EBE Home Connections
December 7, 2020
Message from Mr. Hanzeli
Several repeat articles in the second half of the newsletter in case you have missed them in recent editions of Home Connections.
Please take two minutes and click on the Winter Quarter Health Attestation Form (button below).
I have also included the SCSD Friday message just in case you missed that Email. Clearly the district leadership is paying very close attention to the rising numbers and trying to navigate the best path forward.
I appreciate you all and hope this newsletter finds you doing well.
SCSD Family Message, 12.4.20
Good evening,
The district has reviewed the latest COVID-19 data from the Snohomish and Island County Health Districts and met with authorities from both counties. There have been significant increases in rates of positive cases of COVID-19 in the community of Stanwood and on Camano Island.
Our district continues to grapple with our decision to keep our schools open to limited face-to-face instruction. Island County health district authorities stated, “There are no right answers. What happens in communities will impact our schools.” The Snohomish County health district has not changed their guidance for in person learning.
The mitigation measures the district has in place currently have prevented transmission in our schools. Families keeping their symptomatic children home and communicating with the district has enabled us to serve our youngest learners and special populations in person. PLEASE continue to do this so that we do not have to close our schools to all in person learning.
The increased transmission of COVID-19 in our region, however, has the potential to overwhelm our health care systems and put vulnerable people at increased risk. We will continue to monitor the situation and let families know if the district has to make the difficult decision to scale back in person learning to decrease transmission and increase safety. Families will receive an update in the middle of next week.
In other news:
Equity has been top of mind for many people across the country. In order to better understand the needs and experiences of our students and staff, the district has established an Equity Leadership Team. This team is gathering information to determine what actions need to be taken to increase equity across the district. The team is composed of parents, community members, district staff, and a school board representative. District administrators and the leadership team have participated in training to learn how to address issues related to racism in our schools. Most recently, we have surveyed all staff and students in grades 6-12 to determine their feelings and experiences regarding equity. In the coming months, we will be asking families for their questions and experiences regarding equity. The information gathered from staff, students, and families will guide the district’s work in the coming years.
Important Upcoming Dates
Friday, December 11, 2:30-5:30
School Photos (Firefly) @ Utsalady Elementary (see appointment details above)
Saturday, December 12, 10:00-1:00
School Photos (Firefly) @ Stanwood Elementary (see appointment details above)
December 19 - January 3
Winter Holiday (No School)
Friday, January 15
Grades Grade 4 and 5 Hybrid AA or BB In Person Model
Planned date for health metric data reconsideration by SCSD.
Monday, January 18
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Honored (No School)
School Photo Opportunity
Hello Stanwood Camano School District (Elger Bay) Families,
We have set up a final 2020 drive thru school photo session for you!
Whether you need a retake of a previous photo taken by us or this is your first time to the camera, this session is for you. We will conduct our final session with the same level of safety, and follow all COVID guidelines set forth.
Like our previous sessions, this is a "by appointment" event, please see the link near the bottom of this email to sign up.
Picture days are:
Friday, December 11th from 2:30pm to 5:30pm at UTSALADY Elementary
Saturday, December 12th from 10am to 1pm at STANWOOD Elementary
Please note, regardless of which school you attend, pictures are only at these 2 locations.
We have 2 options available for you to order pictures, if you chose to do so:
Attached, please find our order form that you can print and send with your student. Just staple cash, check or money order to the form or enclose it in an envelope and attach that to the form.
If you prefer, you may use our online ordering system, the link to do so will appear on the confirmation page after you sign up for a picture time.
We no longer ask you to bring your confirmation/receipt to the camera... all we want to see is your smile!
What to bring:
Retakes? Then just bring the package of pictures you want replaced.
Retakes of a Digital Only Package? Just let the photographer know.
First time to the camera this year? Bring your order form, if you have one.
Just want a yearbook photo? Once again, just tell your photographer.
We look forward to seeing you!
Thank you,
Firefly Images
Sign-up link: https://fs4.formsite.com/FireFly/ta3b8oxpnq/index.html
Order link: https://fs4.formsite.com/FireFly/waldtkvv5s/index.html
HEALTH REMINDER: If you or a family member is feeling sick, please stay home. There will be additional opportunities for pictures in the spring of 2021.
FUSION EXPERIMENT...It's not Science, it's SINGING :-)
In the spirit of "FUSION", our music teacher, Mr. Crouch, is hoping to get many of the students from Elger Bay and Utsalady to join together in creating a "Virtual Winter Holiday Concert".
After all, that is what FUSION is all about - bringing our community closer together. What a great way to boost everyone's spirits and give the students a chance to do something many of them LOVE TO DO...SING!
All you need is the link, which will take you to a ChoiceBoard where everything will be explained on this interactive explanation.
