Raider Nation Staff Newsletter
Week of June 1, 2020
Diploma Distribution and Phase 1 Re-entry
Hello Raider Nation,
We have reached the month of June. Our normal was forever changed when we left Atholton on March 13. Who could have imagined that the end of our school year would look like this?! Nevertheless, each of you stepped up to the challenge. Now we find ourselves having to close out the year given all of the new protocols required.
Tomorrow is diploma distribution day. I sent out the information and plan for the day. Adrienne has done another phenomenal job in organizing our staff volunteers. Please reach out to her if you have any questions regarding your assignment on Monday. THANK YOU again for volunteering and making our seniors feel special. Unfortunately, there will not be lunch provided as before so plan accordingly.
Our graduation, scheduled for next Monday, June 8 at 6pm may be viewed here. I want to personally thank all of the teachers who took time to create a message to send to our seniors. I am sure they will appreciate you for being a part of their virtual graduation.Our seniors have uploaded their videos for the virtual graduation. I hope you have the opportunity to view our graduation and the senior videos. They are so creative and the personalities of our seniors really shine. In reality, I think this is a much better way to capture the uniqueness of each student and they are not forced to simply walk out, shake hands, and exit the stage. There are some who would disagree.
In addition to diploma distribution, the administrative team has been working on Phase 1 (Staff) and Phase 2 (Students) Re-Entry Plans into Atholton High School. Our phase 1 implementation will begin this week (Friday, June 5) with our Instructional Team Leaders. Your ITL will then communicate any things you will need to take care of during your re-entry into the building. Below is the Phase 1 plan for Atholton. Lastly, our bookkeeper, Colleen Fowler, will be in the building on Friday, June 5 and you may make an appointment with her if necessary.
Phase I Re-entry Plan - Atholton HS
Re-entry dates
June 5
Instructional Team Leaders (9 a.m. - 1 p.m.) / Bookkeeper (8:30 a.m - 2 p.m.)
June 8
Extended Entry for staff changing rooms, leaving AHS, retiring (9 a.m. - 1 p.m.)
**Staff will be contacted by Sam Richman to schedule re-entry**
June 9 & 10
Teacher Re-entry (8:00 a.m. - 4 p.m.) Teacher Sign-Up Link
June 15
Support Staff (Paraeducators, Assistants) Support Staff Sign-Up Link
Guidelines and Expectations for re-entry
Prioritized and limited entrance to Atholton High School will be granted based on the planning considerations within this document. Limiting exposure opportunities remains highly effective in preventing COVID-19 transmission and protecting our school community. Staff will be allowed no more than 30 minutes for entrance into the school and no more than 3 people per zone at a time. Staff MUST use the designated entrance and exits. Staff will turn in their keys as they leave the building.
Planning Considerations
Please complete the APPROPRIATE (teacher / support staff) Sign Up Genius documents to assist with implementing a safe and effective re-entry into Atholton High School by Tuesday, June 2.
Staff will indicate if any other adult will also be present to assist in the staff member’s classroom. Only 1 additional adult per staff member will be allowed. Staff members must use the sign up genius to indicate extra assistance and complete another time slot.
If there are staff members unable or unwilling to enter the school building due to personal concerns about health, staff will be asked to work with administrators for alternative plans.
The building will be divided into zones, allowing for no more than 3 individuals per zone. Please see the school map included at the end of this document.
- a. Zone 1 A Hallway
- b. Zone 2 B Hallway
- c. Zone 3 C Hallway
- d. Zone 4 Media
- e. Zone 5 F Hallway
- f. Zone 6 D Hallway
- G. Zone 7 E Hallway and gym
- h. Zone 8 G Hallway (Upstairs- Front area)
- i. Zone 9 G Hallway (Upstairs- Back area
Secretarial Assignments
Dean Lindblad, Robbie Adkins, Mona Weinberg, Nancy Beneski, Jamie Melcher, and Abby Brownley will assist with checking in and checking out process.
Designated entrance and exit hallways will be used to create clear passage ways and alleviate overlaps. Please see the school map (at the end of this document):
- a. Entrance: Main Doors at the front of the building will be used for check-in and access.
- b. Exit: Doors by 1st floor elevator (flag pole area) will be used for exit and check-out.
- c. Staff will access the hallway that provides the most direct route to the staff member’s classroom zone.
