Upton Update
Week of January 17, 2022
No School on Monday
Please see the information below in order to be part of our annual Day of Service.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Service Day
Martin Luther King, Jr. National Holiday
A day on; not a day off.
Virtual Keynote & Presentation
On Monday, January 17, 2022, the community is invited to honor Dr. King through learning and action. The commemoration, “A Day On, Not a Day Off,” will begin with a virtual presentation hosted on the Berkley Schools and Royal Oak Schools Facebook pages at 9:30 AM. The virtual event will include a keynote speech by Dr. Kim Martin, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Coordinator for Royal Oak Schools, a performance by the Detroit Youth Choir, messages from both school superintendents, and more.
Freedom Walk
At 10:30 AM, the community is invited to gather at Royal Oak Middle School (back of ROMS), 709 N Washington Ave, Royal Oak, MI, for a freedom walk in the ROMS neighborhood as well as a donation drive. The first 200 guests will receive an event t-shirt. All ages and members of the community are invited to attend. The walk will kick off at 11 AM with a live greeting via Zoom from Governor Whitmer.
Testimonials
How has Dr. King's legacy affected you? Feel free to record a testimonial about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., his legacy, or his speeches in our Testimonials Tent. These will be included in our program after the event. (booth will be on site)
Donation Drive
The event committee will also be collecting the following donations 10:30 - Noon to support the following groups:
- Redford Brightmoor Initiative
- Cass Community Social Services
- Judson Center
- Gleaners Community Food Bank
Items that we'd like to collect that day are listed below:
- Toiletries & Cleaning Supplies (toilet paper, paper towel, soap, shampoo and conditioner, body wash, cleaning products, baby wipes, deodorant, feminine products)
- DVDs (new or used)
- Non-perishable foods (including canned meat and fish)
- Diapers (newborn to size 6)
- Baby wipes
- Laundry detergent
Remember to bring a pair of shoes to school!
Royal Oak Parent Advisory Committee Meeting
Royal Oak Parent Advisory Committee- January 19th, 6:30-8:00 PM, RO Board Office (and Virtual)
The RO PAC is made up of parents of children with disabilities. The PAC advises the Intermediate School District (ISD, Oakland Schools) on the special education programs and services it provides. PACs have a positive impact on special education programs and policies. Our Royal Oak PAC is a group of parents passionate about the education and the well being of our children. The ROPAC sincerely welcomes any parent with a student(s) in Royal Oak Schools to join us in our mission to make our schools a destination for students receiving special education services to thrive. We are committed to promote inclusivity for all. We believe students of all abilities deserve respect, support and resources. For more information, please contact PAC President Elizabeth DeLorean at elizabeth.delorean@gmail.com
School Quarantine & Isolation Guidance
As you may be aware, the MDHHS recently announced a reduction in the number of days an
individual must quarantine or isolate in K-12 schools from a minimum of 10 days to 5 days. The Oakland County Health Division has now adopted these same modifications, and we will be making changes to protocols in our district.
For families who may have a child currently on an isolation or quarantine timeline, please allow our staff time to review and update return-to-school dates. You will be contacted as soon as possible; please wait to be contacted by your child’s school before altering their expected date of return.
The changes we will be implementing are as follows:
● If staff or students are exposed to someone infected with the virus:
○ And, if vaccinated within the last five months, or if outside of the five months, have been boosted if eligible, will remain in school.
○ Or, if unvaccinated or completed the primary series over five months ago, you must quarantine at home for at least five days following exposure, and test on day five if possible.
● Staff or students who have tested positive for COVID must, regardless of vaccination status:
○ Isolate from others for a minimum five days, at home and away from others for days 0-5. Day 0 is the first day of symptoms or the day of the positive test if no symptoms.
○ If symptoms improve or no symptoms develop, return to school on day 6, and continue to wear a well-fitted mask.
○ If you have a fever, stay home until you are fever free for a period of 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medications.
○ It is strongly recommended that unvaccinated individuals take a rapid antigen test on day 5 of isolation and return only if it is negative. If you test positive, remain out for days 6 through 10.
Please note:
● Royal Oak Schools has a mask mandate in place for all staff, students and visitors, and that will continue to be strictly enforced.
● If at any time you develop symptoms, get tested and stay home.
For any illness, not just COVID-19, if your child feels ill, please keep them home from school. If they have a fever, they should remain home until they are fever free for a period of 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medications.
We have indicated to MDHHS that Royal Oak Schools would like to participate in the MI
Backpack Home Test Program, “a new program to make a limited number of free, at-home
COVID antigen tests available to students in Michigan’s schools in the 2021-2022 school year.” We have not received confirmation from them yet. We will distribute information as soon as it is received. We are also working with Oakland Schools to secure a nurse on-site who can conduct COVID tests for staff and students under specific circumstances. Those details will also be shared when available.
