GECKO GAZETTE
GRANT SCHOOL - SANTA MONICA
MARCH 28, 2021
~ SPECIAL EDITION OF THE GECKO GAZETTE REGARDING RETURNING TO CAMPUS ~
~ IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER ~
Please review these important dates:
- Monday, April 12th: TK-5 DISTANCE LEARNING WEEK
- Monday, April 19th: FULL RETURN TO SCHOOL - SEE BELOW
- Thursday, April 22nd: Student Picture Day. More info coming soon.
- Thursday, April 22nd: Earth Day. Stay tuned for activities all week long!
- Tuesday, May 11th: Make-up Picture Day
~ FULL RETURN TO SCHOOL UPDATE~
March 28, 2021
Dear Grant Parents and Caregivers,
Last week's Gecko Gazette was to be the final edition until the end of Spring Break but as you know reopening plans in SMMUSD have been evolving fairly quickly with the dramatic changes in the conditions of COVID-19 in LA County. Recently, LA County dropped into the Red Tier and it is expected that we continue the decline of cases which will then move us into the Orange Tier. That said, Dr. Drati sent out updated information on Friday evening outlining our return to full in-person learning on Monday, April 19th. I have included his message below. Please read this important information as it has implications for your child's instructional program for the remainder of the school year.
*SUPERINTENDENT DRATI'S MESSAGE ALSO INCLUDES A LINK TO AN RSVP FORM FOR YOU TO COMPLETE (THIS WILL LITERALLY ONLY TAKE A MINUTE TO COMPLETE) BY TONIGHT, SUNDAY, MARCH 28TH AT 5:00 PM). EVEN THOUGH YOU HAVE ALREADY ANSWERED THE GRANT RSVP FORM THE DISTRICT NEEDS YOU TO ANSWER THEIR NEW ONE.
RSVP: LINK TO RSVP
As a reminder, and this is information I have been sharing for weeks now, if you choose to keep your child home for the remainder of the year, he/she/they will be reassigned to a Distance Learning teacher. Grant students whose parents have already informed us that their child will remain home have already been reassigned. That assignment will remain in place.
I will be sending updated schedules, arrival/dismissal information, and safety information before we return to full on-campus programming on Monday, April 19th.
The instructional schedule for the week of April 12th, the week following Spring Break, will be all distance learning to allow families to self-quarantine after any travel over the break and to allow staff to finalize the new full-return on-campus safety protocols and bell schedules. The schedule for the week of April 12th - 16th is as follows:
- Monday, April 12th: Social/Emotional Block - 8:30 - 9:00 then asynchronous
- Tuesday, April 13th: Social/Emotional Block - 8:30 - 9:00 then asynchronous
- Wednesday, April 14th: Distance Learning - 8:30 - 10:30 then asynchronous
- Thursday, April 15th: Distance Learning - 8:30 - 10:30 then asynchronous
- Friday, April 16th: Distance Learning - 8:30 - 10:30 then asynchronous
The entire staff at Grant School continues to be grateful for your partnership and patience during this most-unusual school year. I remain optimistic that we can provide a safe and engaging learning environment for your children throughout the remainder of the school year (which is 44 days school days from April 12th if you're counting!)
We look forward to seeing our students on campus again soon!
GO GECKOS!
Best regards,
Christian Fuhrer
Principal
Grant School
Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District
~QUESTIONS ABOUT SPRING BREAK TRAVEL~
Can We Travel?
As Spring Break approaches, many of us are thinking about traveling. Please travel safely and with the following in mind. We are just welcoming back many students into school and do not want anything to happen that may jeopardize the progress that has been made. As a community, we continue to work together to ensure the safety of all of our students. Individual decisions may impact the entire community, so weigh your options when considering travel, enjoy traveling within the state, but plan ahead if you go out of state.Reference for answers: LA County Department of Public Health Travel Advisory
What if I go out of California for spring break and come back but don’t quarantine my kid? What would happen? How would anyone know?
If you go out of state without your children/child they don't need to quarantine. If you travel out of California, we have faith in our community to act in the best interest of each other, to be honest, and to protect each other from COVID-19. If there is a situation where one school has 3 or more cases of COVID-19 that are epidemiologically linked we must close the school. Every other person will then miss out if people are not forthcoming and subsequently cause an outbreak. We know that our community is deeply invested in keeping our schools open. If the district has proof that the person who is entering campus (employee, essential visitor, or student) has been out of California in the last 10 days and is coming to school and misrepresenting the truth on their health screening they will be asked to return home for the 10-day quarantine. This will remain until the LA County Department of Public Health travel advisory changes.
I got vaccinated and traveled but my child stayed home. Do they need to quarantine?
No, currently the LA County Department of Public Health says that only the person who traveled outside of California needs to quarantine for 10 days.
If we travel somewhere and quarantine, why can’t my child just log into a zoom class? Why do they have to miss school?
