It is such a joy to be in school with your children everyday! I hope we never take in-person learning for granted again. Our mitigation efforts have been successful, and we feel blessed to be nearing the mid-way point of our school year.
Our enrollment for the 2021-22 school year opened early this year, and registrations are coming in at a pace we haven’t seen in years. We have a lot of interest in our excellent school, and we expect that to continue. Our children have been enjoying learning, playing, growing, and praying together at school everyday - something so normal, but not something every child is able to do this year. Word is getting out, and that is exciting. However, we really want to get our current families registered before classes fill up. If you are used to waiting for the last minute, please make a new habit this year--register now (or better yet, register yesterday!). If you have any questions about registration, please feel free to reach out to Darlene Casey. Any family who registers a kindergarten student in the month of January will receive a $150 early signing bonus from CSCOE once school starts in the fall!
We continue to update our COVID policies and procedures as new information becomes available. We have asked families to quarantine for 10 days following out of state travel, even if it was just to their own cabin in a bordering state. Now that Minnesota has reopened restaurants, we will no longer require families to quarantine following a car trip to their own private cabin. Those traveling by air and staying in hotels and rental properties will still be asked to quarantine for 10 days with no COVID test or symptoms. Students may return after 7 days with a negative COVID test taken 5 days after returning home. This is because air travel is still considered a significant risk, as is visiting hot spots and areas without mask requirements. This will be revisited on February 1st, as we know families would like to begin planning for Easter break. We will continue to ask families to keep your children home if you may have been exposed to COVID under any circumstances. It is much easier for one student to miss a few days waiting for a test than it is to quarantine classmates, so please err on the side of caution.
Our robotics club installed an obstacle course on the floor of the preschool through first grade hallway. It is so cute to see our littlest Blues hopping, jumping and skipping through the course. Occasionally an adult or two is also lured in to try it. A big thanks to our Coach McRaith and the kids who came up with a great solution to the challenge of kinesthetic learners!
Last week we learned that St. Michael families are eligible for free school lunch! Everyone may order lunch at no charge at least through April 30, 2021. This will be retroactive to October 1st, and Darlene Casey is working on reimbursing families for single lunches and single milks purchased in October and November. These will appear as credits in TADS accounts.
If you have not participated in school lunch before, please watch for the weekly email for ordering. You must order the lunch to participate in this federally funded program. Only single entrees with one milk are covered, extras must be purchased.
God bless your families this blustery weekend, and enjoy the fresh snow. Go Blues!
Mrs. Kerr
