Mondays From The Mesa # 19
Alta Mesa Parent Newsletter (11/9/2020)
Remember to Celebrate Veterans this Week!
Cooler weather has found us with consistency these last few weeks! It was great to have our first significant rain of the season as well! Starting off this week I want to front-load parents with the awkward flow of the week. We have another 4-day week, with Wednesday off for Veterans Day. The reason for this is that schools are required to observe Veterans' Day on the day that it falls on, which is November 11th. Sometimes we are fortunate for the flow of the week when it falls on a Monday or Friday. This year, it falls on Wednesday, which makes for an interesting mid-week break.
When we have these specific one-day holidays off I always encourage our students to know why we have them off. Personally, my father was a veteran of the Vietnam War and my brother served in the Marines for 5-years. The sacrifices our veterans make is so important for our students to be aware of. Please take the opportunity this Wednesday to talk to your children about the importance of recognizing our veterans.
Parents, if you have not done so, please make sure to connect with your child's teacher to schedule a conference. Remember that all conferences will be held virtually on google meets or by phone.
It's going to be another great week here at Alta Mesa.
Thank You,
Ryan Miller
Principal
Alta Mesa Update
As I announced last week we had a presumptive positive for COVID-19 in our school. All families of individuals that had or may have had close contact (within 6 feet for 15 minutes or longer) were contacted and asked to stay home and participate in temporary distance learning. Later in the week, I had to place another class in temporary distance learning. Several have asked if there was another situation where individuals were exposed to COVID-19? That class was placed on temporary distance learning because of staffing shortages, not because of COVID-19 exposure. If there was another situation where we had individuals had close contact with someone who is either a presumptive positive or has tested positive for COVID-19 we would communicate to the affected individuals/parents and do another all school message similar to last week. If you have any questions please contact our office.
Thank You,
Ryan Miller
Announcements and Updates
Thanksgiving Break
Veterans' Day
A reminder that we will have NO SCHOOL on Nov. 11th in observance of Veterans' Day. We will have School Nov. 9 and 10th, then be off for Wednesday the 11th, then return for Nov. 12th and 13th.
END OF T-1 and Conferences
It's just unbelievable to think, but we are 1/3 of the way through the school year! Our teachers will be contacting you soon to start setting up Parent-Teacher conferences. Our conferences will look a bit different this year as all conferences are going to be done virtually. Our teachers will be communicating with you about setting up conference times. There will be two ways to conduct conferences. The first, and preferred way, is through Google Meets. We can also do conferences via phone if you are not able to conference via Meets. Teachers will send home children's report cards and a form called an "Educational Compact." The "Educational Compact" is tied to our school funding and it is very important that this form is signed and returned to school.
If you have any questions about conferences please call the office or contact your teacher.
Trouble with Getting the Voicemail for the Sunday Message?
E-Book Fair!!!
Get your Christmas shopping done while supporting Alta Mesa's Library!
Make your purchases online. Books will be delivered to Alta Mesa within 1-2 weeks of the end of the Book Fair. I have been assured they will be delivered well before our Winter Break. I will call parents and guardians to pick up (in case you want to keep your shopping secret!).
Go directly to Alta Mesa's Fair here:
https://efairs.follettbookfairs.com/guest/home?classCode=61E77
Or go to a general link here:
efairs.follettbookfairs.com Enter Code 61E77
Contact Kristen Matthews at kmatthews@eesd.net or 224-4130 for any questions!
Thank you for supporting Alta Mesa's Library!
Booster Meeting Nov. 10th
Potential Impact of Isolation and Quarantine on Staffing
Pick-Up and Drop-Off Schedule
Arrival
1st-3rd Grades and SDC (Gate 1 opens at 8:10 with an aide supervising student entry)- The traditional morning entrance gate at the West side of the school near Wing 1 will be the entry point for 1st-3rd grades. Students are encouraged to maintain social distancing when entering and will proceed directly to their classroom.
4th/5th Grade (Gate 4 Opens at 8:00 with an aide supervising student entry)- Students in 4th and 5th grade will enter on the East side of campus between Wing 3 and the portables. Students will be required to maintain social distancing and report directly to their classrooms. The aide will be verifying that students arriving have the required PPE to enter school.
All students will be required to wear masks upon entry to school. Students in K-2 can remove their mask once in a classroom. Students in 3rd-5th grade must keep their mask on.
Dismissal
Kindergarten- Will be dismissed at 1:05 from the Kindergarten playground. Parents will be asked to stay outside the fence. Mrs. Schmitt's class will dismiss from Gate 2, the nearest her room. Mrs. Sturgeon's class will dismiss from Gate 3, near Wing 3.
1st Grade- Will be dismissed at 1:15 from the Kindergarten playground. Parents will be asked to stay behind the fence. Mrs. Haag's class will dismiss from Gate 2, the gate nearest to the office. Mrs. Ackernecht's class will dismiss Gate 3, nearest to wing 3.
2nd/3rd Grade - Will be dismissed at 1:15 from Gate 4 near wing 3. Parents will be asked to stay outside of the fence.
2nd Grade and 3rd Grade- Will be dismissed at 1:15 Mrs. Brewers and Mrs. Dukes class will dismiss from Gate 1 on the West side of campus. Parents will be asked to stay outside the gate.
4th/5th Grade- Will be dismissed at 1:25
Mrs. Joscelyn- Will be dismissed from Gate 4, between Wing 3 and the portables on the East side of campus.
McNeely- Will be released from Gate 2 on the Kindergarten playground (Gate nearest to the office)
Nunn- Will be released from Gate 3 on the kindergarten playground (Gate nearest to wing 3)
Important Notes
- Students will remain with their cohort/class all day.
- Students in 3rd-5th grade will be required to wear masks.
- Students in K-2nd are not required to wear masks but are encouraged to do so.
- We ask all parents to drop their students off as close to their start time as possible. Do not leave your child prior to our aide staff opening the gate.
- If you have children in K-3rd grade and another child in 4th/5th grade please drop off at the 4th/5th grade start time of 8:25. Tardies will not be given to any student until 8:40
- At dismissal, for parents of children in multiple grade levels, your children will be dismissed at the youngest child's dismissal time.
- ALL parents on campus will be required to wear a mask
- Volunteers will no longer be utilized in classrooms
- Breakfast will be given to students at the end of the day. It will be a shelf-stable and eaten at home the following day. (BREAKFAST WILL NOT BE SERVED IN THE MORNING ON CAMPUS)
Safety Protocols
Alta Mesa Elementary School
Email: rmiller@eesd.net
Website: altamesa.eesd.net
Location: 2301 Saturn Skyway, Redding, CA, USA
Phone: 530-224-4130
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/altamesaschool/