We have one more week until Spring Break!

As a reminder, teachers and students are both off for the week of March 27-April 4. If there are deadlines listed during this week on your student's course, your students are NOT expected to work during that time. The dates are guidelines for pacing and are not required. This might happen more frequently in our classes from outside vendors, as they may not recognize the same breaks as our school. Likewise, teachers will be on vacation for the week of Spring Break and may not be grading assignments or checking email. We are encouraging everyone to enjoy some well-deserved time off!

We hope that all of your students have an opportunity to relax and reset. When we return, we only have one marking period left.

Don't forget: common work submission deadlines for the second semester of Bobcat Virtual are as follows:

• Elementary classes and middle school classes that do not give an exam and are not tied to high school credit: Wednesday, June 9, 2021, at 11:59pm
• High school classes and middle school classes that have an exam and are tied to high school credit: Friday, June 4, 2021, at 11:59pm; Exams will be given/collected during the week of June 7-11
• Senior Deadlines: Since seniors are done on May 21, 2021, the work submission deadlines for seniors in high school classes will be May 14, 2021, at 11:59pm. Exams will be given/collected during the following week.

Please reach out to us with any questions!

Jeff Neall

Bobcat Virtual Director

jneall@gbcs.org

810-591-6375

Allyson Walroth

Secondary Curriculum Director

awalroth@gbcs.org

810-591-6649

• Book Cover Contest - Draw a picture of your favorite book cover and submit a picture of it here. Contest entries can be submitted through March 31, 2021, and we'll have prizes for the winners! This is open for students of all ages, and prizes will be awarded in grade bands.
• Book Talk - Use this Flipgrid to tell us about your favorite book. Every student who submits a book talk will be entered into a Book Raffle!
• Virtual Story Time - Join us on Zoom for virtual story time. We will have a different Mystery Reader read a story each Wednesday at 7:00pm for the rest of the month (March 24 & March 31). You can access the story time at this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/8072191939?pwd=M3JGT3JHQzNpNG8waWdvY25ydjN4dz09

  (Meeting ID: 807 219 1939, Passcode: 385980). All students are invited to attend, but the story will be appropriate for lower elementary students.
  

  
  

• Elementary - Wednesday, March 24 & Wednesday, April 7, 6:00pm-7:00pm
• Secondary - Thursday, March 25 & Thursday, April 8, 6:00pm-7:00pm

A link to the Zoom address will be sent out in a separate email.

Testing for 3rd-8th grade students* will take place at the High School West Campus, each over a two-day period. The HS West Campus is located at 1 Jewett Trail, Grand Blanc. Parents will need to provide transportation, and masks will be required at all times. Please keep in mind that high school students will be attending classes at the same time as the students are testing, but we will attempt to avoid students being in the hallways during passing time.

Students should enter through the main entrance and will be directed to the cafeteria to learn the location of their test. They will need to bring their school-issued Chromebook, fully charged, and know their login information. We will not have extra Chromebooks or chargers. 8th grade students will only need their Chromebook on the second day and will be doing a pencil/paper test on the first day.

Students will be spaced 6 feet apart during testing. They are permitted to bring a bottle of water and snacks to eat during breaks. We recommend a good, healthy breakfast and a good night’s sleep before testing.

When arriving to pick up students after testing, parents of students in grades 3-5 will need to park in the front lot and come inside to pick up their student. Parents of students in grades 6-8 can pull into the bus lane, and students will come out of the building to be picked up.

*IMPORTANT: If your student has an IEP, his/her case manager will schedule a separate time for testing.

Here is the schedule for testing in grades 3-8:

Testing for 9th-11th graders* will take place at the High School East Campus, located at 12500 Holly Rd., on the dates listed below. Parents will need to provide transportation, and masks will be required at all times. Please keep in mind that high school students will also be testing at this time, but Bobcat Virtual students will only be placed in rooms with other Bobcat Virtual students.

Students should enter through the main entrance and will be directed to the appropriate classroom upon arrival. All students will need to come prepared with a pencil. On M-STEP Day ONLY - 11th grade students will need to bring their school-issued Chromebook, fully charged, and know their login information. We will not have extra Chromebooks or chargers.

Students will be spaced 6 feet apart during testing. They are permitted to bring a bottle of water and snacks to eat during breaks. We recommend a good, healthy breakfast and a good night’s sleep before testing.

When arriving to pick up students after testing, parents should wait for students near the flagpole at the front of the building or near the Tartoni Athletic entrance.

*IMPORTANT: If your student has an IEP and tests with accommodations, he/she may have an alternate test schedule. Maureen Newman, Special Education Department Chair, will be contacting you with testing information. You can reach her at mnewman@gbcs.org, if you have questions.

Here is the schedule for testing in grades 9-11:

When you first access the registration, it will say that your student is a Bobcat Virtual student for next year. If you told us your student will be returning to the building next year, you will be able to choose the appropriate building on the last page of the registration process.

The Grand Blanc Board of Education provides a program of instruction in human growth and development. As a component of the Human Growth and Development program, concepts relating to the onset of puberty and reproductive health will be taught to 4th grade students in a synchronous lesson offered after Spring Break, followed by a few asynchronous assignments.

By law you have the right to excuse your child from the class, if you choose. Please visit the GBCS Human Growth & Development website to see sample resources and explore the topics covered during this program.

Please take time to review the information on the website. If you do not want your child to participate you need to complete the Opt-Out Form found at the top of the website or linked here. If you have not opted out by Friday, March 12, your child will be included in the sex education unit.

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions at 591-6649.

Sincerely,

Secondary Curriculum Director

The Grand Blanc Board of Education provides a program of instruction in human growth and development. As a component of the Human Growth and Development program, reproductive health will be taught to 5th grade students in a synchronous lesson offered after Spring Break, followed by a few asynchronous assignments.

By law you have the right to excuse your child from the class, if you choose. Please visit the GBCS Human Growth & Development website to see sample resources and explore the topics covered during this program.

Please take time to review the information on the website. If you do not want your child to participate you need to complete the Opt-Out Form found at the top of the website or linked here. If you have not opted out by Friday, March 12, your child will be included in the sex education unit.

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions at 591-6649.

Sincerely,

Secondary Curriculum Director

The Grand Blanc Board of Education provides a program of instruction in Human Growth and Development. As a component of the Human Growth and Development program, HIV/AIDS and other serious communicable disease prevention as well as sex education will be taught.

Due to COVID-19 and the adjustments made to school in the spring last year (19-20) the Human Growth and Development courses were not provided. We are making the following adjustments for this school year (20-21):

• 6th graders will receive the 5th grade program
• 8th graders will receive the 7th grade program
• 7th graders will also be receiving the 7th grade program this year

By law, you have the right to excuse your child from the program if you choose. Please visit the GBCS Human Growth & Development website to see sample resources and explore the topics covered during this program.

In Bobcat Virtual, students will be added to a Google Classroom or a Canvas course that is pre-loaded with the Human Growth & Development content appropriate for their grade. They will work through this content at their own pace and with your support.

Please take time to review the information on the website. If you do not want your child to participate you need to complete the Opt-Out Form found at the top of the website or linked here. If you have not opted your student out of this unit by , he/she will be automatically loaded into this course.

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions at 591-6649.

Sincerely,

Allyson Walroth

Secondary Curriculum Director