Principal's Memo
September 7th-11th, 2020
Cougar Power...Connect
Mr. Eric (Neil) Lambert, Assistant Principal
Mrs. Jennifer Blunt, School Counselor (6th-8th)
Mrs. Jane Towers, Enrollment & Attendance Secretary
Mrs. Heidi Plutschak, Administrative Secretary
Email: holloway.yolanda@ccpsstaff.org
Location: 25390 Richardson Road, Federalsburg, MD, USA
Phone: 410-479-1462
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Colonel-Richardson-Middle-School-329879580517088
First Day Jitters
It's finally here...The first day of school is on Tuesday, September 8th.
I know so many of you may be unsure of what to expect when we log on for school at 7:45am on Tuesday. Be assured that this is something that we'll all get through together. There will be kinks in the process and that's probably across the board. This is a new adventure for us and we know that challenges on any journey only make us stronger!
Let me reassure you that everyone at the school is here for you and the students. If you have questions and concerns, our phones still work. We want you to feel comfortable and confident with supporting your student with his/her learning. Call us. Email us. We're here to make this the best possible situation for everyone.
With that, please enjoy your weekend. Take some deep breaths. Enjoy the downtime!
Stay Well! Be Safe! #LevelUp
Dr. Yolanda Holloway
Laptops and Materials
If you indicated that you did not have a reliable device at home and did not pick up during our distribution days, please call the school to make arrangements to pick up your device.
CCPS is going 1:1 and all students, regardless of having a non-CCPS device to work from, will be eligible to pick up a device in the very near future. Our technology department will be able to push out updates to CCPS devices throughout the year to ensure your child can access everything they need for virtual learning.
Daily Schedule
The Counselor's Corner
The counseling department is busy at the beginning of the year! Mrs. Blunt is currently covering 6th, 7th and 8th grades so all students and parents can reach out to her with questions regarding schedules and support for students and families. In addition to reaching Mrs. Blunt by school phone and email, she also has a Google Voice number that accepts texts and phone calls. The number is 301-494-1305. Mrs. Blunt is eager to hear about the start of your school year!
Health/Nurse Announcements
1. Immunizations- 7th grade students are still expected to have the state required immunizations prior to the start of seventh grade. We know that many children have not had recent well child care due to the pandemic, doctors offices are scheduling well child care at this time. Please contact your child's physician and determine if immunizations are needed. 7th graders need a Tdap vaccine and a meningitis vaccine. It is our understanding that online learning is not a reason for not having vaccines. The students are actively enrolled in school. Letters indicating a student's need for immunizations were mailed home at the beginning of Summer break. Please feel free to call us with questions.
2. Medications - We are requesting that routine morning medications be administered at home this year. In order to help keep our students safe we are trying to decrease the daily visits to the health room. We fully understand that some student's medical needs require daily health room visits, but if we can decrease a portion of the visits, it will benefit everyone. We are giving medications during the school day as needed. Please call to discuss your student's individual needs if you have questions.
3. Doctor's orders, medication orders or emergency plans - All are required prior to the student attending school in the building. This is the same as it has always been.
Please feel free to reach out to our nurse, Mrs. Cathy Alder with any questions.
Choptank Wellness at CRMS
Did you know? The School Based Health Center (SBHC) at Colonel Richardson campus is open and available to see your student! YES! Even though students are learning remotely, the School Based Health team is at school and here for your health and wellness needs. Please call the health center for an appointment! The SBHC is open at Colonel Richardson Middle School (410-754-9580) on Mondays and Thursdays and at Colonel Richardson High School (410-754-0750) on Wednesdays from 7:30 am until 3:30 pm and all students can be seen at either center!!
Services Available in the School Based Health Centers:
Congestion, Cough, Earaches, Headaches, Sore Throat, Strep Throat Tests, Shortness of Breath, Pain or Injuries, Nausea /Vomiting, Skin Itch/Rash, Sports Physicals, Blood Pressure Screenings and so much more!!! In addition to seeing students here in the health centers, we can also provide tele-health visits as needed for asthma action plans, seizure action plans, medication administration and other school forms that your school nurse will need completed or any other need you have. We also have curbside visits available for possible COVID-19 review and testing as needed.
Remember, if your student has ever enrolled in the SBHC, then they are ALWAYS enrolled! No need to fill out a form every year. However if you have never enrolled your student, then head over to the Caroline County Public Schools website (carolineschools.org), click on Forms and scroll down to the School Based Medical/Dental Centers Enrollment Form & Information. Print it out and complete prior to your appointment.
We are here for you and willing to support your student in any way that we can. Healthy students make better learners!
In you need to enroll in the school based health center, please go to this link to complete the forms! School Based Health Center Enrollment
Gentle Reminders
B. The school is doing its best to keep timely communication with families. Make sure to update any email addresses or telephone numbers. School Messenger calls come from the school's phone, so when you see 410-479-1462, it's CRMS. Please answer the call. If you can't answer it, please check for a voicemail and the email that comes with our School Messenger calls. Also check your School Messenger preferences. Some may have the school's number blocked in preferences, so it will make it nearly impossible for you to receive those school-wide updates.
C. Technology questions can be directed to support@ccpsstaff.org or to 410-479-1464. If you are not sure about what to do, your first contact is the school. Our emails and the school's telephone number are at the top of this newsletter.