Our teachers do not teach sitting at a stationary place, they move throughout the classroom and outdoor learning spaces to interact with students. It is not feasible for Elementary teachers to teach on Zoom at the same time as in person. We cannot move students into new virtual classes for 10 days due to scheduling and continuity of the educational program. The student will have to miss in-person learning because the LA County Department of Public Health is clear that if you leave California you must quarantine for 10 days on your return. Your child will have an excused absence for the school days missed during the quarantine period. They will receive asynchronous work.
Does quarantine mean my child is marked absent? How does it work?
Your child will have an excused absence for the school days missed during the quarantine period. They will receive asynchronous work.
If 90% of my class has to quarantine after spring break, can the teacher just teach the whole class over zoom?
No, in this hypothetical example 10% of the class who chose to follow the travel advisory and not leave California would have to be asked to miss out on in-person instruction which would not be fair to those families. We must operate the school based on the guidance, order, and advice of LACDPH.
If someone comes back from break and doesn’t quarantine when they were supposed to, does our whole class have to stay home because of that one person?
We ask that they follow the health guidelines and not come to school. If they test positive for COVID-19 and came to school and came within 6 feet of another person for more than 15 cumulative minutes that person is considered to be a close contact and will follow the graphic below. If there is a situation where one school has 3 or more cases of COVID-19 that are epidemiologically linked we must close the school. Every other person will then miss out if people are not truthful and subsequently cause an outbreak. We know that our community is deeply invested in keeping our schools open. If the district has proof that the person who is entering campus (employee, essential visitor, or student) has been out of California in the last 10 days and is coming to school and is not forthcoming on their health screening they will be asked to return home for the 10-day quarantine. This will remain until the LA County Department of Public Health travel advisory changes.
Please contact our nurse, Jane Jeffries (jjeffries@smmusd.org) and Principal Fuhrer (cfuhrer@smmusd.org) to discuss this in further detail.
What happens if someone in class is positive for covid? How will you let us know? Does the class then go on zoom?
Depending on the situation we have a lot of options within the LACDPH outbreak guidance. If they test positive for COVID-19, came to school, and came within 6 feet of another person for more than 15 cumulative minutes that person is considered to be a close contact and will follow the graphic below. If there is a situation where one school has 3 or more cases of COVID-19 that are epidemiologically linked we must close the school. Our exposure protocol is in our COVID Safety Plan located on the school district's website: https://www.smmusd.org/coronavirus
~ Superintendent’s Message: Plan to Fully Reopen and Required Return Plan Form ~
Dear Parents, Guardians, Staff, and Community Members,
We know that many families are very excited to have their students return to school five days a week following spring break, while some families are still hesitant. With the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health distancing guidance reduced to three feet in classrooms announced on Monday, this opens up tremendous opportunities for fully reopening for those students who are ready for return.
We will reopen full-time in-person: Elementary, April 19 / Secondary, April 26
We are excited to announce our planned full reopening dates. Elementary students will return full-time on April 19 and secondary students will return full-time on April 26. Secondary students will have a week of hybrid as a transition the week of April 19. Distance learning will be an option.
School resumes on April 12 with distance learning for all.
Why are we not reopening fully in-person on that date?
- Current travel quarantine requirements will prevent some students and staff from returning to in-person on April 12. Our reopening focus is the health, safety and wellbeing of students and staff.
- We are still in a pandemic and need to take all precautions to ensure we do not end up with cases that require a school to shut down and quarantine, sending hundreds of students and staff home. This delay of one week will provide an extra measure of safety for our return.
- Principals and teachers will need adequate time to create new bell schedules and campus protocols to accommodate both the educational needs and safety requirements for students, and this cannot take place until April 12 when staff returns. Again, these are complicated issues that are unique to the new position in which we are finding ourselves, but we believe that this careful planning will lead to a safe and engaging school experience for all students.
- Principals and staff have spent the past few months planning for a hybrid return on April 12, and our site facilities will be ready for students by this date. However, this shift to full reopening cannot be achieved without the time needed for many complex logistical concerns, including providing new virtual classrooms with certificated SMMUSD teachers for those students remaining in distance learning-only; creating outdoor eating areas for students to eat/drink with six-foot distancing due to masks off; activating child care programs; and restructuring transportation schedules to accommodate strict bus capacity guidelines.
- For elementary, the week of April 12: students will engage in a modified distance learning model with both synchronous and asynchronous work. Your principal will provide you with more information.
- For secondary, the week of April 12 will engage in a modified distance learning model, followed by a week of hybrid for the week of April 19, as we ramp up to reopen on April 26. Your principal will provide you with more information.
We are confident that this is the best decision to ensure everything goes smoothly upon return. We are committed to reopening our schools and remaining open.
Distance learning option
For elementary students not returning for in-person, you will be assigned a new teacher and new class with other distance learning-only students in the same grade. This is the only way we can continue offering a high-quality distance learning Zoom experience with similar scheduling and a fully-focused return to on-campus learning. Distance learning teacher assignments will be provided the week of April 12.
