Old Adobe Educator Weekly Round-Up
Monday 2/15/21 - Friday 2/19/21
MESSAGE FROM SUPERINTENDENT LOWERY
Celebrating Black History
Dear Educators,
Here are some additional Black History Month classroom resources.
Lesson Plans and Curriculum Resources for Educators:
- 50 Resources for Black History Month – KQED Education
- Black History Month resources for teachers – WeTeachNYC
- Black History Month Lessons & Resources – National Education Association
- Black History Teaching Resources – Smithsonian Education
- What Counts as History? – Teaching Tolerance
- Black History Month Resources – ReadingRockets.org
- 6 Teaching Tools for Black History Month – Edutopia
#eachandeverystudent #OldAdobeStrong
Superintendent Lowery
COVID-19 NEWS
Message From Nurse Laura Regarding Vaccination Clinics
As we talk with colleagues, family, and friends about COVID vaccinations, we've heard several myths circulating in our school community. Let's all do our part to educate ourselves and our school community about the vaccine so we're not inadvertently spreading misinformation. Here's the CDC's Myths and Facts about COVID-19 Vaccines.
The effort to vaccinate 17,000 Sonoma County educators and support staff is underway. Getting vaccinated is strictly voluntary but encouraged and it costs nothing. You can make an appointment during working hours and be paid for that time but please coordinate with your supervisor. As of now, you may choose whether or not to take the vaccine and it will not impact your employment. However, this is subject to change when the vaccine moves from emergency use authorization to official approval.
To be eligible you must be an active employee of the Old Adobe Union School District and have not been previously vaccinated. Employees will hear directly from their school/district when it is their turn to be vaccinated. School leaders will identify staff eligible to be vaccinated based on priority group.
Employees will receive an email with a link to the vaccination appointment page. Note: Vaccine supply remains limited. To ensure vaccines are available to those with appointments, we are not able to vaccinate anyone without an appointment and if you are unable to keep your appointment, please contact the clinic immediately.
The Educator COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic is being held at Rancho Cotate High School at 5450 Snyder Lane, Rohnert Park, CA 94928.
A Pre Vaccination Checklist for COVID-19 Vaccines and Consent Form will be available to download and complete prior to arrival. These forms will also be available on site. All health related information will remain confidential.
BRING TO YOUR VACCINE APPOINTMENT:
California drivers license or California photo I.D.
Proof of employment (copy of your pay stub or letter from your employer on OAUSD letterhead).
A face covering/mask and willingness to keep 6’ from others.
Be prepared for a possible wait in line in the event that our nurses get backed up
Be prepared to wait 15-30 minutes at the site after being vaccinated for observation, to ensure that you have no side effects
You will need to wear a mask at your scheduled vaccination appointment and continue to wear a mask, follow physical distancing guidelines, and wash your hands often after you have been vaccinated.
If you feel ill, have a cough, fever, or cold symptoms in the last 14 days, reschedule your appointment 14 days after your illness. If you have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 in the last 14 days, reschedule your appointment in 2 weeks.
The COVID-19 vaccination shouldn't be given within 14 days of receiving another type of vaccine, or within 90 days of receiving monoclonal antibody or convalescent plasma treatments. Please reschedule your COVID-19 vaccine appointment if either of these applies to you.
If you had a severe allergic reaction within 4 hours of getting the 1st dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, you should NOT get the 2nd dose. Please cancel your 2nd dose appointment. A severe allergic reaction includes swelling, hives, trouble breathing, or anaphylaxis.
COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective and have been vigorously evaluated.
Both Pfizer and Moderna vaccines met the FDA standards for quality, safety and effectiveness. Both vaccines require 2 doses and are not interchangeable. The first shot primes the immune system and helps it recognize the virus, and the second shot strengthens the immune response.
You cannot get COVID-19 from the vaccine.
COVID-19 vaccine should be offered to women who are pregnant and/or breastfeeding. However, if you have a weakened immune system, a bleeding disorder, taking a blood thinner or have any medical conditions of concern, please contact your healthcare provider for guidance prior to scheduling an appointment.