Click on the following LINK: FUSION OPPORTUNITY
Hopefully, we'll have a video to share before school dismisses for winter holiday, December 18.
Oh yeah, don't forget to have FUN doing this.
Local Holiday Season Giving
As the holidays approach, the thought of gift-giving and celebrating can cause unwanted stress, especially if your financial resources are limited. In Stanwood and on Camano Island, we are fortunate to have The Christmas House to help families access gifts for their children, if needed.
Any family that is interested in assistance from The Christmas House should call the Stanwood-Camano Food Bank directly at (425) 308-0011.
If you are interested in donating your time or financial resources (gifts and cash), please take your donations for The Christmas House directly to these drop off locations:
The Stanwood-Camano Thrift Shop / Food Bank
27030 - 102nd Ave. NW
Stanwood, WA 98292
or
Studio 271, Rite Aid, Haggens, QFC, IGA
or
The Christmas House
27201 - 99th Ave. NW
Stanwood, WA 98292
SCSD Healthy Student Return to School Process (Repeat)
SCSD Healthy Student Return to School Process
As you are aware, Stanwood Camano Schools have implemented new processes and procedures during this outbreak of COVID-19 and we are committed to keeping students and staff safety our top priority.
Symptoms of COVID-19
People with COVID-19 have had a wide range of symptoms reported – ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. People with these symptoms may have COVID-19:
Fever or chills (> 100.3)
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
Instructions
Please contact your student’s medical provider for additional health instructions and/or testing.
If your student is not tested for COVID-19, they may return to school 10 days after symptoms began AND symptoms are resolving AND 24 hours after fever resolves.
If your student is ill for additional days, please notify the attendance office of your student’s absence.
If your student is positive for COVID-19, they may return 10 days after symptom onset AND symptoms are resolving AND 24 hours after fever resolves.
If your student is negative for COVID-19, they may return to school campus when symptoms are improving AND they have not had a fever without the use of fever-reducing medication for > 24 hours.
Elger Bay Attendance: 360.629.1290
Donna Hunter, EBE School Nurse: 360.629.1290
Please Reply Promptly to Absence Excuse EMAIL (REPEAT)
Please reply to the absence EMAIL at your first convenience or call the Elger Bay office 360.629.1290 to speak directly with our staff.
Transportation Plans AND Change of Plans (REPEAT)
Our office works incredibly hard on making sure we understand your daily transportation plans for each student. To that end, it is really important that you make sure you have done all of the following:
- K - G3 students have all had a "blue" daily transportation form sent home by the EBE office to be completed by you regarding the daily plan for your child's transportation to and from school. G4 and G5 will have these sent home when they return to school on 10.26.
- If there is a change from this plan, you must call the office or send a detailed note/Email in advance, so that we might write a "pickup slip" to inform the teacher to make sure that we all know the plan for each child and can communicate about the change.
- Finally, keep the EBE phone number (360.629.1290) loaded in your phone. We know there is the occasional emergency that requires a quicker change at day's end. Please do everything you can to avoid this as it does get a bit hectic, but if there is an emergency, please don't hesitate to call.
I thank you in advance for helping us with this significant safety and communication issue.
Grade by Grade Hybrid Transition Reminders (UPDATED)
Kindergarten
K Students are in one cohort of 10 students in the regular kindergarten rooms.
On Monday, October 5th, in person kindergarten students transitioned to full days from 9:00-3:30 in the hybrid model AA/BB.
Grade 1 - Grade 3
Hybrid teacher placement and AA (Monday / Tuesday) or BB (Thursday / Friday) assignments have been communicated by School Messenger.
Students in grades 1-3 who are opting for Continuous Learning are assigned a new teacher.
The technical transitions are supposed to be happening in the very early hours of Monday, but I suggest you prepare for a day or two of potential corrections. NOTE: Please let your online teacher know by Email if you continue to have any technical difficulties.
Grade 4 - Grade 5
The hybrid students in grades 4 and 5 have been assigned a teacher have been notified of their teacher. NOTE: G4 and G5 families potentially returning on January 15, 2021 have been informed if they are in the AA or BB Hybrid sections.
On Monday, October 5, 2020, any student in grades 4 or 5 who were assigned a new teacher began working with that teacher.
All students in grades 4 and 5 will continue in distance learning until January 15, 2021, unless the metrics indicate otherwise.
Students in grades 4-5 who are opting for Continuous Learning have been assigned a teacher and are working in their classes.
PBS Students
- PBS students electing to attend in person in the PBS program began full time on Thursday, October 1, 2020.
CONTACT YOUR ELGER BAY TEAM
Email: ebeinfo@gmail.com
Website: ebe.stanwood.wednet.edu
Location: 1810 Elger Bay Road, Camano, WA, USA
Phone: 360.629.1290