As stated by the OCHD, “This is an evolving situation and information/resources will be updated as available at www.oakgov.com/covid. The OCHD Nurse on Call is available at 800-848-5533.
We appreciate your patience and understanding as we continue to prioritize the health and
safety of our staff and students, and respond to the newly adopted guidelines.
Stay well,
Mary Beth Fitzpatrick
Superintendent Royal Oak Schools
Helpful links for families:
Booster eligibility information from the CDC
Kindergarten/Developmental Kindergarten (DK) Parent Information Night
Registration for Kindergarten/Developmental Kindergarten (DK) 2022-23 School Year
Kindergarten/developmental kindergarten enrollment for the 2022-2023 school year has begun. Royal Oak Schools processes new student enrollments online at www.royaloakschools.org Click on the "Enrollment" tab and then "How to Enroll" to begin this process. Once you have completed the online enrollment, including step 5 which is uploading the required enrollments, our enrollment staff will process the enrollment and send a confirmation email. If you are not able to do so at home, please contact Gina Harwood, Enrollment Coordinator at gina.harwood@royaloakschools.org to schedule an appointment for assistance.
Michigan State Law stipulates that a child must be 5 years of age on or before September 1 in order to enroll in kindergarten or developmental kindergarten for the 2022-2023 school year. If a child is not 5 by the September 1 enrollment eligibility date, but will be 5 no later than December 1, an option for parents or guardians to enroll their child in kindergarten/developmental kindergarten is available by completing an Age Waiver form which is available on the website.
Internal Elementary Transfer Request forms are also available on the website. If a parent wishes to request their child attend a school other than their attendance boundary school, a completed form must be submitted to the Enrollment Office in person by February 28th at 4:00 p .m. in order to have priority consideration. Receipt of a completed transfer form is not a guarantee that your child will receive a spot. Further information is available in the Transfer Request Guidelines document on the website.
Vaccine Clinics For Children Ages 5-11 in Royal Oak Area
With the approval of Emergency Use Authorization of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for youth aged 5-11, all school-aged youth (aged 5-18) can now receive the COVID-19 vaccine. In collaboration with Oakland County Health Division and Oakland Schools we would like to share the local vaccine clinic information with you.
Multiple school sites that will host pediatric vaccine clinics across Oakland County starting November 8, 2021. Please click on this link to see the flyer with dates/times/locations/registration information for multiple pediatric clinics. To make an appointment go to OaklandCountyVaccine.com or call 1-800-848-5533. Anyone under 18 must have a parent/guardian present.
The Health Division has additional community vaccine clinics available on their website, OaklandCountyVaccine.com. Visit Oakland County Health Division’s ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ webpage to learn more about vaccine safety, eligibility, and what to expect at your appointment. Oakland County’s Nurse on Call is also available Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. to answer any health-related questions at 1-800-848-5544.
As we’re made aware of more vaccination opportunities we will be sure to share them with you for your consideration.
Dr. Kim's Corner
Kimberly Martin, Ph.D., Diversity Equity & Inclusion Coordinator At Royal Oak Schools Presents, Dr. Kim's Corner.
Here she will promote understanding and share dialogue and events centered on diversity, equity, and inclusion in and around our district.
Blessings in a Backpack
In light of the tough economic times facing our area, we are attempting to help Royal Oak Schools families by making sure that all of our children have enough food. “Blessings in a Backpack” is a program designed to provide students on the free and reduced lunch program with enough food for three meals a day during the weekends. This program, sponsored by the Community Foundation of Greater Rochester, is active in Royal Oak Schools. If you agree to take part in this program during the school year, your child will receive a bag filled with food for the weekend. While we are remote, the food will be delivered to your home by volunteers. The simple meals may include food like macaroni and cheese, beef ravioli, canned fruit, granola bars, soups, juice and other items. Virtual and high school children receive bags every other week, PreK-Middle school students will have food delivered weekly to the school.
If you would like to have your child participate in this program, fill out the form below and mail it to the board office at 800 Devillen, Royal Oak, MI 48073, or just hit submit on this form. Please be sure to indicate on the form if you child has any food allergies. If your child has a food allergy, you as the parent are responsible for checking all food labels when the food arrives home. Royal Oak Schools, as well as Blessings in a Backpack, will not be held responsible for any accidental food allergen exposure.
Upton Calendar
Monday
No School for Students
Sincerely, Mr. Grzywack
Email: grzywackj@royaloakschools.org
Website: royaloakschools.org/elementary/upton
Location: 4400 Mandalay Avenue, Royal Oak, MI, United States
Phone: (248) 549-4968
Twitter: @Upton_Principal