FIRST DAY
August 18, 2020
|
|
“This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
– Joshua 1:9 (New Living Translation)
|
|
Dear Galloway Families,
The start of school can be a scary time of new environments, teachers, and social pressures especially now with our COVID-19 challenge. It is important to remember that we are called to put our trust in God because he knows what’s around the corner, through the trees, or in the next class. It’s not easy to trust. It requires dependency, a trait that doesn’t come easy for anyone. We can’t go it alone. We need to trust in God.
Thank you for supporting our efforts and believing in our mission to ensure each student a safe and healthy environment while delivering academic excellence.
We have gone above and beyond the expectations preparing for a safe environment. Not only do we follow ongoing updates from the state and CDC, we are putting together a committee of medical professionals who will provide medical expertise and suggestions for improvements as we continue to evolve and improve Galloway's implementation, monitoring, and communication of health and safety standards.
Finally, I ask that you follow the link in this section to submit questions for our Facebook Live session on Monday, August 3rd at 6 pm with our administrative team. As our back-to-school excitement builds, please continue to stay safe and healthy at home and in the community.
Find out more details as you visit other newsletter sections for critical information on Enrollment, Virtual Learning, and Facilities safety measures.
Best Regards,
Robin Williams
Head of School
|
|
Our first day of school will be here before we know it. Enrollment has been steadily increasing and we are looking at a waitlist for 1st and 2nd grade. We will open a second section of that grade once a minimum of 14 has been reached. If you are still contemplating your child's return, let us ease your concerns by answering your questions.
Take advantage of the sale going on at Lands' End right now! If you haven't already placed your uniform order, we encourage you to do so because it takes about 10 - 14 days to receive it. Our preferred school number is 900137480. Virtual Learners will not be required to wear their uniform but they must be dressed appropriately.
|
Theresa Terry
Admissions Director
Summer Office Hours
9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m.
|
$150 credit
immediately to anyone who refers
a family that signs an annual contract
|
|
PARENT VIRTUAL REGISTRATION
|
|
Parents,
Registration for Virtual Learning will open Monday, Aug 3rd and close Wednesday, August 5th.
We are excited about this virtual opportunity!
Below you will see important information regarding Virtual Learning:
- Students will have a set schedule for synchronous and asynchronous learning. Individual schedules to be assigned post-registration.
- Daily login attendance is required. Online sessions will vary in length and frequency based on grade level and individual need.
- Students and parents will receive a letter outlining training requirements and expectations for behavior and dress code.
If you are interested in the Virtual Learning option, please click on the button below to access the registration form.
Please do not hesitate to email if you have questions or concerns.
I look forward to an exciting new year!
Meri Bea Bartholomew
Curriculum Coordinator
|
|
Before we get started with our Virtual Learning Program, your child will need some tools to successfully access their lessons and be ready for learning.
Virtual students will need to know how navigate the Galloway Itslearning platform and understand their digital citizenship responsibilities.
Zoom video-conferencing tutorials will be available Tuesday and Thursday evenings starting Aug 4th for both student and parent or home-learning coach. Please schedule your training by contacting me through e-mail.
|
|
Fabiola Vacatoledo
Spanish & Technology Coach
|
|
Happy August Galloway families!
I'd like to address some important information and hopefully answer a lot of questions that seem to be on everyone's mind.
SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
Multiple safety measures have been added to our standard operating procedures. We received a large supply of PPE that has been provided to us by the Texas Education Agency. The Galloway School has also ordered additional items such as KN95 masks for all teachers and staff, face shields for all teachers, sneeze guards, additional spray bottles for each classroom to aid in frequent cleaning and sanitizing. Hand sanitizer dispensers installed in every classroom. Additional hand sanitizer dispensers in the hallways and at every entrance. Classrooms that cannot maintain social distance at work spaces will have plexi-glass partitions installed, otherwise our small class size takes care of spacing concerns. Air purifiers with HEPA filters have been purchased and will be in every room. Our cleaning crew will be treating every room with a
UVC light
at the end of each day.
MASKS
Galloway School is requiring face coverings in accordance with the
Governor’s Executive orders
and
TEA’s most recent guidance
released on July 17, 2020 stating students who are ten and over shall wear a mask or face covering. However, at the Galloway School ALL Upper School students will be required to have a mask or face covering all day and Galloway lanyards will be purchased to hold the mask when not wearing to help kids keep track of their face covering. As of right now Kinder – 2
nd
grade will be highly encouraged to wear their masks as much as possible throughout the day without disrupting instruction. We would like to implement strict mask wearing rules at least the first several weeks of school until the students get used to social distancing and good hand hygiene.
PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT!
We would like to have the parents help their kids get used to wearing their face covering or mask for longer periods of time at home now, before school starts. Have them wear it while watching a cartoon or playing on their device… wear it for short car trips, around the house here and there, or while reading a book. The more they get used to wearing it on a regular basis at home, the less of a distraction it will be in the classroom. Good hand hygiene will also be a key factor that we will need help with from home. Please help your child learn to wash their hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. For a good video explaining a good method, please click
here
.
MORNING ROUTINE
To help us keep track and to make sure no kids or staff will be coming to the school with possible symptoms, we will be requiring each person to fill out a checklist and sign a declaration of health each morning before school opens. An example of this form will look something like
this
, which we used for the summer camp students and staff.
LUNCH TIME
For the first few weeks students will be eating in the classroom and will not have access to the cafeteria. If weather permits, we will also be allowing the kids to eat at several different picnic spots they can have access to as a small class. Krysta’s Fresh Catering service will be returning to the Galloway School, but not until the last week of August, so all kids will need to plan to bring a lunch from home in the meantime. We will have more information to you as we are able to plan with her availability. Along those lines, to limit cross contamination, the students will
not
have access to microwaves to heat up lunch items, so please plan accordingly. For pre-school and the younger kids (and really the upper school kids too!), we highly recommend sending lunches in something like a bento box or small Tupperware containers that kids can open mostly independently. This will help limit the time spent by the teacher having to wash hands in between each fruit snack, yogurt, cookie, or cracker package they have to open. It will also help limit the trash accumulated if the kids eat outside.
CLASSROOM SUPPLIES REQUEST
Usually, we do not ask families to bring any supplies for the classroom as The Galloway School provides everything a student needs to learn best. This year however, we are asking each family to bring in a container (or 2!) of Disinfecting Wipes the first week of school with their child. Due almost no availability in bulk supplies, and limitations of personal purchases in the local stores, we are finding it difficult to obtain what we want. This is an added luxury we would love to gift to our teachers so they have easy access to something that can quickly wipe down surfaces.
As always, we appreciate your continued support and we look forward to opening!
Kathy Dillow
Facilities Coordinator
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
