Lincoln's September Newsletter
Leading the Pack in Kingsport
Principal's Post
Hello Lincoln Families,
We are looking forward to welcoming our students back on Monday, August 31, 2020. Below I have included some important logistical information that I hope you will review prior to our first day back. Since we are returning to face to face instruction, we will NOT be having a materials/work exchange this Friday as we have in the past. Students should bring completed work (all grades), laptops (grades 3-5) and all school supplies when they return to school.
Important Logistical Information (Please read prior to the first day of school.)
Our doors will open for students at 7:30 a.m. each morning. We will be serving a grab and go breakfast option each day beginning at 7:30 a.m. Students arriving at 7:30 will report directly to the cafeteria if they are eating or to the auditorium if they are not eating breakfast at school.
To keep numbers down as we wait for school to start:
- At 7:45 students in the cafeteria will transition to designated grade level classrooms while they wait for all teachers to come on duty.
- At 8:10 students waiting in grade level waiting rooms will move to their homeroom. Any student arriving starting at 8:10 will report directly to homeroom (if they want breakfast they can get that first and then go to homeroom)
- Any students entering between 7:45 and 8:30 will have the opportunity to go to the cafeteria to get a grab and go breakfast before reporting to their grade level waiting room.
- Students MUST be in homeroom by 8:30 or they will be counted as late.
For Parents at Drop Off:
- All students must be dropped of in the front drive way. DO NOT drop off in the parking lot. All students must be temperature checked. We will temperature check at your car. Do not leave or pull off until your child's temperature has been taken and verified to be under 100.
- Until we get in the groove of taking everyone's temperature drop off may take a bit longer than usual. We appreciate your patience. It would be recommended that you give yourself a few extra minutes for drop off in our first week. Once we get our process down, it should be very fast to get through the drop off line.
For Parents at Dismissal:
- We will start Kindergarten dismissal at 3:20 on Waverly St. Please refer to K orientation newsletter link (below) for more information about this process.
- First and Second Grade dismissal will will happen at the front of the building. It will begin at 3:30.
- Grades 3-5 dismissal will be on Magnolia. It will start at 3:30.
- Make sure you have a car tag if picking up a child. This applies to parents/guardians/designated adults picking up in a car, or on foot. No card, no child. If you need more than one card please let your child's teacher know and we can provide you multiple tags. ** If you need a tag before school you can come to the school on 8/27 between 2:30-3:30, Friday, 8/28 from 8:30-3:30, or Monday from 10:00-2:30 to get a tag. We usually give them out at open house but since we were virtual to start we didn't have them for you! Sorry about that**
Working with you as a team:
- Please prepare your child for wearing a mask all day. We will have chances for students to play outside without masks, but while we are in the building we will be striving to have our masks on. We will be talking to students about the responsibility of wearing a mask to protect and show care for our fellow lions. We encourage you to talk to your child about how mask wearing keeps everyone safe and we want to work together to keep all lions safe from getting sick.
- If your child is sick or under the weather, please keep them home. As a working parent, I understand how inconvenient it is to have an unexpected day off because a child becomes sick. However, sending a sick child to school could have larger repercussions than just a few days off of work. If you suspect exposure to Covid 19 and your child or you feel any of the symptoms that the CDC has us looking for, I cannot stress the importance of staying home. If we can all commit to being proactive when we are under the weather, even if it is from the common cold, and make decisions that support all of our health we all win and get to be in school and not home for 10+ days.
*Don't forget that students do NOT attend school on Friday, September 4th or Monday, September 7th. September 4th is Parent Teacher Conference day. If desired, please request a conference with your child's teacher via email or Dojo. Monday, September 7th, is Labor Day.
Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have questions or want to discuss something further. I want to express how much your cooperation and grace will be appreciated this year as we work through these unique circumstances. I know we will be stronger, but the path may be a little bumpy along the way! We look forward to navigating it all with you and your children!
Thank you for your support,
Suzanne Zahner
Principal
Parent Teacher Conference Information
We would like to thank you for your patience and perseverance as we navigated these first weeks of school. We have enjoyed connecting virtually with you and your students. We look forward to continuing the process of getting to know your child(ren) as learners. The upcoming week of Face to Face instruction will help us get to know your child on a more personal level. It is through such personal knowledge, quality of work, and observation that we plan our discussion points and next steps prior to a conference. This knowledge takes time, and at this point, due to the delayed start to school and virtual learning format, we do not feel our knowledge of your child’s personal development is keen enough to discuss in a conference on Friday, September 4th. We do, however, offer conferences by appointment at any time throughout the year and we would be happy to share details of your child’s progress, strengths, and areas to strengthen in a future meeting. Should you still wish to have a virtual conversation at this point in time, we will make ourselves available throughout the week of August 31. These virtual appointments will be scheduled upon request and in collaboration to accommodate the teacher and families’ schedules.
Join the Girl Scouts! Lincoln has a Troop!
