Wildcat Newsletter
Important Updates from Elm Street School
It is hard to believe that spring is upon us and that we recently celebrated the 100th day of school! We are hopeful that there will be warmer days ahead, however, please keep in mind that it is still really important that you are sending your child into school with appropriate winter gear (hat, gloves/mittens, boots, jacket and snowpants). With our students having two shorter recesses this year, we really want to make sure they are able to get outside and enjoy the fresh air while keeping warm!
Seesaw: We continue to be impressed with the work that are students are completing on Seesaw each week. It continues to be important for our students to complete their assignments on their remote days. Our teachers can see a huge difference in the student's learning when they are completing these assignments at home. If you need assistance with Seesaw, we encourage you to contact your child's teacher to discuss ways we can support you with your child(s) remote learning. Keep up the great work! I assure you it is making a difference!
Masks: It is important to send your child to school each day with a clean mask. We are also asking that you send an extra clean mask in a clear baggie for your child to keep in their bag in case their mask gets soiled/dirty during the day. We do have a limited supply that we keep to ensure students always have a mask to wear at school, but we greatly appreciate your support with providing mask(s) for your students.
Water Bottles: It is important to keep our students healthy this winter and one way we can do that is to ensure that our students are well hydrated each day! We have water dispensers in each wing that can refill water bottles for our students. We find that many students are not bringing a water bottle each day to fill. If you can send your child in with a reusable water bottle, this will help ensure they stay hydrated throughout the day. The kids are pretty active with recess and gym class!
Healthy Snacks: We know that healthy snacks can help students sustain energy levels, satisfy hunger between meals, and ensure that they are getting all of the nutrients they need to fuel their growth and development. Therefore, families are encouraged to send students with healthy snack options whenever possible.
Upcoming Dates:
- Student Led Conferences: March 15-18th
- Teacher Compensation Day: March 19th, No School
- Cooperation Assemblies: March 30th (Cohort A), March 31st (Cohort B)
- April Break: April 19th-23rd
Cohort A and Cohort B In-Person Learning Dates for the Months of March and April
March In-Person Cohort Days
March 1st and 2nd
March 8th, 9th and 10th (1/2 day)
March 15th and 16th
March 22nd, 23rd, and 24th (1/2 day)
March 29th and 30th
Cohort B:
March 3rd (1/2 day), 4th, and 5th
March 11th and 12th
March 17th (1/2 day) and 18th
March 25th and 26th
March 31st (1/2 day), April 1st and 2nd
* 1/2 day Wednesday dismissal at 12:10 p.m.
April In-Person Cohort Days
April 5th, 6th, and 7th (1/2 day)
April 12th and 13th
April 26th, 27th, and 28th (1/2 day)
Cohort B:
April 1st and 2nd
April 14th (1/2 day), 15th, and 16th
April 29th and 30th
*1/2 day Wednesday dismissal at 12:10 p.m.
March Student Led Conferences
20-21 Wildcat Yearbooks
Character Trait of the Month
Teamwork Award Recipient
Teamwork Award Recipient
Teamwork Award Recipient
Meet our 5th Grade ESS Race Walkers
A huge thank you to the ESS staff members and others who sponsored our 5th grade race walkers and made it possible for each student participant to receive an official sweatshirt that has been made for those competing in the challenge! Students are pictured below proudly wearing their sweatshirts!
Extra! Extra! Read All About It: New to the ESS Library
New to the ELM STREET SCHOOL library is SORA!
SORA is a student reading app that allows all ESS students to browse, check out, and return books from the shared e-book and audiobook collection.
All students are encouraged to access the app at home by visiting the Library website below. Just a friendly reminder that students need to use their rsu16 email address to access Sora. For every student that's their graduation year (the last two digits of the year) followed by the first letter of their name and their full last name followed by @rsu16.org.
For example: 28jdoe@rsu16.org
Updates from Food Services
March is National Nutrition Month
#NationalNutritionMonth
5210 Let's Go!
The month of March is dedicated to focusing energy towards nutrition. What can you learn, new recipe can you try, or new healthy habit can you pick up? By clicking on the link below, you can access social media posts; videos to share with children, staff, and families; and fun new recipes, games, and activities. Explore and see what works for you and your learning environment!
https://www.eatright.org/food/resources/national-nutrition-month
And did you know that March 26th is National Spinach Day?
Celebrate with these spinach and banana blender muffins
COVID Updates from our school nurse, Laurie Camire
COVID 19 Close-Contact Sara Alert System: If you are a staff person or a student who is identified as a close contact of a confirmed positive case of COVID-19 at school, you will be notified by the school through a phone call or email and provided initial guidance on next steps, including quarantining and testing. Once you have received notification from the school, the Maine CDC’s Sara Alert system will begin sending you follow up guidance via text messages.
