November 2020
Knik Elementary School
Greetings Knik Elementary Families,
I would like to take this opportunity to share a little information about how Knik Elementary managed our first positive COVID case. Last Wednesday, I was notified late in the day that Knik Elementary had a positive case of COVID-19. District protocols called for students from the affected classroom to be isolated from the rest of the student body while Public Health conducted contact tracing. In this situation, we asked parents of the students in this classroom to pick up their students instead of them riding the bus and to keep them home to participate in at-home learning on Thursday and Friday while the contact tracing was completed. Doing that meant that Knik Elementary did not have to experience a full-school closure day. Over the course of Thursday and Friday, Public Health asked us to notify the families of the students who were determined to be close contacts and inform them of their state ordered 14-day quarantine. Other students who were not close contacts were informed they were clear to return to school. I saw first-hand how our District COVID procedures helped us ensure the safety of students and staff at Knik Elementary and respond in a calm and logical manner to the positive case. While I hope we do not experience another case, if we do, I am confident that our COVID mitigation plans will continue to prove effective. Lastly, I just want to thank everyone for your support for Knik Elementary this year. I know there have been times that our COVID plans have been inconvenient. I have experienced that personally with my own family. As we see cases continuing to increase in our community, I would ask everyone for your continued support. Please send your student to school each day with a clean mask, and a spare one. With the colder temperatures, masks get wet during recess and students may like to swap them out for a dry one afterward. Please also continue to keep your students’ home when they are sick and understand when we must ask that they are picked up from school for showing COVID symptoms. We never want to send a student home from school, but the circumstances this Fall will occasionally require it. The very worst outcome for our school would be to have COVID spread through our school, and for people to get sick. I am confident if we can all continue to support our COVID mitigation plans, Knik Elementary can continue to offer a high quality and safe educational experience for all our student.
John Gardner, Principal – Knik Elementary
SPIRIT WEEK
· Monday 11/16 - Game Day! Wear your favorite sports team or video game t-shirt
· Tuesday 11/17 – Favorite Hat Day!
· Wednesday 11/18 – Mismatch Day! Wear your most mismatched outfit.
· Thursday 11/19 – Crazy Hair Day!
· Friday 11/20 – Color War Day!
o 5th Grade – Wear Red
o 4th Grade – Wear Blue
o 3rd Grade – Wear Green
From the Nurse’s Office
Parents, please send an extra mask to school with your child daily. They tend to get damp from the condensation during recess. Reusable masks are ideal because they can be washed. It is a great idea to plan over the weekend and pack them in your child’s backpack at the beginning of the week. Please be mindful that your child needs a good night’s sleep every night to stay healthy and alert through the school week.
As the temps are starting to hit freezing levels, we will be seeing more cold and wet snow gear at the end of the day. Please incorporate laying wet items out to dry each evening as a part of your child’s routine. If you notice your child is missing something, please have them check the lost and found.
If you need further assistance, please call
Nurse Hopkins 907-352-0303 michelle.hopkins@matsuk12.us
Mat Su Special Santa Program
Applications are available at the front office of Knik Elementary.
Some music "notes" from Mrs. P:
· Bucket Band is ongoing at recess on Wednesdays (4th grade) and Thursdays (5th grade).
· 3rd grade Boomwhacker Club will begin November 16th and will be on Mondays at recess. It will only run through December. Permission slips are available.
· 4th grade's virtual concert is still in the works.
· 3rd grade is now working on their virtual concert.
· Choir might begin in 3rd quarter.
If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. Peterson.
Mat-Su Virtual Learning Program
Mrs. Bauman, Ms. Bekker, and Ms. Cooksey would like to recognize the following virtual learners for their excellence and achievements during the first quarter.
MSVL Superstars!
Eli Beckwith (3rd)
Lehana Denison (4th)
Kailee Gauthier-Forbush (3rd)
Amber Goerdt (4th)
Christopher Opland (5th)
Mia Ramirez (5th)
Dani Tiefenbrun (4th)
Student Pick up & End of Day Dismissal
Students who are being picked up at the end of the day will line up on the sidewalk at the front of the school by grade. School begins at 9:15 am. Students are tardy after 9:21 am. Student will be dismissed at 3:45 pm.
In order to ensure your child's safety, we ask that you come and check your child out with the Knik Staff member. Parents are not allowed to pick up their child from the busses. Please check in at the front office first and if the busses have not been released, we will do our best to get your child off the bus for you.
Upcoming Dates
Nov 11 : NO SCHOOL – PD for Staff Nov 16 – 20 : SPIRIT WEEK
Nov 17 : Picture Retakes Nov 26 – 27 : Thanksgiving BreakContact Info.
Front Office
907-352-0300
School Hours
9:15 am – 3:45 pm
Bus Barn
907-357-6327
Goose Bay Elementary
907-352-6400
Boys & Girls Club
907-357-2582