Dear CST Family,

This past Thursday we welcomed back all our teaching staff to the building. It was kind of like a family reunion having not seen each other in person since March. There was such a positive feel with the day. Of course, this return was a day after learning we are starting in full remote in the district. This approach will be new for everyone, but our teachers are up for the task. Next week, staff will receive professional development on remote learning and our new learning management system (LMS) which will be a vital platform for remote learning and teaching. It's important to note, although we are beginning in remote learning, this does not impact the numbers I shared last week of remote vs in-person learners. Those who originally selected remote will continue on the remote path at least through the first semester, regardless of our district's status. Those who selected in-person for the semester, will begin in remote with hopes to return this semester in person. Both sets of students will follow a schedule reflective of our bell schedule in the building regardless of their classification.

Other note, student schedules will be released on Synergy on Friday, September 4th. This is a delay from 8/31 posted last week. The delay impacts all 10 middle schools and allows our counselors added time to complete the scheduling of all our students. This is a major undertaking for our counselors who will be shuffling, balancing, and creating classes for students and staff. Students who registered for "in-person" learning will follow their class schedule with their scheduled CST teacher. Students who registered as "remote learners" will also follow their schedule and will also have a schedule taught by mostly CST teachers. However, some sections may be taught by non-CST teachers as our district works together to cover all student needs. Student schedules will be released on 9/4 to Synergy. For those who selected remote learning from the beginning, I expect a district communication soon with further details. For now, the bell schedule for all students is posted below. More info to come.

Thanks for reading and I wish you all a great week ahead!

Rick

Week at a glance...

(CST Summer Appointment Hours--9am-3pm--phones 7am-5pm)

The building will be closed on Fridays through the month of August.

Monday, 8/24

• Device Deployment and return--9am-6pm--FRONT OF CST (more info below)
  
• Staff PD
  

Tuesday, 8/25

• Device Deployment and return--9am-6pm--FRONT OF CST (more info below)
• Staff PD
  

Wednesday, 8/26

• Staff PD
  

Thursday, 8/27

• Staff PD
  

Friday, 8/28

• Building Closed

Upcoming Important Dates...

• Tuesday 9/1 and Wednesday 9/2--6th grade tour event--THIS HAS BEEN CANCELED
• Monday 9/4--student schedules released (postponed from 8/31)
• Tuesday 9/8--First day for all students (7:50am)--All Students Begin in Remote Learning
  

District Info: Re-Open 2020

• Re-open2020: https://www.olatheschools.org/Page/10371
  
• FAQs: https://www.olatheschools.org/Page/10370

Dear CST Family,

We have dates set for new device pick up with instructions. Please read below and set aside some time on either of the 2 dates to stop by and pick up your new device!

Information About Pick Up
Surface Go Pick Up will be held at CST on Monday, August 24th from 9am-6pm and on Tuesday, August 25th, also from 9am-6pm. This will be a curbside pick up, so you will not need to leave your car. Drive up to our front doors along 159th Street, and Olathe Technology Staff will be here to help you through the process.

What Do I Need To Bring To Pick Up?

• Returning 7th and 8th Graders: You must bring your iPad, Charge Cord, and Brick (Cube). Olathe Technology Staff will check these items in and then hand you a box containing your Surface Go and all other necessary items. You must bring and return these items in exchange for your Surface Go.

• 6th Graders and New Students: You will not have a device to exchange. Instead, you must have your Student ID number. You should be able to access this information from your completed student enrollment. It will also be available in StudentVue or ParentVue. This will allow Olathe Technology Staff to quickly locate and distribute your device.

How Do I Use My Surface Go?

• Additional information regarding your new Surface Go can be found inside the box you will receive from Olathe Technology Staff.

What If I Miss The Pick Up Times?

• If you are unable to retrieve your device on the designated pickup dates, additional pickup dates and times will be scheduled by the Technology Support Center. After next week, Surface Gos will not be available for pick up at CST. Please try to ensure you have quick and easy access to your device by coming anytime between 9am-6pm on August 24th or 25th.

We are excited for our students to receive these devices and for the versatility they will provide in the classroom for the 2020-2021 school year. Feel free to reach out with questions; otherwise, we’ll plan on seeing you here at CST on Monday or Tuesday between 9am-6pm!

Rick Sola, Principal

A brief intro video shared with staff--reminding us of our students; our purpose...proud to be a wildcat!

Subject: Important Update from the Olathe Public Schools

Olathe Public Schools parents,

Yesterday, the Johnson County Department of Health and Environment (JCDHE) met with superintendents to review the gating criteria for the 2020-21 school year. With the community COVID-19 numbers as they currently stand, we are in the red category of the JCDHE gating criteria. This means that when school resumes on Sept. 8, our middle and high schools will be learning remotely in the district’s Systemwide Online learning plan for the first few weeks of the semester. On Sept. 22, we will study the data again to determine next steps. It is our hope that we can transition safely into full in-person learning after that time.

