BC Bear Facts
December Newsletter: 12-12-21
PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE:
Dear Boulder Creek Families,
It’s December, and we all find ourselves fully involved in the holiday season. Christmas is right around the corner, and our students are working hard to keep their minds on their academics as we enter the busy few weeks before their next break.
The month of December brings to Boulder Creek a new character focus, generosity and giving. Generosity is a quality that's a lot like unselfishness. Someone showing generosity is happy to give time, money, food, or kindness to people in need. When you show generosity, you might give away things or money or put others before yourself.
Acts of generosity, such as giving your time, talent or resources, and expecting nothing in return, have been proven to be good for our health. Generous individuals are personally more fulfilled, happier and more peaceful within themselves, not to mention more productive at home and in the workplace. In fact, as reported by a recent study by the University of California, generous individuals live a longer, healthier life.
The traits of giving and generosity are being focused upon daily with students throughout the month of December.
Our incredible staff will be supporting our students throughout this holiday season. Our teachers will creatively bring engaging wintertime activities and positivity to our students. On behalf of all of us at Boulder Creek, we wish all of our families a wonderful holiday season. We look forward to seeing you all again in person on Tuesday, January 11th!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Tina Croes
'TIS THE SEASON!
Dance Crew - Redding Lighted Parade
BC Staff Christmas Social - Garden of Lights
4th-8th Grade Choir - Garden of Lights
BASKETBALL TRYOUTS
Permission slips for 6-8 Boys' Basketball are due in the office no later the Wednesday, December 15th. Tryouts begin on Thursday, December 16th. Please the tryout packet for details about dates and times.
We have some good news for our boys' basketball teams as well as our 4/5 basketball teams! Representatives from California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) along with administrators from all over Shasta County have successfully made the case with Shasta County Public Health (SCPH) officials that playing basketball with a mask on also poses certain risks for our athletes. Therefore, SCPH has recently included basketball among the indoor sports that may be played without a mask AS LONG AS athletes are tested once a week. Please see the basketball packet for all the details about athlete weekly COVID testing.
The 4/5 basketball season doesn't begin until later in January. There will be more details for 4/5 families in the January newsletter.
STUDENT LEADERSHIP SPONSORS CANDY GRAMS
Speaking of promoting generosity and giving, you can find our Student Leadership Team ringing the bell for Salvation Army in front of JC Penney on December 21st from 3:00-5:00 p.m. Stop by, see them there, and make a little donation!
FALL IS THE TIME FOR LOST AND FOUND - JACKETS AND SWEATERS
It's that time of year, cold in the morning and warm by the day's end. It's the time of year when our students wear layers to school and peel them off on the playground or in the cafeteria and leave them behind. Please write your child's full name on their clothing tags, water bottles, lunch boxes, etc. We will get their items back to them if we know who they belong to. Also, be sure to check our Lost and Found, housed in the cafeteria, regularly for lost items. Lost and Found items are taken to GoodWill during each vacation break (Thanksgiving Recess, Christmas Recess, President's Week, Spring Recess, and Summer) of the school year.
BOULDER CREEK BOOSTER (Parent) CLUB
UPCOMING EVENTS - VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
The Holiday Maker event is happening December 13th-15th! Volunteers are needed to assist students in making a craft. Please sign-up by clicking HERE.
The Holiday Boutique 2022 event (next December) is in need of a chairperson and several more volunteers. Shopping for the event typically starts the day after Christmas. If you are interested in chairing this event please email Sarabeth at bcbooster.sarabeth@gmail.com.
VP NEEDED!
PARENT/ADULT VOLUNTEER REQUIREMENTS
Boulder Creek staff and students are thrilled that this year we are able to welcome our parent and other adult volunteers back on campus in the 2021-22 school year! We will have to follow the same restrictions that apply to our adult staff members beginning October 15th, which will take organization and coordination on the part of our staff and our volunteers. We would love to work with those who are willing as our volunteers provide valuable support to our students and staff.
2021/22 COVID-19 Protocols for Volunteers/Visitors/Mentors (Aligns with CDPH Guidance for Schools)
- Limit nonessential visitors, volunteers, and activities involving external groups or organizations with people who are not fully vaccinated, particularly in areas where there is moderate-to-high COVID-19 community transmission.
- Schools should not limit access for direct service providers but can ensure compliance with school visitor policies.
- Anyone who has symptoms of infectious illness, such as flu or COVID-19, should stay home and seek testing and care.
