As part of my ongoing professional development, please consider taking a few minutes to complete the survey linked below. Your answers will provide me feedback as I work toward continued growth as a building principal and professional.

Thank you in advance.

Rick

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2020-21RickSolaParentSurvey

Parent Education Series, February 18 Virtual Presentation -

Please see the English and Spanish flyers on the next Parent Education Series titled, “Learning from our Teens”.

There has been an update to the Primary and Secondary symptoms of COVID-19 per JCDHE. Fever is no longer considered to be a primary symptom of COVID-19 even in secondary students and adults. It is now a secondary symptoms which means there needs to be at least one other symptom of COVID in order to classify the person as have COVID-like Illness requiring exclusion and/or testing. The symptoms are now as listed below:

Primary (any one symptom):

• New, persistent cough
• Difficulty breathing
• Loss of taste and/or smell (this is so specific that even in the presence of a negative PCR test, the person is considered COVID positive)

Secondary symptoms (any two or more symptoms):

• Extreme fatigue
• Fever (100o +) or chills
• Congestion/runny nose
• Nausea/vomiting/diarrhea
• Sore throat
• Headache
• Muscle or body aches

Dear Olathe Public Schools families and staff,

The Olathe Board of Education met on Thursday, February 4. After a study of district and county numbers, the Board voted to bring secondary students back into full-time, in-person learning on March 1. This means that any middle or high school student who chose in-person learning at registration, would start coming to school full-time, every day on March 1. Elementary students who chose in-person learning will remain in school full time as well.
It’s important to note that this decision by the Board was not made lightly. Citing declining community numbers, internal numbers including low absence rates, declining COVID-19 numbers in our school, and limited spread within our buildings, Board members voted 5-2 to bring secondary students back to full time in-person learning.

Providing the best quality educational experiences for our students, while balancing the safety and health of our students, staff, and families, is a priority. We will continue to review numbers regularly and watch for trends within our buildings. Please do your part to help us by continuing to wear a mask, wash your hands, stay home when you are sick, keep your children home when they are sick and practice social distancing. We need a community effort to keep our schools in session, our students and staff safe and learning together.

Thank you for your support of the Olathe Public Schools.

John Allison, Superintendent

Dear 8th Grade Parents,

Please find 2 attachments to this email with information for freshmen enrollment presentations.

1. Freshmen Parent Night Zooms .doc provides Zoom links and times to all Olathe High Schools
2. ONW Freshmen Enrollment 20-21 provides specific info for ONW only
3. The Weekly Wildcat for the week of 2/1 also has school specific information and can be found here: https://www.smore.com/89scg-weekly-wildcat

Please reach out to your child’s counselor, Mrs. Rodden (amrodden@olatheschools.org) if you have specific enrollment questions.

Rick Sola

Principal

8th grade students will be receiving High School enrollment packets in their Science classes on February 9th and 10th. They will be bringing those materials home for parent help and approval of their class choices. Students will be complete 9th grade enrollment through Synergy in their Science class on February 16th and 17th.

We are now able to have an open snack bar for students during lunch...this is a HUGE celebration for our students who have been asking all year. The meals provided are still at no cost but all snack bar items require purchasing and money on their student account. You can add money to your child's account as normal through our Touch Base system. A communication with a reminder and further details will be sent out Monday from our bookkeeper, Andrea Wescott.

Students need to have their student ID to purchase items.

CST Family,

Below are details regarding inclement weather procedures. This info has been in the Weekly Wildcat but there are additional details below. This will be repeated in the next newsletter…

If there’s closure due to inclement weather

• Both remote and in-person students will follow the attached half day bell schedule.
• All in-person middle school students will check into their Cat time at 7:50am. Remote students will log in beginning 1st hour.
• In-person students that were scheduled to be on-site that day will then follow the attached schedule from 7:50 a.m. to 11:15, checking into each class. Those students will then engage in asynchronous learning for the remainder of the school day.
• In-person students that were scheduled off-site that day will continue with their asynchronous class as scheduled, after checking in with their academic extension class at 7:50am.
• Staff will be teaching from home.

Should the weather be especially extreme, the district may call an inclement weather shut down with no school for students. In this scenario, students would not be required to log into remote learning on this day. This will be clearly designated.

• Middle school students will continue to follow the published hybrid calendar in both snow day scenarios (i.e. A/B days will not shift due to inclement weather; we will remain with the published calendars—also attached to this email).

How to Stay Informed

• When the chance for severe or inclement weather looms, we will only post the cancellation of school, athletic events and other activities. We will not post when school, athletic events and activities are proceeding as scheduled.
• If school is canceled or a remote learning day is called due to snow or bad weather, the information will be available in the following formats:
• Blackboard notification to parents and staff via text and email information on file
• Local television and radio stations
• District website — http://www.olatheschools.org
• Push notification via district mobile app – go to your phone’s app store and search “Olathe Public Schools”
• Facebook — go to "Olathe Public Schools”
• Twitter — @olatheschools
• Instagram - @olatheschoolsks

This will all be repeated in the upcoming Weekly Wildcat.

Happy RED Friday!

Rick Sola, Principal

For Students wanting to join Science Olympiad ( link below)

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1ImlQ4Mr0S3kZLmnzwaqMWj4Bm1tLlfeRsFqK9UlDw5M/edit?usp=sharing

As the Olathe Public Schools works to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic, we are continuously working with state and local health officials on the best practice and expertise for keeping students and staff safe. As new evidence is identified, local health departments and their collaborating school districts respond by updating guidance and practices. We want to make sure to share with parents the latest updates.

