Deerfield December Newsletter
December 2020
Calendar of Events
Dec 8-PTO Zoom Meeting 7:00pm
Dec 18- Full day of school before break
Dec 21- Jan 4 - Winter Break
Jan 5- Classes resume
Jan 11,12- Picture Retakes
Jan 12- PTO Zoom Meeting 7:00pm
January 18 - MLK Day NO SCHOOL
Free for 5th Graders- Free National Park Access
For the remainder of the 2020-2021 school year, U.S. fifth graders can bring their families to national parks, national forests and grasslands, wildlife refuges and other Department of the Interior, U.S. Forest Service, and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers-managed public lands and waters for free!
Helpful Holiday Links for Families
- Share the Salvation Army's holiday assistance registration schedule for families needing holiday gifts for kids.
- See this flyer for details about the Salvation Army's coat collection/distribution.
- Here is information about the Douglas County Holiday Bureau.
Join Us for a Virtual Informational Session About the Intellectual/Developmental Disability (I/DD) Waiver
When: December 8, 2020
5:30-6:30 pm
Webex Link: https://usd497.webex.com/meet/ecrickar
Learn about:
● Eligibility requirements for the I/DD waiver: http://www.cddo.cwood.org/Eligibility/e2.pdf
● Services available through this waiver: Assistive Services, Adult Day Services, Financial Management Services, Medical Alert - rental, Overnight Respite, Personal Care Services, Residential Supports for Adults, Residential Supports
for Children, Enhanced Care Services, Specialized Medical Care, Supported Employment, Supportive Home Care, Wellness Monitoring
● Steps for applying for the waiver: Please note, the projected wait list for I/DD waiver services is at least nine years. We want to make sure that families have information about the waiver so they can avoid a delay in services.
Presenter: Angela Levy, Director of CDDO Administration
A Community Developmental Disability Organization is the single point of application, eligibility determination, and referral for individuals and families to obtain services through the developmental disability system in the State of Kansas. CDDOs determine whether a person qualifies for services and work with the person and/or their family or guardian in choosing from an array of service options, and refer those persons to other community resources if additional supports are needed.
For questions or more information, please contact:
Liz Crickard, Transition Coordinator at Free State High School, ecrickar@usd497.org, 785-330-4996
Mistie Copas-Thomas, Transition Coordinator at Lawrence High School
mcopasth@usd497.org, 785-330-4833
REMINDER: Procedures for Students Exhibiting Signs of Illiness
Dear Deerfield Families,
It is wonderful to have our students back in the building. Thank you for preparing your child(ren) for our new procedures and the importance of wearing a mask, washing hands, and taking care of each other. It is very evident that our Deerfield Family wants to work together to keep everyone safe.
Nursing Procedures in the Era of COVID:
Please review the procedures we have in place should a student exhibit signs of illness or report feeling unwell at school. Our school nurse consults regularly with the Lawrence-Douglas County Public Health (LDCPH) department and follows specific criteria when evaluating symptoms. Please keep your emergency contact numbers updated through PowerSchool by notifying the school office of any changes so that we can reach you for an emergency or if your child is not feeling well at school.
IF a student reports not feeling well or exhibits signs of illness while at school:
o The student will be sent to the triage area outside of the office for an initial assessment by our medical staff.
o As you know, students may visit the school clinic for a variety of reasons. We will not share information with the school community whenever a student visits the clinic or goes home from school feeling sick. However, please rest assured that if we have a concern that directly involves your child, you will be notified.
o If a student is exhibiting ONE major or 2 minor symptoms of COVID-19 they will be sent to our isolation room and a parent or guardian will be required to pick the student up to take home.
o Our school has a designated isolation room once a student is evaluated as having symptoms of COVID-19. This room prevents other students from potential exposure. Students who are admitted to the isolation room will be required to isolate at home for 10 days UNLESS a physician or health care provider can provide in writing that the student's symptoms are not related to COVID-19.
- ONE MAJOR SYMPTOM can include: new cough, loss of taste or smell, OR shortness of breath
- TWO MINOR SYMPTOMS can include: chills, fever of 100.0 or higher, headache, sore throat, runny nose, congestion, body aches, fatigue, diarrhea, or vomiting.
A student who reports not feeling well at school that does not meet the criteria for major or minor symptoms of COVID-19:
- will be evaluated in the school health clinic and our school medical staff will determine possible treatment options including whether the child needs to go home OR can return to class.
A student is feeling ill at home:
- If a student's family reports that the student will not be at school due to illness, the school may ask if the student is exhibiting any symptoms of COVID-19. Staff will share this information with the school nurse for follow up with communicable disease management procedures.
- Please notify the school if your student has COVID-19 symptoms, is diagnosed with COVID 19, is waiting for test results, or has been exposed to someone with symptoms or a confirmed or suspected case. Communication between home and school is key!
In the event of a positive case of COVID-19:
o The Deerfield COVID-19 response team will work with the family and LDCPH to identify anyone considered in close contact or at risk of exposure. Close contacts will be notified directly by the school or public health officials and will be provided instructions to quarantine in order to prevent the spread of the disease.
- When we receive reports of COVID-19 cases, we will inform all staff and school families and local health officials of the case, while maintaining confidentiality.
Please email our school nurse at dthomas@usd497.org if you have questions about how clinic staff will work with students who report an illness.
REMINDER: Medication At School Reminder From Our Nurse
As a reminder, if your child will require medication during the school day, please fill out the attached medication permission form(s). You should then send the form(s) AND the medication(s) with your student on their first day of school. Please be sure that any PRESCRIPTION medication includes the CURRENT LABEL with the prescription information adhered to the bottle. For any OVER-THE-COUNTER medication, please be sure that the directions for use are clearly labeled on the bottle AND that the medication is for CHILDREN (not adult). Adult strength over-the-counter medication cannot be given to children without a prescription.
IMPORTANT: PLEASE notify myself or the teacher that your child has the medication with them on the first day and we will gather the supplies from your student and keep them readily available at school. If you have any questions or want to discuss your child's medication plan please contact me. My contact information is listed below. THANK YOU!
*Due to Covid there will be some changes to certain medication administration policies. Please see attached.
Traffic Plan
REMINDER: Substitute Contingency Plan!
If a class needs to be remote, we will notify families as soon as humanly possible via email, text reminder or call.
Sign Up to Get Text Reminders
A-D: @deera-d
E-K: @deere-k
L-Q: @deerl-q
R-Z: @deerr-z
When prompted, enter your name and your child's name in parentheses. Please know that you number is not shared with anyone else. You can unsubscribe anytime by texted @leave.
Can My Child Go To School Today?
Reminder: Remote Learning Attendance
At this time attendance will still be taken twice a day, once in the morning and once in the afternoon:
- If your child is present online for remote learning anytime between 8:00-11:30, they will be counted present for the morning.
- If your child is present online for remote learning anytime between 11:31-3:05, they will be counted present for the afternoon.
If your child will be absent from remote learning:
- Parents must notify the office for the absence to be counted as "excused".
- If parents do not notify the office the absence will be recorded as unexcused.
- Teachers are required to contact parent by phone or webex for any full day unexcused absence. Unexcused absences will be changed if parents are reached by phone or webex and have a valid reason for the absence.
- Truancy will be enforced during all learning models (Hybrid/Remote, Distance). Truancy is filed when a student has 3 consecutive unexcused absences or 5 cumulative unexcused absences in a semester.)
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Deerfield School
Email: japplema@usd497.org
Website: https://www.usd497.org/Domain/10
Location: 101 Lawrence Avenue, Lawrence, KS, United States
Phone: 785-832-5660
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/deerfield497/