Dear Huffman families,

Thank you for helping us make the start of the school year a success! We are so happy to be back in person with students. There are challenges of course, but when we think back to where we were one year ago, we are all thankful to have students in person at school.

I will send these all school newsletters twice a month to keep you informed about all school events and news, but always feel free to contact me or your child's teacher directly anytime if you have any questions, concerns, or celebrations to share.

Respectfully,

Molly Hickox, Principal

Huffman Elementary School

When your child is absent, please call our main office at 742-5650 option 1 to report the absence. Please give a brief reason for the absence, and please be honest. Due to COVID protocols, Nurse Krista is required to follow up with all students who may be experiencing symptoms. If you are out for appointments, a family trip, or something else that is not related to illness, it will save us a lot of time if you state that reason in your message. Our school nurses have taken on a lot of extra work during the pandemic, so please help us be as efficient as possible.

Please join me in welcoming Ali Rusch to the team at Huffman. She is our Health/SEL teacher and her position is shared between our school and Creekside Elementary. Please read her introduction letter to parents and guardians here.

FastBridge is the ASD benchmark assessment for students in grades K-2 in reading and mathematics. Grades 3-6 may also use FastBridge as a progress monitoring tool. FastBridge utilizes curriculum-based measures and is used by schools as part of the ASD Comprehensive Assessment System to support informed instructional decisions.

FastBridge will only be administered in-person during the benchmark windows listed below

• Fall 2021: September 7 - September 30

• Winter 2021: November 29 - December 10

• Spring 2022: March 14 - April 1

Results for students that were assessed during a benchmark window, will be available in Parent Connect the week after each benchmark window closes ParentConnection Login Information

MAP Growth is the ASD benchmark assessment for students in grades 3-9 in reading and mathematics. Grades 10-12 also take MAP Growth as part of Tier II and Tier III reading and mathematics courses.

MAP Growth is an online benchmark assessment tool used for instructional purposes. MAP Growth is an adaptive assessment that provides each student with a personalized testing experience with data that speaks to their individual progress and growth in mathematics and reading. Practice tests and accommodations are available. The MAP Growth Benchmark will be administered in person during the benchmark windows for 2021-2022:

* Fall Benchmark 1—September 27 - October 8

* Winter Benchmark 2—November 29 - December 10

* Spring Benchmark 3—April 18 - April 29

MAP Growth Benchmark practice tests are available to allow students the opportunity to become familiar with the types of questions and tools available on the actual MAP Grow assessments such as the highlighter and calculator. Practice tests are provided at practice.mapnwea.org and require login information (USERNAME: grow PASSWORD: grow) to access.

If your child is sick with symptoms that could be COVID related, you have three options (you only need to do one of these options):

• Receive a negative molecular test. * ASD is not accepting antigen tests or at-home tests.

• Obtain a doctor note that states that the symptoms are not COVID related (Chronic Condition/Symptom Release Form)

• Isolate for 10-days from the start of symptoms (can return to school/work on Day 11)-re-testing not required after quarantine

ASD guidelines for close contacts have been updated as of Friday, September 10. If a student is identified as a close contact of a confirmed positive case, here are the current guidelines:

• If I have had a positive Covid test in the past 90 days, I do not need to quarantine. 90 days begins on the date the test was collected.

• 10-day quarantine is recommended but not required at ASD. If opting to quarantine you may return to school/work on Day 11.

  • Day 0 is the last day that you were exposed to the positive person

• If you have no symptoms, you may return to school/work. The CDC recommends that you receive a lab-confirmed, molecular-based test on or after Day 6. This is not required at ASD.

• ASD requires universal masking at school. It is recommended by the CDC that you wear a mask in public and monitor symptoms for 14-days from the last day of exposure.

We will continue to notify families if there is a positive case in your child's classroom, and if your child has been determined to be a close contact or not. If you have questions about the new guidelines, please reach out to Nurse Krista at hepler_krista@asdk12.org

Testing: If your child is symptomatic and you need to get a COVID test, here are some links for places that offer molecular based tests:

Free muni testing sites

All testing sites in Anchorage

For symptomatic students, many people have had success getting rapid molecular based tests at the Capstone Clinic on Dimond and Calista Ct, and results have come in just under a couple of hours.

Outdoor P.E.

It is wonderful to have Huffman students back in the gym this year! We are making a big effort to take P.E. classes outside everyday (a little rain won't stop us). Exercising outside in the fresh air gives students a chance to get some fresh air without masks and it greatly increases both their moods and ability to focus on schoolwork. Please be sure your children are dressed for success on P.E. days with a light jacket/sweatshirt, appropriate footwear for running, and hat/gloves as the weather gets cooler.

Cross Country Running Update

Huffman Cross Country Running has been a huge success! We have almost 220 students registered and a whole crew of volunteer parents & teachers. Practice will continue Tuesday & Thursday until September 23rd. Thanks for being AWESOME Husky Runners!

The ASD Health P.E. Department has cancelled all of their district wide elementary activities so unfortunately there will not be a South Area Running Jamboree at Service this fall. Stay posted for a potential Spring Jamboree!

Bikes & Scooters in P.E.

All students will be using scooters (k-2) or bikes (3-6) in P.E. class for the next two weeks. We are excited to borrow the ASD Bike & Scooter trailer! Look in your child's backpack for a note with all of the important details.

All school volunteers must register with the district and undergo a background check. If you would like to volunteer in your child's classroom or anywhere else in the school, please fill out this application, and send an email to Jennie Bostick, our Administrative Assistant, to let her know that you have completed the application. We will have a waiver for you to sign when you come into the building, and once those two things are done you will be all set for the year. Thank you for volunteering to help out at Huffman!

Email: hickox_molly@asdk12.org
Website: https://www.asdk12.org/huffman
Location: 12000 Lorraine Street, Anchorage, AK, USA
Phone: 907-742-5650
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HuffmanElementary

The School Board is committed to equal opportunity for all individuals in education. District programs and activities shall be free from discrimination based on sex, race, color, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, changes in marital status, pregnancy, parenthood, physical or mental disability, Vietnam era veteran status, genetic information, good faith reporting to the board on a matter of public concern, or any other unlawful consideration. The Board shall promote programs which ensure that discriminatory practices are eliminated in all District activities.