BC Bear Facts
January/February Newsletter: 1-17-22
PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE:
Dear Boulder Creek Families,
Happy New Year, and welcome to 2022!
This issue of the BC Bear Facts is a combination of January and February news. We were waiting on some new California Department of Public Health (CDPH) School Guidance before the January newsletter went out. Now that it has and we are over halfway through January, so we decided to combine the two months.
Please scroll through this edition of the BC Bear Facts as it is filled with important new information, including Student School Exposures to Covid. This recent news goes even further to reduce absences and keep children in school, while still taking measures to keep our school community healthy and safe. Please partner with us in carrying out this more flexible guidance.
In other news, we are helping our students Discover Your Excellence - The Boulder Way by focusing on schoolwide behavior expectations in every area of our campus. All staff members are reinforcing our Boulder Creek Behavior Matrix by being consistent, using the same language, and following through with our students. Take a look at the matrix below and view expected behavior examples. We appreciate your support at home with additional discussions about positive behavior.
We will also ramp up our positive discipline system by adding additional positive rewards for students who are exhibiting good manners, showing kindness, and resolving conflict positively.
We thank you in advance for assisting us by modeling teamwork and kindness for your children. :)
Best wishes for a healthy and happy new year!
Tina Croes
California Department of Public Health (CDPH) Updated School Quarantine Guidance
A Few Important Points ...
- This update reduces the burden on school staff for contact tracing and testing and shares greater responsibility with families.
- After exposure, schools are still obligated to provide exposure notification. We no longer have to have proof of testing in order for students to return. We are asking families to follow the process, and we are offering testing as a service at the school site. Families must notify us of positive cases but not negatives (unless returning after 5 days of testing positive). We are trusting families to monitor for symptoms and follow through with testing.
- Indoor sports athletes can now continue coming to school, continue to practice, and continue to play in games after exposure as long as they are not symptomatic and continue to test weekly. We are asking that they test daily for up to 5 days if exposed. Symptoms still matter!
NEW RAPID COVID-19 TESTING AT SCHOOL!
- Your child can be tested at school (with your permission each time) when he/she is showing symptoms and potentially go back to class with a negative result. Parents will no longer have to pick up their child immediately when their child has one symptom, like a headache for example. If you choose not to have your child tested, you need to pick your child up from school and quarantine them for ten days.
- Testing (negative result) will get your Covid-positive child back to school after five days.
- If your child is a close-contact at school, testing will allow you to send them to school without worry.
- Testing will allow your child to participate in indoor sports/activities.
EVEN THOUGH YOUR CHILD IS REGISTERED, WE WILL NEVER TEST THEM WITHOUT YOUR KNOWLEDGE. We may get your verbal consent on the phone, or preferably you will request a test by completing the Covid-19 Test Request.
Click HERE to register online.
2022-23 STUDENT REGISTRATION BEGINS!
It's already that time of year again! And, we can't wait until 2022-2023 as we are staying positive that Boulder Creek will be able to return to many of the in-person activities and events that enhance student learning as well as our family-like culture.
**REMEMBER** You do not have to re-register your child if he/she is already a Boulder Creek student.
We register students on a priority system with the first priority going to those who reside in the school attendance area and are not currently enrolled in school. Here are the registration dates and corresponding priorities:
Starting January 11, 2022
- Residents of the school attendance area, not currently enrolled in school
Starting January 18, 2022
- Those who moved into the attendance area after the first registration period
- Siblings already in the school of choice with an Inter/Intra-District Agreement
- Those who live inside the Enterprise Elementary School District boundaries with an Intra-District Agreement.
Starting January 24, 2022
- Open Enrollment, including those who live outside of the Enterprise Elementary School District boundaries with an Inter-District Agreement.
If you have specific questions, you may contact our Student Services Clerk, Devin McComas at dmccomas@eesd.net or 530-224-4140.
4/5 BOYS BASKETBALL AND GIRLS BASKETBALL TRYOUTS
Permission slips for 4/5 Boys' Basketball and 4/5 Girls' Basketball are due in the office no later than Tuesday, January 18th. Tryouts begin on Wednesday, January 19th. Please see the tryout packet for details about dates and times.
We have some good news for our 4/5 basketball teams! Representatives from California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) along with administrators from all over Shasta County have successfully made the case with Shasta County Public Health (SCPH) officials that playing basketball with a mask on also poses certain risks for our athletes. Therefore, SCPH has recently included basketball among the indoor sports that may be played without a mask AS LONG AS athletes are tested once a week. Please see the basketball packet for all the details about athlete weekly COVID testing.
All students trying out for basketball will be tested on the first day (Wednesday, January 19th) of tryouts. A special tryout will be held for a student who may test positive during the tryout period.
2021-2022 YEARBOOK
It’s time to order your 2021/2022 yearbook. All orders will be placed online at ybpay.com. Our school code is 11517122. The earlybird price is $30.00. The price will increase to $36 on March 1, 2022.
