The Bee's Knees
January 2021 Newsletter
Message from Mr. G
Happy New Year! We all want 2021 to be a better year than last. While we are hopeful that a new year will see our nation’s response to the COVID pandemic rise to the challenge. At the present time we are still in the same place we were before the winter break. Just about every day we have to place students on quarantine. We dread calling a family to notify them that their child was in close contact with a known COVID positive individual. We know that creates a hardship for you and of course we are concerned for the health and safety of our student and your family. Please know we are very grateful for your understanding. On a positive note, our nurses have received their first COVID vaccination shots! We do not have any information when the staff will have the opportunity to get the vaccine. The sooner our staff is inoculated the closer we will be to returning to normal.
Tomorrow is the first day of the second semester. Families that were enrolled in our Virtual Learning Academy had the choice to return to in person learning after the conclusion of the first semester. In response to parent requests, one of the Virtual classrooms will now be in person. We now have 19 in person classrooms and 2 virtual classrooms, each of which as an AM and a PM session. Tomorrow will be the first day of school (in person) for many students. As a result, there were many changes to the existing bus routes. I anticipate a couple days of adjustment as the drivers and students get accustomed to their new routes. If a bus is more than 15 minutes late we always send a text message to the parents of the students assigned to that bus. Our office knows when a bus is late leaving school, but we do not know when it is late on arrival. If the transportation department notifies us that a bus is late we will contact you via text message. But we are dependent on the transportation to inform of us of that so we can convey it to you. Our goal is to keep you informed.
We are excited about the start of the second half of the school year. We will make it even better than the first. We creatively found ways to carry on as close to normal as possible last semester. Polar Express is a prime example of that. It was not how we normally do it, but when you see the pictures below you will quickly see that the students enjoyed it just as much! I don’t know if we will have Field Day or our Blast Off To Kindergarten program, but I am certain that our staff will find creative ways to make the second semester fun!
Important Dates
February 15 No school-Presidents Day
February 16 No School-Professional Development Day
From the Nurses
* Allow your child to help you make healthy meals. They are more likely to try new things when they had a hand in making it.
* Have healthy, easy snacks readily available. Some examples are carrots, sliced apples, and string cheese.
* Milk and water are healthy drink choices. Soda, fruit juice, and sports drinks add extra calories and can be damaging to teeth.
* Encourage active play! Preschoolers should get at least 120 minutes of active play a day. This can be planned adult-led physical activity and unstructured active free play.
* Limit screen time to 1 hour a day.