Weekly Family Update #33
April 4, 2021
Principal's Message
Hello Falcon Families,
Following Spring Break, beginning Monday April 19th, Poway Unified will open middle schools to students who currently come to campus for instruction 4-days a week. This is an expansion of our in-person offering which is currently 2-days per week. We will combine cohort groups A and B to attend together, 4-days per week. You may also choose to continue to have your child attend only 2-days per week on their currently assigned days.
The latest *The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and California Department of Public Health (CDPH) documents explain what changes have occurred to the protocols and processes currently being used in the A/B cohort model. For example, physical distancing has decreased from 6 ft. to 3 ft. between students in our classrooms and remain 6 ft. outdoors, as feasible. The outdoor guidance is due to the fact that students may be eating outside and removing their masks.
Students who are virtual and want to return to campus will be considered on a case-by-case basis as we still need to monitor class sizes and adhere to distancing requirements. Please fill out the form later in this newsletter to request a change in your learning setting.
Additionally, we will phase out temperature checking and symptom screening on Monday, April 5th. Prior to sending your student to school, please check their temperature and make sure they have no Covid related symptoms, such as a runny nose, cough, headache, sore throat, nausea or fever.
Students need to continue to bring their ID cards each day as they will continue to scan into our attendance kiosk each morning upon entry to campus. Lastly, as temperatures continue to rise, please make sure that your student is bringing a filled water bottle with them to campus each day as our water fountains are secured due to Covid.
We are also accepting donations of disposable water bottles to share with our students if you would like to donate. Please bring all donations to the Welcome Center between the hours of 8am and 3pm.
Only one more week until Spring Break. I would like to encourage our Falcons to finish strong!
Thanks for all you do for our Oak Valley Community! Go Falcons!
Beaming with Falcon Pride,
Mr. Young
Colin Young
Principal
Oak Valley Middle School
Schedule for the Week of April 5-9
Making prosthetic hands in 6th grade science, super cool!
New Information
Health Symptom Screening Information
If at-home screening is not possible, please come to the Welcome Center before entering campus to check your temperature.
More information on the self-screening process can be found below in the Health Office Notes message later in this newsletter.
We will return to our normal morning drop off route now that we are no longer taking temperatures.
Please be careful and watch for cars if you drop off along Carmel Valley Road.
PTSA Breakfast of Champions Character Award Winners
Congratulations to our Breakfast of Champions winners for the month of March. Each month we highlight one of the 6 Character Counts! pillars; staff selects two students each year who embody those characteristics. Mr. Young delivered a certificate, yard sign, and a little breakfast treat to each winner.
Thank to the PTSA for sponsoring this event each year!!
Congratulations to all of our winners for the month of Responsibility!
Abigail W.
Krishiv M.
Lorelai B.
McKenna C.
Ethan L.
Alshamkha E.
Ameer H.
Nakshatra P.
Maxwell D.
Reece G.
Elliot B.
Graziela C.
Alexander S.
Madiha D.
Aysen C.
Sophia D.
Ashley L.
Sarah J.
Oliver M.
Darius K.
PUSD 2021-2022 Continuing Student Registration now Open!
Online Continuing Student Registration is now open and will run until April 30, 2021. All continuing PUSD students must complete this process.
Get started here. This will allow for the proper placement of your student for the 2021-2022 school year. This annual digital process will allow a family to complete one single “family” packet instead of completing one packet per student. Packets can be completed using any computer, tablet, or smartphone with an internet connection.
Please ensure you can log into https://sis.powayusd.com. If you do not know your username and/or password, you can visit https://password.powayusd.com to retrieve your login credentials.
Poway Unified School District is excited to share with you our learning options for the upcoming school year. PUSD will be offering five different learning options for 2021-22:
· Full-Day In-Person Instruction (TK-12)
· Connect Academy Virtual School (K-8)
· Poway Virtual School Courses (9-12)
· Poway Home Education Program (TK-8)
· New Directions Independent Study (6-12)
Please watch this video to learn more: https://youtu.be/6YT_r3ZXf-c
You can also check out PUSD’s website for more information.
