CHES Newsletter, Hybrid Edition
What does going hybrid mean at the elementary school?
What does Group A and Group B mean?
If a student's last name begins with the letters A-K, he or she is assigned to GROUP A. GROUP A will report to school on all Mondays and Thursdays (after the week of September 8) and every other Wednesday.
If a student's last name begins with the letters L-Z, he or she is assigned to GROUP B. GROUP B will report to school on all Tuesdays and Fridays (after the week of September 8) and every other Wednesday.
We will make accommodations to switch groups for students who live in the same residence but have a different last name. Please contact Mrs. Yahner at 344-8506 or at hyhaner@chsd1.org if this accommodation applies to your family.
PLEASE REFER TO THE FIRST MARKING PERIOD CALENDAR BELOW TO VIEW THE GROUP A AND GROUP B SCHEDULES.
Two Hour Early Dismissal every Wednesday
The Cambria Heights Elementary will dismiss on Wednesdays at 12:30.
The Cambria Heights Middle School and High School will dismiss on Wednesdays at 1:00.
Kindergarten Orientation
Kindergarten Orientation is for each Kindergarten student and one parent or guardian. The parent or guardian will stay the entire time (about an hour) to learn about Kindergarten expectations and procedures. The Kindergarten students will take a practice bus ride during this time, too.
First Days of School
The first day of school for students in GROUP A will be Tuesday, September 8.
The first day of school for students in GROUP B will be Wednesday, September 9.
Due to the hybrid model being implemented, we will NOT be holding the "Goodbye Day" as we had originally planned. ALL students will report to their new homeroom teacher on their first day of school.
First Marking Period Hybrid Group Calendar
Click on the following document to view and/print the calendar that delineates which group is to report to school in-person each day.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fZBXszLUBl46qs_oDDxMGIPg5Hi33pA9WRjF_HIIFqQ/edit?usp=sharingFace Coverings are Required
Families also need to be aware of the recently updated mandate (https://tinyurl.com/y66htp9k) from the Pennsylvania Department of Health originally issued in July. Currently, the order now requires students to wear a face covering in the school setting at all times even if six feet of social distancing can be maintained.
The order allows for face covering removal for the following situations only:
Eating or drinking when spaced at least 6 feet apart; or
When wearing a face covering creates an unsafe condition in which to operate equipment or execute a task; or
At least 6 feet apart during “face-covering breaks” to last no longer than 10 minutes.
Therefore, whether we are utilizing a hybrid or full in-person model, all students will be required to wear a face covering when attending any in-person instruction and will likely wear the face covering for most of the school day.
Specials Area Classes
There will NOT be online assignments given to students participating in the hybrid model. Students will complete all Special Area activities and assignments when they are reporting to school.
Students who are participating in the Cambria Heights Remote Learning Program will be assigned one Special Area Class assignment per week.
Breakfast & Lunches
Due to the school operating at 50% capacity, students will eat lunch in the cafeteria in the hybrid model. Students will be spaced 6 feet apart all facing the same direction. Students can choose to purchase a lunch or pack their own as usual.
Hybrid Virtual Learning Grades K-3
Students will be explicitly taught new lessons, participate in group work (while keeping socially distant), class discussions, create authentic products, experiments, etc. There will minimal class time used on silent, independent work in order to allow time for as much instruction as possible when the students are in school. This could mean that students will be learning twice as much during each in-person day because each class will only contains half the students.
"Virtual" Days
All independent work such as worksheets, silent reading, writing, watching videos, and self-paced online programs (Reflex Math, Study Island, Dreambox, Reading Eggs, Go Math Personal Math Trainer, Reading Streets Online, etc.) will be assigned for the day that students do not report to school. This could be a combination of paper and pencil work that will be due the next in-person day or signing into one of the self-paced programs as assigned by their teachers. Students will not be required to sign on at a specific time every day to participate in live sessions. Live virtual meetings could be a possibility if the lesson calls for it. This information will be communicated in advance by the teacher. These online meetings will always be recorded and posted on the teacher's Seesaw account if the students cannot log on at that specific time.
Hybrid Virtual Learning Days - Grades 4 & 5
In-Person Learning Days:
Students will be explicitly taught new lessons, participate in group work, class discussions, create authentic products, experiments, etc. There will minimal class time used on silent, independent work in order to allow time for as much instruction as possible when the students are in school. This could mean that students will be learning twice as much during each in-person day because each class will only contains half the students.
"Virtual" Days
All independent work such as worksheets, silent reading, writing, watching videos, and self-paced online programs (Reflex Math, Study Island, Dreambox, Reading Eggs, Go Math Personal Math Trainer, Reading Streets Online, etc.) will be assigned for the day that students do not report to school. This could be a combination of paper and pencil work that will be due the next in-person day or signing into one of the self-paced programs as assigned by their teachers.
100% Cambria Heights Remote Learning Program
Cambria Heights Remote Learning Program (Full Time):
There will be a meeting for all students and one parent/guardian who have opted to use the Remote Learning program on Thursday, September 3, 2020 in the elementary school gym. Please park in the parking lot on Church Street and enter the gym through the doors on Church Street.
Kindergarten: 8:00-8:45 (Stage Side)
First Grade: 8:45-9:30 (Gym Side)
Second Grade: 9:30-10:15 (Stage Side)
Third Grade: 10:15-11:00 (Gym Side)
Fourth Grade: 11:00-11:45 (Stage Side)
Fifth Grade: 11:45-12:30 (Gym Side)
You will be receiving all resources and information regarding the Remote Learning Program for the year.
District Issued Devices & Chromebook Return Dates
Thursday, August 20 from 3:00 - 6:00 PM
Friday, August 21 from 9:00 AM - Noon
All Cambria Heights students will be reassigned new Chromebooks (Grades 3-5) or iPads (Grades K-2) at the start of the school year as part of our new 1:1 initiative. Students must have returned their old Chromebooks to receive their new devices.
Chorus and Band
This plan will be in place for the first marking period.
4th Grade Band
Mrs. Kemerer will provide 4th grade individual instrumental lessons to any interested students. These lessons will take place throughout the school day with practice time assigned for the days where students do not report to school. There will NOT be full band for 4th grade.
5th Grade Band
Mrs. Kemerer will provide 5th grade individual instrumental lessons to any interested students. These lessons will take place throughout the school day with practice time assigned for the days where students do not report to school. There will be small sections of the 5th grade band meeting on Day A at 2:10. Full band will not meet until the 25 person mandate is removed.
4th & 5th Grade Chorus
Due to scheduling and recommendations from PMEA, chorus for both 4th and 5th grade band will be cancelled until further notice. Mrs. Mulligan will be integrating many chorus concepts into her general music classes.
All students going to Music class must wear a face mask. Face shields will not be allowed in Music class due to the nature of singing requiring students to be projecting their breath and voice.
There will not be any live concerts until further notice. Our music teachers may provide virtual mini-concerts as they see fit.
The Teacher Day
Teachers will be available to answers questions and respond to emails during the school day. The teacher's school day is from 7:30-3:00 on Monday-Friday . If you send an email or leave a voicemail after 3:00, please understand that teachers will be responding during the following school day.
Cambria Heights Elementary School
Email: hyahner@chsd1.org
Website: www.chsd1.org
Location: 138 East Campbell Street, Carrolltown, PA, USA
Phone: 814-344-8506