Hiawatha Elementary School
Junior Hawks
Welcome back
Some of the changes we're making may seem strange and will make some parts of school less enjoyable. We understand that. Our goal is to continue to create learning opportunities that help students grow and foster the love of learning like we always have. However, we also must do everything in our power to ensure that each person, students, and staff, attend school in a way that increases our safety.
Detailed in this newsletter are some of the ways we are accomplishing that goal. Please read the information carefully. We will discuss changes for morning drop off, the change of the school day's time, and some of the procedures for how students will maintain safety in the building.
Despite the seriousness of making the school year as risk-free for COVID, I'm sure this year will be a year where great learning will occur, friendships will be made, and our students will grow. We ask that you join us with a positive attitude, supporting our students' learning, our staff's hard work, and our efforts to make this year as safe and successful as possible.
First Days of School
Our first day of school will be Wednesday, September 2, 2020. This day will be for scheduled Preschool and Kindergarten families and students who are new to the district. Thursday, September 3rd will be a FULL day of school. In order to reach the state requirement of 1116 hours for the 2020-21 school year, our start and dismissal times have been adjusted. Our official school hours are 8:10 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Hiawatha Elementary School will follow the following daily schedule:
7:50 am - Doors open- Students get breakfast and/or go to their teacher’s classroom
8:05 am- The first bell
8:10 am- The Tardy bell- The school day has begun
3:15 pm- Bus students will be dismissed
3:30 om- All students will be dismissed
The district calendar has been updated and can be found on the district website at https://www.hiawathaschools.org/
PROCEDURES FOR 2020-2021
School Arrival
Supervision will not begin until doors open at 7:50. DO NOT drop your children off until 7:50.
The tardy bell will ring at 8:10 this year.
Students are not allowed in the building before 7:50 a.m.
All students and staff must wear a mask.
Students will enter the building through the front doors of HES.
Students will have their temperature taken as they enter the building.
Students will practice social distancing while waiting their turn to enter the
building.
If you feel like you need to walk your child(ren) to the door, park in the parking lot.
Parents walking their child(ren) to the door must-have on a mask.
Parents will stay outside of the building.
Students will walk directly to their classrooms.
If your child(ren) eats breakfast, your child(ren) will pick up their breakfast and eat it in the classroom.
Students will go directly through the breakfast line, then move to their classrooms
Bus
Students riding the bus MUST wear a mask at all times.
Students will sit with their families on the bus
Students will have assigned seats on the bus
Students will use hand sanitizer before entering the building.
Masks
Students/Staff will wear a mask at all times while in the building except
When eating or drinking
When social distancing can be observed
At recess
During a mask break
USD 415 has purchased 2 masks for each student.
Students may bring masks from home
Classroom Procedures
Each classroom will be a cohort group. This means that they will stay
together all day (recess, lunch, PE, Music, etc.).
Students will wash their hands or use hand sanitizer frequently.
Students will limit sharing any materials (pencils, crayons, markers, etc.).
Students will sit in assigned seats in the classroom and at lunch.
PE will be outside, as much as possible, and in classrooms if not outside.
Masks may be removed during outside PE and recess while social
distancing.
Music, Art, Technology, Library, and Guidance will rotate to each classroom.
Teachers will schedule mask breaks, as needed.
Lunch Procedures
Students will wash their hands with soap and water before going to lunch.
Students will socially distance as they wait their turn to pick-up their lunch.
Meals will be covered when walking to their classroom to eat.
Students have 30-minute lunches.
Cleaning procedures will be followed between each class.
Parents may provide lunch from home for their child(ren).
Students bringing lunch from home will walk with the class to lunch for supervision
Snacks/Birthday Treats
Snacks can be sent in. These need to be prepackaged snacks. Please check with your classroom teacher with further information.
Snacks need to be easy for students to eat.
Birthday treats may be sent in by parent(s).
Treats need to be prepackaged.
Water Fountains
A water bottle will be provided by USD 415 on the first day of school.
Your child(ren) may bring a water bottle from home.
Students will NOT be allowed to drink from the water fountains.
Students will be able to fill their water bottles using the bottle filler.
If your child comes to school by car, please send your child with a filled
water bottle.
If your child rides the bus, please send your child with an empty water
Bottle.
Only water will be permitted for students, please no sports drinks, soda, etc
Recess
Only 1 grade level at a time will be outside for recess.
Each classroom will have its own recess equipment and play on different spaces on the playground.
Recess equipment will be cleaned daily.
Students will maintain social distancing if they have removed their masks.
Students will use hand sanitizer as they go out to recess and come in from
recess.
School Dismissal
Bus riders will dismiss at 3:20. Students dismissing to the Methodist Church Parking Lot will dismiss at 3:25. Students dismissing from the HES parking lot or walking home by themselves will dismiss at 3:30.
Students will maintain social distancing while waiting to get on the bus.
Parents picking up students will park in the assigned parking lot- either the Methodist Church or Hiawatha Elementary's parking lot.
The school will contact you regarding which parking lot to pick your child up
Parents will not stop in the driving lane at HES
Cleaning Procedures
All cleaning procedures have been developed and approved by USD
415.
All cleaning procedures follow recommendations from the Brown CO Health
Department.
Academics
Each classroom teacher will continue to teach their grade level Kansas State Standards and follow the KSDE document “Navigating Change: Kansas’ Guide to Learning and School Safety Operations”.
Handwashing
About us
Principal- Paul Carver
Email: pcarver@usd415.org
Website: https://www.hiawathaschools.org/
Location: 600 Miami Street, Hiawatha, KS, USA
Phone: (785)742-7181
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HiawathaPublicSchoolsUsd415/
Twitter: @usd415