RES Family Update
Sunday, December 19, 2021
We wish everyone a wonderful Winter Break and a Happy Holiday Season
Upcoming Vaccine Clinic for Children Ages 5-11
The Caroline County Health Department is holding a Pfizer pediatric clinic for children ages 5-11 at the Vaccine Center in Denton Plaza from 9:00am until 3:00pm on December 29. A parent or legal guardian must be present. Registration: https://bit.ly/3DZWM6u
(Adult clinics will be held at the same time but they will have a private section for children.)
For more information, please visit the Caroline COVID-19 website.Caroline County Health Department/Choptank Community Based Programs COVID testing events
Please refer patients who need asymptomatic COVID screening testing to one of the following testing opportunities. More dates will be added as needed.
The patient should register for an appointment online: https://www.carolinecovid19.org/testing-info
Monday - 12/20
CCHD Vaccine Center - 9-11 AM
Federalsburg Elementary School - 4-5 PM
Ridgely Elementary School - 4-5 PM
Tuesday - 12/21
CCHD Vaccine Center - 11-2:30 PM
Monday - 12/27
CCHD Vaccine Center - 9-11AM
Tuesday - 12/28
CCHD Vaccine Center - 11-2:30 PM
Contact Tracing During Winter Break
All CCPS schools and offices will be closed for Winter Break, beginning with a half day on Wednesday, Dec. 22, through reopening on Monday, January 3. Contact tracing will be conducted on a limited basis on Thursday, Dec. 23, and will not be conducted at all throughout the remainder of the Winter Break. However, during this time, the Caroline County Health Department will continue to conduct their normal contact tracing protocols.
As always, please continue to monitor family members for symptoms of COVID-19 and follow up with your health care provider as needed. More information may be found on the Caroline County COVID-19 website.
CCPS Calendar Changes
The 2021-2022 school year calendar has been amended as detailed below. Changes impacting student days are highlighted with BOLD.
Dec. 22, 2021 is currently scheduled as a half day of school for students, and will now be an early dismissal day for all staff.
Jan. 25 and April 1, 2022 are currently scheduled as half days for students so teachers may complete grading for the end of the semester. All teachers will now have the option to work virtually after students are dismissed.
March 4, April 13, and May 27, 2022 have been changed to half days for students, with April 13 and May 27, 2022, early dismissal for all staff.
For complete details of these changes, please see the news release (Board Amends 2021-22 School Year Calendar) on the CCPS website.
COVID-19 Vaccine for Children Ages 5-11
For complete information about the vaccine, now available for children ages 5-11, please visit the Caroline County COVID-19 website which includes FAQs: COVID-19 Vaccine for Children Ages 5-11 and Vaccine Clinic Information.
CCPS have partnered with Edmentum again this year utilizing Exact Path and their coaches to monitor, guide and support your students throughout the program. Parents will receive individual letters regarding the recommendation for their child followed by a phone call from the Exact Path coach to get started.
Calendar:
December 20
Ugly Sweater Spirit Day
Winter Concert 6:30 @ NCHS - This event is limited to family members.
December 21
Tinsel Toes Tuesday Spirit Day - wear holiday socks
Q2 Interim Reports distributed to students
December 22
Wintry Wednesday Spirit Day- wear Holiday colors
1 PM Dismissal for students
December 23 - January 2
Winter Break
January 3
School Resumes
Comfy Clothes Spirit Day
January 4
Board of Education Virtual Meeting - 6 PM
January 10
Wear Blue for Law Enforcement Spirit Day
January 17
NO SCHOOL - MLK Jr. Day
January 18
Board Work Session Virtual Meeting
January 25
1 PM Dismissal Day for Students
End of Quarter 2
January 26
NO SCHOOL for Students
Please be sure your children wear sneakers/tennis shoes in their scheduled PE day during the week.
Please remind your children not to bring toys to school.
