A few suggestions for students as we return to full, in-person, everyday learning on March 1st...

• Begin setting your alarm every day for the time you need to get up on an in-person day
• Don't go back to sleep after announcements on hybrid "off" days
• Go to bed at a consistent, reasonable time--get a full night's sleep!

Students make this adjustment at the end of every summer and holiday breaks, but given the lack of consistency this school year, establishing a routine ahead of March 1st may help make the transition a little smoother.

There has been an update to the Primary and Secondary symptoms of COVID-19 per JCDHE. Fever is no longer considered to be a primary symptom of COVID-19 even in secondary students and adults. It is now a secondary symptoms which means there needs to be at least one other symptom of COVID in order to classify the person as have COVID-like Illness requiring exclusion and/or testing. The symptoms are now as listed below:

Primary (any one symptom):

• New, persistent cough
• Difficulty breathing
• Loss of taste and/or smell (this is so specific that even in the presence of a negative PCR test, the person is considered COVID positive)

Secondary symptoms (any two or more symptoms):

• Extreme fatigue
• Fever (100o +) or chills
• Congestion/runny nose
• Nausea/vomiting/diarrhea
• Sore throat
• Headache
• Muscle or body aches

Important Full Student Return Info

(For full Olathe Schools Return to Learning Plan visit: https://www.olatheschools.org/cms/lib/KS01907024/Centricity/Domain/3108/Return-to-School-Plan-100920.pdf)

Please read...

Below are phases of the school day outlined with guidelines and procedures. These are listed because there are many questions surrounding our "return to school". However, CST will still be a school where relationships are a priority and socialization, engagement, fun, and learning will continue. Students will still be able to be social and interact--this is an important part of school and one we aim to keep intact a much as possible while also following the safety guidelines outlined for our buildings. We want to keep moving forward and keep school comfortable, fun, and engaging while implementing the health guidelines.

Please don't hesitate to reach out to any of us--admin, counselors, teachers--if we can help make your child's transition smoother.

CST In-Person Procedures and Guidelines

As a district we follow Johnson County health guidelines. Wearing masks and washing hands will be the expectation.

A direct exposure is defined as: no mask, within 6 feet, for more than 10 minutes.

Anyone with what is considered a “direct exposure” would need to quarantine based on this criteria. While other variables may play into a situation, the emphasis on wearing a mask is not just safety and health, but for continuity of education by avoiding a need for our students and staff to quarantine. Please keep your child home if they are displaying symptoms (see message/symptoms from district nurse coordinator above).

Below are phases of the day and some general guidelines at CST. Teachers and admin will review these with students next week in Cat time in preparation for transition to full in-person learning.

General Items

• Masks are required in the building (gaiters are okay but need to be 2 layers)
• Students should bring their own masks, but disposable masks are available in the office if needed
• Students will still not be issued lockers (except in PE and music) and will be permitted to carry their backpack with them during the day
• Students are encouraged to travel efficiently—lunch, device, essential supplies—jackets/coats carried as well
• PE lockers will be issued and is a place to keep PE shoes and PE uniform
• Students may drop off PE items after 7:40am
• INSTRUMENTS: Instruments can be dropped off in their music room where one of our teachers will be there to receive instruments

What changes will occur for REMOTE students?

• Remote students’ day will not change and students will still log in beginning at 8:17 (1st hour) and follow the same bell schedule
  
• Their teachers may provide more details as needed for individual classes

Arrival

--First—refer to our traffic pattern for car rider drop off--entire front curb is used for drop-off/pick-up
--Students enter the front entrance or event entrance—car or walker
--Bus riders will be dropped off at the event entrance (and load at the event entrance)
--We encourage all walkers and car riders to arrive after 7:30.
--If students are in the building BEFORE 7:40 they will go to 1 of 2 locations depending on grade level

• 6th Grade will sit spaced out by Cat teacher in the auditorium (signs posted)
• 7th and 8th will take a different side of the bleachers in the main gym and sit in a location designated for their Cat class.
  
• If students want breakfast (see breakfast/lunch info below), they will go to the MPR to pick up the grab-and-go breakfast where they’ll check in and eat spaced out in the MPR.
• Students arriving 7:45 or later will take their breakfast to eat in their Cat class.
• Once finished with breakfast students move to their designated location.

--If students arrive AFTER 7:40 they go straight to the their Cat time classroom.

• Breakfast can be picked up in the MPR and taken to their Cat classroom to eat--the MPR will be cleared at 7:45
  

--Class begins with Cat at 7:50 and we’ll run through the rest of the day

• Students may drop off instruments in their music classroom

Lunch

• There will still be 5 lunch periods at CST
• 6th grade will eat during 4th hour, 7th and 8th will eat 5th hour. The 8th grade lunch will be split due to its higher numbers.
• 7th grade will have a staggered start to lunch by 5 minutes to limit the lunch line
  
• With a few additional tables and seating areas, the same distancing will occur for lunch as we had during hybrid.
• Students will be expected to wear a mask upon entering/exiting the lunch room and while seated after finished eating. Mask wearing will help mitigate exposure risk as defined by the health department.