Upon arrival at the vaccine clinic, you will be directed toward the clinic entrance. At check in you will provide your identifying documents, and the checklist and consent forms will be completed and reviewed. You will be given a vaccination card which will provide proof of vaccination and an appointment will be set for the second/final vaccination.
Registered Nurse volunteers who are registered with the Sonoma County Medical Reserve Corp will administer the vaccines. On-site Physicians and EMTs will be on hand to respond to any medical concerns.
After the vaccine is administered, please be prepared to be monitored for 30 minutes for those who have a history of allergic reaction of any severity to a vaccine or injectable therapy or a history of anaphylaxis due to any cause (including anaphylaxis due to allergic reaction to food, pet, venom, environmental or medications) OR 15 minutes for all other persons.
ALLERGIC REACTIONS:
COVID-19 vaccines are safe for most people with allergies. People who are allergic to most types of allergens (like animals, food, pollen, latex, or most medicines) are NOT more likely to have an allergic reaction to the COVID-19 vaccine.
You should NOT be vaccinated and should cancel your appointment if you've had an allergic reaction to polyethylene glycol (PEG), polysorbate, or any of the ingredients in the currently approved COVID-19 vaccines.
If you've had swelling, hives, trouble breathing, or anaphylaxis within 4 hours of receiving any previous vaccine or injectable medication, the risk of developing another severe allergic reaction to the COVID-19 vaccines is not fully known. You can still receive the COVID-19 vaccine, per Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance. You'll be observed for 30 minutes afterward as a safeguard. The vaccination site has the appropriate medications and equipment to treat allergic reactions.
If you're concerned about a severe allergic reaction, you may consider waiting to get the vaccine until more information is available. If you'd like to discuss the risks and benefits of vaccination further, please contact your doctor.
COMMON SIDE EFFECTS:
The side effects reported are generally mild to moderate. They can last a day or 2 and are a sign that the body's immune response is working.
Local side effects may include mild pain, redness and swelling at the injection site (arm). You may apply a cool, moist washcloth to the injection area. Using or exercising the arm may also be helpful.
You may feel unwell, tired or have headache, muscle pain, joint pain, chills, fever, nausea, and swollen lymph nodes. You may try over-the-counter acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin). Follow the dosage instructions on the package. Take plenty of fluids. If these symptoms do not improve within 2 days, contact your healthcare provider.
Prior to your vaccine appointment, please review the important Fact Sheets for Recipients and Caregivers approved by the US Food and Drug Administration, which also list the ingredients of each vaccine:
Pfizer-BioNTech - www.fda.gov/media/144414/download
Moderna - www.fda.gov/media/144638/download
For CDC's smartphone-based tool for reporting COVID-19 vaccine side effects, visit: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/safety/vsafe.html
For Sonoma County Office of Education - School Staff Vaccination Program: https://www.scoe.org/pub/htdocs/school_staff_immunization.html
CDC Myths and Facts about COVID-19 Vaccines
Understanding and Explaining mRNA COVID-19 Vaccines
Thanks for reviewing all this information and for participating in our efforts to get our community armed against COVID-19. Feel free to contact me with any questions.
Kindly,
Nurse Laura
CURRICULUM AND PROFESSIONAL LEARNING DEPARTMENT
ELPAC Summative letters will be going out to families this week. The plan is to begin with TK -2 students in person following all safety protocol. Testing will take place at MV in room 1A. More specific details will be sent to MV staff once we have finalized everything. We will test grades 3-6 once we have finished the primary grades and have a better picture of what our remote and in person testing requirements will be at that time as 3-6 requires group testing.
This week via SCOE:
Orientation for 2021 Sonoma County Virtual Robotics Challenge
Contact: Rick Phelan| rphelan@mac.com
4:30| Wednesday, Feb. 17 OR Monday, Mar. 1
Educators, parents/guardians, and students join us! No registration necessary!
Come learn about the 2021 Virtual Robotics Challenge incorporating mechanical design, robots, coding and STEAM through this orientation meeting. Find out how K-8 students can participate by building and creating with low cost/no cost materials. Events for 2021 include microcontroller programming creations, domino block chain reactions and playing card constructions. Please join us for one of the orientation dates by using this Zoom link.