After input from health officials, staff and families, district administration has decided to begin the year cautiously by having elementary students start the year in a hybrid model. In the hybrid model, elementary students will be divided into two groups by alphabet. Half the students (group A) would attend school in-person on Monday/Tuesday and participate in learning activities at home the remaining three days (Wed-Fri). Group B students would attend school in-person on Thursday/Friday and participate in learning activities at home the first three days of the week. On the days students are not at school, they will have daily contact with a teacher. For middle and high school, the Systemwide Online learning schedule will match the building on-site schedule.

Please note that the hybrid model applies only to those families who chose in-person learning at registration. Families who chose remote learning at registration will stay with the remote learning group. More information will be released in the coming weeks for each learning group.

Additionally, activities and athletics will be handled on a week-by-week basis to determine safety and next steps.

We share in your disappointment that we could not begin the year as we hoped, with a full, in-person option. In the end, the safety and health of students and staff is our first priority. There will be many questions and we are committed to providing answers. Thank you for your patience. More information will be coming soon.

In the meantime, here are some important items that we would like to share:

• As we have mentioned in the past, Systemwide Online and Remote Learning will be vastly different than the Continuous Learning Plan of last spring. Students will receive more direct instruction, greater accountability with daily interactions with staff, required attendance, assignments, feedback and grades.
• Beginning on August 31, class lists and student schedules will be available on ParentVUE. If you have questions or needs regarding schedules, please contact your school.
• Our plan is to start the year in a virtual/hybrid format and regularly review data to determine next steps. On Sept. 22, we will review the data provided by JCDHE, then communicate with families whether we will transition into hybrid or in-person learning, or remain in Systemwide Online learning mode. Expect communication from us every step of the way as we determine next steps. When students transition back to hybrid learning or in-person learning, any student who chose remote learning at enrollment would stay in the remote environment for the duration of the semester.
• Schools will communicate with families about plans for distribution of technology devices. Please watch for communication from schools about device distribution as we get closer to the start of the school year.
• The district has available mobile hot spots for families in need of assistance with internet access. Families can contact their child’s principal to check out a mobile hotspot free of charge.
• Information related to special education and Individual Education Plans will be communicated to families by building teams in the coming weeks.

Thank you for your patience as we navigate this ever-changing situation. We greatly appreciate you and all of your support and input. We truly are stronger together.

Olathe Public Schools Administration

Get into the CST spirit with our online spirit wear store! There are many designs for embroidery and print options. Store closes at 11:59:59pm on August 31st with delivery to CST scheduled right after students arrive back to the building!

FYI: We plan for 2 more stores this school year. One in time for the holidays opening around Thanksgiving and another in the spring.

Click the link to be taken to the store!

https://chisholmtrail2020.itemorder.com/sale

Unfortunately, the event planned for 6th grade students on 9/1 and 9/2 has been postponed. We hope to offer the same event in the future depending on how our situation develops. I am hopeful we will be able to carry out the plans below on a future date--stay tuned.

Message from week of 8/17 WW below

____________________________________________________

We will have 2 opportunities for 6th grade families to walk through CST for a self-guided tour of the building. WEB leaders will be stationed along the route to provide information about that particular area. Along the way all 6th grade students will receive a CST t-shirt and perhaps even another little surprise! For those unable to attend we'll have a virtual option and we'll make sure your child receives their t-shirt. It'll be a fun kick-off event led by our 8th grade WEB leaders and an opportunity to meet CST admin. We hope to see you there! A sign-up genius for either night will be sent out separately to 6th grade families in the coming week.

A few logistical notes for this night...

• Temperature checks are required for all entering the building (this will be the practice at least at the start of the year per mandate)
• Masks are required for all in the building
• A sign-up genius will go to 6th grade families soon for an arrival window
• Limited to immediate families only, we will begin in the event entrance and encouraged not to arrive before 5 minutes prior to "launch" window of time
• Families will start one at a time spaced out in timing
• It's a self-pace tour with an established route. Families may pass others but the expectation is for families to stay distanced
• Exit will be out the front of the building with a photo op in front of the building

CST sports are set to begin on 9/8, the first day of school. Per the info below, we encourage physicals to be completed ahead of time and turned into the office for verification of clearance to play. The constant caveat, of course, is the situation is fluid and subject to change. Once new game schedules are created for the fall seasons (VB, FB, XC) this section will be updated. Team specific messages will be placed in the weekly as we move closer to the season or as pertinent updates occur. Feel free to contact head coaches of the sport of interest, athletic director, or principal with questions.

