MPS Newsletter - Hybrid Edition #2
Vol. 2 Newsletter 12- February 12, 2021
Principal's Message
Dear MPS families-
We are READY!!
Our team has worked diligently to ensure we are ready to welcome students back to the building. We are also ready to continue our strong virtual learning program for families who will remain virtual.
I have included some pictures of our building so you and your students know what to expect. We have hand sanitizer in every classroom and in hallways for students to access upon arrival, when moving in the hallways, and at dismissal. We have visuals throughout the building to help our primary students navigate the hallways, where to wash their hands, and near our water fountains.
Our new schedules and teacher assignments will begin Tuesday February 16, 2021. We know there is a potential weather event that could affect Tuesday. If a full virtual day is called on Tuesday February 16, 2021, we will begin OUR NEW SCHEDULES AND TEACHER ASSIGNMENTS.
Other sections in this newsletter contain important information you will need to prepare your student(s) for the switch to hybrid. Including information about:
- Grade level schedules
- School supplies
- Mask guidance
- Chromebook information
- Transportation
- Meals at school
- Specials (media, art, PE, music) updates
Additionally, the linked slide show below, provides ideas, tips, suggestions, and talking points to help you continue conversations to prepare your student.
We continue to be so thankful for your support and partnerships. Your continued support is vital in helping us take on this big, but exciting, transition to getting many of our students back in the school building.
With sincere gratitude,
Sandy Fox
Principal
Middletown Primary School
"A Great Place to Come and Learn"
Important Dates
February 15th- Schools and offices closed- President's Day
February 16th- 1st day of hybrid schedule- Cohort A
February 17th- all students are virtual- following new schedule times
February 18th- 1st day of hybrid schedule - Cohort B
Transportation
**Please be sure your student wears their transportation tag beginning 2/16 and for the first 3 weeks of school.**
If you have not picked up your transportation tag we will issue them on the first day of in person school:
- Bus riders will receive their tags during the school day.
- Car riders will receive their tags during the school day;
- HOWEVER, we will need to verify your identity when you come through the car rider line. Please have your identification ready to show our staff before receiving your car rider tags. This will only be for families who have NOT picked up their tags prior to the first days for hybrid.
https://www.fcps.org/transportation/bus-stop-information-online
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner...
https://www.fcpsnutrition.com/
**Please notify your student's teacher if they have a food allergy. This is needed until we receive your updated Confidential Health Information Card (CHIC), that will be sent home next week.**
Chromebooks for hybrid students
Kindergarten hybrid students
- If your child is in Kindergarten and has an FCPS issued Chromebook, please DO NOT send the Chromebook to school with your child.
- Kindergarten students should leave their Chromebook at home to be used on virtual days that they are not assigned to be in the building.
1st grade hybrid students
- If your child is in 1st grade and has an FCPS issued Chromebook, please DO send the Chromebook to school with your child.
- All students will be issued a hard and durable case to use to transport the Chromebook to and from school. We will issue cases to students when they return the week of February 16th.
- If you have a case that was issued previously, we will be swapping for the new case.
- If your child has not been issued an FCPS Chromebook, please do not send an personal device at this time. We will make sure they have what they need to be successful during their in person sessions.
2nd grade hybrid students
- If your child is in 2nd grade and has an FCPS issued Chromebook, please DO send the Chromebook to school with your child.
- All students will be issued a hard and durable case to use to transport the Chromebook to and from school. We will issue cases to students when they return the week of February 16th.
- If you have a case that was issued previously, we will be swapping for the new case.
- If your student has not been issued an FCPS Chromebook, please do not send a personal device at this time. We have Chromebooks in the building that will be issued to classroom teacher for them to use on their assigned in person hybrid days. These Chromebook will not travel back and forth from school to home.
Schedules
Masks
The FCPS mask policy is linked below.
Schoology Updates
As we prepare for our in-person and virtual cohorts, some schedule/teacher changes have occurred in order to support intent decisions.
If a teacher/schedule change is to occur for your student(s), please be aware of the following:
New teachers/courses in Schoology will be visible sometime between February 13 and 16.
If a student moves to a new teacher/courses in Schoology, Term 1 and Term 2 grades and assignments will no longer be visible in the student or parent account. Note: All teachers save a copy of their gradebook to ensure student learning, grades, and growth are available.
We thank you for your patience and understanding as we prepare to welcome students back to Middletown Primary School.
Supplies for hybrid students
Specials (art, PE, music, and media)!
MPS Specials will be changing slightly for students. Students remaining in Virtual classes will still see their specials teacher once a week virtually for 30 minutes. Hybrid classes will be taught for 30 minutes concurrently by the specials teacher, working on an Orange and Black week schedule that will allow all of our students to see their specials teacher live every other week. Your child's specials teacher may change; our teachers have done their best to communicate this to their classes. ALL MPS students will have one special on Wednesday for approx 25-30 minutes. It will rotate weekly between art with Mrs. Lucas, music with Mrs. Grimm and PE with Mr. Krivos. Your classroom teacher and specials teachers will help to communicate what special students have on that day.
Specials Google Meet codes have changed. They will be linked on your specials teacher's Schoology pages as well as the homeroom teacher's Schoology page. Students will use ONE google meet code for ALL of their specials classes (ex. Burdettespecials); we are looking forward to this change as it will simplify logging on for students and families as you only have one google meet code to remember.
There will be no more Asynchronous assignments to be completed on "Asynchronous days". Students will be engaged in live and virtual instruction with their specials teacher. Artwork may still be collected on Schoology for virtual students only.
Our specials teachers are looking forward to continuing their relationships with our MPS students and growing together in their specials education.
Middletown Primary School
Email: sandra.fox@fcps.org
Website: www.fcps.org
Location: 403 Franklin Street, Middletown, MD, USA
Phone: 240-566-0200
Twitter: @PrincipalMPS