Kansas Assessment

Chisholm Trail students will be taking the Kansas State Assessments this spring on the following days. Please help by reminding your student to get a good night sleep and eat a healthy breakfast each morning.

• April 5 -7 LA (6th, 7th, 8th grade In-Person)
• April 14-15 Science (8th grade In-Person)
• April 26-28 Math (6th, 7th, 8th grade In-Person)

6th, 7th & 8th Grade Remote Student

Kansas Assessment Days

Remote students will have the opportunity to take the Kansas State Assessments the following days/times. Please complete the following SURVEY about testing for your remote student. Mrs. Reyes will follow up with each family with more details about testing. If you have any questions or concerns please email rlreyes@olatheschools.org

• April 7th LA (either during the day or 3:30 pm – 6 pm)
• April 29th Math (either during the day or 3:30 pm – 6 pm)

Olathe Public Schools families,

As we begin the fourth quarter, we know many families are starting to think about the 2021-22 school year and how it will be structured. We were notified by the Kansas Department of Education that across the state, the current remote or hybrid learning option will not be allowed next school year. This means that our students will return to a fully in-person learning format for the next school year.

However, we know that for some families, learning virtually is better for their child or specific family situation. Beginning with the 2021-22 school year, Olathe Public Schools will give families an opportunity to apply for the Olathe Virtual School (OVS), with curriculum and content designed for virtual learning. Additional information will be shared about the new virtual school, along with a link to an application and a website with more information, on Thursday, April 1.

In the meantime, we wanted to share some quick information about what the Olathe Virtual School is and what it is not to help clarify as parents consider this option for their children. OVS will have limited enrollment.

How is the Virtual School different from the remote learning that took place this year? Remote learning was a response to the COVID pandemic. It attempted to replicate the in-person experience by sharing staff, schedules and resources that were all designed for in-person learning. OVS has been developed because the district recognized that some students thrived in or need a virtual learning environment and there was a long-term need. OVS will be an independent school within the Olathe School District, with its own Olathe staff, curriculum, resources and schedules adapted for the virtual learner.

Will the curriculum be different than in-person schools?
OVS will offer prioritized grade-level and standards-aligned instruction, with an additional emphasis on social-emotional learning. Students will have access to a variety of opportunities and classes; however, we are unable to offer specialized courses such as AP classes, orchestra, band and choir. KSHSAA opportunities will be unavailable as well. High school students interested in participating in a 21st Century Academy or OATC should not apply for OVS.

Look for more information on Thursday, April 1 about OVS. The application window will be open from April 1-16. Two virtual parent information nights will be offered on Thursday, April 8 and Thursday, April 15. More information will be coming soon.

Olathe Public Schools Administration

To help teacher-assigned students be more successful in Wildcat After Hours, we are going to make a few changes this quarter. Please look at the following items:

1. If a teacher is assigning a student, then the assigning teacher must either provide a “homework to-do” list for the student, or have the student create their own work to-do list. When the student arrives at WAH, the student will then present their to-do list as their “entry ticket.” The WAH teacher will ensure that the student completes all of the assignments on the list. You are welcome to use this to-do list as an option. If a student does not arrive with a to-do list, then the WAH teacher cannot guarantee that all of the student’s work will be completed.

2. All students must stay until 4:15, even if they finish their work early. The assigning teacher must contact the student’s parents and make it clear that the student will be released at 4:15. If a student must leave early, then the parent will need to directly contact the WAH teacher.

3. With the arrival of baby Servaes, Lindsey Bingham and Samantha Collins will take turns covering Allison's Wednesday slots. Please refer to this calendar to see who oversees WAH each day.

If you have any questions, please contact Rebecca Reyes.

There has been an update to the Primary and Secondary symptoms of COVID-19 per JCDHE. Fever is no longer considered to be a primary symptom of COVID-19 even in secondary students and adults. It is now a secondary symptoms which means there needs to be at least one other symptom of COVID in order to classify the person as have COVID-like Illness requiring exclusion and/or testing. The symptoms are now as listed below:

Primary (any one symptom):

• New, persistent cough
• Difficulty breathing
• Loss of taste and/or smell (this is so specific that even in the presence of a negative PCR test, the person is considered COVID positive)

Secondary symptoms (any two or more symptoms):

• Extreme fatigue
• Fever (100o +) or chills
• Congestion/runny nose
• Nausea/vomiting/diarrhea
• Sore throat
• Headache
• Muscle or body aches

23/7 CAT SPLIT

CAT 7:50 – 8:13

1st hour 8:17 – 9:07

2nd hour 9:11 – 10:01

3rd hour 10:05 – 10:55

4th hour 10:59 -11:49 (10:59-12:14 for 6th grade)

