Welcome Back!
Welcome to the 2020-21 school year! I hope your summer was safe! As we plan for the new school year, the Buffett tradition is strong and continues. The summer for Buffett faculty and staff has been full of planning to make your experience safe and healthy. We continue to follow the guidelines of the CDC as well as OPS in our preparation for the new year. Student and staff health and safety continue to be a primary focus as we plan to reopen. We know that conditions will continue to evolve and guidance may change. We are prepared to support students and families.
- Tuesday, August 11, 2020 – 5th Grade ONLY for the first day. Last name A-Z. Students will follow their A Day schedule. Please see 5th Grade Day Newsletter for more information about 5th Grade Day
- Wednesday August 12, 2020 – School begins for students grades 5-8 whose last names start with A-K. Students will follow their A Day schedule.
- Thursday, August 13, 2020 - School begins for students grades 5-8 whose last names start with L-Z. Students will follow their A Day schedule.
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Dates & Times
To prepare your student(s) for the first day of school, we have organized a student Orientation Night. Please mark your calendars and join us wearing masks (one adult per student) at your assigned time:
See below
What will you do at student Orientation Night?
- Get five district-provided masks
- Get class schedules
- Sign Student Handbook Card
- Update Student Information Forms
- Complete Technology User Agreement
- Pay for optional Device Insurance ($20***)
***Remember, we can only take cash or check at Buffett.
How can you make Orientation Night a QUICK TRIP?
Before Orientation
- Go to buffett.ops.org to print off and complete Orientation documents. Extra copies will be available at the entrances to the building.
- Prepare checks or cash for anything you wish to purchase/memberships.
- Look at the map above to find out where you enter for Orientation Night.
- Preview this checklist ahead of time to be more efficient.
- Plan on wearing a mask and social distancing (6-feet) to remain safe.
- There will not be tours of the classrooms this year.
During Orientation
- Wear a mask.
- Follow staff directions at the entrances. We are limiting the number of people in the building for safety reasons. One family in, one family out.
- 5/6th grades will head to the gym. 7/8th grades will head to the cafeteria. There will be alphabetical tables assigned by students' last names.
- Turn in all of your paperwork. Pay for any purchases/memberships. Receive your school schedule and five masks.
After Orientation
- Apply and prepay for school lunches using the online application. A hardcopy of the meals application is also available at school.
- Plan for picture day: Monday, August 17th for A-K students & Friday, August 21st for L-Z. Here's a digital copy of the Scholastic Picture Order Form.
- Note that student lockers will not be used at school. They can carry backpacks from class to class. Please help them eliminate any extra supplies.
- If you need to print another copy of your class schedule, you can do so by logging into Infinite Campus after August 10th.
- If you are a new parent and need help accessing Parent Portal, please email darci.watkins@ops.org.
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Face Coverings Students will be required to wear face coverings while at school. Students can use the five district-provided face coverings. If using their own, the face covering needs to be 2-ply. | Handwashing/ Sanitizing All classrooms are supplied with hand sanitizer and sanitizing wipes. Students will be asked to sanitize their hands often and to wipe down the space and shared items they use with sanitizing wipes. | Social Distancing The district's decision to reduce the amount of students on site has helped us ensure students in classrooms will be socially distanced. The Family 3/2 model, along with changes to our schedule, produced class sizes that are generally less than 15 students. This allows teachers to space students the proper 3-6 ft. apart. |
Face Coverings
Handwashing/ Sanitizing
Social Distancing
Arrival to School
- School begins at 7:40 a.m. and concludes at 3:05 p.m. daily.
- The school building is open at 7:25 a.m. Students are not to be in the building or on property before this time. Doors will be unlocked from 7:25-7:45 a.m. and then once again locked until the end of our school day, which is at 3:05 p.m. Additionally, at 3:15 p.m., our doors will be locked for the day.
- Students will go to their first block class rather than reporting to hallways, the gym, or cafeteria upon arrival to school.
- See breakfast information below.
Bobcat Breakfast
Grab-and-go breakfast from the cafeteria is available each day from 7:25 a.m. – 7:40 a.m. Breakfast is free to all students and available every morning.
If students wish to eat breakfast, they will grab it from the cafeteria and then head to first block class to eat it.
Keeping Buffett Safe - Visitors
Only students and staff will be allowed in buildings during the school day. To check out students for appointments or to pick up students early, please call the main number at 531-299-2320 for curbside pickup. We will call your student down from class once you are in our parking lot and send them out to you.
Locker Usage
At this time, student will not be allowed to use their lockers to avoid close contact with other students in the hallways. Your student may carry their backpack from class to class.
What do students need everyday?
- school-issued device
- one writing utensil
- notebook
- textbooks needed for class (only bring A Day books on A Days and B Day books on B Days)
Leave these items at home:
- extra books
- extra school supplies
4-Block Schedule
In an effort to decrease hallway transitions, Buffett will follow a 4-block schedule with homeroom embedded into the block in which your child eats lunch. We will still have an alternating A-B schedule as in the past.
Passing periods between classes will be staggered to reduce hallway traffic.
Staggered Dismissal Times
In order to reduce foot traffic after school, our students will follow a staggered dismissal.
- At 3:03-bus riders will follow teachers out
- At 3:04-walkers will be dismissed
- At 3:05-car riders will follow teachers out
Students will also all use separate exits from the building.
- 5th grade will dismiss out the main doors.
- 6th grade will dismiss from the east doors by the green space (hill).
- 7th grade will dismiss from the bus loop doors.
- 8th grade will dismiss from the west doors (top of the stairs by the track)
End of the Day
iPad Deployment
As you are aware, Dr. Logan and the OPS Board of Education approved the purchase of iPads with LTE data service for all OPS students and staff. We're excited to transition from the HP Stream laptops your child currently uses to iPads as soon as they arrive in our building.
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Shields All iPads arrive to us in a protective shield that MUST remain on the iPad at all times. This shield protects your family from incurring fines that could be assessed for any damages that occur if the shield is off. | BagsYour child will also continue to use their school issued bag to further protect the device from damages. **pictured bag is an example | Device Agreement The device user agreement and optional protection plan we have used in the past will be used for iPads. All families will sign this agreement and be given an opportunity to purchase the optional insurance at Orientation Night. |
Shields
Bags
Your child will also continue to use their school issued bag to further protect the device from damages.
**pictured bag is an example
Device Agreement
Alice Buffett Magnet Middle School