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October 8, 2020
In This Issue
Masking Reminder
American Fidelity Visits
Positions Needed: PLEASE SHARE!
RepMO Return to Learn Plan
Daily Wellness Check
District and Community Announcements

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As a reminder, the Staff Communicator will be distributed each Thursday that school is in session. Archives can be found HERE.
Masking Reminder
Thank you to our amazing teammates for doing a great job of modeling appropriate masking! In addition, our students are doing a great job at the required grade levels. However, we have recently seen a drop in the number of students participating in HIGHLY RECOMMENDED masking for those under 4th grade. Therefore, we're asking our EC-3rd grade teachers to include a masking reminder in your e-newsletters. Feel free to copy and paste THIS MESSAGE and use THIS GRAPHIC in your upcoming parent communications. Thank you!
American Fidelity Visits
American Fidelity Assurance Company representatives will be in the district to provide the yearly employee benefit package review. This review is provided annually to all employees who work 20 hours or more, which include voluntary benefits offered through payroll deduction, plus the benefits of Section 125 Flexible Benefit Plan. Open enrollment for ancillary products began September 21 and will run through October 16. This is the window of opportunity for employees to change or add American Fidelity products for an effective date of January 1, 2021.

Each employee who qualifies (20 hours or more, double route bus drivers, and part-time retirees) for the 125 benefit program must sign off that they have been given the opportunity to view available products offered. Please know that no one should feel pressured to sign up for any product. This is the only opportunity for individuals who want added insurance to sign up for these benefits/services. The Individual meetings are mandatory to eligible employees in order to keep the district compliant with the legal IRS guidelines.

Your building/department will share the date(s) in which American Fidelity will be in your building/department and also directions on how to sign up for a time slot.
Positions Needed: PLEASE SHARE
To assist the district in being able to stay in phase 1 of the RepMO Return to Learn plan, we are in need of substitute teachers and bus drivers. The district is taking the following steps to keep students in seated learning during the substitute shortage:
      • Eliminated District trainings for teachers to be absent
      • Eliminated building trainings for teachers to be absent
      • Have other personnel covering classrooms when an absence is not filled
      • Helping PENMAC advertise for Republic substitutes
      • Working with local universities to encourage student teachers to sign up with PENMAC
      • Encouraged new pathways to substitute certification through a 22 hour training course

Please share the below information with anyone you feel would be a good fit!
RepMO Return to Learn Plan
The RepMO Return to Learn plan is in full swing! The district's goal is to remain in phase 1 as much as possible throughout the school year. Below are links to several resources we've shared previously that will assist with how to navigate the COVID19 situation.
republicschools.org/healthupdates (Includes a case tracker that's updated weekly)
 Daily Wellness Check
Each day we are asking all employees and students to do a wellness check before they come to school. Following these guidelines will help everyone stay healthy!   

District and Community Announcements
Upcoming Dates
October 9: RMS & RHS progress 2 reports distributed
October 12 & 13: RMS parent teacher conferences
October 13: RHS parent teacher conferences
October 15: Board of Education meeting, 7:00 p.m. at Central Office
October 23: RHS, RMS & Elementary End of Term 1
Week of October 26: Virtual elementary parent teacher conferences (grade cards distributed before Parent Teacher Conferences)
October 29: RHS & RMS grade cards distributed
October 30: District Closed, Fall Break

*Reminder that every Friday during the school year full day preschool-12th grade students are released one hour early for teacher collaboration time.
For questions or comments please contact me via email or by calling 417-732-3605.
  
Sincerely,
  

Josey McPhail

Director of Communications
Republic School District