• 6th grade Lunch
• 10:59-11:24 (Taulbee, Totte-Boyd, Clark, Williams, Horner, Parker)
• 11:24-11:49 (Grauberger, Snethen, Olvera, Marye)
  

5th hour 11:53 – 1:11

• 7th grade Staggered Lunch
• 11:49 – 12:15 (Ruffin, Jones, Cromer, Rodriguez)
• 11:55 – 12:20 (Reed, M. Kinzer, Hylton, Kusek)

• 8th grade 1st Lunch 12:20 – 12:45

• (Carroll, R. Sheffield, Boyd, Rotert, Woolcott, Waller, Sutter)

• 8th grade 2nd Lunch 12: 46 – 1:11
• (Stumbo, Detrick, Robison, Haines, Gibson,)

6th hour 1:15 – 2:05

7th hour 2:09 – 2: 59

CAT 3:03 – 3:10

Please read...

Below are phases of the school day outlined with guidelines and procedures. These are listed because there are many questions surrounding our "return to school". However, CST will still be a school where relationships are a priority and socialization, engagement, fun, and learning will continue. Students will still be able to be social and interact--this is an important part of school and one we aim to keep intact a much as possible while also following the safety guidelines outlined for our buildings. We want to keep moving forward and keep school comfortable, fun, and engaging while implementing the health guidelines.

Please don't hesitate to reach out to any of us--admin, counselors, teachers--if we can help make your child's transition smoother.

CST In-Person Procedures and Guidelines

As a district we follow Johnson County health guidelines. Wearing masks and washing hands will be the expectation.

A direct exposure is defined as: no mask, within 6 feet, for more than 10 minutes.

Anyone with what is considered a “direct exposure” would need to quarantine based on this criteria. While other variables may play into a situation, the emphasis on wearing a mask is not just safety and health, but for continuity of education by avoiding a need for our students and staff to quarantine. Please keep your child home if they are displaying symptoms (see message/symptoms from district nurse coordinator above).

Below are phases of the day and some general guidelines at CST. Teachers and admin will review these with students next week in Cat time in preparation for transition to full in-person learning.

General Items

• Masks are required in the building (gaiters are okay but need to be 2 layers)
• Students should bring their own masks, but disposable masks are available in the office if needed
• Students will still not be issued lockers (except in PE and music) and will be permitted to carry their backpack with them during the day
• Students are encouraged to travel efficiently—lunch, device, essential supplies—jackets/coats carried as well
• PE lockers will be issued and is a place to keep PE shoes and PE uniform
• Students may drop off PE items after 7:40am
• INSTRUMENTS: Instruments can be dropped off in their music room where one of our teachers will be there to receive instruments

What changes will occur for REMOTE students?

• Remote students’ day will not change and students will still log in beginning at 8:17 (1st hour) and follow the same bell schedule
  
• Their teachers may provide more details as needed for individual classes

Arrival

--First—refer to our traffic pattern for car rider drop off--entire front curb is used for drop-off/pick-up
--Students enter the front entrance or event entrance—car or walker
--Bus riders will be dropped off at the event entrance (and load at the event entrance)
--We encourage all walkers and car riders to arrive after 7:30.
--If students are in the building BEFORE 7:40 they will go to 1 of 2 locations depending on grade level

• 6th Grade will sit spaced out by Cat teacher in the auditorium (signs posted)
• 7th and 8th will take a different side of the bleachers in the main gym and sit in a location designated for their Cat class.
  
• If students want breakfast (see breakfast/lunch info below), they will go to the MPR to pick up the grab-and-go breakfast where they’ll check in and eat spaced out in the MPR.
• Students arriving 7:45 or later will take their breakfast to eat in their Cat class.
• Once finished with breakfast students move to their designated location.

--If students arrive AFTER 7:40 they go straight to the their Cat time classroom.

• Breakfast can be picked up in the MPR and taken to their Cat classroom to eat--the MPR will be cleared at 7:45
  

--Class begins with Cat at 7:50 and we’ll run through the rest of the day

• Students may drop off instruments in their music classroom

Lunch

• There will still be 5 lunch periods at CST
• 6th grade will eat during 4th hour, 7th and 8th will eat 5th hour. The 8th grade lunch will be split due to its higher numbers.
• 7th grade will have a staggered start to lunch by 5 minutes to limit the lunch line
  
• With a few additional tables and seating areas, the same distancing will occur for lunch as we had during hybrid.
• Students will be expected to wear a mask upon entering/exiting the lunch room and while seated after finished eating. Mask wearing will help mitigate exposure risk as defined by the health department.