Vision and Hearing Screening
Attendance Modifications for Quarantined Students
Attendance procedures for quarantined students have been modified as of the 2nd quarter of this school year (Nov. 8). This modification was made based on guidelines set by the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE).
For quarantine students who are unable to participate in academic activities:
An isolated student who is ill and unable to participate in academic activities will be reported as absent, which follows the CCPS attendance policy.
For quarantined students who are able to participate in academic activities:
Quarantined students who are healthy will be reported as present and are expected to participate in meaningful academic activities that advance student learning. CCPS will continue to use Google Classroom for access to class assignments and offer Zoom tutoring to support students who are quarantined.
If a quarantined student does not return to in-person, in-school instruction after the assigned quarantined period, the normal attendance or make-up work policies for absent students will be followed.
Vaccine Information from the Caroline County Health Department
The Caroline County Health Department, in partnership with Choptank Community Health and Caroline County Public Schools, is now offering COVID-19 vaccines for children ages 5-11.
Children in this age range may receive the Pfizer vaccine, which is administered as a two-dose primary series, 3 weeks apart. The children’s vaccine is a lower dose (10 micrograms) than that used for individuals 12 years of age and older (30 micrograms).
Vaccine clinics will be held at schools and at the Health Department’s vaccine center. A parent or legal guardian must be present and must sign a consent authorization at the time of vaccination. Click the school names below or visit our vaccine page to register your child for a vaccine. Future clinics will be added to the vaccine page on an ongoing basis.
Friday, November 12, 2021 from 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM at
Greensboro Elementary School, 627 N. Main Street, Greensboro
Denton Elementary School, 303 Sharp Road, Denton
Federalsburg Elementary School, 302 S. University Avenue, Federalsburg
Saturday, November 20, 2021 from 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Caroline County Vaccine Center, 18 Denton Plaza, Denton
Many pediatricians also have received vaccines, and your child may be able to be vaccinated at their doctor’s office.
Have questions about the COVID-19 vaccine for children? Check out this helpful Frequently Asked Questions post from the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Updated Guidelines for Quarantining Students
Updated Guidelines for Quarantining Students
Beginning Monday, October 18, CCPS will be following a modified process for quarantining unvaccinated students identified as close contacts of a positive case of COVID-19. Based on updated guidance from the Caroline County Health Department (CCHD), quarantining protocols will be as follows:
With masking:
In settings where all students are masked, an asymptomatic student who is identified as a close contact will no longer need to quarantine from school as long as the following conditions are met:
If at any time the student develops symptoms of COVID-19, he or she should isolate and get tested right away.
The student must continue to wear a mask properly for 14 days after the exposure in all settings.
The student cannot participate in activities within a school or public setting for 14 days where universal masking and social distancing are not in place. This includes sports and extracurricular activities.
Testing is recommended 5-7 days following the exposure.
Parents will be notified by email only if their child is identified as a close contact while masked. Parents should ensure their email address is current with the school, and check their email regularly.
Students currently quarantined under these conditions (all students masked) may return to school on Monday. Please check with the school nurse if you are unsure about the conditions of your child’s quarantine.
If parents choose to keep an asymptomatic child home to quarantine, they should notify the school and the absence will be excused until a specified return date.
Without masking:
Students who are identified as close contacts while not wearing a mask (such as during meals) will continue to be quarantined. Students currently quarantined under these conditions (no masks) must remain quarantined as directed. Please check with the school nurse if you are unsure about the conditions of your child’s quarantine.
COVID-19 Testing Available Once a Week in All Schools
Voluntary COVID-19 testing will be available one day a week in all schools, beginning the week of November 8, 2021.
CCPS has contracted with 20/20 GeneSystems in Rockville, Maryland to provide this service. Registration is required prior to participation in the testing program. Parents will be able to register students online with a one-time enrollment, which grants permission for once a week testing for the remainder of the school year.
