GATOR TALES
Grace Abbott Elementary
September 11, 2020
Principal: Dr. Erik Chaussee, epchaussee@mpsomaha.org
Secretary: Cindy Wrenn, clwrenn@mpsomaha.org
About Us
Email: clwrenn@mpsomaha.org
Website: abbott.mpsomaha.org
Location: 1313 N 156th St, Omaha, NE, USA
Phone: 402-715-2900
Facebook: facebook.com/GraceAbbottElementarySchool
Twitter: @MPS_Abbott
NEWS FROM DR. CHAUSSEE
Keeping Everyone Safe…
As we are about to end week #5 I’d like to give parents a short update on the coronavirus impact on Grace Abbott. At this point there are five reported cases of covid in Millard Public Schools which is .02% of the total staff and student enrollment of 27,000. There are 37 staff and students quarantined which is .14%. At Abbott we’ve had no cases of covid and 11 staff and students who have quarantined or are now. Currently two students are quarantined which is .4% of students and staff of 475.
We currently have 55 remote learners which is 13% of our students.
We appreciate the role models that parents are, including wearing masks, screening their children, maintaining distance outside,informing the school of illnesses and getting tested when necessary. In school, masks are worn all the time by students and staff unless on a mask break outside or eating lunch and snacks. We have no more than 11 kids in a classroom at one time eating lunch as half of each classroom is eating in the cafeteria and the other half in the classrooms.
All staff have worked very hard to enforce the rules, work the logistics of recess and lunch, and hardest of all, remote teaching. We are tried, but I personally feel good we haven’t had one direct case nor have we had to quarantine an entire classroom. However, that could happen. I hope there isn’t a spike in cases after Labor Day. Most likely, if there is one direct case in a classroom, all students will be quarantined for 14 days.
Please help us to prevent this from happening by following directed health measures when away from school. We’re doing all we can to keep students and staff safe and keep Abbott open so we can provide an education for our children.
ORDER YOUR YEARBOOK!
Abbott Yearbook: This year families can order yearbooks online. Reserve your copy today!
SAVE THOSE BOXTOPS!!
COVID Q & A
Covid Q & A Week #4
Q: In a classroom, if a teacher moves all around the room to help students and then tests positive, does the entire class need to be quarantined regardless or only if they spent 15+ minutes immersed with the students?
A: YES. Entire class. This is difficult… but if a teacher is moving within the desks, the majority of the day, there is no way to distinguish the number of minutes. Probably all had 15+ minutes of close contact. This will also be true if one student tests positive.
HOW TO VOLUNTEER AT GRACE ABBOTT
Parents,
In years past, PTO packets have been distributed to each family which included a volunteer sign-up sheet. This year all of the information can be found online. To see what the PTO does for Grace Abbott and to sign up to volunteer, please click on the link below:
FREE MEALS
PICTURE DAY
REMOTE LEARNERS: We have reserved afternoon time slots for you to come in to get pictures taken. The time will be from 1:10 - 2:30. You must call the office (402-715-2900) for a specific time.
SAVE YOUR POP TABS!
Tiny Aluminum Tabs Make A BIG Difference
Abbott collected over 10,200 pop tabs during the 2019-2020 school year for a running total of 1,742,200!
Your aluminum can tabs go a long way with Ronald McDonald House Charities in Omaha. Those tabs, when recycled, help cover some of our operational costs. Drop your tabs in the large barrel by the front door.
For more information go to https://www.rmhcomaha.org/
Here are some fun facts about tabs:
- One pound of tabs is about 1,500 tabs.
- Each tab measures about 1 inch, so there are 12 tabs in one foot.
- To reach a mile, when placing tabs end to end, would take 63,360 tabs.
- 1 million tabs end to end would stretch 16.75 miles.
BUZZ BOOKS
The Buzz Book is getting ready for our new school year! Please help us by purchasing your Buzz Book (which gives you online directory access and a printed copy) by September 25th. Even if you aren't planning on buying one, it helps us tremendously if you update your info. As a thank you, this year we are doing a raffle for those who have updated their info. The link for the raffle is found on the Buzz Book Website: https://graceabbottpto.membershiptoolkit.com/home
Purchase, update and enter to win on the website or you can always send a check to the school office. The cost is $3.50. Thank you!
MILLARD SCHOOL BOARD 2020
President - Linda Poole
Vice President - Dave Anderson
Secretary - Stacy Jolley
Treasurer - Amanda McGill Johnson
Board Member - Mike Kennedy
Board Member - Mike Pate