PANTHER NEWS
FEBRUARY 2021
MESSAGE FROM THE PRINCIPAL
This has been a school year like no other. While there have been struggles, I feel confident that we are on a path toward a greater sense of normalcy. I would like to thank our students, parents, and community members for all of their support during these challenging times.
As we have welcomed back our final cohort of 3rd-5th grade students, new teachers, and adjusted classes; teachers, students, and families have risen to the challenges of navigating the new normal, both remotely and in classrooms. Thank you to all who have and will continue to help us navigate through this new learning experience.
We are grateful for the opportunity to connect with students in-person, even if it’s for a shortened amount of time. The teachers and staff have been working diligently to adjust and modify learning to meet students where they are at and provide them with the learning they need to be successful. We also appreciate your patience and ask that you contact teachers, counselors, and/or administration, via email, if you have questions or concerns relating to your child and your experience. We are here for you.
In closing, I want to reiterate our gratitude for your continued support and wish you and your family good health and good spirits for the remainder of the winter months. I hope you will have the opportunity to enjoy time with your family and stay healthy next week during winter break. As a reminder, teachers are off for the week and will return on Monday, February 22nd. Please reach out to us if you have any questions.
Kind regards,
Ms. Kristi Brooks
Purdy Principal
brooksdk@psd401.net
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We've had a few successful days back on campus! We hope your child is also reporting such success. As students transition to in-person learning during this pandemic, we wanted to provide you with a resource from the CDC called "Your Guide to Masks." Our hope is to provide you with tangible tools to assess the effectiveness of your child's face covering. For example, did you know that the CDC recommends Neck Gaiters to be two layers? We ask that if your child wears a Neck Gaiter that it be two layers thick for their safety and the safety of others. Please see the link below for more information on keeping your child safe and healthy at school by ensuring proper mask fitting and wearing.
Ms. Kristi Brooks
Purdy Principal
brooksdk@psd401.net
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Important Upcoming Dates
2/15-2/19 Mid-winter break - NO SCHOOL
3/19 End of Second Trimester - Elementary/Middle
3/25 & 3/26 Elementary Spring Conferences
4/12-4/16 Spring Break - No School
5/31 Memorial Day - No School
6/23 Last day of school - Half Day
6/24-6/25 Emergency Make-Up Days - If needed
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Highly Capable Referral Notice for Annual Testing grades 1-8 EXTENDED WINDOW FOR REFERRALS
Open October 22nd – March 15th, 2021 at 3:00 p.m.
(Note the extended window for referrals)
Online Highly Capable Referral form for Parents and Teachers
Direct link- https://tinyurl.com/PSD401HCREFERRALS
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Reminders From The Office
Please let us know if your student is going to be absent by calling the office at 253-530-4600.
Completed and signed Attestation forms need to accompany your student to school each day.
If you have a transportation change for your child remember to call the office before 3:00 pm, AM Cohort by 11:00 am. If a bus rider you'll need to provide bus number and stop.
Parents of preschoolers~ call your child's teacher directly for all absences and transportation changes.
Susan Casebolt: 253-530-4678
Jessica D'Agati: 253-530-4664
Mary Ann Kuchar: 253-530-4665
Shelley Sutich: 253-530-4672
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COVID-19 School-Based Rapid Antigen Testing
Here are the consent forms:
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PICK UP AND DROP OFF REMINDERS
Here are some things all Panthers can do to stay safe and keep others safe:
Please stay home if you can answer “Yes” to any of the symptoms on the enclosed attestation form.
Please remember to:
Wear a clean mask to school every day.
Wash your hands often with soap and water.
Keep space (6 feet) between you and others.
Please keep an extra set of clothing and mask (in a plastic bag) in your child’s backpack for emergencies.
Bring your Chromebook and school supplies to be used in the classroom.
Bring a water bottle to keep on your desk, all drinking fountains have been turned off.
When you get to school there will be a lot of staff to help you get to your classroom.
Bus Riders:
Students should have their mask on prior to loading their bus and keep it on for the entire ride.
Buses will unload one at a time when they reach the school.
Staff will be present at the back of the school to greet Panthers and show them to the entry point closest to their room.
All Panthers will have their temperature taken by a staff member.
Additional staff will be in the hallways escorting students to their classrooms. If a student arrives without an attestation form families will be contacted prior to the student going to class, if an adult can not be reached the student will wait in the office until contact can be made.
Teachers will be waiting for students outside of their classroom doors.
(Families please remember only students are allowed out of cars and into the building due to health and safety protocols. We will have many staff members in the school helping students get to class. Please be patient as it will take a significant amount of time to unload and assess each child prior to going to class.)
Student unloading will begin at 8:50 am.
Students should be dropped off only in the coned drop-off zone.
Please remain in your vehicle until a staff member arrives at your vehicle to dismiss your child.
Please pull forward to the farthest location on the curb toward the front doors.
Panthers should have their face covering on before leaving their vehicle and have their check-in (attestation) form in hand.
If students don’t have an attestation form, one will be provided by a staff member. Parents must fill out the form prior to their child exiting the vehicle.
Students must exit on the curbside for safety.
Panthers will walk to the front door and place their form in the box. A staff member will take each Panther’s temperature prior to going to class.
Additional staff members will help students to their classrooms.
Teachers will be waiting outside of the classroom for students.
Anyone picking up a student from school must have a car tag or may be asked for an alternate ID. Tags will be passed out on the first day second-graders arrive.