More detailed information regarding staffing and learning options will be forthcoming following the conclusion of the registration period, which includes an initial family commitment survey.
Community Conversations on Racial Equity Session #3
Families attending Oak Valley Middle, Design39Campus, Del Sur Elementary, Monterey Ridge Elementary, Willow Grove Elementary, Stone Ranch Elementary, and Del Norte High School are invited to the third session on Community Conversation on Racial Equity on April 7th from 6-7:30.
Engage in conversations with fellow parents and students to foster trust and build relationships focused on improving racial equity and inclusion. Sessions will be held via zoom. You must RSVP HERE to receive the Zoom code.
OVMS 8th Grade Yard Signs!!
We are so excited and happy to share with you that the Oak Valley PTSA will be sponsoring standard 4mm OVMS 8th Grade Yard Signs as a GIFT to our 8th Grade Class of 2021!!
(OVMS 8th graders only/1 per student)
More information on distribution to follow.
Thank you
The OVMS PTSA Team!
Volunteers Needed for our Julian Pie Distribution!
Our annual Julian Pie Fundraiser is underway and we need your help on Monday April 5th from 3-6pm.
Our volunteer opportunities include pie pick up, organizing and retrieving orders for parents driving by in their cars for pick up.
Please click HERE to sign up.
Please contact Ana Rubio vp_volunteers@ovmsmusic.org with any questions.
Oak Valley Falcon Foundation News
Thank you to each of you who dined out to support the Foundation last week at Flippin’ Pizza!
Save the date for our next dine-out night - April 14 at Chipotle in 4S Ranch. We are looking forward to seeing you there to support our Falcons.
Autism Awareness Month
From autismspeaks.org:
The fourteenth annual World Autism Awareness Day is April 2, 2021.
Joined by the international community, hundreds of thousands of landmarks, buildings, homes and communities around the world come together on April 2, Autism Awareness Day, to Light It Up Blue in recognition of people with autism and those who love and support them.
Autism-friendly events and educational activities take place all month, aiming to increase understanding and acceptance of people with autism, foster worldwide support and inspire a kinder, more inclusive world.
Join us for World Autism Awareness Month to help us spread kindness and autism awareness!
Oak Valley Coding Club Guest Speaker Series
The Oak Valley Coding Club, in collaboration with MIT Alumni club of San Diego, with be hosting a Guest Speaker Series for 2021. The aim of this series is to inspire students to pursue STEM careers. Topics are not limited to computer programming, but will also provide important outside perspectives on real world career paths. Speakers will share their personal stories, introduce students to their field of expertise and share about their passions.
- April 10th: Entrepreneurship - Establishing a startup
- May 1st: Trying to Make a Sun on Earth for a Renewable Energy Source + Some Demos
Please see the flyer HERE for more details and zoom login information.
You can RSVP for one or more of these speaker sessions HERE.
To visit our club webpage, click HERE.
Thanks so much for our Coding Club for proving this opportunity for all Falcons!
Stickers for Charity Comic Drawing Workshop
Hello Falcons. The Del Norte High School Stickers for Charity Club has a mission to serve our community and raise awareness about current issues through art. They are organizing a free online workshop for elementary and middle school students over spring break, and would welcome Oak Valley Middle School to join us!
Please sign up here and see the attached flyer!
Workshop signup link: https://forms.gle/9RBSpK51fGbcGg979
Thank you!
Thank you to our PTSA for sponsoring the Scott Green Magic Show last week, it was so much fun!!
Continuing Information
Caring Connections Counseling (CCC)
Continuing Schedule and Reopening Information
Health Office Notes
Please remember to be proactive and prescreen your student at home prior to leaving for school. If your child has any of the following symptoms, please keep them at home. If your child has developed any one of the symptoms below while at school, they must be sent home immediately. Parent(s) will be notified to pick up their student immediately.
