Hoot Owl
August 13, 2021 - Parent Edition
A Message from Dr. Duckworth
All About Craig
Craig Elementary School is one of 19 Elementary Schools in the Parkway School District. Our school serves roughly 400 students of a diverse culture and puts a strong emphasis on learning and relationships.
While learning is the main mission at Craig, students are also provided with a variety of experiences that will encourage them to be well-rounded and responsible citizens. Students are expected to work to their fullest potential while being encouraged and supported by our caring staff.
Our Craig Core Values
Respectful- Being polite and thoughtful.
Responsible- Choosing to meet expectations independently.
Integrity- Doing the right thing when no one is looking.
Caring- Showing kindness and concern for others.
Empathy- Knowing and understanding how someone else is feeling.
Important Quick Facts
School Colors: Blue and Yellow
Mascot: Owl
Motto: “Every Student, Every Day. The Craig Way”
Start and End Times: 9:05 A.M. – 4:00 P.M.
Office Hours: 8:00 A.M. – 4:30 P.M.
Building Open to Students: 8:50 A.M.
Website: www.parkwayschools.net/craig
Twitter: www.twitter.com/craigelementary
Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Craig-Elementary-School/392391024146935
Main Office Number: (314) 415-6200
Attendance Reporting Line: (314) 415-6226
Nurse’s Number: 314-415-6210
Parkway Transportation Office: 314-415-8400
Voluntary Transfer Student Transportation Office: 314-721-8657
Principal: Dr. David Duckworth ~ 314-415-6201
Assistant Principal: Dr. Will Nunn ~ 314-415-6203
Covid Guideline Updates
Our goals for this year are to keep everyone healthy and avoid disruptions to in-person learning as much as possible. In order to do this, we will need to have some safety measures in place based on the current recommendations and local health conditions, which we know may change throughout the year.
For the start of the 2021-22 school year, you can expect:
Masks will be required inside all Parkway schools and buildings until further notice.
Masks will be optional outdoors for all students and staff, including recess.
Masks are required on all forms of public transportation including school buses.
We will continue to use other basic health and safety measures at school including at least three feet of social distancing, frequent hand washing, routine cleaning and disinfecting and reminding everyone to stay home if they are not feeling well.
If your child is vaccinated, please consider sharing your child’s vaccination record with our nurse Ashley Gunn agunn@parkwayschools.net 314-415-6210
Sharing proof of vaccination is entirely voluntary, but it will save you time in the event your child becomes a close contact at school. We will need a record of vaccination to exempt them from quarantine and avoid any disruption in your child’s learning. Your vaccination record will be kept confidential. Providing your vaccine information will also help us measure vaccination rates within our school communities and guide how we might adjust our policies to promote a safe learning environment.
No visitors will be allowed in the building beyond the front office until further notice.
Teacher Placements
Bus Information
Parents can go on line to the Parkway web site, https://www.parkwayschools.net/Page/1935. That will be available beginning August 17th.
Parents can call transportation to request a change. We will do changes up until this Friday, August 13th. Then parents will have to wait the first two weeks of school so we can determine who all is going to ride and how full the buses will be. Hopefully, we will have more drivers soon so we can add buses if need be.
Buster the Bus Safety Video
As you may be aware, Buster the Bus is playing it COVID safe this year so instead of in person experience, Craig's one and only Mr. Bill has recorded a kindergarten bus safety video.
The main target is kindergarteners, but the tips are important for all bus riders.
Bus safety video - https://youtu.be/xELpTTej_aw
Nurses Notes
-Masks will be worn inside the building and on school transportation. It is important to always have extra clean masks in your child's backpack. It might also be beneficial to attach the mask to a breakaway lanyard so that it doesn't get lost. Parents of children entering kindergarten or returning in person from virtual- consider practicing wearing a mask each day for a few hours the week before school in order to help them get used to this.
-Keeping kids home when they are sick- It is extremely important that kids who have even 1 symptom of covid-19 stay home. Consider making a family plan now in the event that your child is sick, or is placed in quarantine from an exposure. We know this can be very hard for working parents so it is important to think about these scenarios ahead of time. Students sent to school sick will be sent home immediately. Sick children will need to be picked up within 30 minutes.
-Contact tracing policies will continue in the school building for positive cases and close contacts. We will follow guidance from the St. Louis County Health Department in these situations.
-Minor first aid will be handled in the classrooms again this year
-Please make sure your child has a change of clothes in their backpack for spills and accidents
Medication Drop Off
Daily Arrival and Dismissal Procedures
Please note that no parents will be allowed into the building for either arrival or dismissal due to Covid protcols. We will have our entire staff scattered around the building to assist students to get where they need to go.
