Important Upcoming Dates

Jan 17 - Rev Dr. Martin Luther King Day No School

Jan 20-21 - Basketball tbd

Jan 20 - LLJ Day

Jan 21 - No School / Parent teacher conferences, CSI Training

Jan 22 - Basketball tbd

Jan 22 - Wrestling @ tbd

Jan 22-23 Rota Tiburones local swim meet

Feb 26 - Winter Formal

Congratulations to Addison Salazar for her inner landscape portrait—check in out in the hall!

These middle school still life drawings were an extended careful study of observation. Also color-blocked landscapes were water-colored in 7.8 Art. Look at the skill, composition, and beauty of these budding artists posted around the school!

The next Art Club contest is any video game character—get your entries ready for the February deadline right around the corner!

The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) provides more than 1,000 merit-based scholarships each year for U.S. high school students to study abroad for a summer or an academic year in over 25 countries. These high school exchange programs prepare young Americans to succeed in the 21st century’s global economy by developing their foreign language skills, increasing their cross-cultural understanding, strengthening their leadership capacity, and fostering new academic insights and ambitions.

The application periods open this fall for the following programs:

• Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX): Explore German culture and language
• Future Leaders Exchange Abroad (FLEX Abroad): Study in Kazakhstan, Poland, or Ukraine
  
• Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study Abroad (YES Abroad): Study in the Middle East, Africa, Asia, or Europe
  
• National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y): Immerse yourself in Arabic, Indonesian, Mandarin, Hindi, Korean, Persian, Russian, or Turkish
  
• Youth Ambassadors: Learn about civic education and develop leadership skills in the Caribbean and South America
  

These scholarship programs cover international airfare, tuition, program costs, meals and living accommodations (often with a host family). The programs have no language prerequisites, except for certain Youth Ambassadors programs. Applicants must be between the ages of 15 and 18 when the program starts. The U.S. Department of State is particularly trying to reach young people who would not otherwise have the opportunity to participate in a study abroad experience.

Please share this information widely with teachers, students, parents, and others in your networks who may be interested in these opportunities.

For more information, please refer to their flyer or click here. Contact the U.S Department of State at youthprograms@state.gov with any questions or to request promotional printed materials.

Thank you for supporting ECA and the U.S. Department of State's effort to build mutual understanding between people and communities around the world.

A School Advisory Committee is a team of elected and standing members who advise and provide recommendations to the Principal regarding concerns from the school community on a variety of topics, such as:

· Administrative procedures affecting students

· Allocation of resources to achieve educational goals

· Educational resources

· Instructional programs

· Policies affecting students and parents

· Pupil Services

· School lunch programs

· School transportation

· Student standards of conduct and discipline

The SY 21-22 Admirals SAC team members are:

· Chairperson – Priscilla Caprio, Parent Rep

· Vice-Chairperson – Sue Padalino, Parent Rep

· Co-Secretary - Amber Lamers Eric, Parent Rep

· Co-Secretary - Angela Sinnott, Faculty Rep

· Sanda Colombo – Faculty Rep

· Billy James – Faculty Rep

· Kyra Hertz – Student Rep

· Randy Lambert – School Liaison Officer

· Stephanie M. El Sayed – Principal

Join us for our currently scheduled virtual SAC Meetings on Tuesdays, 7 December, 1 Feb, and 3 May, at https://meet.google.com/cki-vksf-rhf, from 3:30-4:30.

See the link to the SLO Down Newsletter for December: https://www.smore.com/3q4un

Looking for Scholarships & Resources? Then visit https://www.smore.com/yjn2s

COVID-19 Operational Guidelines & Protocols

Face Coverings Required - Masks are a very important component of staying healthy and reduce the risk of acquiring the coronavirus. Gaiter neck scarves and masks with valves are not approved for mask-wearing by the CDC guidelines. Students and staff will be required to wear masks throughout the entire school day, with the exception during lunch, where students will maintain at least six feet away from one another.

Visitor & Volunteer Policy - Keeping students safe is our top priority. This requires reducing the number of visitors to the school campus and classrooms. Until further notice parent visitors and volunteers are not permitted on campus during the instructional day unless visiting the school on official business. Examples of official business include dropping off and picking up students outside of normal times, attending a scheduled appointment, or completing an errand at the main office. We look forward to when our school can reopen our doors to parents and other visitors. Thank you in advance for your understanding of this policy.

Below (see attachment) parents can find the complete DoDEA Covid-19 Operational Guidelines and Protocols document. Parents can also find more information about school operations in Covid-19 at https://www.dodea.edu/covid-operations.cfm.

Every enrolled student is required to have a signed parental Home-Based Screening Standard Acknowledgment form on record prior to the first day of school.

*Please complete the attached form below and return it to the main office or email it directly to our fabulous School Nurse at sanda.colombo@dodea.edu.

Parents, caregivers, or guardians will monitor their children for symptoms of infectious illness every day through home-based symptom screening via the Home-based Screening Standard Acknowledgment. The prescreening provides a vehicle to determine if individuals should be referred to a healthcare provider or quarantine based on symptoms and exposure, including close contact.

NOTE: If a student is sent to the nurse's office, whether self- or staff referred, the nurse will assess the student for possible signs and symptoms of COVID-19. A student who is sick, and not showing signs of COVID-19, will be sent home for at least 24 hours. A student showing possible signs and symptoms of COVID-19 may be out at least 48 hours, depending on the course of action by the parent. Siblings of students who are sent home with possible signs or symptoms of COVID-19 may also be sent home.

The school will take a conservative approach when assessing students. Therefore, it is important for parents to keep their students home when not feeling well. This will prevent the spread of germs and ensures students do not miss extended periods of school.

New Students - Parents of new students requesting bus service, need to stop by the transportation office. The transportation office is located in the main lobby of the elementary school. Staff will set up services and issue a bus rider pass for your child.

Returning Students - Parents of returning students, if already set up bus services last school year, will not need to come into the transportation office. Students will receive their bus rider pass on the bus on the first day of school. If there has been an address change, parents will need to come into the transportation office to update the address and to receive a new bus rider pass.

Bus Stops: The transportation office will send out bus stop and pick-up/drop-off information to parents no later than Tuesday, August 17th. This information will be sent to the parent email on file in the student information database. Please make sure your current contact information is correct.

COVID-19 Restrictions: Students are required to wear masks while riding on the school bus. Students are seated with siblings and socially distanced from other passengers.

FOR MORE SCHOOL BUS INFORMATION, CONTACT EPHRAIM WERTZ, BUS SUPERVISOR, AT ephraim.wertz@dodea.edu

1st Lunch is Middle School 6th through 9t

2nd Lunch is High School 10th -12th with select 9th graders in mixed classes such as gym.