News from the Elementary Schools
Watervliet Public Schools
Welcome to the 2020-2021 school year!
We are SO excited to be starting school tomorrow! Remember, we are easing back into school routines with a week of 1/2 days (and a day off on Friday for the Labor Day weekend).
Our half day schedules:
- South Elementary School: 8:00 am to 11:00 am
- North Elementary School: 7:50 am to 10:50 am
Before sending your child to school each day, please screen them for COVID-19 symptoms:
fever 100.4F or above, cough, shortness of breath or chest tightness, sore throat, nasal congestion/runny nose, body aches, loss of taste and/or smell, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, fever/chills, sweats.) If your child displays any of these symptoms, please keep them home and contact your child's doctor.
Your South School child will bring home a sack lunch each day this week (milk included)! If you have a little panther, make sure you get that out of their school bag when they get home!
We are working hard to make sure this will be a great school year for all of our students. Together we will all make it through this challenging time!
Carole Fetke, South School Principal
Bill Tiefenbach, North School Principal
South Elementary Video Open House
North Elementary Video Open House
North School Student / Family Handbook & Technology Handbook / Guidelines
Option B and C families have received their Chromebook. Option A families will recieve their Chromebook in the next couple of weeks. So this survey must be filled out by ALL families.
Please CLICK HERE to AGREE to our Student / Family Handbook and the Elementary Division Technology Handbook. PAPERLESS!!
Please CLICK HERE to View the North Family / Student Handbook
Please CLICK HERE to View the Elementary Division Technology Handbook
South Elementary Student Pick-Up / Drop-Off Information
Students who are not transported to school by bus should enter through the south door (Silver Terrace drop off / pick up lane~Door #11). A staff member will be waiting at that entrance beginning at 7:40 a.m. Bus riders will enter through the gym doors. Students can also be dropped off at Door #1 (off of Lucinda Lane) but the driver must park their car and watch them walk into the building (for their safety).
At dismissal, students who do not ride the bus will wait in or just outside of their classroom to be called to a pickup lane. All parents / family members are asked to stay in their vehicle during pick up. There will be no parking on Lucinda Lane from 1:30 to 2:45 pm on full days of school; 10:00 to 11:15 am on half days; and from 11:30 to 12:45 pm on early dismissal days) -- this will help us make sure we are not walking children in between parked vehicles and will improve their visibility.
Kindergarten, and Mrs. Collis’ and Mrs. Cullitan’s students will be picked up in the back of the building (Silver Terrace drop off/ pick up lane~Door #11). ENTER THE PICK-UP LANE OFF OF M-140 to SILVER TERRACE.
Mrs. Tag’s, Mrs. Trapp’s, Young 5s, and 2nd Grade students will be picked up at the front of the building (off of Lucinda Lane). ENTER THE FRONT PICK UP LANE OFF OF S. PLEASANT STREET and MAKE A LEFT ONTO LUCINDA LANE.
If you have children in multiple grade levels, please let us know which pick up lane you will utilize.
For car pick up, please place a sign in your windshield with the child's name so we can speed up our lines.
Students in walking distance will be picked up outside on the sidewalk in front of the school (Lucinda Lane).
Please note that the city will be engaged in a drain improvement project and the roads surrounding South Elementary will be closed at various times this fall. We will communicate with parents about road closures throughout the project.
Class Lists:
- Posted on the front windows of both schools for students in grades 1st through 5th
- Young 5s and Kindergarten students should have received a teacher/class assignment email letter (if you did not receive an email, please call the South School Office to update your email!)
First Week of School Schedule: All Half Days
- Monday, August 31: 1st Day of School (Option A students; half day ~ AM Only)
- Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday (September 1, 2, and 3): Option A students report to school in the AM, Option B students will meet with their teacher (virtually or in person with a scheduled appointment) in the afternoon
- Friday, September 4: Labor Day Holiday Weekend (No School)
South Elementary School Daily Schedules
Student reporting times for full days, half days, and early release days
North Elementary School Daily Schedules
Student reporting times for full days, half days, and early release days
COVID-19 Mitigation Strategies
- Requiring parents to screen students for symptoms prior to sending them to school
- Reduced bus loads (two bus runs -- one for elementary and one for secondary students)
- Masks required to be worn in common areas (three gaiter-style masks provided to all students and staff)
- Daily temperature scans (a walk through scanner installed at entrance doors)
- Students in grades pre-school through fifth grade stay in cohort (classroom) groups
- Hand sanitizer stations in all hallways
- Scheduled, frequent hand washing (and lessons in proper hand washing)
- Dedicated space for ill students
- Building access limited to school personnel
- Dedicated recess space for each classroom on the playground (these will rotate)
Meal Program Information
- All meals for WPS students are free (breakfast and lunch).
- Menus for classroom and remote meals are available at the Watervliet Public Schools website: https://watervlietpschildnutrition.org
- REMOTE LEARNING: families may preorder and pick up meals by emailing: lwelty@watervlietps.org (for South School) or vpletz@watervlietps.org (for North School).
SCHOOL SUPPLY LISTS:
RESOURCES:
Carole Fetke
Email: cfetke@watervlietps.org
Website: www.watervlietps.org
Location: 433 Lucinda Lane
Phone: 269-463-0860
Bill Tiefenbach
Email: btiefenbach@watervlietps.org
Website: www.watervlietps.org
Location: 287 Baldwin Avenue
Phone: 269-463-0820