From the Global School Play Day website:

February 4, 2015, was the first annual Global School Play Day for students in schools around the world. In year one, over 65,000 students participated! Over 177,000 students took part in 2016. In 2017, over 283,000 kids celebrated Global School Play Day. In 2018, over 385,000 students from 58 nations participated. Can we reach 500,000 students in 2019?

In his TEDx lecture, Peter Gray clearly argues the case that today's kids do not grow up playing and this has negatively impacted them in many ways. It's time we return the gift of play to this generation.

Oakley Park participated in GSPD for the past several year and we are excited to do so again this year. Teachers will plan specific time periods of time during the school day on February 2nd. Look for more information from your classroom teacher regarding participation in GSPD!

Our goal is to foster responsible behavior in our students. If your child fails to bring home books or materials needed for homework assignments, please do not bring him or her back to school without first contacting the teacher or principal for advice. Encourage your child to do some problem solving: they could call a friend, check the class website or other internet resources. To ensure the safety and security of the students in Prime Time, the staff is not able to allow parents/students into the building though the Prime Time doors. Finally, we have one custodian who is responsible for cleaning and preparing the building for the next school day. Please sensitive to their work responsibilities and do not ask them to unlock classroom doors.

Recently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued an updated set of procedures regarding COVID-19 isolation periods. Last week, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) and the Oakland County Health Division (OCHD) supported the CDC guidelines related to adjusting the isolation periods in K-12 schools.

To summarize, the isolation period for asymptomatic, COVID positive students and staff is now 5 days, provided the individual remains symptom free (day “0” is the day the test was taken for those without symptoms).

The isolation period for symptomatic individuals is 5 days IF after 5 days the individual is symptom free or symptoms are improving. If symptoms are not improving, please continue to stay home until that criteria is met (day “0” is the date of symptom onset).

The rest of the guidance coincides with the practices WLCSD is already utilizing to safely operate our schools for in person instruction during the 2021-2022 school year. We will continue to work with our local and state officials on best practices moving forward.

If you have a child who is currently on isolation, please see the linked chart below as to when they can return to school based on the criteria listed above:

• COVID-19 Return to School Timeline Adjustments

Our District COVID-19 Dashboard is updated daily and serves as a resource for our families.

We appreciate your understanding and grace as we work together to keep our students, staff, and families safe.

We closely monitor the temperatures throughout the day and if the combined temperature/wind chill "feels like" is 0 (or below) we will hold indoor recess. PLEASE send your child prepared for outside play EVERY DAY!

Please Note:

● If your family needs financial assistance to purchase winter weather items, please contact Mrs. Froning or your child's teacher. We are happy to help!

● Please label all clothing with your child’s name.

As classes complete both the Reading and Math diagnostics, parent reports will be sent home for your information. We use information from each diagnostic along with classroom assessments, assignments and observations to determine how to best continue planning instruction to support your students growth. Please contact your child's teacher if you have specific questions about iReady.

What is the i-Ready Diagnostic? The i-Ready Diagnostic is an adaptive assessment that adjust its questions for each student. As a student answers correctly, the questions get more difficult. As a student answers incorrectly, the questions get easier. This adaptability allows the i-Ready Diagnostic to identify the strengths and opportunities for growth of each student.

Why is my student taking it? The purpose of the i-Ready Diagnostic is not to give your student a grade, but instead to determine how best to support their learning. It will help your student’s teacher(s) determine their needs, personalize their learning, and monitor progress throughout the year.

Due to the OCHD mandate, the following protocols are required:

• Masks are required in all of our schools and facilities.
• Masks are required on our buses.
• Masks are not required outside (ex. recess).
• Masks are not required while eating or drinking.
• Mask Breaks: Please note that teachers will take their classes outside for periodic mask breaks throughout the school day.

Water Bottles: Please remember to send your child to school with a reusable, plastic water bottle. Our drinking fountains are closed. Refilling stations are still open.