Bellville Elementary School
August 2020
Welcome Back to Bellville Elementary!
2020 has continued to be an exciting adventure and this school year is proving to be one as well! This newsletter contains a lot of information about the changes for this school year, and more specific details than the building plans. In an effort to meet your needs as a family, we are offering two different options: in person learning and remote learning.
Every decision we have made is for the safety of our students and staff, so if you have questions or concerns, please ask. I am trying to be as transparent as possible, but as you have witnessed things are constantly changing.
The new district plan will be released this afternoon (Thursday) and the new building plans will be released in the coming days. If you still have questions after reading the newsletter, please join me Friday, August 7th at 1:00 p.m. for a Parent Q & A Zoom Meeting. The ID is 981 334 6333 and the password is Colts2020.
We will be having device pick up for all students on Wednesday, August 26 from noon to 6:00 p.m. at the rear of the building and on Friday, August 28th from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. If you are unable to make it during one of these times, please call the school at (419) 886-3244 so we can make special arrangements.
Thank you so much for your support, and for choosing us to educate your precious children!!
Sincerely,
Stacey Swank, Principal
Bellville Elementary School
K-2 Grade Table Dividers
K-2 Grade Table Dividers
Third-Fifth Grade Classrooms
In Person Learning Option
- Class lists will not be released until Friday, August 14th at 9:00 a.m. I have to know who is doing remote learning in order to make accurate class lists that will not require changes.
- The first day of school will be Monday, August 31st.
- On YELLOW/ORANGE/RED levels ALL students will attend school 5 and 1/2 hours.
- On PURPLE level, all students will transition to remote learning from home.
- The school day has changed. We will begin at 8:00 a.m., and dismissal times will vary depending on mode of transportation home. Walkers will be released at 1:10, car riders will start getting called at 1:15, and buses will be loaded at approximately 1:20.
- Masks/facial coverings are mandated all for K-12 students unless they meet one of the following criteria:
1. Children under the age of 2 years old.
2. Any child unable to remove the face covering without assistance.
3. A child with a significant behavioral/psychological issue undergoing treatment that is exacerbated specifically by the use of a facial covering.
4. A child living with severe autism or with extreme developmental delay who may become agitated or anxious wearing a mask.
5. A child with a facial deformity that causes airway obstruction.
- If social distancing is being adhered to in the classroom and with teacher permission, students may temporarily remove masks/facial coverings for a break.
- Students will have to wear masks/facial coverings in communal areas outside the classroom.
- It is recommended your child have 5-10 washable face masks labeled with your child's name. You could also have 2-3 face shields. Please wash the mask after each use.
- Please consider putting an extra face mask in your child's backpack in case they sneeze, or may need a clean face covering.
- A face mask lanyard may also be something to consider for those times when your child is permitted to take his/her face mask off so that it stays with your child and does not get knocked off the desk onto the floor. This would also help when our students go out to recess because your child will need to wear the mask to recess, but could take it off outside while social distancing.
- If your child ever needs to be quarantined, he/she will remain with his/her homeroom teacher and the teacher will teach your child remotely.
- Students cannot arrive to school before 7:35 because we have to send students directly to their classrooms.
- Students will arrive to school between 7:35-7:59, and will wash/sanitize hands as they enter the building.
- Car riders/walkers will receive a health assessment and temperature check as they arrive to school.
- Teachers will take attendance at 8:00 and the school day will begin.
- If you arrive to school after 8:00 or need to pick up your child early, please call the office at (419) 886-3244 and Mrs. Bailey will give you instructions for dropping off or picking up your child.
- Students will stay in their classroom the entire day, except for bathroom breaks, recess, physical education class (once a week), and to go to the cafeteria to pick up lunch/milk.
- Homeroom teacher will take student temperatures while students eat lunch.
- Art, music, technology and library will occur in your child's classroom. These teachers are recording their lessons so students can watch them in their homeroom. Mrs. Long will be bringing a cart of books to each classroom for students to check out books to read.
- How will teachers individualize instruction for my child? With the guidelines, teachers have had to rethink the use of center time. The district has purchased Moby Max to help provide more individualized instruction that will identify student gaps, proficient areas, and areas where your child excels. This program will then give your student lessons to keep pushing and growing them. Teachers will closely monitor your child's progress through this program. Teachers are continuing to work out the details so they can continue to provide guided reading and math groups.
- Walkers will be released at 1:10 daily, Car riders will begin getting called out at 1:15, and bus riders will load buses approximately 1:20.
- Parents/volunteers will not be permitted in the building until the pandemic is over.
- School supply lists are located later in the newsletter.
Summer Improvements to Our Building
New Picnic Tables
Sensory Path #1
Sensory Path #2
Remote Learning Option
- Please let me know by 3:00 p.m. on August 10th if you are choosing this option. Email swanks@clearfork.k12.oh.us and include your child's name/grade level and you are choosing to do remote learning for the first semester from August 31-January 15.
- Remote learning teachers will do their best to mirror the education in person students are receiving.
