School News
August 4, 2020
Buckle Up...We've Got This!
Important Back-to-School Details
I'll update info a things evolve, but this is what I can tell you today...
- First Student Day - August 12! Doors will open for students to enter beginning at 7:40. Students are encouraged not to arrive much earlier, especially in inclement weather. Breakfast will be available as a Grab-and-Go option and students will eat in the classroom. Lunch will take place in the cafeteria, but students will sit every other seat, in order to promote social distancing.
- Teacher Assignments - We are still working on enrollment so class rosters are not finalized. Please know that rosters can change up to the day before school starts. In the next few days, we'll publish teacher assignments. We thank you for your trust in our decisions, as we have worked very hard to pair students with teachers and peers in order to set everyone up for success.
- Meet the Teacher - We will not host Meet the Teacher Night this year. Teachers will be preparing a back-to-school greeting to introduce themselves to families. Watch for that in your email as our first day approaches. Be sure to communicate dismissal arrangements and any special health information to your child's teacher prior to the first day of school.
- Remote Learning Students - Students who enrolled in our remote learning option will need to pick up their devices this week on Thursday or Friday. Pick up times are between 8:30-11:30 and 1:00-3:00. A parent or guardian will need to be present to sign the consent form.
- Masks - Masks will be worn by students and staff. Exceptions will be made during mealtimes and other times when social distancing can be achieved. Masks may be removed when eating & drinking, during strenuous activity and with documented medical needs. I have ordered break-away lanyard for each student. They will have a plastic sleeve for a lunch ID that can be scanned as students move through the cafe line. Students can also clip their masks to their lanyards when they are not being worn.
- Water Bottles - Our drinking fountains will not be in service this year. Students are invited to bring a clear or transparent water bottle to school. Spill-proof bottles would be preferred. I would encourage you to send the bottle filled, but we will have water-fill stations available if they need refilled during the day.
- Visitors/Volunteers - Until further notice, visitors and volunteers will not be permitted in the building. As you prepare your child for the first day of school, ensure him/her that we will have lots of helpers on hand to help them get to their classroom. Prepare to say your goodbyes at the entrance, as we will not be able to have visitors walking students to class the first day.
- Attendance and Absences - Parents are expected to screen their children before sending them to school each day. If you answer yes to any of the following questions, you should call to report your student absent: 1. Have you had new onset of loss of taste or smell? 2) Have you been exposed over the past day to any person who has tested positive for COVID-19? 3) Have you developed a new cough or sore throat over the past day? 4) Have you had a fever greater than 100.4 degrees over the past 24 hours? Students will need to remain home until they can provide a written form from the primary care provider, indicating they have been cleared to return to school after evaluation. Students who opt not to see a primary care provider may return to school once they have been fever free without the use of medication for 72 hours, symptoms have improved, and 10 calendar days have passed since symptoms first appeared.
- PE/Art - Students will participate in PE this quarter. Please be sure students have a clean pair of gym shoes that can be left at school. We will switch to art in October and welcome a new Art teacher this year! We wish Mrs. Turner and her family the best of luck as they relocate to Flordia!
- Other Staff Changes - With great admiration, we say farewell to Mrs. Allen and Mrs. Johnson who served us faithfully for many years in our office. They retired at the end of last year and will be replaced by Mrs. Way and Mrs. Maurath. Mr. Ed has decided to officially retire and will be replace by Mr. Campbell. We also bid farewell to Mrs. Workman our Speech Language Pathologist, Mrs. Ford from our cafeteria, and Mrs. Brindle who has worked with our Learning Lab team for several years. This year, we welcome Mrs. Burgin, our new art teacher, Miss Sasher, our new Speech Language Pathologist, and Mrs. Shearer, our new 5th grade teacher. We also welcome Mrs. Young who will be filling in for Mrs. Ford, our school nurse, while she is out on maternity leave.
For more specific details about our re-entry plan, please click here.