Parents must remain in their vehicles at all times and pull to the most forward spot by the mailbox.
A staff member will look for your tag displayed on your rearview mirror in order to call your child for dismissal.
Staff will escort students to the designated area, then dismiss students to their vehicle.
Students will enter vehicles from the curbside only, for their safety.
For more information about our “In-Person Learning” please check out our Coming To School video on the Purdy Elementary Webpage (pes.psd401.net).
We are looking forward to seeing students and providing a safe environment for them to continue to grow!
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ARE YOUR EMERGENCY CONTACTS & MAILING ADDRESSES UP TO DATE?
Please take a moment to do your Year Round/Emergency Contact Update for your child(ren) to ensure that we have the necessary information in the event of an emergency and for mailing purposes. See below for instructions on how to access the update.
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PTA NEWS
JOIN OUR TEAM!
A “Member-At-Large” position is opening up on our PTA board and we would love to have you on our team! The role of a “Member-At-Large” is a flexible position without specific duties except to act as a support to the board as needed. If you are interested, contact Pattie at president@purdypta.com
Nomination Committee!
We are currently putting together a nomination committee to appoint our 2021-2022 PTA Executive Board.
The nominating committee is tasked with choosing the best candidates to serve as officers to run your PTA next term.
Its meetings are scheduled to provide adequate time to consider all suggestions for potential nominees.
Setting aside time to create a balanced slate of experienced and new officers.
Interesting in becoming a part of the PTA Executive Board?
We are currently seeking people interested in serving on the PTA Executive Board for the 2021-2022 school year.
These positions include President, Vice -President, Secretary, Treasurer, and 2 Members at Large. If you are interested in becoming a member of your PTA executive board or want to learn more about any of these positions, please email Pattie at president@purdypta.com
Zoom Link Feb PTA Meeting – Feb 24th at 6pm
Topic: February PTA Meeting
Time: Feb 24, 2021 06:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/95088521941?pwd=VVRCU0tKWnAyY3dxaEI1YlZCVVJjQT09
Meeting ID: 950 8852 1941
Passcode: 872416
Yearbook
The PTA is currently working to see what/if anything we can put together. Please stay tuned for updates.
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Tech/Chrome Book Help
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Mid-Winter Break Meal Kits
PSD’s Nutrition Services Department will provide meal kits for children up to the age of 18 during Mid-Winter Break, Feb. 15-19, 2021. Meals kits can be picked up on Tuesday, Feb. 16 from noon to 1:30 pm at one of the following locations: Evergreen Elementary, Purdy Elementary, and Gig Harbor High School. Each child may pick up a meal kit containing both breakfast and lunch items to last for six days.
Please complete this survey to assist the Nutrition Services team with planning. For the most current information, please visit the Nutrition Services webpage. Question about meals? Please call 253.530.1015.
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COVID-19 DATA DASHBOARD
Tracking Cases within Peninsula School District
The health and safety of all students and staff remains a top priority of the Peninsula School District.
In the event of a positive COVID-19 case at a PSD school or office location, we work directly with the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department (TPCHD) as they conduct contact tracing. Based on the guidance provided by TPCHD and the school COVID-19 case response tool kit, notifications are sent to impacted staff, students, and families. If an individual is found to have close contacts while contagious, those who were in close contact will be required to quarantine. Each case and situation requires unique action as determined by the TPCHD.
COVID-19 Data Dashboard
The purpose of the COVID-19 Data Dashboard is to provide transparency regarding the number of COVID-19 cases within the Peninsula School District while respecting student and staff medical privacy rights. The Peninsula School District COVID-19 Data Dashboard only displays information related to confirmed cases of Peninsula School District individuals.
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Inclement Weather Procedures
To Peninsula School District Community:
As the fall and winter storm season is upon us, we have prepared this letter to explain Peninsula School District's procedures and expectations during inclement weather and school closures. Below you will find guidelines to make this process easier, plus explain how weather decisions are made.
Delay or Closure Decisions:
- Weather information is reviewed the day and night prior to the decision. A review with our Transportation Department and neighboring districts is also done.
- Starting at 3:00 a.m. or sooner, district officials and the Transportation Department drive emergency bus routes throughout the district's current operating routes.
- The district may choose to operate on a normal schedule, start late, or close entirely.
- A decision to alter the school day in any way due to inclement weather will apply to both in-person students/staff and remote students/staff.
- Late starts allow us:
- Time to monitor and adjust decisions to changing weather and road conditions;
- Safety of daylight for students and Transportation personnel;
- Additional time for Peninsula School District staff to arrive to work; and
- Time for the Transportation Department to further critique snow routes and make necessary adjustments or modifications.
Types of Communication:
- The SchoolMessenger System© notifies all staff and parents of a decision within 30 minutes by phone, text, and/or email.
- Emergency weather procedures can be found on the Peninsula School District website at psd401.net.
- The Peninsula School District emergency information line can be reached at 253-530-1088.
- Local TV and radio stations will provide timely updates.
- For questions regarding your child's emergency bus route, contact the Transportation Department at 253-530-3900.
Please remember the district has a large geographical size and weather conditions may vary greatly from area to area. This may warrant a closure or late start for the entire district due to conditions impacting only limited areas. Student and employee safety is our highest priority.
Sincerely,
Dr. Art Jarvis
Superintendent
#WEarePSD
Peninsula School District 401
14015 - 62nd Avenue NW; Gig Harbor, WA 98332
(253) 530-1000
psd401.net