- Fever or chills
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Fatigue
- Muscle or body aches
- Headache
- New loss of taste or smell
- Sore throat
- Congestion or runny nose
- Nausea or vomiting
- Diarrhea
Per the CDC Guidelines (use link below of Decision Tree updates as of 2/22/21):
The individual may return based on one of the following:
https://covid-19.sdcoe.net/Portals/covid-19/Documents/Health%20Practices/COVID-19-Decision-Tree.pdf
a) 10 days from the day symptom(s) first appeared, AND improved symptoms and no fever (or fever reducing meds) for the last 24 hours.
b) With proof of negative PCR COVID viral test (no rapid results test accepted for negative results), may return immediately if symptoms are greatly improved AND student has been fever free (without fever reducing meds) for 24 hours.
c) A signed note from a licensed MD, DO, NP, or PA (who manages that condition) must: confirm the chronic diagnosis (i.e., cites labs, date-of record when diagnosed); include provider’s contact information; explain how symptoms are unrelated to COVID-19; and be accompanied by signed consent for school to interact with MD, DO, NP, or PA.
Please call Mr. Ennis in the Health Office at 858-487-2939 ext. 6129 for any questions or concerns.
On-Campus Students Reminders
For our families that are returning to campus. Please read over our Reopening Plan and Family Handbook carefully. There is lots of important information and reminders in those documents. All on-campus students must return a signed PUSD Health and Safety Agreement in order to be on campus. This form can be found HERE. We will be collecting these forms as students are dropped off and will have blank copies available in the Welcome Center if families need.
Here are some key reminders:
1. Please make sure you return the PUSD Health and Safety Agreement Form when you drop off your student. You can find the form HERE.
2. All students must come to school each day with a fully charged Chromebook.
3. All students will need to bring with them each day headphones, any needed school supplies, PE appropriate clothing (on the day they have PE), water bottle, independent reading book, and a packed lunch.
4. Students must wear a clean mask each day. We recommend bringing a second mask on the day they have PE.
5. Students who are on campus will go to their connections teacher for both connections and office hours. They will be able to zoom into to any classroom to ask questions. Students can also use this time to finish up work.
Learning Preference Change Request
We appreciate your patience.
PE for On-Campus Students
Welcome Back Falcons!
The PE team is so excited to have students coming back to campus – We have missed you!
Some information for an easy transition:
Students will not be dressing out in the locker room or using PE clothes. All Falcons must come to school dressed in appropriate athletic attire and tennis shoes on their PE days in order to receive credit for the daily activities.
Things you might want to send with your student on PE days are:
1. Extra face mask
2. Water bottle
3. Hand sanitizer
4. One warm days, a hat/visor, and sunscreen.
Weekly Bell Schedule and Monthly Calendar
Our weekly schedule started after Winter Break. This schedule should be much simpler and easier to follow for students.
Please see the attached weekly bell schedule HERE and below.
There is also a new monthly calendar attached HERE and below. We will follow this same weekly schedule pattern for the reminder of the year, unless the School Board changes our current school model, with the exception of a few weeks where we have to adjust for holidays. Please look at both of these documents closely.
Asynchronous Fridays
Asynchronous Fridays are a day for students to work independently and for teachers to have time to prep, grade and collaborate as seen in the details presented at the last Board Meeting (bulleted below) as well as work with students needing support. This is still a work in progress and staff will continue the conversation to adjust as we move forward.
For Students:
· Review and preview work from the week to deepen learning
· Review feedback and complete corrections
· Independent learning time
· Reduce screen time
· Additional support time with peers and staff
For Teachers:
· Provide timely feedback to students; including grades
· Review assessments and plan based on student needs
· Complete required COVID attendance tracking
· Collaboration
· Professional learning
· Office hours to provide support to individual student
Parent Academy
Oak Valley Middle School
Email: coyoung@powayusd.com
Location: 16055 Winecreek Road, San Diego, CA, USA
Phone: (858) 487-2939