CES Summer Update
July, 2020
Where Caring and Learning Go Hand in Hand
Principal's Message
We hope you are all enjoying a safe and healthy summer. We all have been very busy at Concord preparing for next school year and our new normal. We remain dedicated to providing a warm, welcoming, caring, and safe environment for you and your child regardless of how school looks next year. Dr. Bertrando's latest communication outlined the District-Wide Health and Safety Plan. We would like to take some time to detail how those plans will be implemented at Concord. We recognize that there has been a lot of communication coming your way lately. In an effort to synthesize that information and help you understand what that means for your child we wanted to highlight the district-wide key components of masking, hygiene, distancing, and screening and explain what that will look like in everyday practice at Concord. Below you will find highlights of the district plans in each of the key components followed by a short description of what that will look like at Concord. Please know that we empathize with many of you who are feeling apprehensive and anxious about next school year. As you attempt to navigate what these plans look like for your individual family, please remember, you know your child best. Each situation and child is unique and we will support you in what you feel is best for your child. As we get closer to the start of school, please reach out to us with questions or concerns. We are and will continue to always be here for you
Dr. Adam Penning (pennina@garnetvalley.org)
Mrs. Ashley Leach (leacha@garnetvalley.org)
Masking
Staff
- Staff members will be required to wear masks or face shields at all times except under certain circumstances and activities, e.g. eating
- Masks will be worn on the bus and at parent drop-off
- Masks will be worn the majority of the day (exceptions would be made for eating and drinking).
- Masks will be worn during all transition times including recess.
At Concord, all students and staff members will be in masks for the majority of the day. Certain exceptions will be made for students while they are eating and for some of our students if the face-covering impedes their vision, if they have a medical condition, or wearing a face-covering would create an unsafe condition, specifically: students with a disability preventing them from comfortably wearing or removing a face covering, students who are deaf or hard of hearing and use facial and mouth movements as means of communication, students with respiratory conditions, students who have been advised by a medical or legal professional that face coverings will pose a risk to their health. We look forward to educating our children on the importance of wearing masks and getting them comfortable with our new normal.
Colorful masks, masks that represent your child's passions and hobbies are more than welcome!
Hygiene
Custodial Departments in each building will be increasing daily cleaning with frequent disinfection of high-touch areas.
Frequency of hygiene routines such as hand washing and hand sanitizing will be increased and taught.
Bus drivers will perform additional cleaning and disinfection of buses during runs and shifts.
All drinking fountains will be converted to bottle fillers.
At Concord, all of our drinking fountains have been covered and only the bottle filler can be accessed. We ask that you please provide your child with a water bottle labeled with their name. Our classrooms and Hallways will be disinfected by a backpack sprayer each night. Our Kindergarten classrooms will receive deep clean and sanitation between our AM and PM sessions. Students will be taught the importance of washing their hands and how to wash their hands. Our team here at Concord has already added multiple hand sanitizing stations so that students will have the ability to clean their hands even when they are not near a sink. Within the classroom, students will be utilizing their own materials and not sharing with others to the greatest extent possible.
Distancing
In classrooms, there will be a minimum of six feet of space between students with desks and tables oriented in the same direction, and the removal of unnecessary furnishings to maximize separation in the classroom.
One directional travel for group transitions.
Procedures will be enacted to maintain separation in common areas including cafeterias and busses while increasing the use of outdoor spaces.
In order to limit contact during the school day, visitors will not be allowed, meetings will be held virtually, and sharing of student materials will be limited.
At Concord, all of our classrooms are currently being converted into socially distant spaces with desks being placed at 6 feet apart. In order to avoid large gatherings, classes will take turns using the cafeteria spread out at 6 feet. Only two to three classes will use our cafeteria at one time. All other classes will eat in their classrooms. Students will either bring their own lunch or purchase a boxed lunch from the cafeteria which will be delivered to their classrooms.
We are excited about our new recess format. Each day our campus will be separated into 6 zones and classes will participate in acceptable socially distant activities. Think Mileage club and Yoga! Each day students will have a different zone and each zone will be monitored by one of our staff members.
Within the classroom, all desks will be placed in the same direction and spaced at 6 feet. We are in the process of removing all additional furnishings. Students will remain in their classrooms for the majority of the day. All of our classrooms are equipped with bathrooms that students can use. Our special area teachers will travel to the classrooms with the exception of PE. In the few times students would need to leave their classroom our hallways have been outfitted with floor markers to help remind everyone to keep their distance and all students will travel the building in one direction.
Screening
GVSD will actively monitor staff, students, and visitors for COVID-19 like symptoms in accordance with guidance from the Chester County Health Department.
Ongoing communication with the CCHD will occur to ensure GVSD is implementing the most up to date practices.
Kindergarten Specifics
We also wanted to outline some YMCA details. The YMCA uses classrooms at Concord for their before care, aftercare, and extended kindergarten programs, and as a result students and staff members from the YMCA will abide by the health and safety protocols detailed above. Unfortunately, because we have to stick to strict social distancing guidelines, students will only have access to the YMCA programs on days they are physically attending Concord. The YMCA will be communicating further details with families who have registered in the near future.
School Options
Drop Off Time Change
Parents will use the traditional car line on the side of our building by the kindergarten recess yard.
iPad Redistribution Dates
CES Pick Up (grades 1 & 2 only) - K students the first week of school
Wednesday, August 5th: 9:00am-11:00am and 1:00pm-3:00pm
Thursday, August 6th: 6:00pm - 8:00pm
Tuesday, August 18th: 9:00am-11:00amParents are asked to drive to the front of the Concord Elementary School to pick up their child’s device.
ELEMENTARY HANDBOOK & GVSD PROCEDURAL MANUAL
NEW WEBSITE ADDRESS
The new address for our school's website is https://ces.garnetvalleyschools.com/.
Concord Elementary School
Website: garnetvalleyschools.com
Location: 114 Station Road, Glen Mills, PA, United States
Phone: 610-579-6100
Facebook: facebook.com/ConcordElementarySchool-GVSD
Twitter: @ConcordGV