Rocky's Weekly Roundup
February 27, 2022
A Message from the Leadership Team...
Dear RES Families,
Wow, how is Tuesday March 1st already? The final week of February really went out with a bang and left us all wondering what season we were in - winter or spring?!
Beginning March 1st mask wearing in schools will be optional in all education settings including on the school bus. Some of our mitigation strategies have also changed. We have attached Dr. McKinnon's most recent communication regarding COVID-19 and changes to mitigation strategies below. In addition we have summed up some of our key takeaways below.
The PTA sponsored event, Meet the Principal has been rescheduled for March 3rd. The event will take place from 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at RES. Please see the attached flyer for additional details.
Mrs. Melissa Labrosciano, Principal
Mr. Joe Amodio, Assistant Principal
COVID-19 Updates...
At RES we are committed to supporting family decisions regarding mask-wearing. A short slide presentation created by the ER9 leadership team has been created to ensure common language supports our learners in understanding that mask-wearing is a family choice. Teachers will be sharing this slide presentation with their students on February 28th to communicate this information and to discuss the importance of respecting one’s right to choose. The presentation is also linked to our newsletter below.
Some key takeaways from the communications recently shared with the ER9 community:
Beginning March 1st, mask-wearing in schools will be optional.
Some of our mitigation measures have changed, and the safety of our students and staff are still a priority.
Staff will not be responsible for ensuring your family’s decision to wear or not wear a mask in school is followed throughout the school day.
We will continue to notify the RES community of a positive case that impacts individual classrooms.
Students and staff will still need to quarantine when testing positive for COVID-19.
At this time food will still not be allowed as part of classroom celebrations.
We will begin to allow more visitor opportunities at RES, initially such opportunities will include supporting classroom teachers and whole school projects and initiatives. In the coming weeks we will revisit visitors working with students and attending classroom celebrations.
Please take the time before March 1st to speak with your children about your family’s decision regarding mask-wearing at school. You may also wish to discuss with your child(ren):
Your family’s choice might not be the same as the choice of your friend’s family and that is okay!
At RES we show kindness and respect to all students and staff and we respect individual differences. We will respect family and staff member’s choices about wearing a mask.
If you feel your child might need additional support, understanding or dealing with any of these changes, reach out to us at any time.
Additionally, we will begin to provide greater flexibility with our morning drop off procedures for families who drive their children to school each day. Beginning tomorrow, Monday, February 28th, families who have multiple children in our building may choose ONE drop off location in the morning. If you have children on both ends of the building, it is recommended that our youngest students are dropped off in the rear of the building closest to their classrooms.
Read Across America
Starting tomorrow, February 28th, RES will be celebrating Read Across America and National Women in History month together! Read Across America is celebrated on Wednesday, March 2nd. This year’s theme is Create and Celebrate a nation of diverse readers. Each day will be a theme highlighting various, diverse women in our history who made their mark in America.
Check out our daily themes and how you can get into the reading spirit!!
RES Summer Academy
Virtual Author Visit - Bob Shea
Important Dates and Reminders
February 28-March 4: Reading Across America (details above!)
March 1: Redding BOE Meeting 7:00pm JRMS Community Room
March 3: Rescheduled PTA Sponsored Event - Meet the Principal! Cafe Bon food truck will be at RES (3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.) Staff are welcomed to grab a beverage anytime after 3:00 p.m. courtesy of the RES PTA!
March 9: RES PTA Meeting
March 10: Bob Shea Virtual Author Visit
March 14-16: Grade 2 OLSAT (more details will be shared this week)
March 18: Early Dismissal 12:50pm; PreSchool at 12:15pm
March 21-22: Grade 3 OLSAT (more details will be shared this week)
TENTATIVE LAST DAY OF SCHOOL - Tuesday, June 21st
MORNING BUS CIRCLE ACCESS
Please keep students and staff safe, and drop off LATE students at the big gym parking area, until ALL buses have cleared RES. With winter approaching, it is safe to assume that on a regular school day, buses should have cleared the bus circle by 8:20am - UNLESS we have an exceptionally tough weather situation happening that morning.
THANK YOU SO MUCH!
A Message from our School Nurses...
When to keep your child home:
· Fever greater than 100.0, vomiting, diarrhea. sore throat, significant cough or runny nose. Students need to be fever free without medication and without vomiting or diarrhea for 24 hours before returning to school.
· Contact the nurse if you are in need of a rapid Covid test.
Please continue to report positive COVID-19 results and COVID-19 exposures to the school nurse at jconnolly@er9.org or 203-938-2519 ext 309. Also, please report any flu, strep throat, pink eye or other communicable illnesses to the nurse.
Continue to enter the reason for absence (i.e. sore throat, stomachache, headache, fever) into School Dismissal manager. If your child is taking one of their 2 allotted Mental Health Days, please state this specifically for absence reasons, so we can mark it accordingly in PowerSchool.
Thank you, everyone, for the continued team effort it takes to keep our school community healthy and safe. It is especially important to be vigilant monitoring for illnesses and staying home, when we don't feel well, as we move into the next phase of removing the mask mandate on Tuesday, March 1st.
Nurse J. Connolly
Nurse D. Carley
Quote of the Week
Booker T. Washington, African American educator and reformer
Contact Us
Website: www.reddingelementaryps.org
Location: 33 Lonetown Road, Redding, CT, USA
Phone: (203)938-2519
Additional School Contacts
Office hours for Special Services is 7:30am - 3:00pm during the regular school year.
SPECIAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT
Ms. Jennifer Del Conte, Director, Special Services
Ms. Michelle King, Administrative Assistant to Director of Special Services
mking@er9.org Ext. 313
Mrs. Jennifer Hankla, Supervisor, Special Services
Mrs. Marilyn Caruso, Secretary, Special Services
mcaruso@er9.org Ext. 312
Office hours for the main office is 7:30am - 3:45pm during the normal 10-month / 180 day school year.
SUPPORT STAFF:
Miss Bobbie Granskog, School Secretary
bgranskog@er9.org Ext. 304
Budgets, Payroll, & Information for Rocky's Weekly Roundup!
Mrs. Komal Kulkarni, School Secretary
kkulkarni@er9.org Ext. 302
Registrar & Enrollment
Mrs. Rachel Saluzzi, School Secretary
rsaluzzi@er9.org Ext. 301
Assistant to School Principals
School Dismissal Manager & Subs
OTHER FREQUENTLY CALLED NUMBERS:
Nurse Connolly — Ext. 309
Library— Ext. 343
Kitchen — Ext. 346
You will find a complete list of telephone extensions and email addresses for our staff on our website www.reddingelementaryps.org