For secondary students continuing with distance learning only, students will keep their same teachers and participate with the class via Zoom. There may be a few exceptions for teachers who are unable to return in person.
Decision form
As we turn this corner we have all looked forward to, we require that parents fill out this decision form, so we know who is returning and who is continuing with distance learning only. It’s critical that all families submit this form, so we may plan accordingly. (Direct link: http://bit.ly/SMMUSDreturnPlans)
Special education students
For students with IEPs, please work with your special education team in order to better understand how your child's services can be delivered per the LACDPH guidelines. We will fulfill the minutes in your child's IEP, but we will need to look at the safest way to provide services. If your child will be continuing in Distance Learning, services will continue to be delivered online.
After school care
We will do our best to support elementary school families with childcare needs upon our return to full in-person instruction beginning on April 19. For information or questions about childcare in grades TK-3 at all sites, please visit our website at https://www.smmusd.org/Page/4110 or email SAP@smmusd.org.
CREST Club for 4th/5th graders will operate at Edison, Franklin, Roosevelt, and Will Rogers. For information about childcare in grades 4/5, please visit the city website or call (310) 458-8540. For 4th/5th graders at the remaining sites, please also email SAP@smmusd.org for more information. CREST Enrichment will continue to be offered virtually. Please visit the city website for more information.
Local health experts provide ongoing support
Our health symposium featuring a panel of local medical professionals on March 25 shared medical information and insights that further support this decision. The symposium also provided valuable guidance for families who want to continue in distance learning or are uncertain about what is best for their student. If you missed it, you can view the recording.
Stay vigilant
All of us are responsible for following current health department travel guidelines. We recognize that some families and staff may travel during non-school days. We expect any staff or students who have traveled outside of California to abide by the required 10-day quarantine. This is for the health and safety of all staff and students.
This is not the time to let our guard down. We must all continue to do our part to keep COVID-19 away from our staff and families. To accomplish that upon return, we will continue with strict health protocols, including wellness screenings, mandatory and proper mask-wearing, except when eating or drinking, regular hand washing / sanitizing, and six-foot distancing while eating/drinking. It will be critical to keep sick children at home so as not to risk an entire class, or worse, an entire school having to shut down. Your principal will inform you of the consequences for students who will not wear their mask properly, as this is a serious issue during this time.
In addition, we will be announcing a COVID testing protocol for our school sites, as well as other safety measures that we view as important elements in keeping all individuals safe while building confidence for families uncertain about sending their students back to in-person school.
We are in this together, and together we can fully return to school safely and continue delivering distance learning to those students who are not returning at that time. We look forward to enjoying the remainder of the school year to the fullest extent possible.
Please have a safe and enjoyable spring break.
Sincerely,
Dr. Ben Drati, Superintendent
~ COVID-19 SURVEILLANCE TESTING FOR STAFF AND STUDENTS ~
~GRANT SCHOOL 2021 STEAM EXPO ~
~GRANT'S STEAM EXPO SUBMISSIONS INFORMATION ~
The link to upload videos is NOW ACTIVE and is available on the Student Guide 2021! Students can upload their videos starting today NOW!
Parents, please make sure you read the Student Guide to become familiar with all of the guidelines for this year's Expo.
Also, watch the cool Grant STEAM Expo Promotional Video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztBc6VqfR-c&t=21s
↓↓↓SUBMIT VIDEOS HERE↓↓↓
Please submit all STEAM project videos at the following link:
https://www.dropbox.com/request/LhQYknFMpNhZeaBTB0km
Student & Parent Guide 2021: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Q47Bfhzaeixj-NAxEdJW6cxpGYSaIQGXrDR-B2fmtxY/edit?usp=sharing
We can't wait to see all of the amazing projects our Gecko Scientists create!
Go Gecko STEAM!
~ RESOURCES FOR FAMILES ~
~HELP WITH DISTRICT ISSUED LAPTOPS~
- Your child's laptop is not working
- You are moving out of the school district
- Troubleshooting issues
If your child is currently using a district-issued laptop to engage in distance learning and you require technical assistance, please email our technology specialist at:
If you require translation services for this assistance, please contact Bilingual Community Liaison Florencia Rams at frams@smmusd.org.
~TRANSLATION OPTION INTO 100 LANGUAGES!~
~ ¡NUEVA OPCIÓN DE TRADUCCIÓN A 100 IDIOMAS! ~
Para leer la Gaceta Gecko en otro idioma, mire a la derecha del boletín y haga clic en "TRADUCIR EL BOLETÍN". ¡Ahora puede elegir entre 100 idiomas!
~ በ 100 ቋንቋዎች ውስጥ አዲስ የትርጓሜ ምርጫ! ~
የጌኮ ጋዜጣ በሌላ ቋንቋ ለማንበብ እባክዎን በራሪ ወረቀቱ በስተቀኝ በኩል ይመልከቱ እና “የትርጉም ጽሑፍ” ን ጠቅ ያድርጉ ፡፡ አሁን ከ 100 ቋንቋዎች መምረጥ ይችላሉ!