We are so happy to be able to have students back in our classrooms for Limited In Person Instruction. And we hope that you all had a restful winter break. During the break, the governor updated the guidance on when and how schools can reopen. Redmond School District has been hard at work interpreting this new information. Please see below for an update from Dr. Charan Cline, our superintendent, regarding our potential return to school on February 2nd.

We are continuing to work hard to ensure that we continue to diligently follow the safety precautions as set forth in the Ready Schools Safe Learners guidance and very much appreciate your support in ensuring that students come with an appropriate face covering daily and that you keep your student home if they are ill, or have potentially had a COVID exposure. This is what has allowed us so far to operate safely in Limited In Person Instruction, and will allow us to return in a hybrid format (full time after one week for elementary students and Transition Students). We are very excited to report that after the hybrid week, Transition students will be able to attend Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday full days. More information will be coming from the Transition team about the schedule, and what to expect.

While this is exciting news, we also know that this may bring concerns, and many questions. Please reach out to me if you have any questions, either at the office 541-923-4868, or on my work cell 541-977-4868 (call or text).

Thank you again for your strong partnership and support of our students and our school. We appreciate you,

Sincerely,

Karen Mitchell

StepUP Principal

The mission of our Family Access Network is to offer assistance, possibility and hope to Redmond families in need by connecting them with crucial resources that will help children flourish in school and in life. Working through a dedicated FAN advocate, a child or parent is connected to essential services such as food, shelter, heating, health care, clothing and more. FAN advocates improve the lives of over 8,000 children and family members in our community each year.

Thank you for supporting Redmond’s FAN Program. You can donate to the district’s general fund, which will be spread throughout the schools or you can donate specifically to a school of your choice. Please share on your social media and help spread the word. Thank you for helping children and families with critical basic needs and for keeping children healthy and in school. https://donatersd.hdesd.org/rsdfan

Throughout the Year, the High Desert Museum is presenting “Wonder Wednesdays”. Mid Oregon is sponsoring this opportunity for adult parents and caregivers to receive $5 admission on Wednesdays (except not on school holidays). Details:

• To provide engaging activities for Central Oregon students during the COVID-19 pandemic through the 2020-21 school year, parents and/or caregivers visiting the Museum on Wednesdays with pre-kindergarten to 12th-grade children who attend school in Deschutes, Jefferson and Crook counties will receive a reduced admission price of $5 per person!
• Timed tickets are recommended, as the museum has restrictions on admission due to COVID-19 protocols. For details and to get tickets, visit https://highdesertmuseum.org/wonder-wednesdays/.
• For a flyer about the event, click https://www.midoregon.com/community/High_Desert_Museum_Wonder_Wednesdays_2020-2021.pdf.

Happy New Year to all our Transition students and families! Each of you should be receiving email and phone communication from Kate Barker or Liz Worthington regarding resuming Limited In Person Instruction (LIPI). LIPI for Transition begins again on Monday, January 11, 2021. The schedule for students remains the same with Pods meeting on Mondays/Thursdays or Tuesday/Fridays. The transportation pick up and drop off times remain the same as assigned. Sack Lunch offering will also resume when present for LIPI.

What's new? More online classes and options to connect are being developed and will be rolled out the week of January 11th. Some online classes might be put on pause to make room for new ones. Some Transition business will only be available in person. We believe we have something to offer each student and serve them well. We look forward to seeing each student in person, online, or both in person and online.

We are still offering homework help on Fridays at 10AM. Go to google meet and put in the code 7uphelp

Yay!!! We have Colin back! So now we are an even more awesome team!

Make sure you participate in your google meets and communicate with us! You will get credit for participating!

We are so excited to announce that Limited in Person Instruction is starting back up.

Beginning Tuesday January 12th we will be resuming our class from 8:40-10:40. Your bus will pick you up at your designated times. (if you need a refresher of when that is just ask us and we’ll let you know!) We will have your breakfast/lunches ready for you to enjoy while we get our learning on!

WE CAN NOT WAIT TO SEE YOU!!!!

4-7 will be doing the following things during our in-person group times this week.

• Tuesday: "Cooking" Peanut Butter Cereal Bites and learning about Self-Awareness.
• Friday: Continuing our learning about Self-Awareness, practicing social skills through game play.

Students will likely be bringing some leftover cooking projects home so feel free to ask them how it went and see if they can recall how to make the cereal bites on their own.

As a reminder, with our return to in-person groups, the 4-7 class has Limited In Person groups on Tuesdays and Fridays from 8:40 to 10:40 am. If you would like to confirm your students' transportation times, please email or text Mrs. Kari and she will send the info.