- Right now I have 3 remote learning teachers. Mrs. Natalie Johnson will be teaching K-1, Mrs. Sydney Metcalf will be teaching 2-3, and Mr. Jared Beans will be teaching 4-5.
- Could more remote learning teachers be added? Most definitely! We will meet the needs of our families!
- Why was this decision made? Our remote learners have different needs and circumstances than our in person students, and these teachers can focus on these students.
- In order to respect our parents' time and work commitments, we have made some changes to our remote learning for this school year.
- It would be helpful for your child to have headphones with a microphone so he/she can hear the teacher clearly and the teacher can hear your child clearly.
- Teachers will give assignments on Monday mornings (two days of work) which will be due by 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday evenings. Teachers will give assignments on Wednesday mornings (three days of work) which will be due by 7:00 on Sunday evenings. In doing this, parents who are working and need to help their child are not tied to turning in assignments every single day.
- Each student who is participating in remote learning will be issued a chromebook, and given any workbooks for their grade level.
- Every teacher will be using the Google platform this school year.
- This year chromebook cameras will be turned on so teachers will be able to see your child and check their work while on zoom meetings.
- What curriculum will be used? All of our teachers will be using Board adopted curriculum such as Journeys for ELA/Reading, Pearson Math, McGraw Hill Science and Pearson Social Studies.
- The district has also purchased Moby Max to help provide more individualized instruction that will identify student gaps, proficient areas, and areas where your child excels. This program will then give your student lessons to keep pushing and growing them. Teachers will closely monitor your child's progress through this program.
- How will instruction occur? All of our teachers are receiving a webcam to record lessons for your learner.
- Will my child be required to attend zoom meetings? Yes, but the teachers will work with you on this, and they may not be every day.
- What if my child has questions that I cannot answer? All remote learning teachers will be providing you with scheduled office hours so your child can log into the teacher's zoom and receive any help they will need.
- Grading: All assignments through remote learning will be graded and be counted as part of your child's grade point average (GPA).
- Attendance: Completed assignments will be used as the measurement for your child's attendance. Once your child has completed an assignment and returned it to the teacher, the child will receive attendance credit for that class for the number of days it took to complete. If a student decides to only complete certain assignments for one or more classes, but not other courses, the student shall be considered truant and treated as an unexcused absence. All attendance policies are in effect during remote learning.
Do You Still Have Questions About the Two Learning Options?
Meeting ID is 981 334 6333
Password is Colts2020
How Will Food Service Work This Year?
Food Service Plan for Enrolled Clear Fork Students
● IN SCHOOL STUDENTS: All students will be able to purchase breakfast and a hot lunch in their buildings. Snacks will still be available for purchase, however, they must be purchased at the time of lunch pickup and have funds available. (Microwaves will not be available for students in grades K-8, however milk will be available for purchase for students who pack)
● ONLINE STUDENTS- Both breakfast and lunch will be available for students and must be picked up on Monday’s from 5pm-6pm at the HS and will include 5 days’ worth of meals. A roster will be kept for all online students and checked off each week for verification. Pick up is NOT available for students who attend daily in the buildings.
● When the district is moved into Remote Learning status, ALL students will be moved to the ONLINE STUDENT status (see above).
*If you have any questions, please contact Jennifer Stallard at stallardj@clearfork.k12.oh.us.
**FREE/REDUCED APPLICATIONS: These will be available at each school office, post offices in both Butler and Bellville and libraries on 8/10/20. Every household should apply for these benefits. If your student(s) are enrolled in CF (online or in house), it is important to apply. Applications must be turned in EVERY YEAR for consideration.
You can access the FREE and REDUCED LUNCH APPLICATION by pushing the button below.
School Supply Lists for 2020-2021
REMIND Sign Up-If you signed up for remind last year, I have moved you to the next grade level so you do not need to do anything. If you have never signed up, or are new to our building, PLEASE sign up. This is the quickest, most efficient way to share information with you.
Kindergarten Parents: In your cell phone enter the number 81010 and text the message @kindbell20
First Grade Parents: In your cell phone enter the number 81010 and text the message @1bell20
Second Grade Parents: In your cell phone enter the number 81010 and text the message @2bell20
Third Grade Parents: In your cell phone enter the number 81010 and text the message @3bell20
Fourth Grade Parents: In your cell phone enter the number 81010 and text the message @4bell20
Fifth Grade Parents: In your cell phone enter the number 81010 and text the message @5bell20
We will still be gathering parent information in the event we will be able to provide some activities or help out our teachers this year.
If you are interested in working with us, our next meeting will be Monday, October 5th at 7:00 p.m. at Fast Eddie's.
Mansfield Richland County Public Library News
https://www.mrcpl.org/summer-2020/virtual-programming/august-reading-challenge
If you have questions, please call Sarah Reef at (419) 886-3811.
Bellville Elementary School
Email: swanks@clearfork.k12.oh.us
Website: clearfork.k12.oh.us
Location: 195 School Street, Bellville, OH, USA
Phone: (419) 886-3244
Twitter: @BellvilleCFVLS