Friday Flyer
This Week 11/20/20
A message from Mr. Brown
Dear Families,
If I counted right, today is our 50th day of school being open for all our children – perfect attendance. That is quite an accomplishment, and one that very few schools can claim, either because of hybrid plans that limit in-person attendance or due to health-related closures.
We are all working SO HARD to stay safe, healthy, and positive here at the school. It’s the time and place we can control, and it is a full-on team effort. What occurs outside school hours, at home, on the weekends, and over holidays is what you control. I urge you to avoid hosting or attending gatherings, especially when masks and distancing protocols aren’t consistently followed or respected, and to generally err on the side of caution no matter where you are.
When it comes to your child’s health, please keep your child home if he/she is symptomatic – even if the symptoms would have been considered “light” in previous years. We are more than happy to help facilitate remote instruction while you follow safety protocols.
We are all eager to regain a sense of “normalcy,” but we must stay strong and we cannot let down our guard. It’s incredible how far we’ve come here at school – call me greedy, but I want more and I know you do too!
MIDDLE SCHOOL REPORT CARD UPLOAD NEXT WEEK
Thank you for your patience as we prepare report cards for upload. Processes are taking a bit longer than usual this year but we’ll have them posted early next week.
TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS ARE IN EFFECT
If you are traveling out of state, there are mandatory quarantining guidelines in place upon your return.
PLEASE let us know if you are traveling so that we can facilitate remote instruction for your child during the quarantine period. Here is the most recent guidance from New York State: https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/system/files/documents/2020/11/interm_guidance_travel_advisory.pdf
***All travelers entering New York from a state that is not a contiguous state, or from a CDC Level 2 or 3 Travel Health Notice country, shall quarantine for a period of 14 days, consistent with Department of Health regulations for quarantine, UNLESS:
- For travelers who traveled outside of New York for more than 24 hours, such travelers must obtain testing within 72 hours prior to arrival in New York, AND
- Such travelers must, upon arrival in New York, quarantine according to Department of Health guidelines, for a minimum of three days, measured from time of arrival, and on day 4 may seek a diagnostic test to exit quarantine.
For travelers that meet the criteria above, the traveler may exit quarantine upon receipt of the second negative test result.
Contiguous states are Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont. Travelers from these states are not subject to this guidance.
Travelers who leave New York State for less than 24 hours do not need to obtain a diagnostic test before departing and do not need to quarantine upon return. However, such travelers must fill out the traveler form upon entry and must obtain a diagnostic test on the fourth day after arrival in New York.
REMINDERS ON COVID PROTOCOLS AND REMOTE LEARNING
Thank for continuing to follow the path of playing it safe and having your under-the-weather children evaluated and COVID-tested, and then keeping them home until protocols say it is safe and allowable to return. Important Reminders:
- Nurse Gay must have the official test results or doctor’s note in hand BEFORE she can allow your child to return to school. Please send them in advance of your child arriving; otherwise, we have to keep your child in the nurse’s office until we receive the document and we don’t want to do that!
- If you keep your symptomatic child home, or if you have to pick your child up from school, remote instruction will begin after the teachers have 24 hours to prepare. So, if it’s Wednesday morning and you decide to keep your child home, your child can begin remote instruction on THURSDAY. Please coordinate remote learning logistics with your child’s teacher(s).
- Keep the lines of communication open – email/call Nurse Gay and email your child’s teachers if you are keeping your child home from school. The sooner we are aware, the quicker we can prepare.
DRESSING FOR WINTER WEATHER AND SAFETY PROTOCOLS
Please send your child to school with proper layers of clothing, plus winter coats, hats, and gloves. Even though the cold temperatures are arriving, part of our safety plan calls for bus, classroom, and hallway windows to remain open in all seasons to ensure a steady flow of fresh air circulating around the children. Plus, if it’s in the 30s, our gym teachers are looking to take kids outside, and recess will be outside as well. Even though the heat will keep running on the bus and in the building, your children WILL be exposed to colder air.
