Parents and Students,
We are excited to welcome everyone back for the 2020-2021 school year. As you know several changes are necessary to ensure the safety of staff and students during the pandemic. Our staff has been working around the clock to plan for our students' return this Tuesday, August 25th, which is a half day and early dismissal of 12:45.
Some changes to note.
- All students and staff will be required to wear masks on busses and in school buildings. We will also be expecting students to engage in social distancing. Mask breaks will be given to students throughout the day in outside areas where 6 ft social distancing may be followed. We also understand the first few days will be a learning experience in getting used to masks. We will help students as they adjust..
- A lanyard will be given to each preschool-8th grade student to help secure the student’s mask when they remove it outside, at lunch, and during mask breaks.
- Students will be given a mask but may also wear their own masks. Masks should be washed at home. It would be good to have an extra mask in your child’s bag. Please place it in a baggy or small container to show it is clean. We will have disposable masks for students, if needed.
- Teachers have been organizing classrooms to allow for as much social distancing as possible.
- All students must enter through the front doors for temperature checks and screening for symptoms. Doors will be locked until 7:30 AM so please do not drop off or send your student to school before this time.
- Please check your student’s temperature prior to sending them to the bus. Students over a 100.4 temperature will not be allowed to enter the building if they are above 100.4. Parents of students will be notified immediately to pick up their student. If a student has driven to school they will be asked to drive home after we assess if it is safe and have communicated with parents.
- Students’ lunch periods will be adjusted to provide social distancing. Breakfast will be “grab and go” which will be prepackaged sack breakfasts that will be eaten in the classroom. Lunch and breakfast will be served by the cooks instead of self-service as previously utilized at the salad bar. At the high school, students will still have the option of chef salads.
- At the high school, there will NOT be microwaves for student use in the cafeteria.
- Carports will be utilized outside of each building to provide a shaded outdoor learning space for classes.
- Students will have reduced student numbers in band class. Outdoor space or gymnasiums will be used to provide more spacing. Beginning band members will begin on percussion instruments as a safe alternative to brass and woodwind instruments for the first semester.
- Daily sanitization of all areas will be conducted throughout the school and on busses.
- During the first few days, at the elementary/middle school, parents will drop off their students outside the building where staff members will be helping ensure that all make it to the correct rooms.
- High school students will not enter the building before 7:30, and are encouraged to come after 7:40, when teachers open their classrooms.
- Field trips and school wide assemblies are suspended at this time.
- Parent meal visits and non-essential campus visits are not allowed during this time. Please call 913-886-3870 at the EMS or 913-774-8515 at the HS prior to arriving on campus for essential visits.
- Parents needing to pick up students for appointments are asked to call ahead and we will walk the student out to meet you at the front doors.
- Students, staff and patrons are encouraged to follow all safety protocols for COVID-19 exposure prevention. We will follow the county guidelines for school exclusion posted on the school website in news under Covid-19.
- Recess and P.E. classes will be held outside, weather permitting, and will utilize activities where social distancing can be obtained.
- Our Northeast Kansas League continues to meet this week and will finalize guidance early next week regarding returning to play and possible restrictions due to social distancing and COVID prevention.
- Remote Learners - Please refer to our Remote Learning Guide on the usd339.net website under Parent Resources. The office will be contacting remote learning families by Monday regarding picking up technology or materials as needed.
Please ensure your contact information is current in Powerschool and check the district website, Facebook and school messenger calls for important updates.
We look forward to serving your students this year! We know you may have additional questions as we move forward. As always, please reach out to us with your questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
JCN Administration