Sara Alert is an automated system that uses daily text messages to help people who have been identified as close contacts to monitor for symptoms after exposure. All students and staff will be enrolled in Sara Alert if they are identified as having been in close contact with a COVID-19 positive person while at school.
There is nothing required of you to be automatically enrolled in this service. If, however, you would like to opt out of Sara Alert, please contact Laurie Camire RN at lcamire@rsu16.org by February 12th, 2021. If you do opt out of the Sara Alert system, and are later identified as a close contact to a positive case, you will receive follow up phone calls to confirm you have opted to not receive the automated text messages from Maine CDC.
A big thank you to all of our families who have been instrumental in keeping our children healthy and our school doors open! A quick reminder that we are asking all families to complete the symptom screener at home before coming to school. The symptom screener is one of the six state-mandated requirements for us to continue in person learning. If your student is exhibiting any of the symptoms below please contact the school nurse Laurie Camire at lcamire@rsu16.org or by phone at: (207)345-3381 X104COVID Quarantine Information
As cases of COVID continue throughout our state, we are seeing cases of community transmission rise. Determination of close contacts within our school will be determined using guidelines set forth by the CDC and the Maine Department of Education. As a general rule close contacts are defined as: Someone who was within 6 feet of an infected person for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period* starting from 2 days before illness onset (or, for asymptomatic patients, 2 days prior to test specimen collection) until the time the patient is isolated. In the classroom environment, the entire class will be considered close contacts with an infected student or teacher.
We understand the hardships and challenges that quarantine can pose, if you have any questions regarding travel, quarantining, or need assistance with any COVID-19 related concerns, we encourage you to contact our school nurse, Laurie Camire at lcamire@rsu16.org or the building administrator, Jessica Madsen at jmadsen@rsu16.org
Additional assistance is provided to Maine residents who have been identified as a close contact of a COVID-19 positive person, and need support during quarantine. You may request this assistance by using this online form: https://www.maine.gov/dhhs/form/covid-19-referral-form
Additional information about community care and social support is available here: https://www.maine.gov/dhhs/coronavirus-resources/support-for-isolation-quarantine, or you can send an email to dhhs.covid.socialsupport@Maine.gov--COVID Travel Information
What if my child has Covid Symptoms?
What if my child has symptoms?
You may have been provided a copy of our Health Communication Letter in the past, we have also created this flow-chart to help families understand what they should do when their child has symptoms related to COVID-19.
Symptoms in the Red Box:
You must notify the school and keep your child home. Your child will need to be seen by a doctor in order to return to school or they will need to wait 10 days from onset of symptoms, be fever free (without tylenol or ibuprofen for 24 hours) and their symptoms must be improving.
Symptoms in the Yellow Box:
You must notify the school by calling the main office and keep your child home. If they only have 1 symptom, they will remain out of school for 24 hours, if symptoms are improving they may return. If they have 2 or more symptoms in the yellow, they will need to be seen by a doctor in order to return to school or they will need to wait 10 days from onset of symptoms, be fever free (without tylenol or ibuprofen for 24 hours) and their symptoms must be improving.
If you have any additional questions, please reach out to the school nurse Laurie Camire at lcamire@rsu16.org or by phone at (207) 345-3382 x104.Counselor's Corner with Mr. Shev
Pink Feather Foundation
Mechanic Falls Rec News: It's Time to Sign-Up for Spring Sports
Registration Status: Open
Regular Registration: Saturday, February 27, 2021-Monday, March 15, 2021
Late Registration: Tuesday, March 16, 2021-Saturday, March 20, 2021
Program Duration: Saturday, May 1, 2021-Wednesday, June 30, 2021
Camp Connor Summer Fun
What is Camp Connor? Poland Summer Recreation at Camp Connor is now in its 4th year! Camp Connor is a day camp with approximately 12 acres of land, including a beach front, large field, wooded area, picnic area, playground, peninsula, and buildings. We also have access to our neighbor’s Camp Tall Pines basketball court and beachfront for launching our kayaks. Camp Connor is located off of route 26, address: 70 Connor Lane, Poland, ME 04274. (Connor Lane is a dirt road, that provides access to Camp Tall Pines, Poland Spring Campground and a few residents)
Who do we serve? Boys and girls going into grades 1-8 in the fall of 2021.
