Special Edition 4/8/20
Due to the LWSD school closure, Bear Tracks will not be published on its regular Sundays until April 19. Any urgent and important news will be communicated in Special Editions as needed.
COVID-19 Info and Resources
Governor Extends School Closure To Remainder of 2019-2020
On Monday, April 6, Gov. Jay Inslee and State Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal announced the extension of K-12 school closures through the remainder of the 2019-2020 academic year. The order provides a direction for schools as they plan for the remainder of the school year. Under the order, schools are expected to continue education delivery through distance learning and continue to make progress in providing these services equitably. For more information, please visit the Governor's news release website .
"Stay Home, Stay Healthy" Order Extended Thru May 4
Gov. Jay Inslee extended the statewide "Stay Home, Stay Healthy" order until at least May 4. It requires everyone in the state to stay home through at least May 4. For more information, please visit the Washington State Coronavirus website .
Please visit the RMS PTSA COVID-19 Resources website for dynamic content with additional links and resources.
School & LWSD
LWSD Closed For Remainder of 2019-2020
Governor Inslee announced that all schools will continue to be closed for the remainder of the 2019-20 school year in order to continue slowing the spread of COVID-19. As a result, all schools in Lake Washington School District (LWSD) will remain closed through the end of the 2019-20 school year (June 19, 2020). Current plans will remain in place for the remainder of the school year:

Continuous learning : In a previous message to all families, LWSD shared the schedule for the remote learning that will be provided to students. Starting April 20, 2020, LWSD will be fully transitioned to curriculum-based remote learning. Curriculum-based work will continue until the end of the school year (June 19, 2020). For more information on learning resources and the remote learning schedule: https://www.lwsd.org/students-families/remote-learning-resources .

Free meals for children under age 18 : During the extended school closure, LWSD will continue to provide free meals to children under age 18, Monday-Friday. Learn more here: https://www.lwsd.org/meals .

Child care resources : LWSD has worked with community partners to provide childcare for students in grades K-5. The YMCA and Bellevue Boys & Girls Clubs are providing care for families in our district that need care. Learn more here: https://www.lwsd.org/students-families/child-care-resources .

Field trips and events : All field trips and events have been canceled during the extended closure. We are engaging with students to come up with creative alternatives to celebrate milestones such as prom and field days. We will keep students and families updated on these decisions so that you can plan to participate.

Summer school options : At this time, LWSD doesn't have information that would determine whether school facilities will be open to provide summer learning opportunities. 

For the full update, please visit the LWSD COVID-19 website .
For Families Needing Internet Access
During the school closure, RMS wants to assist families in ensuring that students have internet access at home. If you do not have internet access at home, please contact Nicolle Mattingly, RMS Associate Principal, either via email at nmattingly@lwsd.org or phone at (425) 936-2445.
Community
Blood Donations Needed
Blood Donation is an essential and encouraged Activity. New donors are needed now to step-up and save a life, and for donors to make this a generous and consistent habit. All types of blood are needed for cancer treatment, trauma cases, and many other situations. The process only takes an hour and actual donation time is about 10 minutes. Potential blood donors are exempt from stay-at-home orders in Washington and Oregon. Please visit the Blood Works NW website to read how you can provide this important service!
Help Track Spread of Coronavirus
To slow the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19), more information is needed about it. Seattle and King County is conducting an assessment. SCAN, Seattle Coronovirus Assement Network, is testing both healthy and sick people to understand how the virus is spreading in King County. The findings will help our partners, including Public Health – Seattle & King County, keep people informed and make the best possible, data-driven decisions to protect our community. To read or participate, please visit the SCAN website now at https://scanpublichealth.org/ .
United States 2020 Census - Happening Now! (Repeat)
What is the census and when does it happen? Every 10 years, everyone living in the United States is asked to complete a simple but very important constitutional task: respond to The Census. The 2020 Census is a questionnaire that asks a few basic questions such as the age, sex and number of people who live or stay in your home. Homes began receiving their invitation to respond to the 2020 Census between March 12-20. You can respond online, by phone or by email! For more information, view the PeachJar flyer or visit the official website at https://2020census.gov .
Educational Events
Balance in Mind's Parent Chat Wednesdays, 7:30-8:15 PM Zoom Meeting View Flyer
Safety Reminders
Be Aware of Stimulus Scams
Attorney General Bob Ferguson is warning Washingtonians about scams related to stimulus payments from the federal government to help people get through the COVID-19 pandemic.

The federal government will NOT ask to confirm your personal or banking details by email, phone or text message, or demand a “processing fee” to obtain or expedite your stimulus payment. Do not click on links in email or text messages relating to the stimulus checks and do not provide your personal information.

If you are contacted by a scammer, do not engage — even to tell them you know it is a scam. Email addresses and phone numbers that are confirmed to be active are more valuable when selling to other scammers. If you believe you’ve been the victim of a scam, contact local law enforcement.
Be Mindful of Proper Disposal (Repeat)
With toilet paper in short supply, it’s important to remember that disposable wipes, paper towels, feminine products and other disinfecting wipe products are NEVER to be flushed down the toilet – even when the packaging claims things like “flushable” or “biodegradable.”

Disposable wipes and similar products DO NOT BREAK APART like normal toilet paper, and CAN CLOG sewer lines and lift station pumps, leading to costly, unsanitary BACKUPS. Now more than ever we need to work together to keep our infrastructure running smoothly! For more information on wastewater services in King County, please visit the King County Flush-Trouble website . 
Cleaning Chemicals Combinations to Avoid (Repeat)
As we seek to protect ourselves and our families from COVID-19, it’s important to be aware of which commonly used cleaning products should never be mixed. Please view graphic below. For more information about safe ways to clean using bleach, visit the CDC website at: https://www.cdc.gov/disasters/bleach.html
Bear Tracks weekly is produced by RMS PTSA as a benefit to the Redmond Middle School Community. Bear Tracks is edited by Neeta Check and Rose Mayeda. Please review the communication priorities and submit articles via the online submission form . Articles are due on Thursdays, by 5:00 PM for publication the following Sunday.