A Message to 8th Grade Families:
If your child has been at Boulder Creek since Kindergarten, please submit their Kindergarten photo to melodyalspach@gmail.com by February 18th. This photo will be displayed on the yearbook's "Throwback to Kindergarten" page.
We will also be soliciting ads from our 8th-grade parents as well. More information will be sent home to our 8th-grade parents soon.
Any questions? Please feel free to email me, melodyalspach@gmail.com.
Best,
Melody Alspach
Yearbook Advisor
BC Focuses on THE BOULDER CREEK WAY!
BOULDER CREEK BOOSTER (Parent) CLUB
PARENT/ADULT VOLUNTEER REQUIREMENTS
Boulder Creek staff and students are thrilled that this year we are able to welcome our parent and other adult volunteers back on campus in the 2021-22 school year! We will have to follow the same restrictions that apply to our adult staff members beginning October 15th, which will take organization and coordination on the part of our staff and our volunteers. We would love to work with those who are willing as our volunteers provide valuable support to our students and staff.
2021/22 COVID-19 Protocols for Volunteers/Visitors/Mentors (Aligns with CDPH Guidance for Schools)
- Limit nonessential visitors, volunteers, and activities involving external groups or organizations with people who are not fully vaccinated, particularly in areas where there is moderate-to-high COVID-19 community transmission.
- Schools should not limit access for direct service providers but can ensure compliance with school visitor policies.
- Anyone who has symptoms of infectious illness, such as flu or COVID-19, should stay home and seek testing and care.
- Volunteers must show proof of vaccination or a weekly test.
- Indoors: all adults must wear a face covering and practice social distancing*.
- Outdoors: masks are optional but encouraged. Practice social distancing*.
- Field Trip volunteers/chaperones must provide proof of vaccination or a negative test within three school days. No volunteers will ride the bus with students, or provide transportation unless they provide proof of vaccination and have administrator approval. All the above guidelines for face coverings and social distance apply to field trip chaperones.
- All visitors/volunteers must register in the school office and be cleared through the district’s Raptor System (Board Policy 1250).
JANUARY/FEBRUARY/MARCH IMPORTANT DATES:
January 11th (Tuesday): First day back from Christmas Break for Students
January 12th: Parent/Booster Club Meeting via Google Meet (see link):
meet.google.com/ydk-woeh-otz?hs=122&authuser=0
January 17th: Martin Luther King Jr. Day Observed - No school
February 9th at 5:30: BC Booster Club Meeting (virtual)
Meeting Link: meet.google.com/vmb-sywu-hnw
February 21-25th: President's Week Break - No School
March 7-11th: Parent/Teacher Conference Week - Trimester 2
March 9th at 5:30: BC Booster Club Meeting (virtual)
Meeting Link: meet.google.com/kba-onqk-gye
LUNCH AND BREAKFAST
Breakfast Menu
Lunch Menu
ATHLETICS
State Guidance for Sports in Schools
** Students participating in basketball must be Covid tested once per week as they will not be required to wear a mask while playing in a game. However, they must wear a mask while on the sidelines.
Student-athletes who have tested positive may not participate in practice or games until their isolation period is over and they are cleared to return. Students who are symptomatic may continue to participate as long as they test negative. The team is requested to test daily for five days should they be exposed.
We will do everything possible to continue with extracurricular activities as long as there is staffing available and we can meet the state's requirements.
OFFICE HOURS AND PROCEDURES
PARENT PORTAL LOG-IN
All parents, including new parents, should have logged into the Parent Portal at some point already. Why do you need to create a parent account? This is a secure platform through which you will view your child's teacher/class, receive your child’s report card, complete enrollment, and complete the necessary beginning of the year school forms like your child's emergency card. In the future, this is also how state testing results will be communicated.
Click HERE for the link to the parent portal. If you cannot log-in successfully, please call our school's office at 224-4140 or email our tech helpline at help@eesd.net. Be sure to keep your log-in information in a safe but accessible place.
IMPORTANT LINKS
- help@eesd.net: for Chromebook questions (including how to get a device); technology troubleshooting as directed by your child's teacher
- eesd.net: for online resources and other district information
- bouldercreek.eesd.net: for weekly newsletters and other information
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs)
Q: If a student in my child's class becomes Covid -19 positive, will my child and his/her class have to quarantine?
A: If students are following all protocols, mainly properly wearing their masks indoors, they will be able to attend school and participate in extracurriculars as long as they are symptom-free and Covid-negative.
Q: Is there ever a time when my child's whole class may have to learn from home?
A: This hasn't happened yet but could happen if your child's teacher was covid positive, named as a close contact, had to quarantine, AND we could not find a substitute teacher. There is a very limited number of substitute teachers and other substitute staff available in Shasta County.
Boulder Creek School
Website: https://bouldercreek.eesd.net/
Location: 505 Springer Drive, Redding, CA, USA
Phone: 530-224-4140
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bouldercreekschool/