• Hand sanitizer stations will be set up in the lunch lines with distancing markers as a guide.
• Students will have assigned seats by class

• Students will sit on a "powercat" sticker in a checker board fashion using, approximately 4 to a table (most tables designed to hold 16 students)
  
• 10:59-11:24 (6th)
• 11:24-11:49 (6th)
• 11:49-12:14 (7th)
• 11:54-12:19 (7th)
• 12:20-12:45 (8th)
• 12:46-1:11 (8th)

Passing Periods

• Passing periods will be 4 minutes in length

• Restrooms are available while limiting bathroom crowds (appox. 4 per restroom at a time)

• Markings on the floor will guide students to stay to the right during passing and to keep moving from class to class to promote passing period efficiency and limited congregating

• Hand washing or sanitizing is encouraged and available hourly

Classrooms

• Distancing will be followed to the best of our ability in classrooms

• Students will wear masks
  

• Desks will be sanitized a minimum of 2 times per day

• Hand sanitizer is available in every classroom
• Building receives a weekly deep sanitizing on surfaces

PE

• Students will be issued lockers strategically spaced out in the locker room

• Students will dress out for class--students may wear school issued clothes or clothes brought from home--PE teachers will share expectations in class.

• Masks will be worn in PE, but teachers will work with students for appropriate times to get a break from masks after heavy activity while maintaining distancing guidelines.

Miscellaneous

--Sanitizing Wipes! We would gladly accept a container of sanitizing wipes for use in the lunch room

o Drop off location in both entries upon arrival

--Drinking fountains are only used for filling water bottles—students are encouraged to bring a water bottle.

--Students can keep their cell phones in their backpack but we ask that volume is turned off

o Normally, phones are asked to be kept in lockers from 7:50-3:10

o If cell phones cause distraction they may be kept in the front office for return at the end of the day

--We have 3 microwaves available for student use at lunch

--Please remind students to fully charge their device

o Students are encouraged to have a non-permanent identifier on their charging cord (i.e.

State assessments will be coming up in April. All students, remote and in-person learners, are being asked to take the state assessment. We will communicate date and time opportunities for our remote students. These will be during non-school hours and for only our remote learners. Stay tuned for details in future weeklies. Below is the message from our director of curriculum and assessment.

----------------------------------------------------------------

Dear District Families,

During the spring of the 2019-20 academic year, the Kansas Department of Education made the decision to not administer state assessments, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This spring, with schools being open and the majority of students learning in person, KSDE has made the decision to return to administering state assessments. This decision to move forward with testing is a positive one, embraced by the Olathe district. As we move towards the end of this school year, it is important our district has evidence of academic learning, as well as evidence of academic needs moving into the 2021-22 academic year.

KSDE has shared the expectation with school districts that ALL students take state assessments, even those students who have chosen to learn Remotely. For Olathe students who have chosen In-Person learning, this will feel very normal and state assessments will be scheduled during the normal school day, as in the past. For our students learning Remotely, the design of the state assessments requires that students take the assessments in person at school. Currently, each building is working on a plan to safely assess Remote students and they will reach out to families of Remote students in the next few weeks with those plans. The Olathe Public Schools expects all students to take the state assessments and provide the district and families with much-needed information to make the best decisions possible for 2021-22.

Once building administrators have sent state testing details to their communities, please feel free to contact your school’s principal (or building test coordinator) with additional questions.

Rich Wilson

Attendance Corner

Welcome Parents to the 2020-21 School Year. A few suggestions to help us tackle attendance for your student(s) during this hybrid learning experience. Attendance is more crucial during these unprecedented times. We ask that you notify Chisholm Trail Attendance Office, preferably before 8:00am with your students all day absence. You can use any of the following methods of contacting us:

1. Call dedicated Attendance Line (voicemail only) – 913-780-7241

2. Call CST Main Line – 913-780-7240 (voicemail after 4:00pm)

3. Email Connie Bray, Attendance Secretary @ cbraycst@olatheschools.org

*all emails will be responded to with a follow-up email for verification of receiving

Information needed to report absence:

· Student Name

· Student Grade

· Your Relationship to Student

· Reason for absence (i.e. illness description, appointment, etc.)

· Phone number to return call (if needed for further info)

Due to remote learning, if your student checks out for an appointment, we ask for a second notification to Attendance (again via any of the 3 methods listed above) if student returns to learning with a time of return. If you contact your student(s) teacher via email please cc Connie Bray with info as to help us.

Please refer to this request as we proceed to continue to help make this school year as positive as we possibly can. We are always here to assist you in any way we can. Please don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions. Thank you, and together we can do this.

Attendance Secretary,

Connie Bray

Receptionist: Chrissy Walters

Assistant Principal's Secretary: Angie Peterson

Attendance Secretary: Connie Bray

Bookkeeper/Principal's Secretary: Andrea Wescott

Data Operator: Melynda Marquardt

School Nurse: Jennifer Ross

Please keep info updated (email, phone number, medical, etc.). Contact the office at 913-780-7240 if you are concerned you may be missing communication or need to update your family's information.