Welcome Back, Almost!
MBS Memo, August 13, 2021
Dear New and Returning Mt. Baldy School Families,
We are hoping you are fully enjoying the last couple of weeks of summer. We are very excited to be getting ready to start the school year on campus soon. Although students won’t be back on campus until Wednesday, September 1st, we know you are wanting information to start getting prepared.
As you are no doubt aware, we are still in the midst of dealing with the quickly changing landscape of dealing with COVID-19. Because of this, there are items that we may not have information about at this time, or there may be changes that occur as state guidelines change.
Since it has been more than a year since our program was operating in a normal fashion, we are going to start with some basics:
School Day
School will be in session full days on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, from 8:00 a.m. to 2:35 p.m. School will have early release on Thursdays at 1:05p.m. The school day ends at 1:05 p.m. daily for our Kindergarteners. Students may arrive at school no earlier than 7:45 a.m. Students are to go to the area near the swings where there is adult supervision on the big field to hang out and visit with friends until the start of school.
Parents who drop off students will do so at the gate on the North end of the parking lot. Please do not park in the parking lot unless you are the parent of a Kindergarten or new student and will be escorting your child into the school. Students who are late in arriving to school must be escorted by an adult into the office.
Student pick up will be like it was prior to last year. Students will line up in the front of the school. If you are picking your child up, you will need to park your car and come to the front gate to escort your student to your car. Unfortunately we do not have the staffing to provide the drive-through drop off we were able to offer last year.
Bus
Per CDPH guidance, all students must wear masks at all times while entering, riding, and exiting the bus. The driver will have at least two windows open at all times.
There will be three bus stops down below this year, and two bus stops in town contingent upon need:
Icehouse @ driveway
Northeast Corner of Mesa and Mt. Baldy Road
S.E. Corner of C and 1st Street
18th and Christopher St, east side
2426 Euclid Avenue at the mailbox
We will send out a pick up and drop off schedule before the start of school.
Chaffey Transportation, our providers, are utilizing an electronic student tracking system. We will be asking you to designate a specific pick up and drop off site for your child before the beginning of school.
Lunches
We will be receiving lunches through a contract with Claremont Unified School District. Menus will be sent out in advance for families to select lunches and turn into office. Please pay attention to the deadlines for submission as we cannot provide meals for late entries. More information will be provided before school begins.
Face Masks
Per CDPH requirements, all staff and students will wear masks properly fitted at all times while inside school. Students and staff are not required to wear masks outside. We will have students distanced while eating lunch to reduce transmission of virus. We recognize that this is not where we would like to be in regards to dealing with this virus, but please keep in mind that we are in frequent communication with our local Department of Public Health and will make changes as conditions allow.
We had a very successful and healthy return to campus last April. We appreciated the support of our families and students in assuring that everyone remain healthy. Our students and staff wore masks both inside and outside last spring, and were able to do so very successfully. We will be able to provide lots of opportunities this year for “mask breaks” as our students are frequently outside.
Once again we are asking for family assistance in conducting symptom screening daily and keeping children home until healthy. On campus, we will continue with outdoor instruction as much as is practicable, provide frequent hand-washing, assure lots of ventilation in classrooms, and continue the use of air purifiers. Quick COVID-19 testing will be available for students with parent consent.
Per Executive Order school staff will be required to show proof of vaccination or participate in weekly testing.
Independent Study
California Assembly Bill 130 requires school districts to offer an independent study program for the 2021-22 school year to assure instruction for families whose children are not able to attend school on campus for health concerns, including not being willing to wear a mask. We are providing an independent study option through a partnership with San Bernardino County Independent Learning Academy. If you would like more information about this program, please contact Nancy Sirski at nancy_sirski@mtbaldy..12.ca.us
In closing, let me share that the annoyance at small challenges we must deal with in order to safely conduct school is eclipsed by the excitement we feel in starting a new school year, full day, with your children. The creek, the rocks and the field are waiting!
Warmly,
Nancy Sirski
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Mark Your Calendar
Wednesday, September 1, First Day of School
Mt. Baldy Museum Bazaar
Care Solace
Mt. Baldy School has partnered with Care Solace to support our community’s mental health.
Our school's students, staff members and their families can use Care Solace to quickly find verified mental health, behavioral health, and substance use treatment options matched to their needs regardless of circumstances or insurance coverage.
Care Solace’s team is available 24/7 and can support you in any language.
If you would like to use Care Solace to help you find a provider:
● Call 888-515-0595 24/7
● Visit https://www.caresolace.com/site/baldyfamilies/ and either search on your own , OR click “Book Appointment” for assistance by video chat, email, or phone.
● Email weserve@caresolace.org with the following information:
● Your name and contact information (cell phone number)
● Your preferred language
● A good time for Care Solace to contact you
Care Solace will assign a personal Care Concierge to support you through the process of finding mental health care. Your Care Concierge will identify available providers who accept your insurance; private, Medi-Cal, sliding scale or cost-free options. They will help you book an appointment and check in afterward to see if you like the provider or need additional support.
Mt. Baldy School
Email: info@mtbaldy.k12.ca.us
Website: mtbaldy.k12.ca.us
Location: 1 Mt Baldy Rd, Mount Baldy, CA, USA
Phone: 909-985-0991