The Patriot Parent Connection
2020-2021 School Year: Volume 17 - Week of December 21
It's here! Just two more school days, and we will officially wrap-up the first semester of the 2020-21 school year. Without question, it has been a semester none of us will ever forget, and I know we are all ready for some much needed rest over the Winter Break.
Please read below for news about next semester's schedules, Covid-19 reporting procedures over the break, and check-out procedures for Tuesday (if you are planning to check-out your student once assessment sessions wrap-up).
I know we have many families self-quarantining these last two days, which I completely understand. If so, please make sure ALL assignments and assessments are submitted by 12:30 P.M. - as teachers will begin finalizing and posting grades at this time.
I wish all of our families a safe and happy holiday! May 2021 bring us all peace and wellness.
Sincerely,
Amanda Thrower
Principal
For Your Calendar
December 18 - 22 - Midterms/End of Unit Summatives (see details below)
December 23 - January 5 - Winter Break
January 4 - Camp Liberty for Semester 1 Virtual 6th Graders returning to Face-to-Face Learning (sign-up link emailed to these families last week)
January 6 - First Day of Semester 2
January 18 - Martin Luther Kind Jr. Day (no school)
Covid Updates and Reminders
December 16, 2020 COVID-19 Update
COVID Fact Sheet for Parents (12/16/2020)
COVID Guidance for the Holiday Break
- While schools are closed, please practice the direct exposure and positive COVID 19 quarantine time periods at home (https://www.forsyth.k12.ga.us/Page/53315) before interacting with others.
- We will post positive COVID-daily reports on January 4. Positive cases that occur over the break that did not have exposures on our campuses will not be added to our numbers on our Open for Learning Page.
Guidance for Parents/Guardians
- If a student tests positive for COVID December 23 or 24, and was in school December 21 and/or 22, please contact the school immediately.
- If a student tests positive for COVID December 23 or after AND had symptoms December 22 or prior while in school, please contact the school immediately.
- If a student has symptoms from December 25 and after, and tests positive for COVID, please notify your school on January 4 and 5.
- If a student has had a direct exposure outside of school to someone that has tested positive for COVID from December and after, please notify your school on January 4 and 5.
Check-Out Procedures for Tuesday, 12/22
- NO check-outs will begin until 12:30, after assessment sessions conclude.
- Only persons listed on student accounts in Infinite Campus will be permitted to pick-up students. We will not have time to make verification calls, and we are not permitted to accept hand written notes. If you want a neighbor, family member or friend who is not currently listed in IC to be able to pick-up your student, please login to your account and update it this weekend. It takes approximately 24 hours for updates to register, so do not wait until the last minute.
- Make sure whomever is arriving to check-out your student knows to have a photo ID with them.
- Make sure whomever is arriving to check-out your student knows that they must wear a mask while inside the school.
- Please be patient with lines. We will do our best to expedite the process as much as possible.
Midterms / End of Unit Summatives
Missing Assignments & Semester Averages
Schedule Changes for Semester 2
Administrators and counselors are working to begin making changes to student schedules for the second semester. At this time, students do not have access to see their semester 2 schedule in Infinite Campus. Please note that the following information is important as we prepare for these transitions:
While students cannot see their new schedules in Parent Portal, new courses for semester 2 may be visible in itsLearning.
There is NO NEED to complete assignments for the new itsLearning course(s) until the second semester begins on January 6, 2021.
Where you can see the new course(s) in itsLearning, you may also see a teacher associated with that course. Keep in mind that changes to the master schedule are ongoing and this may not be the teacher you ultimately work with next semester.
Completed Quarter 3 schedules will be released in Parent Portal on Tuesday, January 5th at 12:00 P.M.
Students will also receive a printed copy of their Quarter 3 schedule on the morning of January 6th.
To reiterate the information shared weeks ago when we asked families to complete the Semester Two Learning Environment Survey...
ALL schedules (including assigned teacher) are subject to change in order to accommodate the significant changes in our numbers. We know this is not ideal for any student. Unfortunately, it is a necessary aspect of being able to offer our families the choice of face-to-face and virtual instruction during these difficult times.
Students Returning from Virtual Learning
- 6th Graders will receive locker assignments at Camp Liberty (please see the email sent specifically to these families for details).
- 7th and 8th graders will receive locker assignments on January 6 during Patriot Time.
- You can pay the locker fee on MyPaymentsPlus.
- See our Supply Lists HERE.
Athletics
See our January Basketball games below; all games start at 5:00 P.M. Tickets will need to be purchased on GoFan this season. Students wishing to stay after school to attend home games must have a pre-purchased ticket from GoFan and a signed permission form.
Masks are now required at all FCS Sporting Events and Activities.
Out of District Requests for the 2021-2022 School Year
A few key points to note:
- Rising 8th graders may apply for an OOD to remain at their current school for their final year of middle school. Siblings of these students may apply for an OOD for one year only.
- Parents are responsible for assuring the student complies with all policies. Failure to do so may result in the revocation of the approval to attend the out-of-district school. Principals have the authority to deny or revoke out-of-district status if students and/or their parents have not followed school rules. Repeated tardies, unexcused absences, discipline issues and/or poor academic progress may also be cause for revocation of out-of-district status.
- Parents/guardians of out-of-district students must provide their own transportation.
- The OOD process for 2021-2022 will be open December 1, 2020 - January 18, 2021.
PTSO Corner
Our PTSO goes above and beyond to support our staff, students, and community! Please consider joining, if you have not already.
It's NOT too late to join!! Just go to My Payments Plus!
New Facebook Page
Attendance
- Attendance will be taken daily as usual.
- If your child is absent, please send in their excuse note or doctor's note within 5 business days.
- Feel free to contact teachers or Danielle Worley (dworley@forsyth.k12.ga.us) to notify them of an absence, especially if you anticipate your child being out more than one day.
Students Attending Forsyth Virtual Academy online
- Attendance will be taken weekly, based on work completion.
- As long as your student is logging into ItsLearning regularly and completing work in a timely manner, they will be marked present.
- If you receive a notification over the weekend that your student has been marked absent for one or more days, it means they did not submit all of the assignments for the week.
- If your student is too ill to log into itsLearning to complete work, please notify their teacher and Danielle Worley (dworley@forsyth.k12.ga.us) to make them aware of the absence.
if your student is absent
General Health Precautions
- Hand sanitizer stations are located throughout the building, but we encourage students to bring their own, as well.
- Our custodians will be sanitizing classrooms every afternoon. If you want to send cleaning wipes with your student to wipe down surfaces before use, please just make sure they are not bleach-based products.
- It is the expectation of staff and students to wear masks, if they are able. We want to be able to maintain face-to-face instruction all year. In order to do so, we MUST work to keep each other safe; mask-wearing is a significant part of this.
Liberty Middle School
Website: https://www.forsyth.k12.ga.us/libertyms
Location: 7465 Wallace Tatum Road, Cumming, GA 30028, USA
Phone: (770) 781-4889
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LibertyMDL
Twitter: @LibertyMDL