distance learning schedule of classes provided by the teacher.
6. Until the time your child begins attending daily Zoom classes, assignments can be found on Google Sites, Google Classroom or the Gradelink Calendar. As always, students have the number of days they are sick to make up any missed work. Once temporary distance learning begins via Zoom, your child will keep up with lessons and assignments via the Zoom classes.
7. If your child needs assistance with the technical set-up of being a distance learner, please contact Mrs. Slanina at eslanina@st-hilary.org to obtain help. If your child needs to speak with a counselor while distance learning, please contact Mrs. Parisi at cparisi@st-hilary.org.
ILLNESS AND ABSENCE
REPORTING AN ABSENCE - PLEASE BE SPECIFIC!
If your child becomes ill and you need to report him or her absent, please be specific about what symptoms your child is experiencing. This is incredibly important as we work to exclude those who are sick from our school environment. Additionally, if someone in your household is experiencing COVID-19 symptoms or being tested for COVID-19, your family should stay home. We also ask that you consult with your child's pediatrician if your child is ill, especially if your child is experiencing any of the COVID-19 symptoms listed below.
In the event your child experiences any of the following symptoms, he or she must stay home until he or she has been symptom-free for a full 72 hours from the time the symptoms ended, not the time the symptoms began:
~ Fever or chills
~ Cough
~ Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
~ Fatigue
~ Muscle or body aches
~ Headaches
~ Loss of taste or smell
~ Sore throat
~ Congestion or runny nose
~ Nausea or vomiting
~ Diarrhea
In addition, we are repeating the following items as a refresher about additional policies related to COVID-19, illness and absence:
POLICY ON STUDENT ILLNESS AND RETURNING TO SCHOOL
During this unusual year, our policy on student illness and returning to school obviously looks a bit different. One of the most important factors in limiting the spread of COVID-19 and all sickness in our school is excluding sick students from in-person learning in our school building. In prior years, our sick policy stated students could return to school after 24 hours without a fever, vomiting, or diarrhea. As you know, there are strict protocols for returning to school for COVID-19 positive cases, presumed COVID-19 positive cases, and exposure to COVID-19, and we will be working with Summit County Public Health on a case by case basis if/when these situations occur.
An area we would like to clear up is when students have other diagnoses (i.e. norovirus, strep throat, etc.) to explain their symptoms, or when a health care provider has determined the symptoms are related to a pre-existing condition. In these cases, students can return to school 72 hours after symptoms have ended (including being fever-free without fever reducing medicine), and we will need written notification/clarification from your child's pediatrician explaining the diagnosis and/or pre-existing condition. If your child has a pre-existing condition, such as asthma, migraines, or another condition that manifests in symptoms that could be mistaken for COVID-19 symptoms, we strongly suggest that you obtain a note from your child’s pediatrician now and send it to our clinic so that we have it on file. It may be difficult for you to obtain this documentation later in the year with the speed that you would like to obtain it.
To summarize, out of an abundance of caution, our policy will be that students exhibiting any symptoms known to be associated with COVID-19 must not return to school until 72 hours after the symptoms have ended. We understand these extra precautions may seem extreme, but we are asking everyone to respect these policies so students and staff can remain in-person at school as long as possible.
COVID-19 REPORTING
Per Governor DeWine's state mandate, reporting protocols are to be in place for schools. All positive COVID-19 test results that impact our school community (i.e. students, staff, family members, and other close contacts) must be reported to our St. Hilary School school clinic or administration. Their contacts are listed below:
Cathy Hammersmith, School Nurse - chammersmith@st-hilary.org
Abby Laughlin, School Nurse - alaughlin@st-hilary.org
Jennifer Woodman, Principal - jwoodman@st-hilary.org
Darcy Alexander, Assistant Principal - dalexander@st-hilary.org
We will report to parents as needed on a case by case basis in accordance with Summit County Public Health. Thank you for your help with this very important matter.
TRAVEL
An update to our COVID-19 travel policy is that we will be requiring students to quarantine for 14 days after visiting states that have a 15% or more COVID-19 positivity rate. Again, this is an extra precaution and we know this could impact travel plans. If your children are learning in-person, we are asking you to respect this decision and plan accordingly. Students who are required to quarantine after traveling to a state or country with a 15% or higher COVID-19 positivity rate will be required to distance learn for the 14 days.
MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS
INTERIM REPORTS THIS FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 25
Students who currently have a D or an F in any subject will receive a printed interim report this Friday, September 25. Progress may be checked at any time on Gradelink.
MAP TESTING UPDATE
MAP testing covering reading and math for students in grades 2-8 will begin September 28 and conclude by October 8. Students in kindergarten and grade 1 will not be tested at this time. Students who are distance learners will have the OPTION to come to school and take the test in person. Distance learners will be tested in the Science Lab using a laptop computer, not with their entire class. Specific dates and times for distance learners to report for testing are being established now and will be provided by teachers. Thank you for your patience in not asking teachers for this information ahead of time. Distance learners who choose not to come will not be tested at this time. For all students being tested, we ask that you keep these dates in mind as you schedule appointments to minimize interruptions to the testing schedule.
CAR RIDER ARRIVAL AND DISMISSAL
In the mornings, as the weather has become chillier, we have had quite a few students who seem to have higher temperatures due to becoming overheated in the car. To help us obtain an accurate temperature reading and eliminate the need for a re-check, please turn down your heat, crack your windows, and have your child unzip his or her coat and remove his or her hat well before arriving at the temperature check area. Please remember that you cannot pull away until your child has been scanned for temperature and cleared to enter the building.
In the afternoons, please continue to display your family last name in the passenger side car window to help us quickly reunite students with their rides.
DRESS CODE AND OUTERWEAR
Students who would like to wear outerwear in class as the weather turns colder may wear only school uniform sweatshirts, 1/4 zip pullovers, and approved cardigans. Please refer to the dress code for details. Students are permitted to wear black sweatpants or St. Hilary gym sweatpants with their gym shirts on gym days. To order uniform items or gym uniform items, please click here. Now is the time to order school uniform pants as shorts will no longer be permitted to be worn after the first quarter ends! As your child begins to wear a coat, hat, mittens, and boots to school, please be sure his or her name is on every item.
DROPPING OFF ITEMS
As we limit parents and other visitors in the building this year, we ask that you follow these procedures for dropping off items and picking up students when ill or leaving for an appointment:
To drop off items, please come to the main entrance by the Jesus statue, ring the bell, let the secretaries know you are dropping off an item for a student, and place the item in the bin under the bell. A staff member will retrieve the item and deliver it to the student. PLEASE MAKE SURE THE STUDENT'S NAME AND TEACHER / ROOM NUMBER ARE CLEARLY MARKED ON THE ITEM.
To pick up a student who is ill or needs to leave for an appointment, please pull up on the Moorfield Road side of the building. Call the school office at 330-867-8720 to let the secretaries know you are here. They will sign your child out based on your phone authorization. If it is unsafe for your child to walk to the car without assistance, we ask that you park momentarily, walk up and wait outside the Moorfield Road door to meet your child. Otherwise, your child will be released to your car under staff supervision.
About Us
Email: dsinopoli@st-hilary.org
Website: www.st-hilaryschool.org
Location: 645 Moorfield Road, Fairlawn, OH, USA
Phone: 330-867-8720
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StHilarySchoolFairlawnOhio/