FREE MEALS
Remember the huge news about our scrumptious cafeteria meals – they are now FREE FOR EVERYONE, EVERY DAY, for the ENTIRE SCHOOL YEAR! Please find the meal order form for the week of 11/30/2020 here: https://forms.gle/v5BE3eNVxqVpsVCH9
It will expire at NOON on WEDNESDAY, 11/25/2020. The form can also be accessed on the website, app and PTA Facebook page. Snacks, a la carte items and extra entrees still cost money, but every child can get a complete lunch every day for $0.00.
For more information, please go to the cafeteria page:
https://www.pocanticohills.org/groups/42079/cafeteria/cafeteria
PTA THANKSGIVING FUNDRAISER
This year the PTA will be raising money to provide grocery gift cards for community members in need. Please see the attached flyer that explains how you can participate. We have so much to be thankful for – this is another wonderful way to share our gratitude and show our support.
UPCOMING COMMUNITY EVENT
Visting Author at the Warner Library: December 7, 4:30PM
Join author Tracey Hecht’s Virtual Social Emotional Learning Workshop for Kids 5–12:
The Nocturnals author uses the power of storytelling to help kids understand and manage the range of emotions they experience day to day. Read the book on Hoopla or pick up a copy @ the library.
Learn about Kindness, Courage, and Honesty through collaborative discussion, engaging read alouds, and hands-on activities.
Pick up a guide at the library or print/view @ home: https://nocturnalsworld.com/educational-resources.
Sign up for this Event via email: warnerjuvprograms@gmail.com for a link.
Únete al taller Virtual de Aprendizaje Socioemocional para niños de 5-12 años.
La autora Tracey Hecht lo presentará en vivo. Inscríbase vía el correo electrónico para el enlace al evento
Aprenderá de amabilidad, valor y honestidad a través de una discusión colaborativa y actividades educativas. Recoge un guía en la biblioteca o descárgalo en casa: https://nocturnalsworld.com/educational-resources.
Have a fantastic weekend,
Adam
LOOKING AHEAD...
11/24/2020
- Pick up Pie/Cake Orders
11/25/2020
- Pajama Day
- Early Dismissal - 11:20am
11/26/2020 & 11/27/2020
- Thanksgiving Recess
12/01/2020
- Holiday Gift Drive Begins
12/3/2020
- BOE Meeting- 7:30pm
12/7/2020
- Poco Blue Spirit Day
12/8/2020
- Sleepy Hollow High School Visit for Parents (Virtual) 6:30pm
12/9/2020
- Elementary Winter Concerts – Grades 1-4 (Virtual) 6:00pm
- Briarcliff High School Visit for Parents 6:30pm (Virtual)
12/10/2020
- Hanukkah Begins At Sundown
- Pleasantville High School Visit for Parents 7:00pm (Virtual)
HAVE YOU BECOME A 2020-2021 PTA MEMBER?
The most important step in making sure our PTA continues to sponsor the many wonderful programs and services for all of our children is for you to become a PTA member for the school year. Membership means no strings attached. By becoming a member, you are supporting the national, state and our local Pocantico Hills PTA - you are not committing to any volunteer roles or jobs! (although we welcome any help!) We’ll thank you with a POCO magnet, and the first 50 members will receive a Pocantico lanyard. You can send in the attached form, or join online and pay by credit card: Poco.memberhub.store
Rockefeller Park REMINDER From Ranger Su
ALL: You must have a mask with you when you enter the Rockefeller State Park Preserve’s trails.
NYS law requires: Any person who is over age two and able to medically tolerate a face-covering shall be required to cover their nose and mouth with a mask or face-covering when in a public place and unable to maintain, or when not maintaining, social distance.
Please be advised that the Preserve's Trail Patrol team may:
1) ask visitors to show that they have face coverings with them;
2) instruct visitors to put on face coverings where required for social distancing law compliance.
Thank you for your understanding and consideration of your fellow Preserve visitors.
RangerSu