Scotty Updates
A Newsletter from Scotland Elementary School
Week of October 5, 2020
Scotty Updates
The Scotty Updates has been created to provide families and staff with information regarding upcoming events, happenings, and programs at Scotland Elementary School. Please take time each Monday to review our newsletter. Thank you!
A Message from Mrs. Katkocin
Dear Scotland Families,
I hope this message finds you all well! We are thrilled to welcome all of our in-person learners back in the building today, as well as engage our online learners in new learning as we continue our year!
We believe that student safety is paramount, and are working diligently to ensure students are safe at all times. A few reminders about dismissal as we reopen fully...
- Please be sure to enter dismissal information into School Dismissal Manager. If a family arrives to pick up a student whose name is not entered in SDM, the family will be asked to park, and then sign out their child with our security guard. This is to ensure the safety of each and every student.
- Please have your students name(s) visible in the front windshield on the passenger side of the car (see example below). This will allow our staff to call students for dismissal in the most efficient way possible.
- In the pick up line, students MUST enter the car on the passenger side of the car. We cannot have students walking between cars to enter from the driver's side. If your child must enter on the driver's side, please park your car, and one of our staff members will walk your child to you.
- If you need to help your child buckle, or perhaps open a snack for their ride home, kindly park the car in one of the available spots to do so.
As shared by Dr. Hannaway on Thursday, RPS is working to ensure that students are "in front" of a teacher/faculty member who is most and best prepared to provide high quality instruction. To this end, the district will be providing additional time for faculty for planning, collaboration and training via the following:
Friday, October 9th and Thursday, October 29th:
- Students will be dismissed early, based on the early dismissal schedule (Scotland's early dismissal time is 11:40am. Parents should be in the parent pick up line beginning at 11:30am)
- Students will be provided "asynchronous" (not live teaching) activities in the afternoon by their classroom and specials teacher
- There will be no in-person specials on early dismissal day
- The asynchronous activities will be provided to each classroom's stream
- Both of these will be considered full school days, albeit the latter part of each as asynchronous from home
Wednesday, November 25th:
- Students will not come into school (an already scheduled early dismissal day)
- Students will be involved in asynchronous activities in the morning from home
If your K-2 child is going to remain a temporary remote learner, please complete this form, and email both your classroom teacher and Mrs. Lupinacci to notify us.
Wishing you all a wonderful week!
Kind regards,
Jill
Congratulations, Mrs. Lupinacci for 35 Years of dedication to Ridgefield Public Schools!
Scotland Teacher Appreciation from the PTA ❤️
A Note from Mrs. Martire
If your child is ill or has been exposed to Covid-19 please contact me at 894-5825 extension 6575 or email me at lmartire@ridgefieldps.net.
Attached below is the letter that was sent out from the RPS nurses at the start of the school year for your reference. It includes a link to Addendum 5 ( also attached below: link to CT Guidelines) which was a collaborative effort by the Connecticut State Department of Education and the State Department of Public Health to provide schools districts with guidance and protocols for responding to specific Covid-19 scenarios that may occur with school reopening.
Due to COVID health and safety concerns, any student with any one of the potential COVID symptoms (cough, difficulty breathing, fever or chills, fatigue, muscle or body ache, headache, new loss or taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea) must remain home until the CSDE and CT DPH guidance is met in accordance with Addendum 5.
Addendum 5 has several scenarios based on symptoms and exposure. Becoming familiar with the document will be helpful as I will be referring to this often this year as we continue to experience this global pandemic.
Please feel free to contact me with any questions .
Stay well,
Lisa Martire
Gentle Reminders...
- All students should bring their chromebooks back and forth from school to home daily.
- Literacy kits (black drawstring bag) and math kits (Ziploc bags) should also come back and forth from school to home daily unless otherwise indicated by your child's teacher.
- Please make sure you pack your child a water bottle each day! As a health and safety measure, our water fountains have been disabled.
- Payments for lunch can be paid through the School Online Payment Portal. Please see link below.
Virtual Learning Reminders:
- Students will be visible to the teacher and other participating students (please remind your child to have their camera on throughout the lessons).
- Parents are encouraged to have their students independently participate via a location that is quiet and free of distraction, to the extent possible. Other individuals in the home are not permitted to participate in or be visible on the video conference, or otherwise observe the lesson, other than reasonable adult supervision of the student.
- Parents and students are prohibited from recording video conferencing sessions. The district will not be recording any classes/sessions.
- Depending on each student’s individual circumstance, teachers or service providers may request the facilitation of the supervising adult to assist the student in engaging in the session.
- In addition, if your child needs to leave for a period of time during instruction (i.e. doctor or dentist appointment), please notify the classroom teacher ahead of time, just as you would if they were in the building.
Thank you so much for your partnership in making this experience a success!
School Dismissal Manager
We continue to use School Dismissal Manager this year at Scotland. Please click below for information regarding this system. This system will be available to families in late August. A welcome letter will be emailed to families when the system is available. If you have any additional questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to us!
Events and Happenings
WEEK AT A GLANCE:
Monday, October 5th:
- All students full in-person!
- B day
Tuesday, October 6th:
- C day
Wednesday, October 7th:
- D day
Thursday, October 8th:
- E day
Friday, October 9th:
- F day
- Early Dismissal Day: 11:40am
- Students will be involved in "asynchronous" (not live teaching) activities in the afternoon from home
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UPCOMING EVENTS:
October 21st:
- Picture Retake Day
If your child missed their school picture day please contact Aida Clarkin with your student’s name and teacher at Aida0721@yahoo.com
Thursday, October 29th:
- Early Dismissal Day: Dismissal will begin at 11:30am
- Students will be involved in "asynchronous" (not live teaching) activities in the afternoon from home
A Note from Our PTA
The class with the highest percentage of PTA membership by October 5 will win a lunch with Mrs. Katkocin!!
Congrats to the Ciuffetelli family for winning $50 to the Scotty Spirit store for signing up for the PTA early!!
We will stop sending the E-blast to non-members beginning the week of October 4.
To join, visit our website: www.scotlandpta.org and click “Join the PTA!”
Email scotlandelementaryPTA@gmail.com if you have any questions!
Contact Us!
Email: jkatkocin@ridgefieldps.net
Website: https://ses.ridgefield.org/
Location: 111 Barlow Mountain Road, Ridgefield, CT, USA
Phone: 203-894-5825
Twitter: @Scotland_Elem