CHE E-Update
September 27, 2020
Cedar Hills Elementary
Inspiring Minds, Advancing Character...A Proud Community Tradition for 17 Years
Email: smarsh@bluevalleyk12.org
Location: 9100 West 165th Street, Overland Park, KS, USA
Phone: 913.239.3300
Greetings CHE Families,
We are another week closer to getting all of our in-person learners in the building at the same time. This is exciting and truly look forward to it. You will find some additional information regarding this transition below. More info will be pushed out next week as well.
As we prepare for this transition from hybrid to full in-person learning, our focus remains on creating a safe learning and working school environment. In the notes below, I wanted to remind you of the modifications we already have in place. As well as share additional accommodations we will be making as we welcome all students who registered for in-person learning. The section in the notes, MITIGATION STRATEGIES as We Prepare for October 5 are from district level staff.
Here are a few things specifically for CHE.
-Arrival and Dismissal procedures will remain the same
-The outside play area will be broken up into three sections for recess play so each class will have their own cohort recess area thus each grade will be outside at the same time.
-Every attempt will be made to have snack outside where students can 6' feet social distance without mask.
Be looking for parent-teacher conference electronic sign up information next week in both this communication and the classroom newsletter. The sign up window opens Monday, October. 5 and closes Friday, October 16. (conferences are the week of October 26)
Enjoy this rainy Sunday with your family.
Steve
Quick Takes
*Be sure to check out the CHE web page... https://www.bluevalleyk12.org/CHE
*Visit the PTO web page… www.cedarhillspto.com
*An updated copy of the 2020-21 calendar - online.
News Just For You
BV COVID Dashboard is LIVE!
The safety of Blue Valley students and staff continues to be a top priority. In an effort to keep our school communities fully informed, the district provides weekly updates indicating confirmed positive COVID-19 cases as reported to the school/district on the BV COVID Dashboard. Cases are reported by district and school. In order to best protect privacy, we will combine students and staff data and will not include identifying information about the individuals who test positive.
Spirit Wear Sale EXTENDED - Order Deadline is now Sunday, October 11th!
Don’t miss out on the awesome new designs! We are working on setting ups samples to see from outside the school in the art room window.
Check on this link to view the available CHE Spirit Wear.
https://cedarhillsschool.itemorder.com/sale
MITIGATION STRATEGIES as We Prepare for October 5
Thank you to our families for supporting these important safety measures when outside of school and at home. These strategies outlined below are applicable to each Blue Valley elementary school as we return to full in-person learning.
Below are comments from district level staff.
Temperature checks
Students will continue to follow procedures allowing for temperature taking each morning upon arrival to school. If a fever is present (100 or higher), the temperature will be confirmed through an additional health assessment and the student will be sent home.
Hand washing
Frequent hand washing and hand sanitization are encouraged and are accommodated for multiple times throughout the school day. Sinks, soap, and hand sanitizer are available throughout school facilities for this purpose.
Masks/Face Coverings
Students and staff will wear masks/face coverings when at school to keep everyone safe and healthy. Students may remove masks when eating and drinking if seated and socially distanced and during exertional activities, if social distance and cohort groups can be maintained.
Social Distancing
Social distancing will be observed to the extent possible as we welcome back all in-person learners. In instances where social distancing is difficult or impossible, proper and consistent mask wearing and hand washing is key to keeping everyone safe and healthy.
MODIFICATIONS TO THE SCHOOL EXPERIENCE:
Teams have worked hard to develop modifications throughout our building that prioritize the health and safety of our students and staff.
Arrival/Dismissal
To limit hallway congestion and large waiting zones, students will continue to proceed directly to their classrooms upon arrival. A staggered approach will be utilized at dismissal to assist as well.
Lunch
Students will continue to eat with classroom cohorts. Seating will be spaced out 6 feet or more when possible. When this is not possible, small groups will be assigned and spaced as much as possible. Masks and face coverings are only removed while seated and eating. If students get up to wash hands, throw trash away or go to the restroom, their mask/covering is put back on.
Recess
Students will wear masks when at play during recess as social distancing is difficult during this time of the day.
Transitions
Students keep their masks on in hallways during transitions throughout the building. This includes keeping masks on when they enter the restrooms.
Specials/P.E.
Masks will remain in place during specials classes. If masks need to be removed during exertional activities, students will social distance and stay within their cohort group or move outside. This is particularly important when increased respiration occurs because of activity.
Space utilization
We continue to look for opportunities to fully utilize all spaces within the building as we prepare to welcome all in-person learners back full time.
Thank you for your support and partnership as we work to safely bring all in-person learners back full time.
Technology is an Integral Part of Teaching and Learning
Students and teachers utilize various educational technologies including websites and mobile apps throughout the learning process. The district has implemented a technology evaluation process to verify that technologies are instructionally sound and age appropriate for classroom instruction. Approved sites include but are not limited to Canvas Learning Management System, Google Suite, Microsoft 365, Seesaw, Discovery Education, Flipgrid. As technologies change, the district will continue to evaluate resources utilized during the teaching and learning process. Please review the contents of the District’s Board Policy use of technologies by students and the Technology Guidelines for Elementary Students. Students will acknowledge these documents at school. If you have any questions about your student’s technology use, please contact the school.
Just a reminder that all students should be coming to school each day with a mask. We are all human and may forget in the midst of the morning rush. A helpful suggestion is to put one or two extra masks, in a ziploc baggie, in your child's backpack. Also, please try to remember a water bottle everyday as the water fountains are currently off limits. The bottle refill stations are up and running so everyone can stay hydrated!
I have been so very impressed with how well these kiddos have adapted and embraced wearing masks. They are all rockstars and this nurse is very proud! Continue to encourage your children on proper hand washing. It is easy to get in a rush and cut short a few important steps. A small bottle of hand sanitizer is another great way to keep hands clean especially before and after school.
