Riverwood Elementary
September Parent Newsletter
Happy September
We have had a great first few weeks back to school and spent a great deal of time going over BRONCO BEST classroom and school-wide expectations and procedures. Please ask your child about our Bronco Best!
The procedures and daily activities of your child’s classroom should be familiar and comfortable to them by this time in the school year. If you have questions or concerns, please contact your child’s teacher.
Please don’t ever hesitate to contact us – we want to help.
Jessika Hill
Principal, Riverwood
Mike Barrick
Assistant Principal, Riverwood
DOT DAY SEPTEMBER 15, 2021
Dates to Remember
September 6, 2021- Labor Day- NO SCHOOL
September 16-17, 2021- Professional Days- NO SCHOOL
SEPTEMBER 23 - PICTURE DAY
October 13-15, 2021- FALL BREAK- NO SCHOOL
October 18, 2021- Professional Day- NO SCHOOL
MPS DISTRICT -Learning Plan Update: Quarantine Opt-Out Ending Effective 8/28/21
Learning Plan Update: Quarantine Opt-Out Ending Effective 8/28/21
Mustang Families, Once again we have begun a school year amidst the background of a pandemic, and we appreciate your patience and understanding as we navigate the near constant changes to guidance concerning health/safety practices. We are writing today to make everyone aware of a change to our quarantine process. We have received updated/clarified guidance from the Oklahoma State and Canadian County Departments of Health (OSDH & CCHD) that there is no longer an opt-out option in relation to quarantine when an individual has been identified as a close contact to a positive COVID-19 case. As such: Effective Saturday, August 28, 2021, there will be no Quarantine Opt-out allowed for those identified as a close contact to someone with a positive case of COVID-19. Appropriate masks/face-coverings worn properly during contact will be required to be exempt from quarantine. Those fully vaccinated or with proof of a previous COVID-19 infection within the past 90 days will also be exempt from quarantines (documentation will be required). Do students really need to stay home when they are sick with COVID-19? Yes. Keeping students at home when they are infected with COVID-19 (isolation) or have been exposed as a close contact (quarantine) is critical to controlling the transmission of COVID-19, especially since infected individuals are known to transmit the virus to others before they experience symptoms or when they are only experiencing mild symptoms. When they are exposed to COVID-19? Schools and parents have a duty under state law (63 O.S. § 1-505) to keep students home when they are in isolation or quarantine. These students should remain away from school facilities and activities until their period of isolation or quarantine has ended. Isolation and quarantine are determined by the Oklahoma State Department of Health or – within Oklahoma County or Tulsa County – by their respective county health departments. Additional Information Masks Science tells us that wearing a mask is one of the most important mitigation measures we can take to help stop the spread of COVID and protect our students and one another. In line with state law, Mustang Public Schools strongly encourages students and staff to wear masks, in fact, that is our expectation. As in-person instruction is our goal, it is important that we do everything we can to remain in school five days a week, and wearing masks will help to ensure we can achieve our goal. Again, as stated above, if a mask/face covering is worn during contact with a positive individual, the close contact would be eligible for an exemption to quarantine. Mitigation Measures Each school site continues to evaluate and make changes to its safety protocols and procedures to the degree possible in an effort to mitigate the virus. Close-Contacts An individual is identified as a close contact to a person infected with COVID-19 if they have been within 3 feet (classroom setting) or 6 feet of an infected person for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period (for example, three individual 5-minute exposures for a total of 15 minutes in one day). An infected person can spread SARS-CoV-2 starting from 2 days before they have any symptoms (or, for asymptomatic patients, 2 days before the positive specimen collection date), until they meet criteria for discontinuing home isolation. Thank you for your continued patience and understanding as we work to protect your child(ren). In partnering together, we are stronger and will continue to have a great school year. We appreciate your continued support. Charles Bradley, Superintendent
This guidance puts us exactly in line with the contact tracing/quarantine procedures from last year. In fact, the Oklahoma State Department of Education & Oklahoma State Department of Health have provided this information:
Mustang Public Schools
Counselor Corner
Students will be getting introduced to 7 Mindsets and completing lessons with their classroom teacher as well as techniques shared from Mrs. Bornemann to learn social emotional competencies. We will cover all 7 Mindsets throughout the school year. Students will complete Mindset lessons on Mondays. Make sure you ask them about the lesson! Want more information on 7 Mindsets - watch this!
Our first mindset we are focusing on for the months of September and October is EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE! Our goal is to help students to remember to dream big, embrace creativity, and expect great results by using a growth mindset.
Aside from the 7 Mindsets, Mrs. Bornemann is making a focus on teaching mindfulness & coping strategies to help students stop and be present in the moment they are in. Students will practice different techniques through morning announcements and will be available for teachers to access to use throughout their school day as needed. Ask your child what mindful moment technique they did today!!
Britney Bornemann
School Counselor
PreK
Kindergarten
1st Grade
2nd Grade
3rd Grade
4th Grade
Arrival & Dismissal Reminders
At Riverwood, SAFETY IS OUR #1 PRIORITY! We have nearly 760 students who go home each afternoon several different ways (bus riders, car riders, daycare, etc.). Our main goal is to keep each child safe by making sure they are dismissed per their parent’s instructions to a location with appropriate supervision.
