Final Details

We're nearly there, friends! Our rooms are looking like a home for our children! Thank you for putting HOURS and HOURS of your time, creativity and care to creating a special place for each of the learners God has placed in your care this year. 

We are ready for our kids!!!! 

Mask Questions

They're happening and are understandable. Here are the talking points Doug has outlined for us to use so we speak with a common message:

• Present data of positivity rate doesn’t at this time indicate a need for mandatory masks
• HC has consistently administered protocols that are required vs. recommended
• Any students or staff with COVID related symptoms are requested to stay home
• Parents will be notified if there is a close contact with another student
• We will monitor the case rates in both the schools and the community

Medication and Reporting

All student medication must be locked in the office. Classroom teachers and staff, please do not administer medication. If you are made aware of a student with medical condition, please let me, Carla or Laura know so that we can document the student's care plan. If a child is in need of their medication, please send them down to the office. 

First Day Devotion

Our Rose Parkers like to be Jonny-on-the-spot. But I also like to begin the year with a prayer. This is odd, but I will email you the prayer I offer over you and your children. Please take a brief moment to pray our community prayer in your learning space and you can expound on in your own space....but not for too long! Those kids and families arrive EARLY! ;) 

Playground to the Red Flag

I have placed a red flag on the pole in our woods along the fence. The flag signifies the end of the safe, playable area for our children. They will need to see the playground as the area with the play equipment, into the woods and up to the red flag. Beyond the red flag and the imaginary line to the corner of the gym is the outdoor PE area. We are not to interrupt the outdoor PE area. I hope we have enough play options and space for all of our kids out there! 

Door Entrances After Recess

2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th, so that children are not left unsupervised upon entrance after recess, please come in the Ranch door/ramp door. We will need to keep this door propped open during recess (apparently those key card readers are in the $1000s. We can prop the door with a wedge for 49 cents! I will put your class initials on the cement for line up after recess. Just like last year, our teachers were punctual and diligent about welcoming the students back inside and supervising them all the way back to the classroom. There are enough teachers that it may be wise to rotate who treks all the way to the door at which recess times so that long walk is shared a bit. 

K and 1 come in the same door they did last year. Please be sure you are in the hallway greeting kids as they return from play. This will be a prime time to celebrate positive behavior and address problem behavior. 

PBIS Woods Lesson Plan

We are working on creating a lesson plan for play in the woods. This should be ready in time to be part of our Wednesday playground lesson plans! 

Parent Night

We are going to tweak the format a bit of Parent Night. There is a level of concern in our community of the rising number of positive cases of COVID. Rather than all meeting together in the gym, I am going to send out a video with my portion of the night that parents can view at home. This feels responsible and safer than having hundreds of people crowd together in the gym. So, I will send out the invitation to parents that K-2 families can meet in their child's teacher's room from 7:00 to 7:30. 3-5 families can meet in their child's teacher's room from 7:30-8:00. Families who overlap with multiple children will simply split their time. If you prefer to meet with your families somewhere on the property but outdoors, invite them to bring a chair and meet you under a specific tree or at a marked location on the property. 

Lunch Changes

After talking with our wonderful kitchen staff and listening to teacher willingness, we are on the move! Please note that lunches will be served in the classroom again. We will NOT eat all together in the WELL. This too is a move to help mitigate overlapping germs. As you well know, a LOT is on the fly when children eat and talk! Living together is wonderful but that is a tremendous opportunity for unwanted sharing. Thank you for accommodating this. Our time schedule will be consistent with the agreed upon schedule. The process will be similar to last year. Thank you for your understanding and flexibility to pivot this process.