Winter Athletics

At this time, the Olathe Public Schools will move forward with winter sports while following the KSHSAA mitigation protocols. The district will continue to work closely with the Johnson County Department of Health and Environment. We will continue to review information and data provided by our community health partners.

Fever for Secondary Level
Fever (100o or greater) is now listed as a primary symptom for secondary students rather than a secondary symptom. This means that any student with a fever will need to be evaluated for COVID by a medical health care provider OR provide a negative molecular (PCR) COVID test OR remain out of school until they have met the symptomatic recovery criteria for COVID-19. Symptomatic recovery criteria for COVID-19 is: it has been 10 days since the onset of their symptoms AND they have been fever-free for at least 24 hours AND they have significant improvement in their symptoms.

We realize this is a change. Please understand using the guidance provided by medical experts will help to keep students and staff safe.

COVID Test Requirements
Not all COVID-19 tests may be utilized to determine that an individual does not have COVID-19. There are two types of diagnostic tests: Molecular and Antigen (commonly known as a rapid test). https://www.fda.gov/media/140161/download

• Molecular/ viral testing (PCR). These tests take longer (some are same day and some take several days) because they must be sent to a lab for processing, but are more accurate. These are collected by nasal swab and some saliva tests are now available. JCDHE currently offers free PCR tests by nasal swab. This is not the deep nasopharyngeal collection method so is not as uncomfortable as the original tests. Results are typically available in 48 hours or less.
• Antigen or Rapid diagnostic tests (RDT). These tests are not designed to detect viral DNA but look for a protein on the virus. The results are rapid because the specimen is read on-site. However, they have a high enough percentage of false negatives that negative results are not accepted from symptomatic individuals for return to school without a confirmatory PCR test, a physician’s alternate diagnosis, or remaining out of school for the full recovery period for COVID-19 (10-day minimum and fever-free without medicine for 24 hours and symptoms improvement).

Communication Change
Keeping parents informed about COVID exposures is vital. Previously, schools had communicated for any case in the building. Moving forward, schools will communicate with parents and staff who have had an exposure or low-risk exposure to an individual and will provide details about next steps. After reviewing recommendations from local health officials and gaining feedback from parents and the community, the district will not communicate to an entire school building if there is a case, only to those who have had any contact with the individual (exposure or low-risk exposure.) This change is aligned with best practice.

COVID-19 Dashboard

Each week, the district updates the COVID-19 dashboard to provide a snapshot of the number of new cases and exclusions due to exposure for both students and staff. This is updated each Friday, typically in the afternoon, and can be found at https://www.olatheschools.org/Page/10754.

Reminder:

Parents interested in changing their child’s learning environment for second semester beginning January 2021 may do so between Oct. 26 and Nov. 6 at this link:

https://onbase.olatheschools.com/forms/remote_learning_selection.html

Please give careful consideration to the needs and learning mode that will best suit you and your child(ren) for the rest of the year knowing that the decision is a commitment through May of 2021. This learning environment change will go into effect when second semester begins on Jan. 6. Parents who want to continue with the same learning environment DO NOT need to fill out this form.

Attendance Corner

Welcome Parents to the 2020-21 School Year. A few suggestions to help us tackle attendance for your student(s) during this hybrid learning experience. Attendance is more crucial during these unprecedented times. We ask that you notify Chisholm Trail Attendance Office, preferably before 8:00am with your students all day absence. You can use any of the following methods of contacting us:

1. Call dedicated Attendance Line (voicemail only) – 913-780-7241

2. Call CST Main Line – 913-780-7240 (voicemail after 4:00pm)

3. Email Connie Bray, Attendance Secretary @ cbraycst@olatheschools.org

*all emails will be responded to with a follow-up email for verification of receiving

Information needed to report absence:

· Student Name

· Student Grade

· Your Relationship to Student

· Reason for absence (i.e. illness description, appointment, etc.)

· Phone number to return call (if needed for further info)

Due to remote learning, if your student checks out for an appointment, we ask for a second notification to Attendance (again via any of the 3 methods listed above) if student returns to learning with a time of return. If you contact your student(s) teacher via email please cc Connie Bray with info as to help us.

Please refer to this request as we proceed to continue to help make this school year as positive as we possibly can. We are always here to assist you in any way we can. Please don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions. Thank you, and together we can do this.

Attendance Secretary,

Connie Bray

Need technical support? Go here for solutions and direction...consider bookmarking this page.

https://www.olatheschools.org/domain/3042

Surface Go Tip

If students are unable to connect to WiFi (example: worked one day but not the other):

o Press and hold the Power button until the screen goes black (ignore the “swipe to shut down PC” option)

o Press Power button again

o Give it a minute to restart – this should “kick out” new updates to Surface Go

Receptionist: Chrissy Walters

Assistant Principal's Secretary: Angie Peterson

Attendance Secretary: Connie Bray

Bookkeeper/Principal's Secretary: Andrea Wescott

Data Operator: Melynda Marquardt

School Nurse: Jennifer Ross

Please keep info updated (email, phone number, medical, etc.). Contact the office at 913-780-7240 if you are concerned you may be missing communication or need to update your family's information.

While we use sanitizing spray throughout the building, wipes are very helpful for a quick clean up and sanitation. We use these at lunch and in classrooms. If you are able to donate a container we'd be so appreciative!

Chisholm is in need of TISSUES and CLOROX WIPES. If you are able to donate some of these items it would greatly appreciated. If you are able to donate please have your student bring them to the office and we will distribute them where they are needed.

Thanks again, CST family!