In order to allow us to continue to support each parent’s dismissal plan, please continue to uphold the following arrival & dismissal-related procedures:
ALL CAR RIDER TRAFFIC WILL ENTER RIVERWOOD FROM THE WEST ON 44TH.
ARRIVAL REMINDERS:
CAR RIDER TRAFFIC - Please enter Riverwood Campus from the west on 44th (no left turns).
Please refrain from blocking driveways (Riverwood, Central, Neighborhoods, etc). Thank you for your help and understanding in this matter.
Please do not leave your car unattended in the car rider line.
Refrain from parking and allowing students to walk across the parking lot.
Follow the correct path and wait in line to drop students off.
Students MUST exit the vehicle on the RIGHT SIDE ONLY for safety purpose
As you enter the school driveway, we ask that you please have your son/daughter ready for release, pull up as close as possible to the car in front of you in the car rider line.
Please refrain from using cell phones and other distractions that may take away your attention from being observant. This will allow us to get more cars into the driveway and a steady flow of traffic.
As you leave the school driveway, please be careful and cautious of traffic on the connecting streets
Dismissal Reminders
CAR RIDER TRAFFIC - Please enter Riverwood Campus from the west on 44th (no left turns).
Please pull as far right in the car rider lane (and on the shoulder) to allow traffic to pass (if needed).
Please refrain from blocking driveways (Riverwood, Central, Neighborhoods, etc). Thank you for your help and understanding in this matter.
Please allow our buses to enter and exit the campus.
Please do not leave your car unattended in the car rider line.
Please refrain from using cell phones and other distractions that may take away your attention from being observant. This will allow us to get more cars into the driveway, more students released, and a steady flow of traffic.
As you leave the school driveway, please be careful and cautious of traffic on the connecting streets.
Follow dismissal procedures - Safe ID card hung on the rearview mirror for easy and quick reference.
Refrain from getting out of your vehicle.
Please be patient and courteous as both parents and students learn the procedures. The process does move quicker as everyone learns and follows the procedures.
If your child needs to go home a different way than usual, contact the Riverwood Office. If a need arises throughout the day for you to change your student's dismissal plan, call the school office by 1:30. It takes a considerable amount of time to dismiss our entire student body and the last hour of the school day is by far our busiest time. The later we get the information, the greater the likelihood a miscommunication could occur. Again, our students' safety is our #1 priority - please help us by being as prepared as possible.
Thank you for the continued understanding and patience during arrival and dismissal.
Riverwood Transportation Map
Riverwood Elementary School Hours
School building is open for drop off at 7:15 a.m.
Classes start promptly at 7:40 a.m.
Dismissal begins at 2:35 p.m.
School Hours: 7:40 a.m. - 2:35 p.m.
First Bell: 7:30 a.m.
All student should be in the process of entering the building.
Tardy Bell: 7:40 a.m.
All students should be in their classrooms ready to start the day.
(All students who are tardy must be checked in, by a parent, at the office)
All students must be picked up at or before 2:50.
District Website Information
*Take advantage of the many available resources on the district website.
- Enroll in “My School Bucks” to monitor your child’s lunch account and deposit money
- Lunch Menu
- Complete the online “Free and Reduced Lunch” application.
- Student Handbook
Health & Medication
Health & Medicine
Parents must complete a clinic form in order for prescription or non-prescription medication to be administered at school.
DO NOT SEND MEDICATIONS TO SCHOOL WITH THE STUDENT.
You must get the Official School Form from the school nurse for all prescription and non-prescription medicine and return it with the medicine. The nurse or the principal’s designee will be the only individual allowed to give medicine. If your child becomes ill at school, we will contact you immediately. If we cannot reach you, we will use the emergency contact information you have provided.
Parent Reminders ...
Recess
- Students will follow all playground rules and procedures established by the individual teacher(s) and/or principal at each school site. Children should be dressed appropriately for outdoor activities.
- Outdoor activities such as recess will take place unless there is inclement weather; wind chill of 32 degrees or less, or heat index of 100 degrees or more.
Snack/Water Bottle
- Water fountains will be turned off. Bottle fillers will be on and available for hands free refilling of personal water bottles where available. Students are encouraged to have their own bottle and not share with others. Please make sure your students name is on the water bottle. It is important that students are able to open and close bottles securely by themselves.
- Don't forget to send a snack with your student each day.
MPS Central Enrollment
Mustang Public Schools Central Enrollment is located int the new Mustang Education Resource Center at 909 S. Mustang Road. This makes it possible for families new to the district to enroll all their children in one place year round. Address and custody changes, residency affidavits, out-of-district transfers and power of attorney will also be handled at the new site.
Central Enrollment will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Questions? Email mpsce@mustangps.org or leave a message at 405-256-6970. Enrollment packets will be available soon.
Riverwood Elementary
Email: hillj@mustangps.org
Website: http://www.mustangps.org/riverwoodelementary_home.aspx
Location: Riverwood Elementary School, Southwest 44th Street, Mustang, OK, USA
Phone: (405) 256-5200