Central Return to Learn Plan
2020-2021
VCS Return to Learn
https://4.files.edl.io/3be0/07/06/20/221637-15a37933-18dd-4332-a41c-43518e91cbc6.pdf
New Elementary Bell Schedule
For the 2020-2021 school year all elementary schools will operate on a 9:15 AM - 3:20 PM schedule. This will allow for teachers to plan and effectively teach both remote and in school students. See the schedule below:
8:55 - 9:15 AM: School Breakfast
9:15 AM - 3:20 PM: School Day
3:20 PM: Dismissal
Level of Incidence
The “Level of Incidence” and decision of color status is a decision of collaboration between the Porter County Dept of Health and VCS Leaders. Please see page 7 of the Return to Learn Plan.
Remote Learning
Remote Learning: Students work on the same content with the same teachers, keeping in sync with their in-house classmates via online communications. See more detailed information about VCS remote learning.
Food Service Information
We are trying to limit contact touch points for students and staff and prefer that parents pay for meals online. This is now a FREE service (we have waived the fees during the pandemic) and a quick tutorial is here: Parents – School Nutrition – Valparaiso Community Schools
We also have launched a very cool app for students and parents to check out the menu and nutrition information. We will not be printing paper menus, they will only be available online and through the app. Please see the additional information on school breakfast/lunch menus: Menus – School Nutrition
Elementary meal prices are $1.55 for Breakfast (.30 reduced, .00 free) and $2.65 for lunch (.40 reduced, .00 free)
Before School
Students should be temperature checked daily by their guardians before they come to school. Any student displaying one or more COVID- 19 symptoms should be excluded from school. Please see page 4 of the Return to Learn Plan.
Transportation
All bus drivers and students will wear a mask when riding the bus. Hand Sanitizer will be provided to students as they enter the bus.
Changes in Dismissal
All notes must be handwritten and sent in with your child first thing in the morning. No changes will be accepted after 12:00. Your child’s safety and return home is our number one priority.
Arrival to School & Entering the Building
Bus Riders: All bus riders will be dismissed from the bus and enter the school through Door B. To ensure social distancing, bus drivers will hold off on dismissing bus riders until the first wave of walkers/car riders have entered the school. Masks will need to remain on when entering the building.
Car Riders & Walkers: All car riders and walkers will enter the building through Door B upon arriving at school.
All students will report directly to their classroom or the cafeteria for breakfast. We strongly encourage students to walk to their morning destination with social distancing in mind. Markings will be placed 6' apart on the floor throughout the school to help students practice physical distancing.Teachers and staff will be present in the hallways to monitor students. Hand Sanitizing/Hand washing will be done prior to entering the classroom or the cafeteria for breakfast.
Dismissal & Exiting the Building
- Walkers: K-2 student walkers will line up on socially distant markers in stairwell by door G to be checked off and accounted for. An adult will then escort K-2 students outside door G until released to their parent or guardian. 3-5 student walkers will be dismissed through door G. 3-5 students with younger siblings will make their way to the stairwell by door G to pick them up before exiting through door G.
- Car Riders: Car riders will be dismissed to line up on socially distant markers in the stairwell by door B to be checked off and accounted for. An adult will then escort car riders outside through door B and released to their parent or guardian's vehicle.
- Bus Riders: Bus riders will be released in waves to allow for social distancing. K-2 bus riders will be dismissed first to lineup on socially distant markers in the main hallway to be checked off and accounted for. At that point, 3-5 bus riders will be dismissed to line up on socially distant markers also in the main hallway to be checked off and accounted for. Students will then exit through door B and wait outside for their bus with adult supervision, weather permitting.
- Kid Stop: Kid stop bus riders will be dismissed in the same manner as stated above. However, instead of exiting through door B, students will walk straight to the cafeteria.
Contactless Drop Off
Items being dropped off for students during the school day may be placed on a table in the foyer with the student’s name and grade labeled.
Cafeteria - Breakfast
Eating utensils, milk cartons and food will not be self-serve. Staff will hand items to students. While in line, students will be separated by 6' to allow for social distancing. We are working to limit contact touch points for students and staff and prefer that parents pay for meals online. This is now a free service (we have waived fees during the pandemic) and here is a quick tutorial.
