QE Weekly Update
8.29.21
Dear QE Families,
We are less than 24 hours away from our first day with students and I’m excited to see our building brimming with excitement and learning! We have 181 days to make a lasting impact on our students and I can’t wait to see what day 1 brings us tomorrow!
This past week was a busy one! We had Kindergarten Orientation which helped get many of our students acclimated to the new environment and we helped parents get normed on expectations and logistics. If you missed Kindergarten Orientation, here is a link to the presentation that was used. This was followed by a hot start to the day at Convocation for all of our staff, which then led to a day full of learning, sharing, and problem-solving around social-emotional learning and our school-wide positive behavior intervention system. Both of these topics are aligned with our superintendent and board goals. The Ice Cream Social followed our professional development day and was well attended and I enjoyed greeting students and their families at the front door.
As always, please see below for important information and we look forward to seeing all of our students tomorrow!
Important Information
School Times
School Times:
Doors Open: 8:55 AM
School Starts: 9:10 AM
School Dismissal: 3:40 PM
The school office is open from 8:00 AM until 4:30 PM.
Mrs. Detweiler’s email address: jdetweiler@qcsd.org
*Please do not drop off students prior to 8:55 AM because there will be no adult supervision at this time!
Morning Routine/Drop-off and Dismissal Procedures
In our effort to ensure student and staff safety, student arrival and dismissal at Quakertown Elementary School will resemble the same procedures utilized last school year, 20-21. Please see this link for our student arrival and dismissal guidelines.
It is our goal with student arrival, as with all other day-to-day aspects of school, to mitigate, minimize, and eliminate all potential safety concerns. With your help, support, and adherence to these measures, we will be able to safely and quickly have all QE students entered into the building ready to learn, and students safely on their way home.
Please note that this system may change based on other factors and circumstances. As these changes come up, we will communicate them to you.
Attendance, Safe Arrival APP, and Family Trips
Tardiness:
School starts at 9:10 AM. Any student arriving after this time is considered tardy. If any student arrives late, he/she must stop at the office before going to class to get a tardy slip.
Absenteeism:
To report an absence, use the School Messenger / Safe Arrival process. DOWNLOAD THE APP HERE. Please CLICK HERE for detailed instructions on how to report your child’s absence.
Family Trips – Vacation Form
If you are taking a family trip, please fill out THIS FORM and submit it to the QE office at least 10 days in advance of the trip. Trips are limited to 5 school days. See the form for more details.Free Meals Information
Hello QCSD Parents and Guardians. We are pleased to inform you that Quakertown Community School District will be participating in the Seamless Summer Option (SSO) during the 2021-2022 school year. This program is available to school districts as part of the waivers issued by USDA on April 20, 2021.
All QCSD students are eligible to receive a nutritional breakfast and lunch each school day at NO CHARGE to your household. No action is required for your student(s) to participate.
*Please note – it is still strongly encouraged that all families fill out a Free & Reduced Lunch Application. If the State of Pennsylvania distributes P-EBT cards again during this school year, its determination of funding is based on your student's Eligibility Status on file with our district. In addition to possible P-EBT cards, an approved application on file qualifies students for a 30-day grace period beginning in the following school year.
A La Carte items will be an available option for the new school year so please remember to fund your student(s) School Cafe Account. Applications are available on the QCSD website by clicking here. If you have questions, contact Stacy Reiss at sreiss@qcsd.org or 215-529-2022.
Health and Safety Plan Updates
Below, please find the answer to commonly asked questions about this year’s Health and Safety Plan. Please remember that the Board-approved Health and Safety Plan provides the limit for the mitigation strategies that district employees are permitted to use. Any mitigation strategies beyond what is explicitly written in the plan can only be implemented upon written direction from the Bucks County Health Department in individual cases/circumstances.
Classroom arrangement/seating:
The Board-approved Health and Safety Plan provides for social distancing “where feasible” and does not contain any limitations or specific requirements for desk spacing or arrangement of the classroom. Each teacher is expected to arrange their room to meet their instructional and learning objectives.
Enforcement of mask wearing for students who opt to wear masks:
The Board-approved Health and Safety Plan provides that masks are optional, meaning that each individual will decide whether and when to wear a mask. Since masks are optional, teachers are not expected to enforce mask wearing in the classroom for students whose parents want them to remain masked.
Mask breaks for students who choose to wear a mask:
Since masks are optional under the Board approved Health and Safety Plan, students who choose to wear a mask can determine when they want to take a mask break. There are no specific times assigned for mask breaks - breaks can be taken at any time at the student’s discretion.
Notification and identifying close contacts:
With the resumption of more “normal” school routines such as assemblies, lunch in the cafeteria, and typical classroom routines such as carpet time and unrestricted recess, the district will not be able to accurately identify students who were close contacts of a student or staff member testing positive for COVID-19. Per the Board-approved Health and Safety Plan, notification letters will be sent to a classroom, lunch, bus, activity, or building to make sure that everyone who may be a close contact has been notified.
If my child has to remain out of school due to a positive COVID-19 test or symptoms, how will they keep up with their school work? Can they switch to virtual like last year?
No, there is not a virtual option for this year. An absence due to COVID-19 symptoms or positive test will be handled the same as any other illness. Teachers may be able to provide some work during the absence, the same as for any other absence, and per Board Policy, students have the same number of days after their return as they were absent to make up work they missed while out sick.
Upcoming Important Dates
Monday, August 30 - First Day for Students!
Monday, September 6 - Labor Day - No School
Tuesday, September 7 - Non-Instructional Day (untracked) - No School
Friday, September 10 - PBIS Kick-Off
Friday, September 17 - Spirit Day
Wednesday, September 22 - Back to School Night (6:00-7:30)
Monday, September 27 - PIE Meeting (7:00-8:30)
About Us
The children are our most cherished possessions. Please know that we will do everything in our power to make sure your child feels respected, safe, happy, and successful at Quakertown Elementary School. When we are working together; parents, teachers, staff, and students, we will come together to help each child reach their fullest learning potential.
Email: glesher@qcsd.org
Website: https://qes.qcsd.org/
Location: Quakertown Elementary School, South 7th Street, Quakertown, PA, USA
Phone: 215-529-2412
Facebook: facebook.com/NA
Twitter: @QTownElementary