The Hoot Owl
September 2021
NOTES FROM THE PRINCIPAL
*When your child arrives after school, ask them specific questions about their day. What books did you read? What was for lunch? What was the best part of your day? Help them come up with an answer if they can't remember. Continually working on communication skills will set your child up for success.
*Unless your child is sick, he/she needs to be at school daily. Please have them here before 8:00 and they need to stay until the end of the day at 3:10. Our teachers maximize learning time and if your child is habitually late or picked up early, they are missing valuable instruction.
*Check your child's daily and/or Tuesday folder every time it comes home. This will provide you with valuable information about their day or their week. Stay in communication with the teacher. If we work together as a team and your child sees us cooperating, they are more likely to be successful.
*Encourage your child to make good choices at school.
*Nurse - We do have a nurse on campus as well as a full time clinic aide. At this point, they work continuously from 8:00 - 3:10 answering questions and taking care of our students. With that said, if your child sees the nurse for a band aid, a temperature check, a cough, etc, you will not be notified unless there is a health concern like a broken bone or a potential illness.
ROADMAP TO REMAINING OPEN
NOTES FROM THE NURSE
Welcome back!
To ensure your child’s health and safety please review the following.
Medication: If your child requires medication to be given at school, please call and schedule a time to sign it in with the nurse. Students are not allowed to transport medication to and from school.
DO NOT SEND MEDICATIONS TO SCHOOL WITH YOUR CHILD. Remember, prescription and non-prescription medications must be properly labeled. Please review the policies and procedures in the student handbook.
Health Concerns:
Please inform the school nurse and your child’s teacher of any severe allergies, surgeries, accidents or new health problems that may arise.
Illness: We encourage you to check your child’s temperature daily before sending them to school. Please keep your child home if they have a temperature of 100 degrees or higher or have any COVID-19 symptoms including: headache, sore throat, cough, runny nose, fatigue, nausea/vomiting, and diarrhea. Also, if they are running fever at home and you gave fever reducing medications in the last 24 hrs do not send them to school.
**If you are called to get your child due to sickness, please have someone available to pick them up IMMEDIATELY. Please update your phone number and emergency contact numbers in the office so that we can reach you.
Please talk to your child and encourage them to:
-Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
-Use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol if soap and water are not available.
-Avoid touching their eyes, nose, and mouth.
-Cover their mouth and nose with a tissue when they cough or sneeze.
If you have any questions regarding returning to school or Covid information please go to the district website and look under “Roadmap to Remaining Open”. There you will find all the information you need for keeping our children and staff safe. Here are some highlights that I have provided for you.
Individuals who have symptoms consistent with COVID-19 should:
· Individuals experiencing new onset symptoms consistent with COVID-19 that are not related to a known chronic condition are required to isolate until re-entry criteria are met.
· An individual with symptoms that could be COVID-19 who is not evaluated by a medical professional or tested for COVID-19 individual is assumed to have COVID-19. That individual may not return to school/work until he/she has
completed the same three-step set of criteria listed on page 1 for positive individuals.
· An individual with symptoms that could be COVID-19 who wants to return to school/work before completing the stay-at-home period must obtain a medical professional’s note clearing the individual to return based on an alternative diagnosis OR obtain a negative acute infection test from a healthcare entity.
· Re-entry criteria for symptomatic individuals:
1. at least 10 days have passed since onset of symptoms, AND 2. at least 24 hours fever free without the use of fever-reducing medications since recovery, AND 3. symptoms are improving OR receive a negative acute infection test from a healthcare entity (No self-administered home tests are accepted to meet re-entry criteria.) OR obtain a medical professional’s note clearing the individual to return based on an alternative diagnosis (The specific alternative diagnosis is not required on the return note.)
Employees are expected to stay home when ill and notify their supervisor. Students should not be sent to school when ill. The school nurse will assess students who become ill during the school day, and parents/guardians will be contacted as needed. Students with a temperature of 100.0F or higher, active vomiting and/or diarrhea, or any other signs of a communicable condition will be excluded from school until the readmission criteria for the conditions are met as required by the Texas Department of State Health ServicesPDF.
