_____Blue Valley_____
Chinese Immersion • Kindergarten • Inclement Weather
Sign-up for voluntary student COVID-19 testing reopens for “take-home” tests, deadline Feb. 15
Blue Valley is shifting voluntary COVID-19 testing for students to “take-home” tests. The tests will help the district better understand the prevalence of the virus in our schools. Sign-up for voluntary testing has reopened and will close on Monday, Feb. 15. Families who already provided consent do not need to complete the sign-up process again.
Sign-up Instructions
Login to ParentVUE.
The Parent Acknowledgement of “COVID-19 Testing Consent” should appear upon sign-in.
Click the download link at the bottom of the web page to view the consent form for each student.
Select “Yes”, “No” or “Skip” for each child.
Families who consented to voluntary COVID-19 testing will receive an email the week prior to testing with specific instructions.
Need to manage, change or check your consent selection? Login to ParentVUE, click on the Help tab and submit a BV CARE-Technology Help form to submit your written request.
Highlights of voluntary COVID-19 testing for students
The district has partnered with a local laboratory, MAWD Pathology Group, to conduct voluntary “take-home” nasal swab COVID-19 testing for elementary students and voluntary “take-home” saliva testing for middle and high school students.
The permission covers all testing until June 2021. Families may withdraw consent, in writing, at any time.
There is no cost to students, families, or the district. The availability of testing is contingent on continued state funding.
Elementary students: All elementary students with parent permission will be provided with a “take-home” nasal swab kit. The testing is to be completed under parent supervision and returned to school the following day. VirtualED students will have the opportunity to pick up a test kit.
Middle and high school students: All middle and high students with parent permission will be provided with a “take-home” saliva test kit. The testing is to be completed under parent supervision and returned to school the following day. VirtualED students will have the opportunity to pick up a test kit.
A testing team will collect the PCR tests and send them to the lab the same day.
For those students participating, testing results will come via email or text message to the address entered at registration. Results are typically available in 24-48 hours.
Results will also be sent to the school district.
Elementary testing is tentatively planned for Feb. 23 and early April. Middle and high school testing is tentatively planned for March 1 and 3 and early April.
Chinese immersion info meetings set for incoming kindergarten families
Are you interested in providing your child with an immersive educational experience that broadens horizons, enhances cognitive skills and teaches second language skills? Would you like to learn more about Blue Valley’s Chinese Immersion Program? Watch this video that provides a glimpse into an immersion classroom.
Ready to learn more? Mark your calendar and make plans to attend a virtual information session about the district’s Chinese Immersion program that is open to all incoming kindergarten students. Later this month families with incoming kindergarteners will be receiving information with details about kindergarten registration.
Virtual Information Session for ALL incoming kindergarten families
Monday, Feb. 22, 2021 @ 6 p.m.
Meeting will be conducted via Zoom. Please register online to receive the Zoom link and meeting information.
Virtual Information Session for VPE families ONLY
Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2021 @ 6 p.m.
Meeting will be conducted via Zoom. Please register online to receive the Zoom link and meeting information.
Students residing in the Valley Park Elementary (VPE) attendance area will attend the immersion program at VPE. All other students' applications will be entered into the lottery for the Wolf Springs Elementary (WSE) program. Selection is based on a random lottery, with no preference for early submissions. Siblings of current immersion students will have preference. This preference will continue to be extended to siblings of current VPE Chinese Immersion students regardless of home school.
Immersion is an approach to second language instruction in which teaching and learning of core content occurs in a language other than English. Blue Valley’s program is a dual language immersion model in which students are co-taught by two full-time classroom teachers, spending about half of the day in Chinese and about half in English. The program is a multi-year commitment and participation will be determined by a lottery system. For more information on the immersion program, visit www.bluevalleyk12.org/immersion.
Kindergarten Class of 2021-22
It is that time of year when our schools begin to collect information about our incoming kindergarten class. Do you or someone you know have an incoming kindergartener for the 2021-22 school year? Incoming kindergarten families should contact the office of their assigned school and provide them with family contact information to start receiving school updates and the latest information on kindergarten registration. Watch the district website and social media for updates regarding online registration.
Food and Nutrition updates
In preparation for Presidents’ Day, meal kits for all those interested will be available for pick up on Wednesday, Feb. 10 from 11 a.m.- noon at the four pick up locations (Blue Valley High, Blue Valley West, Blue Valley North, and Blue Valley Northwest). Meal kits will include both breakfast and lunch meals for six days. There will be no meal pick up on Monday, Feb. 15. Normal meal pick-up will resume on Wednesday, Feb. 17, which will include three days of breakfast and lunch meals. There is no cost for these meals. We welcome all families with students.
Inclement weather message
In Kansas, it is likely over the next several months we’ll see forecasts that call for inclement weather. Blue Valley encourages students and families to be prepared by:
2.Reviewing 2020-21 inclement weather learning options
- NEW! REMOTE LEARNING DAY: A remote learning day will be used when adverse weather conditions exist that make travel to and from school unsafe. The learning day will include check-ins with teachers and asynchronous work for all students, including VirtualED. Specific details about schedules for the day will be communicated by the school administration and teachers.
DELAYED START: Delayed starts will be used when temporary adverse weather conditions exist, including high winds, cold temperatures or unfavorable road conditions. A two-hour delayed start would allow in-person staff and students extra time to arrive at school. This option maximizes in-person instructional time with students. VirtualED students and students learning remotely in the hybrid model would also start two hours late. Specific details about schedules for the day will be communicated by the school administration and teachers.
TRADITIONAL “SNOW DAY”: In extreme weather conditions, the district may still call an inclement weather day with no school for all students.
During this ever-changing pandemic, Blue Valley is prioritizing student learning on inclement weather days, whether that learning is in-person or remote. By prioritizing learning, the district avoids having to further extend the school year into June.
Families will continue to receive an email and text message when the school day is modified due to inclement weather. When possible, the announcement will be made the day before so families can plan. General information about inclement weather is available on the district’s website.
Blue Valley Schools
Email: bvinfo@bluevalleyk12.org
Website: www.bluevalleyk12.org
Location: 15020 Metcalf Avenue, Overland Park, KS 66223, USA
Phone: 913-239-4000
Facebook: www.facebook.com/BlueValleySchoolDistrict
Twitter: @BVSchools