Larson Newsletter
News You Can Use--September 1, 2020
Happy September!
We have had an amazing first two weeks of school with our Larson Eagles! As I visit classrooms there are so many happy smiling faces (from both students and teachers) and I am excited to report that students are digging into their learning while accepting the “new” all in stride.
Arrival Information
Parents please remember that the doors DO NOT OPEN until 9:00.
Please DO NOT drop your kids on the curb and leave prior to 9:00.
Your cue is our staff on the curb. If staff is out on the curb-the door is open, if not-- do not drop.
Dismissal Tidbits
One of the best features of our new system is that our students are safe and secure in their classrooms, where they can continue to learn while waiting for their parents.
Parents are using the app! This is awesome; just please wait until you are actually in the parking lot to check in. If you check in too early, your student ends up waiting in a line when they could be waiting in their classrooms.
We discovered that the QR code was actually slowing down the system, so we have disabled it.
Families have done an outstanding job of getting all dismissal information in the system prior to 2:50. Reminder: last minute changes cause longer delays now, so thank you for making your dismissal adjustments as early as you can.
We now have kids walking with a purpose which is helping to move the pick-up line along and getting them to the curb quickly.
Currently, it is taking us an average of 21 minutes to get all students (using our curb side service) out of the building and into their cars. Nicely done everyone!
If you have questions or suggestions for improvement regarding arrival or dismissal, please contact Kelly O’Malley, she is our Dismissal Queen.
Gearing Up for Fall
Volunteer Update
We are still not allowing volunteers in the building at this time. However, if you are interested in volunteering, please let your child’s teacher know and when we are able to have you in, we’ll be ready to put you to work.
Picture Day Is Coming Soon
Picture Day is September 10, for Individual photos. Sorry, this year we will not be allowing younger siblings in the building during the day.
Picture Day for our At Home Learners:
· Picture Day is also September 10th from 4-5 pm in the gym.
· Please social distance as you come into the building and as you line up in the gym.
· All adults and students in grades 3-5 must wear a mask into the building and while you are waiting for your pictures.
· THANK YOU to Lifetouch for extending their hours to accommodate our At Home Learning families!
Welcome Back Message from our FTA (Family, Teacher Association)
We are getting things rolling with our FTA. We have a new website up and running that will allow us to take membership payments online, as well as post events, sell fundraising products and of course accept donations.
Please check it out! https://larson-elementary-pta.square.site — we have added a link to our membership form that can be printed off and sent in with your kid in their homework folders. Please simply fill it out and send in your membership fee, or write paid online on the top if you have chosen to pay on our website. We keep track of all memberships and the classroom teachers for a membership drive competition we will be having later this month.
As the year kicks off we know Larson has a lot of both new and returning families in the building who need some new spirit wear gear! Luckily for you, we’ve got you covered.
Starting September 4th our Fall Spirit wear fundraiser will kick off and will be running through the 18th of September.
You can order online and details will be sent home with your kids this week. Gear will have a curbside pick-up evening and also will be sent home with students whose parents choose not to do curbside. More information on pick-up will be available after the ordering deadline.
We are still working out how to hold our first meeting and will post information on our Facebook page and our website when those details are available.
Thank you so much for all the interest in getting involved, we look forward to meeting with everyone real soon. — Larson FTA
Mrs. Ramilo celebrates 20 years at Larson!
Note from our Nurse:
Hello everyone! I can’t believe it has been 20 years already, but I must say this is the most unusual start to any school year I have experienced. I know there are many questions about what to do if your child is or gets sick, so Mrs. Murphy and I have added the link/information below that you may find helpful:
MSBSD Guidelines for: Keeping Students Safe and Schools Open during the COVID-19 Pandemic. This is helpful guidance for parents regarding checking your student for COVID-19 symptoms at home, keeping them home from in-person school if they have any symptoms of COVID-19, and return to school options for any student with COVID-19 symptoms. These return to school guidelines after signs of illness for students are certainly different than in previous school years. However, the end goal is student and staff safety which is a priority and will help keep our schools open. Please contact NURSE RAMILO at 907-352-2305 if you should have any questions or if you need to report your student is out with COVID-19 symptoms.
Thank you for helping to keep our school community safe.
COVID INFORMATION UPDATE
In light of several schools recently closing, I would like to share some information with you regarding our plans should a shutdown occur at Larson.
First of all, in order to close we must have a confirmed positive case. We will not close due to a rumor or speculation. So if we do get a positive case; you may get a communication from one or multiple sources; the District Office, the Department of Health and Social Services and Larson Elementary. This communication could come to you in multiple ways; personal phone call, recorded phone calls, email, text or class dojo messages. In order to be prepared, please ensure that if you have recently made any changes to your cell/phone service that our office has your most current contact information on file.
If we have to close our doors, it would be for a specified amount of time (determined on that day) and a deep cleaning of our building would take place, while contact tracing happens.
Academics would continue via Remote Learning. Currently, all of our families have a COVID Closure Packet, that would be used allowing teachers time to connect with all families. We would also be using Google Classroom and students at school have been briefed on access and password protocols. In the event of short term Remote Learning, your child’s teacher would be contacting you to give you more detailed directions on accessing Google Classroom and the expectations of what students should be doing at home.
For those families who have indicated that you would need a device, we have a check out system that would be deployed ONLY when a closure happens. We currently need all of our computers at school on a daily basis.
SOON all of our teachers will be trained on the Mat Su Virtual Learning (MSVL) platform and should a short or long term closure happen, students will be able to access the system and continue with their learning via MSVL.
All parents will be getting further information regarding the transition over the next few weeks as it comes online. In the meantime, please rest assured that if a short term closure happens, we will still be moving forward with learning opportunities for your children.
For our AT HOME LEARNERS, our Virtual Teachers would continue as normal and give you updates as necessary.
Cyber Safety
Whether we are in school or remotely learning; online safety is paramount. Mrs. Stegall, our Librarian, has been/will be conducting Cyber Safety lessons with students in addition to cyber guidelines provided by classroom teachers.
As an additional FYI for parents: The district has communicated clear Guidelines for Recorded or Live Lessons, that all teachers have been given.
If a Zoom or Live lesson is recorded, it will only be used for educational purposes and no personally identifiable information will be disclosed. Any recording of Zoom or Live Lessons will focus on the teacher, not the students, and the teacher will record it locally on their hard drive. The content of lessons will only be shared with the appropriate audience. If you have questions about any lessons being recorded, please contact your child’s teacher. Currently this would apply to our At Home Learners, but in the event of a school closure, teachers may need to record lessons.
As always......
Please do not hesitate to reach out and let us know how we can continue to support you.
The next newsletter will be coming out towards the middle of the month.
Beckie Murphy
Principal