Individuals who test positive for COVID-19:
· Students should notify the school nurse.
· Employees should complete the employee self-report in the SSO portal.
· Conroe ISD is required to report positive cases to the Montgomery County Public Health District and the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS).
· Positive students and employees are required to isolate for 10 days after the date of symptom onset or test date if asymptomatic.
· Individuals who test positive may reenter when: 1. at least 10 days have passed since the onset of symptoms or the asymptomatic test date, AND 2. at least 24 hours fever free have passed without the use of fever-reducing
medications since recovery, AND 3. symptoms are improving.
· Individuals must be diarrhea free for at least 24 hours without the use of diarrhea-suppressing medications before returning to school or work.
Individuals who have had close contact with an individual who has tested positive for COVID-19 should:
1. consider quarantining for 14 days after the date of last contact as recommended by the CDC,
2. monitor for symptoms consistent with COVID-19 for 14 days after the date of last contact as recommended by the CDC,
3. consider wearing a mask/face covering if choosing to return to work/school prior to the end of the 14-day quarantine period,
4. consider testing between day 3 and day 7 after exposure and if symptoms develop.
Individuals who have had a known close contact with a positive individual AND develop symptoms consistent with COVID-19 should follow the guidance for “Individuals who have symptoms…” listed above.
We are going to do everything we can to have a safe and healthy school year! If we can be of any help throughout the year, please don’t hesitate to call.
Stay well,
Nurse Sims
COUNSELOR'S CORNER
Hello Parents!
As we complete our second full week of school, hopefully those back-to-school tears have dried up and those frowns have turned upside down! For some students who may still be adjusting to the routine of being back in school I have included two articles that might be helpful to your family if you are still dealing with separation anxiety.
Separation anxiety is a fear over leaving a loved one because the child may feel insecure in their new environment. You might notice clinginess, trouble sleeping, and of course, crying.
What you can do at home:
Create a routine: The night before school set out your child's supplies and go over what the morning will look like.
Create a routine that stays the same
-Wake up
-Eat breakfast
-Get dressed and brush teeth
-Get school supplies and double check for homework and lunch
-Drop off at school and give me a big hug and kiss on the hand.
Stay Positive:
If your child sees you looking upset or anxious it may amplify their fear. It might be hard but put on a smile and stay strong!
https://childmind.org/article/back-to-school-dos-and-donts/
Back to School Dos and Don'ts | Child Mind Institute The end of summer is in sight, and parents everywhere are feeling that inevitable anxiety over how to make the most of the upcoming school year.In my experience, anticipating the hurdles of reentry and carefully structuring the first few weeks of school goes a long way to setting the stage for a successful year, particularly if your child has an anxiety disorder or another psychiatric condition. childmind.org
School Anxiety: Causes, Symptoms, Helpful Tips | Psych Central Some kids are just more prone to anxiety than others. There is a relatively high rate of heritability (30% to 67%) in anxiety disorders, for instance, so a child who has a family history of ... psychcentral.com
SCHOOL HOURS AND ATTENDANCE
*Doors open at 7:35 a.m.
*Students are allowed to eat breakfast in the cafeteria but need to be here no later than 7:45 if they are eating.
*Dismissal will begin at 3:10.
*Students must be picked up by the end of the car rider line. Parents who are consistently late will be asked to put their child on the bus as this creates a hardship on the school.
**Attendance
*Students need to be at school by 8:00 a.m. daily.
*Students are counted tardy at 8:01 a.m. based upon the front office clock.
*It is important that students remain at school until dismissal. Learning starts promptly at 8:01 and typically ends at 3:10. If you consistently bring your child late to school or pick them up early, they are missing learning opportunities.
*If your child is sick, please call the front office and report them as absent for the day.
***Early pick up and change of transportation
*Early pick up ends at 2:45. After 2:45 you will be asked to join the car rider line.