Testing schedule:
Mondays beginning Nov. 8 - Federalsburg and Preston Elementary Schools, Colonel Richardson Middle and Colonel Richardson High Schools
Wednesdays beginning Nov. 10 - Denton, Greensboro and Ridgely Elementary Schools, Lockerman Middle and North Caroline High Schools
20/20 GeneSystems has developed a Frequently Asked Questions sheet for parents which includes information about the registration process.
Tutoring for Quarantined Students
Afterschool Tutors Available for Quarantined Students
Quarantined students in need of help with assignments may now connect with a tutor at their school.
Elementary School: 4:00 to 5:00 pm, Monday through Thursday, beginning Thursday, September 23
Zoom links for tutors may be found on student’s Google Classroom.
School Meals for Quarantined Students
Posted on September 25, 2021
Students who are not in school due to being quarantined as still eligible for free meals. Families interested in receiving meals may complete a form:
Student Meal Form, English
Student Meal Form, Spanish
Questions or concerns may be directed to Caroline County Public Schools Food Services, 410-479-3261.
The form also has information about Caroline Helping Hands which is a volunteer-based organization in partnership with Caroline County Public Schools, serving the children of Caroline County with holiday & weekend food bags.
If requested on the form, this program will provide children in need with a nutritious care pack of food to have as a supplement for weekend meals. This program is provided by generous donations and will continue to serve the community as long as funding is available. This program is absolutely FREE, there is no cost to the family.
Please Keep Students with Symptoms of Illness at Home
We are doing our very best to keep students in school but we need the help of our families. We are finding that some students who come to school with symptoms of illness are then testing positive for COVID-19. This leads to having to identify close contacts who then must be quarantined, meaning more students are missing school.
PLEASE help us keep students safe and in school as much as possible. Keep your child at home if they have any signs or symptoms of COVID-19 or other illness or have been exposed to a person with COVID-19 in the last 14 days.
Back Pack Program
Look for the Caroline County BackPack Program Registration/Renewal Form in your child's backpack, call Mrs. Buffenmyer to request a form or get additional information or use the link below to complete the form online.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeYSOvXNI-lNSkn_57ko6dJaRvvJyMkfVFGZuos0jFDONi-eg/viewform
Draft Reopening Plan and Survey
Posted on August 12, 2021
Accessible View on CCPS Website
All Maryland school systems are required to provide a Safe Return to In-Person Instruction and Continuity of Services Plan (Reopening Plan) that addresses the reopening of schools for the 2021-2022 year. This plan must provide for the continuity of services that address and maintain the health and safety of students, educators, and staff. There are 11 requirements necessary for a complete plan that will be submitted to the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE). The draft document is intended to provide an overview for public input. The final document will include more detailed information and reflect insight from our community survey.
We would appreciate you reading through the draft Reopening Plan and completing the survey that follows. Should you have any difficulty with the survey, please email PIO@ccpsstaff.org (Public Information Officer) for assistance.
Mask Information
Masks are required because we want our students to stay in school, in person. If a child is not wearing a mask and tests positive for COVID-19, the unvaccinated students around that child (masked or unmasked) are then required to be quarantined. However, if all students are masked and at least three feet apart in the classroom, only the child testing positive would miss school days. There may be other settings such as the bus or the cafeteria where physical distancing cannot be maintained. Our best chance at keeping classrooms and schools safe and open is to require everyone to wear masks and maintain three feet whenever possible.
RES Office Hours
School office hours are Monday - Friday from 8:30 AM - 4:00 PM.
RES is a TITLE I School
RES is a progressive community of learners collaboratively supporting each other through intentional planning in a risk-taking and trusting environment, leading to rigor, student autonomy, and mastery of content standards in all learning settings.
For more information, feedback, or input on the School Improvement Plan, please contact the school.
Lee Sutton, Principal
Email: sutton.lee@ccpsstaff.org
Website: ridgelyes.org
Location: 118 North Central Avenue, Ridgely, MD 21660
Phone: 410 479 3243