Click here to learn more about the 2021 Virtual Sonoma County Robotics Challenge
In case you hadn’t heard, PEF will be hosting a pop-up school supply shop at Kennilworth this week. Sponsored by Petaluma Educational Foundation (PEF) & Fishman Supply Company
Come "shop" for FREE and get NEW school supplies! Teachers will have the opportunity to collect the donated supplies you need and also take items for your students that you know are in need. Please bring your own bags. Don't forget to wear your mask and follow health safety protocols when "shopping" this event!
Thank you, Kenilworth Junior High for allowing us to host this FREE School Supply Pop-Up Shop on your campus!
PLEASE SEE INFO BELOW:
EQUITY CORNER
Equity Coalition Update
Our next meeting will be Wednesday, February 24th at 3PM.
Hope you can join!
On your radar: Did you know that Sonoma County has an equity-driven kids hip hop group? They are called the Alphabet Rockers and they are "Creating a more equitable world through hip-hop in a show that is great for the whole family".
They are hosting an event on Saturday February 27th and tickets are $10. Even better, they are offering complimentary access to "any elementary school class in Sonoma County that wishes to integrate the video into their coursework." They're also offering extended access to this program so classes will have flexibility to watch it this spring after the initial stream date. Contact Becky Cale becky.cale@sonoma.edu if you are interested in gaining access to this relevant and engaging material.
Interested in advancing your own anti-racist education?
The Bay Area Teacher Training Institute (BATTI) is hosting a BATTI Alumni Workshop called Deepening our Anti-Bias, Anti-Racist Practice with Rosetta Lee on Saturday, February 27th and May 1st from 10-1. The workshop is free and open to anyone interested! Register here.
Me and white supremacy: White supremacy is so ingrained in our daily lives that it can sometimes be hard to recognize. Check out this list (originally from Dismantling Racism: A Workbook for Social Change Groups, by Kenneth Jones and Tema Okun, ChangeWork, 2001) of insidious ways we can perpetuate white supremacy without even realizing, as well as anecdotes to consider next time these show up in your workplace or life.
If you need to reach the Equity Coalition to share resources, express concerns or ask questions, you can now email the group at equitycoalition@oldadobe.org.
FACILITIES
This week we received 10 pop up tents with sides for future use.
Portable hand washing stations will be placed in common areas at each school to help with Covid-19 prevention were ordered and should arrive in the near future.
FOOD PANTRY VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
Sign Up Today:-)
We need more volunteers to ensure that we can continue this service and provide this much needed resource.
Please sign up by clicking the button below.
HUMAN RESOURCES
Intent to Return notices for the 2021-22 school year were sent out to certificated staff. Please complete and return those forms no later than February 15, 2021. Your responses help in our planning for staffing for the next school year. Forms can be mailed or scanned and emailed to Sonya Wasden at the District Office. Sonya’s email is swasden@oldadobe.org or if you have questions, she can be reached at 707-765-4327.
REGISTRATION AND ENROLLMENT 2021-2022
All of our schools are hosting Virtual School Tours.
Here are the individual school videos.
STUDENT SERVICES
The special education department is working with the Placer County Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA) Universal Designs for Learning and Assistive Technology project “Accessible Curriculum for All.” The project is based on the belief that by using the principles and practices of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and Assistive Technology (AT), school sites and teams can be empowered to build the capacity to support ALL students in being successful. In addition to face-to-face training, this professional development model includes coaching, an online community of practice and access to customized tools and resources.The project leads are Wendy Fergus, Education Specialist, and Kara Gillis, Speech and Language Pathologist. The team is starting very small and learning to conduct functional assistive technology assessments to help more students use technology to remove barriers to accessing general education.
OAUSD EVENTS SCHEDULED THIS WEEK:
February 15, 2021 - February 19, 2021
BLACK HISTORY MONTH
Monday, 2/15
NON SCHOOL - President's Day
Tuesday, 2/16
National Almond Day
Wednesday, 2/17
Random Acts of Kindness Day
Ash Wedesday
Thursday, 2/18
Friday, 2/19
International Tug of War Day
History of African Americans
Old Adobe Union School District
Website: https://www.oldadobe.org/
Location: 845 Crinella Dr, Petaluma, CA 94954, USA
Phone: 707-765-4321
Twitter: @OAUSD_Super