Lincoln Precautions and Safety Measures
We want to point out a few highlights for implications at the school level as we support the health and safety of our students, staff, and Lincoln Families.
All will be Temperature Checked - All students will have a temperature check upon entering the building. If a temperature is over 100, we will attempt a second read after a few minutes. If the second read is over 100, the student will discreetly be guided to the nurse’s office. Students with a fever may not return to school until they are fever free without medication for 24 hours.
Assigned Seats and Places in Line - As students travel and participate in their classes, they will be in assigned seats and order throughout the day. Knowing where students are located in proximity to each other is very important in the identification of those considered contacts by the Sullivan County Health Department. A contact is defined as someone who is within six feet for more than ten minutes.
Cafeteria - Students will eat in classrooms.
Recess - Classes will be assigned designated zones on the playground and other areas around the school that will rotate throughout the week to keep students among their classroom “family” groups.
Masks - Masks are required for all students over the age of 2 and all adults.
No Visitors - We will not be allowing visitors during the school day until further notice. Meetings will be scheduled by appointment as needed.
Shared Supplies - Students will not be sharing supplies this year. If you have purchased supplies, please bring them to the Back to School Orientation or on the first day.
Information For Kindergarten Parents
Please review the communication sent via ClassDojo from your child's teacher. This information shared Kindergarten-specific and classroom-specific details for your child's class and your child's schedule. Also you can revisit the "Welcome To Lincoln's Kindergarten" Newsletter by clicking the link HERE
Kindergarten Schedule for the Week of August 31st:
Monday: Group A attends from 9:30-12
Tuesday: Group B attends from 9:30-12
Wednesday: All K students attend from 8:30-12
Thursday: All K students attend from 8:30-12
Friday: NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS, Parent Teacher Conference Day
Help Us Build A New Playground!
In the Fall of 2019, Kingsport City Schools and Abraham Lincoln's Principal Suzanne Zahner met and determined that our current playground, installed in 1991, was very close to the end of its life cycle. During the past academic year, you or your Lincoln student may have noticed the removal or blockage of several elements. Historically, school support organizations like Lincoln's approved Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) fully funded the cost to build and maintain playgrounds. Our Lincoln Community currently does not have the availability of time or network to fundraise the approximate $375,000 price tag to purchase and install our new playground. So, where are we with this need?
Our dedicated principal, Ms. Zahner, strongly advocates for Lincoln's immediate need for a safe, functional, and state-compliant playground. As a Lincoln school and community as a whole, we must ensure that all of our Lincoln Lions receive an entirely equitable education that resembles all of our district's elementary school. Every child should have the same experience available to them, including areas for safe and informative play. During this pandemic, we have learned that play is crucially important for our youngest learners aged two through twelve, and that play needs to occur outside in open spaces. A functional, safe, and compliant playground is needed now more than ever.
Last fall, the Abraham Lincoln PTO authorized a playground committee known as The Lincoln Playground Project. The playground project implemented a process to survey students of their "likes" and "dislikes" for the new playground. The playground project took that information and researched over 800 playground elements and worked through multiple design concepts to reach one absolute favorite. You can see pictures and animated walkthroughs of the playground online through our Facebook page and the picture below. We hope KCS selects our chosen concept design following an open bidding process. The bidding process will begin after we turn over this process to Kingsport City Schools and the Board of Education at the end of October 2020. The Lincoln Playground Project, the PTO, and Lincoln administrators notified KCS that we would attempt to contribute $50,000 to the playground expense in a short fundraising window during a pandemic. We are currently two months into our planned four-month period of fundraising, and as of today, we have received 67% of our goal of $50,000.
Please visit our website on Tuesday, September 1st, 2020, at 9 am to look at merchandise commissioned by the PTO and the Lincoln Playground Project that will celebrate Abraham Lincoln Elementary School's 100th academic year, "100 Years of Lincoln". Lincoln opened on January 3rd, 1921, at what is now the Kingsport Renaissance Center. We hope you find a merchandise item that you like and decide to purchase. Additionally, we will have small events that your Lincoln Lion can participate in during the school year to help raise money. Visit our Facebook page and click like and share (fb.com/alesplayground). Also, reach out to Denny "Trey" Darnell via email at trey@alespto.com, mobile (423) 367-5399 or SMS (423) 367-5399.
Kingsport Parks And Rec Soccer Fall Season
Kingsport Rec Soccer needs your help to reach the kiddos in our community - to invite them to 'unplug' and come outside to play!
Kingsport Rec Soccer is facilitated by Kingsport Parks and Rec and administered by Tri-Cities United Soccer Club. Serving children ages 3-13, the mission of our program is to provide an opportunity to learn, practice and love the game of soccer in a fun, caring environment.
The Fall Season is September - November. Game times vary at Eastman Park at Horse Creek. Registration fees range from $35-$75. There is a $30 sibling discount - and scholarships are available to those qualifying for free / reduced lunch. Registration is now open online at kingsportsoccer.org.