• Hand sanitizer stations will be set up in the lunch lines with distancing markers as a guide.
• Students will have assigned seats by class

• Students will sit on a "powercat" sticker in a checker board fashion using, approximately 4 to a table (most tables designed to hold 16 students)
  
• 10:59-11:24 (6th)
• 11:24-11:49 (6th)
• 11:49-12:14 (7th)
• 11:54-12:19 (7th)
• 12:20-12:45 (8th)
• 12:46-1:11 (8th)

Passing Periods

• Passing periods will be 4 minutes in length

• Restrooms are available while limiting bathroom crowds (appox. 4 per restroom at a time)

• Markings on the floor will guide students to stay to the right during passing and to keep moving from class to class to promote passing period efficiency and limited congregating

• Hand washing or sanitizing is encouraged and available hourly

Classrooms

• Distancing will be followed to the best of our ability in classrooms

• Students will wear masks
  

• Desks will be sanitized a minimum of 2 times per day

• Hand sanitizer is available in every classroom
• Building receives a weekly deep sanitizing on surfaces

PE

• Students will be issued lockers strategically spaced out in the locker room

• Students will dress out for class--students may wear school issued clothes or clothes brought from home--PE teachers will share expectations in class.

• Masks will be worn in PE, but teachers will work with students for appropriate times to get a break from masks after heavy activity while maintaining distancing guidelines.

Miscellaneous

--Sanitizing Wipes! We would gladly accept a container of sanitizing wipes for use in the lunch room

o Drop off location in both entries upon arrival

--Drinking fountains are only used for filling water bottles—students are encouraged to bring a water bottle.

--Students can keep their cell phones in their backpack but we ask that volume is turned off

o Normally, phones are asked to be kept in lockers from 7:50-3:10

o If cell phones cause distraction they may be kept in the front office for return at the end of the day

--We have 3 microwaves available for student use at lunch

--Please remind students to fully charge their device

o Students are encouraged to have a non-permanent identifier on their charging cord (i.e.

As we have more students in the building, we'll also have more traffic. Please follow the traffic pattern below to help us with safety and efficiency.

• Please pull forward until the car in front of you stops
• If you stop anywhere along the curb in front of the building, student should exit and walk the remaining sidewalk to the door
• Students should be ready to exit the vehicle as soon as it stop--bag packed/ready

This will help reduce traffic on 159th and Mur-Len.

• Students can only use the cross walk to cross traffic
• Cars pull forward to the next car
• Cars may exit out the center lane (front of building), once they have their child
• Cars can pick up all along the front curb (even past the stop sign)

Afternoon pick-up is slower than drop off. If the entire front curb is used, less vehicles will be left on 159th. Please follow signs and directions.

Dear Olathe Public Schools families and staff,

The Olathe Board of Education met on Thursday, February 4. After a study of district and county numbers, the Board voted to bring secondary students back into full-time, in-person learning on March 1. This means that any middle or high school student who chose in-person learning at registration, would start coming to school full-time, every day on March 1. Elementary students who chose in-person learning will remain in school full time as well.
It’s important to note that this decision by the Board was not made lightly. Citing declining community numbers, internal numbers including low absence rates, declining COVID-19 numbers in our school, and limited spread within our buildings, Board members voted 5-2 to bring secondary students back to full time in-person learning.

Providing the best quality educational experiences for our students, while balancing the safety and health of our students, staff, and families, is a priority. We will continue to review numbers regularly and watch for trends within our buildings. Please do your part to help us by continuing to wear a mask, wash your hands, stay home when you are sick, keep your children home when they are sick and practice social distancing. We need a community effort to keep our schools in session, our students and staff safe and learning together.

Thank you for your support of the Olathe Public Schools.

John Allison, Superintendent

For Students wanting to join Science Olympiad ( link below)

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1ImlQ4Mr0S3kZLmnzwaqMWj4Bm1tLlfeRsFqK9UlDw5M/edit?usp=sharing

As the Olathe Public Schools works to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic, we are continuously working with state and local health officials on the best practice and expertise for keeping students and staff safe. As new evidence is identified, local health departments and their collaborating school districts respond by updating guidance and practices. We want to make sure to share with parents the latest updates.

Winter Athletics

At this time, the Olathe Public Schools will move forward with winter sports while following the KSHSAA mitigation protocols. The district will continue to work closely with the Johnson County Department of Health and Environment. We will continue to review information and data provided by our community health partners.

Fever for Secondary Level
Fever (100o or greater) is now listed as a primary symptom for secondary students rather than a secondary symptom. This means that any student with a fever will need to be evaluated for COVID by a medical health care provider OR provide a negative molecular (PCR) COVID test OR remain out of school until they have met the symptomatic recovery criteria for COVID-19. Symptomatic recovery criteria for COVID-19 is: it has been 10 days since the onset of their symptoms AND they have been fever-free for at least 24 hours AND they have significant improvement in their symptoms.

