Friday News -- February 5, 2021

Friday, February 5, 2021


 

Hillcrest Elementary School

Friday News

February 5, 2021

 

Dear Hillcrest Families,

On Tuesday, February 2nd, Superintendent Beck announced that the date for our return to in-person learning has been moved to Monday, February 22nd.  Please be sure to take some time to read the email message you received from Superintendent Beck as it contains many important details. The primary factors behind this change are staffing issues and lack of completed reports from the ventilation contractor.  Below please find some very important details about the calendar, health and safety issues, as well as key points about what to expect when we return to in-person learning. 

 

  • Due to the proposed return date of February 22nd, the student schedule for Thursday, February 11th and Friday, February 12th has been altered to provide school staff the time to make final classroom preparations and to participate in technology training.  That means that all teachers will provide one hour of Live Instruction and Check-In time on each of those days.  For the balance of the time, students will have the opportunity to engage in Asynchronous Learning via Google Classroom, Seesaw, IReady and materials sent home in our at-home learning packets.  You will receive additional information from your child’s teachers about the schedule for those two days. 

  • Please watch this video created by the GMRSD School Nurses. It contains essential information about mask wearing, hand hygiene and school-specific routines.  School Nurse Video for Students & Families

  • Hillcrest School Nurse, Melissa Bednarski, will be joining classroom meetings next week to review many of the key points of this video with Hillcrest students. 

  • Last week, I sent you a letter about the BINAXNow testing project.  If you have not already done so, please read this letter so that you are well-informed about this testing program. 

  • In October, I sent a letter detailing our Life Threatening Allergy Policy and our commitment to being a Nut Safe School.  As we prepare to return to school, please be sure to review this letter: Life Threatening Allergies Letter

  • All students are required to wear masks in school, on the playground and on the school bus.  If your child is not in the habit of wearing a mask, please practice mask wearing on a regular basis. 

  • In addition to wearing a mask, students should be able to remove and replace their masks independently.  Students will need to do this in order to take mask breaks. 

  • Due to social distancing requirements, school staff will be limited in their ability to directly assist students with self-help tasks such as managing outdoor gear like boots and snow pants, opening and closing lunch containers, and bathroom routines.  Please prepare your child to approach these tasks as independently as possible.  Be sure to provide lots of coaching and practice for your child.  You can play games like Race the Clock for getting ready with winter gear,  you can incorporate lunch containers into meals at home or you can sing songs about the steps involved in the bathroom routine.  

  • You may receive a phone call from Mrs. Prokowich about the return of your Student Data Verification Sheet. These will need to be updated prior to February 12th.

 

PLEASE NOTE THESE IMPORTANT DATES 

  • Monday, February 8th -- Friends of Hillcrest Meeting @ 5:00

  • Monday, February 15th - Friday, February 19th -- School Vacation Week

  • Monday, February 22nd -- First Day of In-Person Learning for Cohort A

  • Thursday, February 25th -- First Day of In-Person Learning for Cohort B

Wishing you a wonderful weekend ---

Sarah Burstein

Sarah Burstein, Hillcrest Principal