I hope you enjoyed another weekend of beautiful weather! April is here and Spring is in the air. Please keep reading for information on Spring activities like Digital Project PROUD, Virtual Field Trip Fridays and our first ever Jump Rope Fundraiser.

We have also opened our Spirit Wear store through April 19th and included new Spring items. Check out the link below.

I have received many inquiries from families about virtual students returning to in-person instruction. As a reminder, we are happy to accommodate requests for change in learning environment. Please email me directly with questions or requests at nzuerblis@qcsd.org.

Have a wonderful week!

Nicole Zuerblis

Richland Principal

Digital Project Guidelines

• Each participant may enter only one exhibit.

• Projects should be the student's work, however parental guidance is permitted.

• Creativity is encouraged (posters, models, dioramas, interactive displays, and/or videos).

• Each project should be clearly introduced with the student's name, teacher and grade in video presentation on ONE google slide. After submitting an entry form, students will receive a template to add their Project Proud presentation. (ONE SLIDE PER STUDENT ONLY)

• Students who have submitted an entry form should plan on sharing their google slide video presentation with Mrs. Robison (jrobison@qcsd.org) by May 15.

A complete Project PROUD video with all submissions will be ready for viewing on May 21.

Find more information here.

https://www.autism-society.org/get-involved/national-autism-awareness-month/

The Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) will be administered online to students in grades 3-5 in early June. Scheduled dates for the PSSA are below.

June 2-4: English Language Arts (ELA)

June 8-9: Math

June 10-11: Science (grade 4 only)

Students receiving in-person instruction will take online assessments at school on the morning of these dates.

Students learning virtually will take online assessments at school in the afternoon, after in-person students are dismissed. Parents will be contacted with details closer to the PSSA dates.

Students in grades 3-5 who are scheduled to take the PSSA but opt-out will have required asynchronous learning at home on the testing dates.

Should you have any questions related to PSSA testing, please contact our school office.

TUESDAY: What does it mean to be a good friend?

WEDNESDAY: What hurts trust in relationships?

THURSDAY: What makes you cry?

FRIDAY: The best thing about a friend is...

Let's reap the benefits of getting our bodies moving and breathing more deeply as a result of exercising, laughing, and even singing! We don't all need to run marathons - there are simple things we can all do to take care of our bodies - for example unplugging from technology, getting outside, and - importantly - making sure we get enough sleep!

Learn more at actionforhappiness.org!

Currently, our district is providing ALL families with children up to the age of 18 with FREE breakfast and lunch for the remainder of the school year through funds from the US Department of Agriculture. However, if you do not have a current application on file for the 2020-2021 school year, you could miss benefits from the State, should it decide to provide the Pandemic EBT Benefits again.

Please click here for the Free & Reduced Meal Program applications.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Stacy Reiss, Free & Reduced Lunch Program, at sreiss@qcsd.org or 215-529-2022.

Hoping to incentivize more people with a Bachelor’s degree to become substitute teachers, the Quakertown Community School District is significantly increasing pay for substitute teachers for the 2020-21 school year.

The per diem rate is being raised from $105 to $120 per day. Long term per diem pay is being raised from $140 to $175 per day, highest in the area. The average per diem rate in Bucks County and surrounding districts is $109. The long term substitute rate is $125. Please click here for the story.

QCSD has several job openings that can be found by clicking here. They include substitute nurses, aides, and food service workers.

Click here for job openings in the Upper Bucks County Technical School.

The free food program is funded by the United States Department of Agriculture.

The United States Department of Agriculture has extended a nationwide waiver to allow the Quakertown Community School District to provide FREE meals to ALL students regardless of need. No qualification or identification is needed.

ALL students are eligible to receive FREE breakfast and FREE lunch through the end of the school year in June.

Breakfast will be served at Richland in our lunch room or classrooms from 8:45-9:00.

Lunch will have three selections daily: A sandwich/wrap/hot entree, a salad with a protein and roll, or a Grape/Peanut Butter Uncrustable. An assortment of fresh fruits and vegetables along with milk will be available daily. Students will order their lunches in the morning and will eat lunch in their classrooms. Lunches will be assembled by the cafeteria staff in bags, with aides delivering to rooms at the scheduled lunch times.

For Virtual Learners, free meal pickup is now held two days a week, Mondays and Wednesdays. On Mondays, students can receive meals for two days, and on Wednesdays for three days. Pickup remains at the Quakertown Community High School bus loop from 11:15 AM until 12:30 PM.

What should you or your child do if asked to quarantine due to exposure to Covid-19? After an exposure to Covid-19, it may take between 2-14 days for symptoms to appear. When ordered to quarantine, you must stay inside of your home until cleared by the Department of Health. Even if you have no symptoms, you or your child should not be outside of your home having close contact with friends and neighbors. If you become infected with the virus, with or without symptoms, interacting with others not in your household can cause community spread of the disease.

While in school, we require children and staff to be masked, wash their hands often, and socially distance to prevent our Richland community from becoming ill. Even if your child has been diagnosed with a common cold, please ensure they avoid contact with other children to prevent transmission and missed school days. Following these same good habits outside of school will prevent you, your children, and others from becoming sick, whether it be from Covid-19, Flu, or any number of common fall and winter illnesses.

For more information, please read QCSD Exclusion from and Return to School Requirements.

Every day Monday through Friday is a school day.

Please keep your child home if they show any symptoms and call to let us know. You will receive a follow up call from our school nurse. We will confirm if your child will become a virtual learner for a period of time so they are not marked absent from in person instruction while staying home with symptoms.

FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE PHYSICALLY IN THE BUILDING:

Attendance will be taken as in the past, and students will be marked absent if they are not physically present. *Please note, only students who need to quarantine or are approved by the principal or school nurse will learn virtually instead of in person.

FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE 100% VIRTUAL LEARNERS:

Attendance will be taken daily. All students are to complete their "check-in" activity as explained by their teachers by 2:00 daily. To allow for the completion of work asynchronously, students may complete other school activities after 2:00, but the check-in must be completed by 2:00 in order to be marked as present.

IF YOUR CHILD IS ABSENT:

You will receive an email at 3:00 on the day your child is marked absent. The school must receive an excuse from you within 3 days of the absence.

New this year, you may respond to the email with your absence reason. You can also email an excuse to lmoyer@qcsd.org. If you prefer, you may send in an absence note to the office. All excuses must be received within 3 days of the absence.

The live school day begins at 9:00 and ends at 2:00.

Please note AM Kindergarten pick up at 11:00 and PM drop off at 12:00 are in the front of the school.

All buses will drop off and pick up in the front of the school.

Check it out here! https://richlandelementary2021.itemorder.com/sale

The store is open now and closes on April 19th.