Cafeteria - Lunch
Lunch will be served in our cafeteria when we are on GREEN. We will serve lunches from 10:30-1:30 in order to only serve one grade at a time, allow for sanitation, and space students out.
Students will have assigned seats, all face one direction, and will have their milk and utensils handed to them by our staff. There will be no self-serve items.
Additional sneeze guards have been installed in our lunch lines, and floors will be marked where students should stand in line in order to maintain distance. Masks must be worn in the cafeteria, except for when students are eating.
We are working to limit contact touch points for students and staff and prefer that parents pay for meals online. This is now a free service (we have waived fees during the pandemic) and here is a quick tutorial.
We have a new app for students and parents to check out the menu and nutrition information. We will not be printing paper menus, they will be available online and through the app. See the information below. Lunch costs $2.65 ($0.40 reduced, $0.0 free).
If we are attending school in the Return to Learn yellow zone, all students will eat lunch in their assigned classroom seat.
Hallways
Classrooms
Recess
Students will have recess daily. Recess will take place on the equipment, the pavement, and the green areas. All recesses will be limited to one grade level. Students may help sanitize small equipment such as jump ropes, hoola hoops and balls.Students will be required to sanitize their hands before and after recess.
Visitors
No visitors are allowed in the school until further notice. This includes lunch buddies, mentors, and parent volunteers. Please refer to page 13 of the Return to Learn Plan.
Parent Meetings/Conferences
Whenever possible, conferences will take place via Zoom or video conferencing. In-person meetings must be arranged in advance and all participants must wear masks and sanitize. Communication with your child’s teacher should be made through methods identified by classroom teachers. These may include Dojo, email and phone calls.
Specials
We will still be having Art, Music, STEM, and PE. The specials schedule has been shortened to allow for sanitation between classes and to avoid classes crossing paths in the hallways.
Child Care
Masks
Masks are required at all times for all staff and students grades 3-5. Per the Return to Learn plan, students in grades K-2 will wear masks at all times unless approved by the teacher or administration. Masks breaks will be scheduled for students throughout the school day.
Students at Central will be issued a lanyard to wear. This year, students will wear their lanyards each day in order to clip the mask on to the lanyard when it must be removed. This will eliminate the need to set a mask down and misplace it or contaminate it.
As with all plans, as executive orders and school district guidelines are adjusted, the Central plan for mask use will adjust accordingly.
Water Bottles
Hand Washing/Hand Sanitizer
Students are also encouraged to bring and keep a personal hand sanitizer to keep in their backpack.
Bathrooms
All classrooms will schedule at least two restroom breaks per day, in addition to the lunch/recess restroom break. During these breaks, students will be able to use the restroom, and will be required to wash their hands and fill their water bottles.
Students will be allowed to leave the room to use the restroom outside of these breaks on an emergency basis. Kindergarten has their own bathroom located in the classroom.
Seating Charts
Supplies
Students will refrain from sharing supplies as often as possible. When required to share items, they will be sanitized between uses. Classroom teachers will have specific instructions for navigating the classroom and for sanitizing materials. Students may be asked to help sanitize items throughout the day. Please see page 9 of the Return to Learn Plan
Back-to-School Changes
After School Activities
All after school activities that can be held virtually will continue and will include remote learning students. More information as the year progresses will be available.
Celebrations
While birthdays are a wonderful part of a child’s elementary experience, if you and your child choose to bring in a treat, non-food treats are required while concerns of Covid-19 continue. In addition, it is highly suggested that the item(s) are brought in three (3) days in advance in order to minimize risk of the virus spread. Another consideration would be to arrange with the teacher to donate games or similar items for their classroom.
Healthy Snacks
Healthy and peanut-free snacks may be an option in our classrooms this year, especially those classes with early and late lunch times.
Clinic / Health Services
Central's school nurse, Mrs. Janet Fisher, will be actively monitoring the health of students and staff. Students with regular visits to the clinic (inhaler, minor injuries, etc) will be kept separate from students displaying symptoms of illness. Please keep all contact numbers in Skyward up-to-date for quick contact, if needed.