We realize this is a change. Please understand using the guidance provided by medical experts will help to keep students and staff safe.

COVID Test Requirements
Not all COVID-19 tests may be utilized to determine that an individual does not have COVID-19. There are two types of diagnostic tests: Molecular and Antigen (commonly known as a rapid test). https://www.fda.gov/media/140161/download

• Molecular/ viral testing (PCR). These tests take longer (some are same day and some take several days) because they must be sent to a lab for processing, but are more accurate. These are collected by nasal swab and some saliva tests are now available. JCDHE currently offers free PCR tests by nasal swab. This is not the deep nasopharyngeal collection method so is not as uncomfortable as the original tests. Results are typically available in 48 hours or less.
• Antigen or Rapid diagnostic tests (RDT). These tests are not designed to detect viral DNA but look for a protein on the virus. The results are rapid because the specimen is read on-site. However, they have a high enough percentage of false negatives that negative results are not accepted from symptomatic individuals for return to school without a confirmatory PCR test, a physician’s alternate diagnosis, or remaining out of school for the full recovery period for COVID-19 (10-day minimum and fever-free without medicine for 24 hours and symptoms improvement).

Communication Change
Keeping parents informed about COVID exposures is vital. Previously, schools had communicated for any case in the building. Moving forward, schools will communicate with parents and staff who have had an exposure or low-risk exposure to an individual and will provide details about next steps. After reviewing recommendations from local health officials and gaining feedback from parents and the community, the district will not communicate to an entire school building if there is a case, only to those who have had any contact with the individual (exposure or low-risk exposure.) This change is aligned with best practice.

COVID-19 Dashboard

Each week, the district updates the COVID-19 dashboard to provide a snapshot of the number of new cases and exclusions due to exposure for both students and staff. This is updated each Friday, typically in the afternoon, and can be found at https://www.olatheschools.org/Page/10754.

Reminder:

Parents interested in changing their child’s learning environment for second semester beginning January 2021 may do so between Oct. 26 and Nov. 6 at this link:

https://onbase.olatheschools.com/forms/remote_learning_selection.html

Please give careful consideration to the needs and learning mode that will best suit you and your child(ren) for the rest of the year knowing that the decision is a commitment through May of 2021. This learning environment change will go into effect when second semester begins on Jan. 6. Parents who want to continue with the same learning environment DO NOT need to fill out this form.

Attendance Corner

Welcome Parents to the 2020-21 School Year. A few suggestions to help us tackle attendance for your student(s) during this hybrid learning experience. Attendance is more crucial during these unprecedented times. We ask that you notify Chisholm Trail Attendance Office, preferably before 8:00am with your students all day absence. You can use any of the following methods of contacting us:

1. Call dedicated Attendance Line (voicemail only) – 913-780-7241

2. Call CST Main Line – 913-780-7240 (voicemail after 4:00pm)

3. Email Connie Bray, Attendance Secretary @ cbraycst@olatheschools.org

*all emails will be responded to with a follow-up email for verification of receiving

Information needed to report absence:

· Student Name

· Student Grade

· Your Relationship to Student

· Reason for absence (i.e. illness description, appointment, etc.)

· Phone number to return call (if needed for further info)

Due to remote learning, if your student checks out for an appointment, we ask for a second notification to Attendance (again via any of the 3 methods listed above) if student returns to learning with a time of return. If you contact your student(s) teacher via email please cc Connie Bray with info as to help us.

Please refer to this request as we proceed to continue to help make this school year as positive as we possibly can. We are always here to assist you in any way we can. Please don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions. Thank you, and together we can do this.

Attendance Secretary,

Connie Bray

Need technical support? Go here for solutions and direction...consider bookmarking this page.

https://www.olatheschools.org/domain/3042

Surface Go Tip

If students are unable to connect to WiFi (example: worked one day but not the other):

o Press and hold the Power button until the screen goes black (ignore the “swipe to shut down PC” option)

o Press Power button again

o Give it a minute to restart – this should “kick out” new updates to Surface Go

Receptionist: Chrissy Walters

Assistant Principal's Secretary: Angie Peterson

Attendance Secretary: Connie Bray

Bookkeeper/Principal's Secretary: Andrea Wescott

Data Operator: Melynda Marquardt

School Nurse: Jennifer Ross

Please keep info updated (email, phone number, medical, etc.). Contact the office at 913-780-7240 if you are concerned you may be missing communication or need to update your family's information.

While we use sanitizing spray throughout the building, wipes are very helpful for a quick clean up and sanitation. We use these at lunch and in classrooms. If you are able to donate a container we'd be so appreciative!

Chisholm is in need of TISSUES and CLOROX WIPES. If you are able to donate some of these items it would greatly appreciated. If you are able to donate please have your student bring them to the office and we will distribute them where they are needed.

Thanks again, CST family!