DETAILS: Campers can attend one-week, multiple weeks, or the entire summer if you so choose! The majority of our time will be spent alternating through small and large group activities on-site utilizing our recreational facilities; including outdoor life skills, team building, sports and games, performing arts, kayaking, etc. All campers will have the opportunity to swim daily; weather permitting. Supervised by trained staff. Our themes for each week may offer different and specialized activities, which may include on-site guests, surprise activities and special Friday afternoon parties; all included in the cost of camp. All campers will have the opportunity to develop connections with same-aged peers, older/younger campers, and our super awesome staff. We want your child to make memories that will last a lifetime here in their backyard! There is a deposit to hold your spots this year. $20.00 for each week attending camp to secure your spot. We are requiring a deposit to account for so many adjustments we had to make last year. Once the deposit is received your child(ren) will be officially registered.
CAMP FEES: We increased our prices for this summer $10.00 per week per child. In 2020 we would not have broke even if we had not received some funds from the Cares Act and if the town had not waived our annual payment due to covid. The majority of our camp expenses are staff salaries. Each year, we are providing $14,000.00 back to the town for the overall purchase of the camp property. So far we have paid the town back $28,000. We also put $6,000 annually towards campership scholarships. Any monies left over are invested back into our camp.
We are proud to say that our rates are still significantly under the average cost of participating in a waterfront camp. Poland Residents-$180/week-1st child; $160/week-2nd child; $140/3rd child or more Non-Residents--$200/week-1st child; $180/week-2nd child; $160/3rd child or more
CAMP DATES: June 21 thru August 20 (9 weeks) CAMP TIMES: Drop off: As early as 7:00am. Pick up: As late as 5:30pm.
PARTICIPANT LIMIT: We will take up to 115 campers per week. If you sign up and a particular week is full, your child(ren) will automatically be placed on a wait list. If we are able to take any child on a wait list, we will notify you.
CAMP DIRECTOR: Amanda Olmstead/Staff: Majority of our staff are planning to return!
Covid-19 Regulations: We will follow all state guidelines and mandates pertaining to minimize risk of Covid-19. At this time we are anticipating that campers will be required to wear a mask during regular activities throughout the day, with some exceptions regarding eating, drinking and swimming.
MEALS: We anticipate offering the USDA free breakfast and lunch for all campers. If the funding does not happen for the food program this year, we will notify family’s by email. This continues to be possible due to the hard work of the RSU16 Food Director!
TO REGISTER: Go to your polandrec.com account or set up an account. Once you are in your account, click on Poland Summer Recreation at Camp Connor. Choose camp week(s) and follow prompts. IMPORTANT: At the end of your registration, you will be prompted to click on a membership link. Even though it will say "You must purchase a membership" there is no actual membership fee. The link allows you the customer to access specific camp forms. This allows you to fill out each child's required forms only one time, yay! A deposit of $20.00 per week of camp for your child(ren) is required! Please mail in your camp deposit by check. We will apply a $20.00 payment to each week of camp your child(ren) is attending.
Camp fees are due at least 14 days prior to any camp week you are signed up for. However, any/all balances must be paid in full by August 6, 2021. REFUND POLICY: Cancellation fee of $10.00 per week. If you have paid for camp and need to cancel any week, we will refund you the amount minus $10.00 per camp week prior to May 1st. Cancellation fee of $20.00 between May 1st and 14 days prior to any camp week. If you only paid the deposit fee per camp week and you cancel any weeks, you will not get your deposit back. Cancellation fee 50% if you cancel within 14 days. If you have paid for any camp week and cancel within 14 days of that camp week, we will refund you 50% of your registration or if possible allow you to switch to another week without penalty.
PAYMENT, REFUND & CANCELLATION POLICY: I agree to pay the balance of any camp week at least 14 days prior to the start of that camp week. I understand that reserved space may not be held past this two week deadline. No child may attend camp without full payment of any week they are registered for. I understand that if I cancel within 14 days of the scheduled camp week, I have the option of moving to a different camp week if there is room available or receive a 50% refund. Refund checks normally take two weeks. All cancellations must be received in writing in advance of the cancelled camp week, otherwise there is no refund.
Payment Options: Pay the entire amount via credit card (3% convenience fee) online or choose the print out registration form option to pay via check (be advised that this option will say that you are not registered until payment has been received). Once we have received your deposit fee of $20.00 per each week of camp, we will process your registration. Payments are due at least 14 days prior to each camp session however, payments for the August camp sessions must be paid in full by no later than August 6, 2021.
Camp Connor Weekly Themes
Contact Us: #TeamESS
Email: jmadsen@rsu16.org
Website: https://www.rsu16.org/ess/index
Location: 129 Elm Street, Mechanic Falls, ME, USA
Phone: (207) 345-3382
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ElmStreetSchoolWildcats