- Volunteers must show proof of vaccination or a weekly test.
- Indoors: all adults must wear a face covering and practice social distancing*.
- Outdoors: masks are optional but encouraged. Practice social distancing*.
- Field Trip volunteers/chaperones must provide proof of vaccination or a negative test within three school days. No volunteers will ride the bus with students, or provide transportation unless they provide proof of vaccination and have administrator approval. All the above guidelines for face coverings and social distance apply to field trip chaperones.
- All visitors/volunteers must register in the school office and be cleared through the district’s Raptor System (Board Policy 1250).
DECEMBER/JANUARY IMPORTANT DATES:
December 22nd: Minimum Day (last day before Winter Break)
December 23rd-Jan 10th: Winter Break (January 10th is a Staff Development Day)
January 11th (Tuesday): First day back from Christmas Break for Students
January 12th: Parent/Booster Club Meeting via Google Meet (see link):
meet.google.com/ydk-woeh-otz?hs=122&authuser=0
January 17th: Martin Luther King Jr. Day Observed - No school
LUNCH AND BREAKFAST
Breakfast Menu
Lunch Menu
ATHLETICS
State Guidance for Sports in Schools
- Mask-wearing: Masks are required for all persons while playing all indoor sports, unless wearing a mask during play has been determined to pose a choking hazard by a well-recognized health authority, such as the American Academy of Pediatrics.
SCPH has recently included basketball among the indoor sports that may be played without a mask AS LONG AS athletes are tested once a week.
Students in Modified Quarantine or Full Quarantine may not participate in extracurricular activities, including sports, during their quarantine period. We will contact by seating chart whenever possible. This will keep an entire grade level/class from entering into quarantine.
We will do everything possible to continue with extracurricular activities as long as there is staffing available and we can meet the state's requirements.
On-site Covid-19 Testing for Students - Close Contacts and Symptomatic
- Modified Quarantine (preferred most) - Test twice weekly at school
- Modified Quarantine (still preferred) - Test twice weekly outside of school AND provide proof of completion and test results to our school office within the same timeframe as school testing. You can email proof of testing and results to our Student Services Clerk, Devin McComas at dmccomas@eesd.net.
- Full Quarantine (least preferred) - Stay home for 10 days. Absences will be excused.
We encourage you to choose the Modified Quarantine option, as your child's class could be named as a close contact more than once based upon the current community spread of Covid-19. Close contacts who do not test must stay home for the full quarantine of 10 days.
We have now added testing for students who are symptomatic as long as we can fit it into the tester's schedule. If your child is going home sick or wakes up sick at home, you can request a convenient Covid-19 at Boulder Creek. Let's work together to get him/her back in school as quickly as possible!
OFFICE HOURS AND PROCEDURES
PARENT PORTAL LOG-IN
All parents, including new parents, should have logged into the Parent Portal at some point already. Why do you need to create a parent account? This is a secure platform through which you will view your child's teacher/class, receive your child’s report card, complete enrollment, and complete the necessary beginning of the year school forms like your child's emergency card. In the future, this is also how state testing results will be communicated.
Click HERE for the link to the parent portal. If you cannot log-in successfully, please call our school's office at 224-4140 or email our tech helpline at help@eesd.net. Be sure to keep your log-in information in a safe but accessible place.
IMPORTANT LINKS
- help@eesd.net: for Chromebook questions (including how to get a device); technology troubleshooting as directed by your child's teacher
- eesd.net: for online resources and other district information
- bouldercreek.eesd.net: for weekly newsletters and other information
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs)
Q: If a student in my child's class becomes Covid -19 positive, will my child and his/her class have to quarantine?
A: If students are following all protocols, mainly properly wearing their masks indoors, they will be on a modified quarantine. This means they will still be able to come to school in person but will not be able to participate in extracurricular activities for a period of time. When at all possible, we will contact trace by seating chart. This means only those within six feet of the person positively infected for more than 15 minutes will be considered close contacts.
Q: Is there ever a time when my child's whole class may have to learn from home?
A: This hasn't happened yet but could happen if your child's teacher was covid positive, named as a close contact, had to quarantine, AND we could not find a substitute teacher. There is a very limited number of substitute teachers and other substitute staff available in Shasta County.
Boulder Creek School
Website: https://bouldercreek.eesd.net/
Location: 505 Springer Drive, Redding, CA, USA
Phone: 530-224-4140
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bouldercreekschool/