The will be minimal access to the elevator due to constraints of small space and inability to sanitize between individual uses.
Staff Guidelines
Staff should remain at least 6 feet apart from one other to avoid close contact.
Staff should wash their hands after leaving the building.
Staff should not come to the school if they are sick (temperature 100+, cough, shortness of breath) or have been asked to self-isolate. HCPSS will NOT be taking staff temperatures when they enter the building.
Staff need to wear a mask in the building. HCPSS will not be providing masks.
Staff may choose to wear gloves. HCPSS will not be providing gloves.
Custodial cleaning has taken place following established guidelines from the Howard County Health Department. Staff should maintain cleanliness while in the building. No food is permitted. Water bottles will be allowed. Trash should be emptied in cafeteria trash bins.
Bathrooms are available in each designated wing/zone. Staff should access the bathroom in the assigned zone.
Time in the building should be minimized to the extent possible.
Staff may not be able to regain entry into the building at any other times or at a later date.
Those staff who are remaining in the same classroom next year do not need to do anything to the classroom. It is recommended that staff take home any personal items or items of value.
Please check (empty) your mailbox while you are in the building.
Any financial documents (invoices, checks, etc.) should be turned in at check-out. Colleen Fowler (new bookkeeper) will be available on 6/5/20 by appointment (please email her).
No confidential files may be removed from the building.
We hope to make this process as safe and seamless as possible. HCPSS has allotted 30 minute blocks for you to close out things and retrieve any items. We anticipate that many of you will be done well before the allotted time.
AP teachers should have received a link from the College Board with a request to review your students’ work (blank pages, red flags, etc.). Please see the information below.
Here are the links to the senior awards, senior stars, and athletics awards. A special shout out to Lisa Clearfield, Dana Meledick, the entire Student Services Team, and Mike Senisi. Nice job on this projects!!
Lastly, you will find guidelines below regarding the last two weeks of school. Please use this timeline in your planning and consult your ITL with any questions you may have. Your ITL will bring those to admin and we will provide an answer for everyone.
Thanks so much for everything. I know this is a lot but the finish line is in sight. Hang in there!!
Robert
Have a great week and see some of you tomorrow!
Robert
Important Information
Attention AP Teachers
You now have access to your students’ AP responses and the corresponding free-response questions from this year’s AP Exams. It is important that teachers review their students’ responses because they may be able to identify whether a student participated or potentially had submission errors. You will be able to spot errors or other problems that will allow for a student to participate in exception testing. We will be providing up to 2 hours of workshop wages per teacher to complete the task. More information about accessing the files and what to do if issues are identified can be found here: https://apcoronavirusupdates.collegeboard.org/educators/2020-ap-exam-frqs
Please submit your request for workshop wages to Nina Dix who will process with Robbie Adkins.
In late June or July, there will also be a process for score appeals. When AP provides more detail on those appeals, we will share with teachers and workshop wages that are available for the work. The technical issues that you are able to catch now will eliminate some of the appeals in the summer.
Thank you for all that you are doing to support our students during this unique AP exam administration.
End Of Year Schedule / Grading
June 8 -12
- Last NEW assignment assigned for grading (6/8) and submitted (6/12)
June 15 - 18
- Curriculum Offices providing activities for teachers (surveys, discussions, etc.)
- Consult your ITL for specifics
June 19, 22, 23
- Half days. Schedule / Activities not released yet. TBD
June 23
- LAST DAY OF SCHOOL
From HCPSS
Next Steps:
Due to the change in schedule, it is important to note that the last week to assign new work will be the week of June 8. Assignments will be due on June 12 with the understanding that staff supports the collection and grading of assignments during the week of June 15. The 7-day support and celebration of our students are highly valued, and we encourage schools to generate energy around these days.
THIS WEEK
Meetings
All Meetings are VIRTUAL
Friday -- SST Meeting (1:15 p.m.)
Mark Your Calendar
June 1 -- Diploma Distribution
June 5 -- ITL Re-entry / Bookkeeper
June 8 -- GRADUATION (6 p.m.)
June 9 & 10 -- Teacher Re-entry
June 15 -- Support Staff Re-entry
June 16 - 19 -- Student Re-entry
June 23 -- Last Day of School
Atholton High School
Email: rmotley@hcpss.org
Website: ahs.hcpss.org
Location: 6520 Freetown Road, Columbia, MD, USA
Phone: 4103137065