*Emergency transportation phone changes must be called in by 2:30 p.m. After 2:30, we will not accept transportation changes.
TRANSPORTATION
WALKERS
Students who live within the 1 mile have no bus service and are the only students eligible to be walkers. If your child is eligible for the bus, they will not be allowed to walk.
CAR RIDERS -
Our car rider line runs smoothly and quickly once routines are in place as long as everyone follows the expectations. Most days we will be finished by 3:30 (except the first week or two of school).
*Enter the car rider line from Oak Ridge School Road instead of our driveway. The right turn lane in our driveway will be blocked forcing you to turn left and enter the end of the line. Please do not turn right around the cones. If you are coming from Tamina Rd to our line, please be courteous of those parents following the guidelines and joining from Oak Ridge School Road. Allow these parents to join the line.
*Have your car rider sign visible to the person walking and calling names. If you can hold it up, that will help with reading the sign.
*For safety purposes, no one will be allowed to walk up and pick up a child until the car rider line is complete. (about 3:40) If you walk up , we will ask you to return to your car and wait for the end of the line. This ensures safety for students, staff and parents.
BUS RIDERS -
Transportation does an excellent job of getting ready for the first day of school. However, the first few days the estimated time your child will be home will more than likely be delayed by up to 30 minutes. The delay is in an effort to ensure that all students get to the correct home or bus stop location safely. Getting students to the correct location safely is more important than the estimated time. Please be patient as you wait for your children to be picked up in the mornings and dropped off in the afternoon. Questions about transportation can be directed to 832-592-8850.
PK AND KINDER BUS RIDERS -
PK and Kinder bus riders must have someone over the age of 18 meet them at the bus stop. If there is not an approved person at the stop, the driver will bring the child back to school and you will have to come and pick them up at school.
TRANSPORTATION CHANGES -
Once school gets underway, if you need to change your child's transportation, you must sent a note to the teacher. Please do not email them during the school day with the change as they are busy teaching and might miss an email. The front office is not for daily changes. Please limit calls to the front office to change transportation for emergencies only.
VISITORS ON CAMPUS
SAFETY PROTOCOLS
*Masks - Masks are not required. However, for those families who feel more comfortable wearing a mask, they are encouraged to do so. We will have masks available for students in the front office who need them.
*Cleaning - We will continue to have cleaning procedures in place like last year. Students will be asked to use hand sanitizer when they enter the building and periodically throughout the day as they will continually be touching things in the building.
*Front Office Check In - When parents are allowed in the building, you will be asked to present your id to the receptionist. If you do not have your id with you, you will be denied access to the building.
*Checking your child out of school - An id will be required to check out your child from school, too. In order for us to release a child to the parent and/or other designated people, they must be listed as an emergency contact in InfoSnap. If they are not listed, we will attempt to call the parent for permission. If we cannot reach the parent, access to the child will be denied.
PTO
Our PTO will be sending out more information about helping in the garden. If you are interested, please email theresewind@gmail.com.
SCHOOL SHIRTS
IT'S MORE THAN A MEAL APPLICATION
Did you know that meal applications assist in so much more than just meals?
If you are on free/reduced lunch, there are a few more benefits to your family than just food.
*AP tests - Reduced registration fee
*Most sports - free or discounted pay to participate
*Internet Access - Eligible for discounted internet access services.
*P-EBT-Eligibility for any future P-EBT benefits for the 21-22 school year.
*College Application Fees - Discounted rate on fees associated with applying for college.
*School funding - Maintains funding for student programs and services.
*Assistance as is available for back to school clothing, school supplies, and Christmas gifts.
Conroe ISD families can complete an online meal application now!
Applying is FAST and EAST at www.myschoolapps.com.
If you need assistance applying, you can contact the Glorimar Carroll, campus parent liason, starting Friday, August 6.
DATES TO KNOW
September
2 - Parent Information Night - virtual
6 - Labor Day Holiday
23 - Fall pictures