I have always been a big advocate of snacks. Our brains need fuel to focus and have energy to learn. Healthier snack options that have fiber, protein and low sugar are ideal. However, a lot of the approved snack options are higher in sugar and lack much nutritional value. In fact, they can actually make it harder to focus and cause us to be sluggish. Here are a few of my favorite options, straight off of the nut-safer guidelines list, that have a nutritional benefit that kids need to make the most of their school day.
-Applesauce cups
-Yogurt Cups
-Whole wheat Goldfish
-Cheese Stick
-Graham Cracker and Sunbutter
-Apple slices and Sunbutter
-Whole wheat tortilla chips and Guacamole singles
-Wheat thins and cheese slices
-Beef Jerky
-All fruits and vegetables
These are just some suggestions but hopefully will give some ideas or inspiration to make snacks healthy and yummy! Enjoy!
When should my child stay home from School?
Did you know the symptoms of COVID-19 are similar in adults and children and can look like other common illnesses, like colds, strep throat, or allergies? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the most common symptoms of COVID-19 in children are fever and cough. If your child has these common COVID-19 symptoms or others identified by the CDC, please:
Keep your child home
Call your child’s healthcare provider to discuss whether your child needs to be evaluated or tested for COVID-19. If you suspect that your child or someone they know has COVID-19 or has come into close contact with someone who has COVID-19, visit Coronavirus self-checker. This online tool will help you decide when to seek testing or medical care for your child.
Notify your child’s school that your child is sick. Also inform the school if your child has had a COVID-19 test and what the result is, if available.
Review your child’s school (or other childcare facility) policies related to when a child who has been sick can return.
Bring your child back to school or other in-person activities only after they can safely be around others.
VirtualED Resource Pick-Up
From time to time teachers will have instructional items for their VirtualED class to use as part of the learning process. As a district, the following dates have been identified for these pick ups at the child's home school attendance area. Please note, teachers are not required to have items each time so they will communicate to you of the pick up status needs for each designated pick up dates listed below.
The CHE pick up process will be a simple one. On the designated day between 9am-3pm and again at 4-5:30pm, parents are welcome to drive through the CHE circle drive to secure their child's materials. A sign designating the grade level area will be used. We will not have a staff members outside to facilitate this process so just pull up and find the needed stuff and you are on your way. Items will be clearly marked.
- Bi-weekly item pick-up will be Wednesdays at the students’ home buildings.
- This will be Wednesday, September 30th and bi-weekly from there:
- October 14,
- October 28,
- November 11th,
- November 24th (due to Thanksgiving…it will be Tuesday this week),
- December 9,
- skip December 23 since we don’t have school on Wednesday….move to January 6th for last item pick up of the semester—semester ends January 15th
Y-Club Before and After School Program
If you are interested in the Y-Club before and after school program, registration is now open. We will begin offering Y Club child care services, both before and after school, starting on Monday, October 5. Our fully-licensed programs operate across all Blue Valley elementary schools and our doors open at 7 a.m. daily and stay open after school until 6 p.m. If your child is not currently enrolled in Y Club but you are interested in enrolling, register online at https://kansascityymca.org/programs/before-and-after-school/y-club-locations/blue-valley
The last day to register online for programs that begin October 5 is September 30. If you had previously registered in a Group A/B Hybrid Y Club program or Y Learning Academy, you received information about updating your enrollment to the five-day a week Y Club program. For any questions specific to your enrollment, please contact the YMCA office at 816.360.3390 or email YClubSupport@KansasCityYMCA.org.
Quick Tech Tip
A parent will only go into their Canvas account to see their student’s grades. If parents are wanting to get zoom codes and lessons from their child’s teacher, they will want to go to their student canvas page.
The Pairing codes allow parent access to GRADES not their child’s Dashboard.
Mark Your Calendar
September
28- A-Group In-Person
29- A-Group In-Person
30- Virtual Wednesday for all
-PTO Papa John's Pizza Night
October
1-B-Group In-Person
2-B-Group In-Person
5-All In-Person students return for 5 day/week instruction
-Parent Teacher Conference Sign-Up Window Opens
16-Parent Teacher Conference Sign-Up Window Closes
26-Parent Teacher Conferences
27-Parent Teacher Conferences
28-Parent Teacher Conferences
29-Parent Teacher Conferences (no classes for students)
30-No School
PTO News You Need to Know
Be the first to know about events by joining the CHE PTO today at cedarhillspto.com!
Follow us on Instagram @Cedarhillspto and Facebook @CedarHillsElementaryPTO
Spirit Wear Sale EXTENDED - Order Deadline is now Sunday, October 11th!
Don’t miss out on the awesome new designs! https://cedarhillsschool.itemorder.com/sale
Papa John’s Spirit Night - Wednesday, September 30th ALL DAY!
See the flier HERE
Room Parent Training Video
Your Room Parent Co-Chairs, Lindsay Michalick and Angie Lanigan, have created a wonderful video to teach you the ins and outs of being a Room Parent. The training video will be emailed out by 10/2.
5th Grade Farewell
The 5th Grade Farewell Committee is still in need of volunteers. We are starting to plan and figure out what the Farewell for our 5th Graders will look like this school year. Many factors need to be considered along with guidelines from the CDC and District. Please consider signing up HERE today!
Register on the PTO Website
Want to receive important communication?!? The best way is to stay in the loop and get registered at cedarhillspto.com. Simply, login and/or create a free account.
*If you are already registered don’t forget to add your Kindergartener to your account!
Quick Look at Upcoming Events
9/30: Papa John’s Spirit Night
10/11: Spirit Wear Deadline