Access Affton
A Publication of the Affton School District
Update for Families | July 20, 2020
An Update from Dr. Bracht
Roadmap to Reopening
As we get closer to the first day of school on August 24, we know you are ready to learn more about our plans. Today, we want to provide you with an update on the plans we’ve developed to support our students, staff, and families as we continue to face uncertain times.
As of today, the district has not made a definitive decision on how the school year will begin for those who choose the In-Person learning option. We are still considering the Onsite, Fixed Blended, and Distance formats due to the uncertainty of COVID-19 rates at this time. The input and feedback we receive during the week of July 20 will be critical in making a determination that is right for Affton students, parents, and staff. The district will announce this decision on or before August 5, 2020.
Despite the changing circumstances and challenges presented by continued public health uncertainty, Affton School District remains committed to providing the best possible learning environment and outstanding educational learning experiences for every student in our care. Our Roadmap to Reopening prioritizes both the health and safety of students and staff, as well as the delivery of high-quality learning options focused on excellent and equitable outcomes for all students. Learn more about what to expect.
Choose Your Learning Option
Starting today, you can begin choosing how your student (grades K-12 only) will attend Affton School District by selecting a learning option: In-Person, Online, or Online Plus. Please log in to the Parent Portal and indicate your learning choice and transportation need for each child in your family by July 26, 2020.
- Log into the Parent Portal on a computer or tablet; it does not work well on cell phones..
- As a reminder, be sure you are on the Parent Tab. Your email address is your login name, and you can click Forgot Password for it to be sent to you.
- At the top right of your student dashboard, please change Academic Year to 2020-2021.
- For assistance with Tyler SIS, please contact sonkle@afftonschools.net.
It’s essential that parents make these choices in a timely manner so we can plan accordingly for teachers, staff, and classroom/course enrollment to support our students. We know these decisions will be challenging, so we’ll do our best to help by providing the details you’ll need to make an informed decision.
Families of returning Affton School District students who do not select an option for each of their students by July 26, 2020, will be automatically enrolled in In-Person Learning and will be opted out of bus transportation.
Health & Safety
We will be implementing new procedures for health and safety this year. These procedures will impact how we live, learn, and work together and will require us to support each other as a community.
During the 2020-2021 school year, the district asks parents for their support in getting students to and from school on a daily basis. Due to the health and safety precautions that will be required for bus utilization, the district will have limited bus transportation capacity. Please note that bus service to and from school can only be guaranteed for those students who reside more than 3.5 miles from school. We will try to serve as many students as possible that live less than 3.5 miles from school and request transportation. Families that live the farthest from their school will be given priority.
Based on guidance from health officials and feedback from parents and staff, these new procedures have been built around the following priorities:
- Students in grades 3-12 and all staff are required to wear cloth face coverings at school
- Students in grades K-2 may wear face coverings but are not required
- Increased cleaning and disinfecting of surfaces throughout the day
- Monitoring symptoms and temperatures at home before attending school
- Maintaining social distancing whenever possible; keeping students in small groups and limiting the mixing of groups; staggered times for movement throughout the building
- Hand hygiene practices and education, including scheduled time for frequent hand washing and access to hand sanitizer in classrooms and throughout the building
- Increased circulation of outdoor air when possible
- Rearranging furniture to allow for social distancing whenever possible
- Cleaning buses between routes, wearing masks on buses, opening bus windows to increase air circulation, encouraging driving to school if possible
- Adjusting large events, activities, and gatherings for social distancing
- Limiting the presence of visitors in Affton buildings
Have a Question?
We have launched a new webpage featuring the latest information for families and staff. This includes answers to questions we anticipate many of you will have. We realize you may have unique questions or concerns that will not be addressed. Rest assured, we will make ourselves available to help you get the information you need. Additionally, our principals will be sharing details specific to your child’s school.
When you log into the Parent Portal to select a learning option for your student, you will have the opportunity to ask questions and give feedback on our draft plans for the 2020-2021 school year. In addition, you can share your honest feedback, questions, and concerns with us here.
We are grateful to our teachers, leaders, staff, and health professionals who provided a great deal of input and collaboration on our Roadmap to Reopening, as well as our families, who shared an enormous amount of helpful feedback in all of our surveys and along the way.
Depending on the spread of illness in our community, it’s important to know we may need to activate some or all of our plans at different times during the year. We know communication will be more important than ever this school year, while we also remain flexible and agile with decision making.
Regardless of changing circumstances and with a focus on the health and safety of our staff and students, Affton School District will continue to focus on relationships while providing an excellent learning experience for every student.
Roadmap to Reopening Webinar
WHEN: Monday, July 20 at 6:30 p.m.
LINK: https://bit.ly/AfftonReopeningWebinar
We do anticipate recording the webinar and will share a link to view once available.
COVID-19 Helpline
Please reach out with your questions or concerns at info@afftonschools.net or by calling the Affton Schools COVID-19 Helpline at 314-633-5911.
About Affton Schools
Email: info@afftonschools.net
Website: http://afftonschools.net
Location: 8701 MacKenzie Road, Affton, MO, USA
Phone: (314) 638-8770
Facebook: facebook.com/AfftonSchoolDistrict
Twitter: @AfftonSchools