• CST Coaches/Teams Page: https://www.olatheschools.org/domain/2109
• CST Athletic Director: Krista Dueringer (kdueringercst@olatheschools.org)
• Principal: Rick Sola (rfsola@olatheschools.org)

UPDATED EMAIL MESSAGE SENT AS OF 7:30AM, 8/11/20

Dear CST Parents,

Please see a brief update below regarding sports at the middle school. The info has also been added to the 8/10 Weekly Wildcat and additional CST specific info will be included in the upcoming 8/17 WW. Feel free to reach out to the office or specific coach with questions. You can also find athletic information on our website HERE. We will continue to share any updates or changes we receive.

Thank you,

Rick Sola, principal

Middle School Fall Sports Start Up

With the first day of school delayed until Tuesday, September 8, middle school cross country, volleyball, and football practices will begin on this date as well. Between now and then, athletes need to turn in their required paperwork to the office, including physical and concussion form.

We wanted to provide you with additional information related to football and this upcoming season. The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) identified football as high-risk sport, due to its high probability spread of respiratory particles. At their August meeting, the Olathe Board of Education adopted the Johnson County Gating plan, which restricts high-risk sports to no competition, no group travel, and allows practicing/conditioning with modifications – all if in the yellow phase.

(https://www.jocogov.org/sites/default/files/documents/CMO/Reopening%20Schools%20Criteria%202020.pdf).

We will continue to move forward with modified conditioning and practices for football which is allowed by the JCDHE. At this time, due to the current numbers in the county, we will not be playing games. However, we will continue to explore, as numbers allow, football competition opportunities during the fall season.

Finally, the volleyball and cross country competition schedule will be altered due to the delayed start of practice. More information will be forthcoming regarding the final sports schedule.

Thank you for your patience and flexibility as we navigate this situation.

With registration locked and numbers set, here is where CST is currently in regards to in-person/remote numbers. 8th grade is higher in part due to its larger class size overall in comparison to 6th and 7th grade.

550 in-person learners

149 remote learners (21%)

Remote by Grade:

6--48

7--43

8--58

You should receive an email and a text alerting you of the updated weekly. If you do not have an email we do not have an accurate address. Please contact Melynda Marquardt to be added or verified.

CST Data Operator: Melynda Marquardt (mrmarquardt@olatheschools.org)

Olathe staff and families,

Tonight during the August Board of Education meeting, the board discussed important items related to the 2020-21 school year that I wanted to share.

First, the board discussed and adopted the recently released gating criteria provided by the Johnson County Department of Health and Environment. Following an analytical approach based in science and data, the gating criteria provides operating procedure for if/when schools would operate in-person, under hybrid procedures or all remote learning. The Olathe Public Schools will follow this criteria for the 2020-21 school year.

More information regarding the gating criteria can be found here: https://www.jocogov.org/school-reopening-criteria. We have received many questions and as it stands, if school were to begin next week as originally scheduled, we would fall under the yellow category. We have a month to reverse current trends.

The second piece of information I’d like to bring to your attention is the adoption of the 2020-21 school calendar. The approved calendar will be posted next week. It is important to note that the approved calendar keeps the last day of school, spring break and winter break intact.

I’m proud of the work that the professional council and Olathe NEA has done to ensure some familiarity during uncertain times.

Lastly, I want to express my sincere appreciation to each and every one of you for your resiliency and resolve. Together we find ourselves in new territory. I want to assure you that as such, the safety of our staff and students will always be our top priority. Ensuring that together we follow local and national health guidelines is vital.

Respectfully,

John Allison, Superintendent

Olathe Middle School students will be issued a Microsoft Surface Go (pictured below) device this school year. Our returning 7th and 8th graders who still have their iPads will need to locate the issued cord, block, and iPad itself to swap out for the new Microsoft Surface Go device. More details to come but now is a good time to locate all that needs to be returned to avoid fees. The return of these iPads are important as they will be repurposed for the elementary schools and help us complete our 1 to 1 initiative at all grade levels.

• Our office will operate Monday through Thursday, 9am-3pm with calls from 7am-5pm.
  
• We will be implementing a "drop off station" in the front foyer to allow for contact-less drop off/pick up.

• Please call the CST front office with questions--913-780-7240.
  

Receptionist: Chrissy Walters

Assistant Principal's Secretary: Angie Peterson

Attendance Secretary: Connie Bray

Bookkeeper/Principal's Secretary: Andrea Wescott

Data Operator: Melynda Marquardt

School Nurse: Jennifer Ross

Please keep info updated (email, phone number, medical, etc.). Contact the office at 913-780-7240 if you are concerned you may be missing communication or need to update your family's information.

A stable group is a group of students who are together regularly for the same purpose. At elementary the stable group/cohort would be their class. A secondary stable group would be the hourly classes or routine activities in which they participate. Middle school will have as many as 8 stable groups--each of their 7 class periods and CAT. Students will also eat lunch with their class in the lunchroom at assigned tables. This is also considered a stable group.