Arrival: In order to ensure student safety and supervision, children are expected to arrive at school no earlier than fifteen minutes before the opening of school (8:50 A.M.).
It is very important that your child arrives on time to school to start their day of learning. However, if you arrive after 9:05 A.M., we do require parents to sign their child in as tardy in the office. A pass will be given to the child so that he/she can be admitted to class.
In the morning, car riders should be dropped off on the upper parking lot on the Craig campus and enter the building through door 1. Staff members are available to help your child out of the car on the upper lot. The lower lanes are reserved for buses. All students that arrive by bus will be instructed to enter door 2. Please DO NOT drop your child off in the front bus lane as this causes a very dangerous situation.
During Pandemic Learning:
All students and staff must wear a face covering to enter the building and throughout the school day unless otherwise instructed by a teacher.
Students will follow social distancing guidelines while in the hallways and in classrooms.
During arrival, no parents will be admitted to the building or be allowed to go to the classroom with their students.
Dismissal: We will begin dismissal at 4:00 P.M. each day. In order to limit congestion in the hallway, we will use a staggered dismissal procedure in the building. Students will be escorted to their buses or parent pick-up location by the classroom teachers.
Parent pick-ups will be picked up and dropped off using the upper circle drive. Parent pick-ups will wait with supervising staff members on the marked lanes within the circle drive during dismissal until their designated vehicle arrives at the pick-up spot. We ask that all parents picking up students have a sign with the student’s name(s) in their window to limit close contact for staff. In order for this routine to run smoothly, parents will need to remain in their vehicles as they circulate through the circle drive. Please refrain from parking and walking to get your child without first making arrangements with the administration. Staff will direct students and help with the flow of traffic.
During Pandemic Learning:
All students that are car riders will be in the car rider line and parents will be asked to pick up any students from the car rider line. All walkers will remain with their teachers and teachers will walk them to the crosswalk.
We request that no parents gather in front of the building on the grassy area and whenever possible, utilize the pick-up line in order to maintain social distancing practices.
Please do not park in the front bus lane as it causes a dangerous situation with the mixture of cars and buses.
ALL STUDENTS ARE TO BE PICKED UP ON TIME (4:00 P.M.) AT THE END OF THE SCHOOL DAY.
Breakfast and Lunch
Click here to see the menus for breakfast and Lunch. At this website you will also be able to see the nutritional info of all the food.
Free/Reduced Meal Applications
The Federal Free and Reduced Meal Program is for families needing financial assistance. Visit Free and Reduced Program on the Nutrition Services website.
Forms can also be printed, completed and signed, then email, fax, or mail to the Nutrition Services Offices. The Federal Free and Reduced Meal Program is for families needing financial assistance. Visit Free and Reduced Program on the Nutrition Services website. A NEW APPLICATION MUST BE SUBMITTED EVERY SCHOOL YEAR. Fax Number: 314-415-8244
Update Your Family Profile Now
To Update online:
Inside the Infinite Campus parent portal, you will see “More” on the lower left side. Click there and on the next screen, click on “Online Registration.” The next screen will display a box that reads, “Click here to complete the Annual Family Update.” Login to Infinite Campus here to get started.
To Update using the app:
On the Menu button, choose More and then Online Registration. Click there to begin.
Only one parent or guardian from the primary household needs to complete the update. Please complete the update before the first day of school. If you have any questions, or need an Infinite Campus portal account, please email ic-parenthelp@parkwayschools.net.
Virtual Meet the Teacher
If we have learned anything during the pandemic, it is the ability to pivot on short notice. Meet the Teacher will be a virtual event on Thursday, August 19th. Zoom links will be shared on Wednesday next week with the school community. Here are those time slots for each grade level:
- K - 4:00
- 1 - 4:30
- 2 - 5:00
- 3 - 5:30
- 4 - 6:00
- 5 - 6:30
All Non-Classroom teachers will create a short pre-recorded video that we will share with the school community on Wednesday of next week in lue of a live meeting.
School Supplies
We ask that parents send school supplies over the course of the first week of school so that the students are not overloaded on the first day, especially the younger students.
Supply Lists can be found here.
For our Kindergarten students, we will not be doing a separate Kindergarten 101. All the same information will be given during the virtual Meet the Teacher time.
Parent and Student Handbook
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1PR-zgyvdtrlmqPT563-f2Fk8_qCXrYcsc71VUHhhNBk/edit?usp=sharing
August Dates to Remember
- August 18th Teacher Placements will be emailed and available to view on Infinite Campus
- August 19th Virtual Meet the Teacher at Craig 4:00-6:30 pm
- August 23rd First Day of School
- September 6th Labor Day - NO School
- September 14th - 1st PTO Meeting - via Zoom 6:30pm