Good Evening Middle School families,
We look forward to welcoming more students back on campus for in-person learning in the coming weeks. There are three key events happening in order for this to take place smoothly:
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March 4th & 5th ==> Preparation Days... teachers will hold morning zooms (and all Spanish Classes), but other than that you at home and teachers at school will be planning and moving materials, supplies, etc. Regular schedule is halted in order for your family and teachers to be prepared for the next week's start. There will be no Day Camp for middle school students these two days as the room they normally meet in is being converted to Mrs. Hobb's classroom.
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March 4th, 7pm ==> MS Family Info Session. This is required for ALL middle schoolers and families to attend (student and parents). Zoom link here and on our School Calendar
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Return is sequenced by class in order to smoothly teach the safety protocols and work out the kinks of classrooms in the gym and stage, and the class rotations and schedules.
- March 8th = 8th Grade class returns (6th & 7th stay remote)
- March 9th = 8th & 7th Grade classes in-person (6th stays remote)
- March 10th = ALL REMOTE (A-synch Wednesdays continues throughout the rest of the school year)
- March 11th = 8th, 7th, and 6th Grade (all) in-person begins.
* Note that March 12th is a Archdiocese-wide Inservice-day = no school for students.
STAYING remote? In our experience with K-5 classes we have learned quite a bit. One thing is the imperative of planning so we can support this option as smoothly as possible. Teachers and I are working in the days to come on supports and particular hybrid needs for students in order to best to support all learners. It is very challenging for teachers to switch students from in-person to long distance and vice versa. The option you choose is a commitment for a duration for the stability of all learners. The next window of change to in-person is aiming for after Spring Break. There are many variables involved in switching modes. Some of you have already indicated your preference on the school-wide survey we sent out in January, but each Middle School teacher will be sending their own "Yes/No" survey to your family; in the coming days, please discuss before you submit as only one response is needed per child.
We know that transitions are always challenging, but we are committed to supporting our remote and in-person students throughout these times of change.
RETURNING to In-Person: Just as your teachers are preparing on March 4th & 5th, you are also getting prepped for your child's return to class. From the school office there are a few items to prepare. Please complete the following before the first day of your child's return. You can send in with your child on their first day back to class or submit directly to the front office.
Paperwork
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Student Profile & Health Information - Look for the form in your child's classroom mailbox box. Update contact information on the Student Profile (your Alma data) and sign. Then, complete the back page with your child's Health Information, and sign. (Those who have already been on-campus for Day Camp, you can skip this step as you have already completed).
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Immunizations - Many have already completed this step, but a few of you may find a separate email from Shelley Bradley if something additional is required.
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Medication Authorization Form (optional) - for medication administered at school
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Earthquake/Disaster Kit - Update/provide a comfort kit in a one gallon ziplock bag (click the link for the checklist). Some of the items can be re-used each year; some will ned to be replenished. Please send-in to the classroom by Feb 16th.
Arrival
Use Carpool Drop-off where possible, MS walkers go directly to the Gym main entrance... Please stagger arrival times where possible (suggested times below that don't necessarily sync with K-5 plan):
zero-period Spanish: 7:30am (M,T,Th,Fr)
Last Name A-L: 8:15am
Last Name M-Z: 8:30am
Tardy Bell at 8:45am... all arrivals after 8:45 come directly to main office to check-in.
Once screened by the intake staff, Students will go directly to their room (no lining up outside).
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Grades K-2: Students enter from south door. Take care when maneuvering in the south parking lot. Screening takes place at the South Door.
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Grades 3-8: Drop-off in carpool: Cars enter from 35th through the parish office lot (just north of the gym), flow down the ramp and into the two lines in the gym lot (see below for link to video for traffic patterns). Students remain in the car until staff can complete your health screening. Students are directed to enter the building through the front doors. When you exit out onto Myrtle, to the left towards 34th where yes, are considered "local access" and please drive carefully!
Departure (ALL K-8):
Enter from 35th through the parish office lot (just north of the gym), flow down the ramp and into the two lines in the gym lot. Stay at your vehicle as staff will bring your child to your car. Exit out onto Myrtle, towards 34th to exit campus. Here is a short video also to help you see the process: https://vimeo.com/504876569/b1ff1a0d18
When student has symptoms...
Recent news of the new variants of COVID appearing is causing us to tighten our symptom and quarantine protocols. Has your child shown symptoms of an illness recently? Please stay home until the symptoms are better, and yes, it could take an extra day to ensure recovery. Please contact the school office and use this checklist of symptoms to be watchful for. Keep home a full 24hours to make sure they are symptom free. As more students return to campus, our screening practices and following of these timelines is crucial to keeping us all safe.
Travel Guidelines / Quarantine periods
I know in many places there are alternatives to the 14 day quarantine period for out-of-state travel and/or quarantining timelines, but with the increasing viral variants circulating we are holding to the best practice of 14 days. Please contact the school office for help ascertaining dates associated with your individual family needs. Traveling in-state? Just like any activity outside your home these days, stay safe & stay healthy with masking, only seeing people outside your household in outdoor settings, and play it safe. It's best to stay home, stay healthy (state & CDC Travel pages)
Planned Absences: As we've journeyed together through our remote /distance learning adventures these past 11 month or so, the attendance and absence processes has flexed and changed to respond to needs. As we move back into more in-person learning, please acknowledge the heroic work our teachers are doing to support both hybrid forms of learning. If you do have a planned absence, allow time for your teachers to support your students' needs. Our attendance/absence policies (page 13, family handbook) still apply for absences.
Uniforms Exchange open! We have extra inventory of sweatshirts, fleece, sweaters and boys pants. Contact Erin Pedras with a list of uniform pieces and sizes you need. More about uniforms
Yours,
Anton Kramer, Principal
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Prior announcements and links...
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Reminder/Announcement Monday, Jan 25th:
Thank you also to you as parents, for continuing to be vigilent as this pandemic continues to drag on. Because of your choices in staying masked, close to home, avoiding travel, and minimizing in-person visits with others outside the home, and by keeping your children home when symptoms do crop-up, we are all minimizing the COVID impacts towards each other. Again, symptoms to keep an eye on in your child are:
- Nausea or Vomiting,
- Diarrhea,
- Cough, Shortness of Breath, or Difficulty Breathing,
- Chills,
- Fatigue,
- Muscle Pain or Body Aches,
- Headache,
- New Loss of Taste or Smell,
- Sore Throat,
- Congestion, or Runny nose
If you haven't read it, all of these procedures and more are right in line with our OLG Re-Opening Plan.
For families electing to stay remote, please remember to let us know in the next few days so that our teachers working on Thursday and Friday this next week have the time to prepare packets and the right mix of live/a-synch learning for the remote students to stay well connected in this hybrid learning world. Let us know if you are choosing to stay remote!! I am re-opening my 2pm "Principal Office Hour Zoom" each Monday/Wed/Fri during the remainder of January and through February (see calendar for details) to help provide another opening for conversation and answering of questions.
