MISSION: Toledo Public Schools’ mission is to produce competitive college and career ready graduates through a rigorous curriculum across all grade levels by implementing Ohio’s New Learning Standards with fidelity.

VISION: Toledo Public Schools strives to be an ‘A-rated’ school district whose graduates are college and career ready.

As flowers bloom and spring returns with many new opportunities, we look forward to our students returning to school as well! It has been a very long 365 + days for everyone. Our teachers, staff and administration are so excited for April 19th! With the return to five days of in-person learning, we expect to have some hiccups along the way. Always know that the safety and welfare of your child is our number one priority at Old Orchard. Face masks and social distancing will still be implemented.

Our students have been away for quite some time and have delveloped habits out of our control. Please assist us by making sure your child has a proper nights sleep, eats breakfast at home daily and comes prepared for the WHOLE day ready to learn! This may be a challenge for some but together we will make this transition as easy as we can for everyone!

Thank you for your continued support,

Mrs. Dreier

Toledo Public Schools will return from Spring Break on Monday, April 12, following the current hybrid model.

Monday, April 19, the district will move to Green Light status - meaning five days of in-person learning for all students. We are taking this step based on the revised guidance from the CDC for K-12 education regarding in-person learning and given that a large percentage of our employees have been vaccinated against COVID-19.

While we are excited to welcome students back to five days of in-person learning, maintaining a safe and healthy environment within our schools remains our top priority.

New regulations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) allow schools to arrange desks a minimum of three feet apart to maintain social distancing in most cases. Other safety measures will remain in place for both students and staff members, including wearing facial coverings, practicing social distancing in hallways and during class changes and frequent hand-washing.

Students currently enrolled in the Virtual Academy will continue following that school’s schedule through the remainder of the year; enrollment to the Virtual Academy remains closed.

The district also plans to continue providing breakfast options for students to take home and eat before they come to school.

Please contact your school directly with questions regarding their school specific return to school information.

Thursday, April 1- Last day of classes before Spring Break

Friday, April 2- Friday, April 9- NO SCHOOL

Monday, April 12- Hybrid schedule resumes (A day)

Monday, April 19- STUDENTS RETURN TO IN-PERSON LEARNING FIVE DAYS PER WEEK!

As we work to keep everyone safe and healthy, we are asking for the following help:

1. Do a health assessment each day before sending your student to school and if your student is sick please keep him/her home.

-Shortness of breath/difficulty breathing

-Sore throat

-Diarrhea

-Cough

-Congestion/runny nose

-Nausea or vomiting

-New loss of taste or smell

-Body aches/muscle aches

-Fatigue

-Fever of 100 F or higher

-Chills

-Headache

2. Before your student can return to school, the following protocol must be met:

__If a student has a combination of the above symptoms OR a cough, shortness of breath or loss of taste and smell, he or she must Stay Home for 10 days AND be without fever (>100 degrees), without fever-reducing medicine for 24 hours AND improving symptoms before returning. Those with symptoms may only return to school prior to the 10-day requirement with a singed/stamped note form a healthcare provider with an alternative diagnosis and/or negative PCR test (COVID-19 test).

__If reported that a student had an exposure to a positive COVID-10 case, the student must stay home from school (self-quarantine) and monitor for symptoms for 14 days. Contact the Toledo-Lucas County Health Department at 419-213-4161 for further guidance.

3. If someone living in your home is positive for COVID 19, your student will need to quarantine at home. The quarantine timeline of 14 days starts 10 days after the symptoms appeared in the family member with COVID-19. Please contact the school nurse for a return date.

4. All absences related to COVID-19 or COVID-19 like symptoms (listed above) will be excused.

5. It is important for you to know that students with any signs or symptoms of COVID 19 will be sent home immediately.

6. Make sure your phone numbers and emergency contacts are current.

It has been so nice to have our students back in person! I am sure things are still a struggle at times, adjusting to new routines, staying motivated and remembering schedules, etc. It is important to first, pause and reflect on all the hard work that you have already done, to get to where you are at today. Take a moment to celebrate the small accomplishments and notice how far you have come through this pandemic. It is very important to remind our children, too of their resiliency, that they can do hard things. Children see how we model our coping skills and learn from our examples so knowing how to care for ourselves as well as them is just as important.

Below are some mindful practices that can help children and adults cope with daily events and help find some pause throughout day-to-day tasks:

• Squeeze Muscles: Starting at your toes, pick one muscle and squeeze it tight. Count to five. Release, and notice how your body changes. Repeat exercise moving up your body.
• Belly Breathing: Put one hand on your stomach and one hand on your chest. Slowly breathe in from your stomach (expand like a balloon) and slowly breathe out (deflate).
• Mindful Meal: Pay attention to the smell, taste and look of your food. No multitasking.
• Meditation: Sit in a relaxed, comfortable position. Pick something to focus on, like your breath. When your mind wanders, bring your attention back to your breath.
• Blowing Bubbles: Notice their shapes, textures and colors.
• Coloring: Color something. Focus on the colors and designs.
• Listening to Music: Focus on the whole song, or listen specifically to the voice or an instrument.

It does not have to be complicated. Being mindful is what it sounds like. Taking time to focus on the present, being intentional and thoughtful about where you are and how you are feeling. Trying to center your thoughts and be in the moment. Sounds simple, but it takes work, especially now when concerns about what the future holds feel so pressing. Mindful activities can help. Take some time each day to be mindful of your surroundings, your feelings and take time to find your breath.

SAVE THE DATE

TUESDAY, APRIL 27

5-7 PM