Our mission is to provide active, relevant, educational experiences that foster globally minded innovative citizens in and out of the classroom. Our students will think creatively and take risks as they apply knowledge and skills to future endeavors.

Website: https://www.beaverton.k12.or.us/schools/sato/
Location: 7775 NW Kaiser Rd. Portland, OR 97229
Phone: 503-356-2530
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/satoelementary/

September:

Wed. 9/1 - Welcome Messages From Teachers sent out to students by 4:00pm

Thurs. 9/2 - Drive Through Supply Drop, Wave at your Teacher Event, see below

9/6-9/7 - Holiday, No School

Wed. 9/8 - First Day of School for 1st-5th grades!

Thurs. 9/9 - Kinder Teacher Assignments finalized, email to families

Fri. 9/10 - First Day for Kinder's Last Names A-M

Mon. 9/13 - First Day for Kinder's Last Names N-Z

Tues. 9/14 - All Kinders!

Fri. 9/17 - Virtual Welcome and Back to School information sent out by teachers

Other important dates to add to your calendars:

OCTOBER

• Friday, October 8 - No School, Staff Development Day
• October 21-22, 2021 - No School, Fall Parent Conferences

NOVEMBER

• Thursday, November 11 - No School, Veterans Day
• Friday, November 12 - No School, Grading Day
• Wednesday, November 24 - Friday, November 26 - No School, Thanksgiving Holiday
• Monday, November 29 - No School, Staff Development Day

APRIL

• April 28-29, 2022 - No School, Spring Parent Conferences

JUNE

• BSD added Juneteenth as an observed holiday, so there will be no school on Monday, June 20th. The last day of school is Tuesday, June 21 and teachers will checkout on Wednesday, June 22.

As a District we have become aware that Washington, Multnomah and Clackamas County Public Health drafted a letter to OHA and ODE with their recommendations on how to keep kids in school with the spread of the delta variant. This letter suggested a few things that the district is choosing to take swift action on, in order to be ahead of the game, if (when) the official ODE guidance changes.

The following are the 3 changes:

1. All PE classes must be held outdoors until Oct. 20th.
2. All Music classes must refrain from singing or using wind instruments indoors until Oct 20th.
3. All lunches must be held at a minimum of 6 feet apart to the greatest extent possible.

What does this mean for Sato:

1. PE & Brain Boosts: Our PE team has pivoted and agreed to hold their PE classes undercover until Oct 20th. Thank you PE team! Important to note in the classroom: This also includes any classroom brain boosts that could create any sort of physical exertion (GoNoodle and the sort).
2. Music & Singing: No singing will be occurring indoors. Thank you, Music team, for your flexibility with this in your lesson planning. Important for classroom: This also includes singing in the classroom for the first 6 weeks of school.
3. Meals: We are changing our lunch plan. Students will no longer be eating in the classrooms as we can better accommodate for and monitor for the 6 feet of separation with the New Plan: Students will now be split between the cafeteria and the gym. We can fit even our largest grade levels AND ensure 6 feet of distance between students by using both the cafeteria and the gym. Our gym also has four large ceiling fans which we will run continuously through and after lunches.

Did you know there is a cool new feature in ParentVUE that allows you to record the pronunciation of your child's name. We want to encourage you to do this - it is important to us here at Sato to know and correctly pronounce every child's name!!

First Bell rings at 8:25 and Second Bell rings at 8:30. Class will begin at 8:30.

Doors will open every day at 8:20am and students will walk directly to their classrooms.

If you are driving or walking your student to school, please do not arrive or leave your child at school prior to 8:20.

Unlike the times prior to Covid, on the first day of school, we are not allowing family members to walk their students to the classrooms. Thank you for your cooperation.

The school day ends at 3:05pm.

Arrival:

Like during Hybrid students will use three different entrances when arriving to school.

• 1st & 2nd graders will use the main entry doors and will follow the yellow dotted line for social distancing out in front of the school.
• 3rd, 4th & 5th will use the gym doors and follow the green dotted line for social distancing.
• Kindergarten students will go through the gate and use the doors nearest to the covered area. Kindergarten students will follow the red dotted lines as a guide for social distancing. Reminder the first wave of Kinders start on Sept. 10th.

Dismissal:

Dismissing 700+ students in the same 15 minute window is what we lovingly call organized chaos!

Bus Riders

Our priority is on getting the busses loaded and out on their routes. In the past, the majority of our students rode the bus to and from school. We can have over 9 busses to load - making sure our youngest riders get on the correct bus in an important task.

Walkers

If you are planning to walk to school to meet your child there is a special spot for your to wait. See the image below. For older children, if you are wanting them to walk home by themselves or with a group of neighbors, please ensure your child's teacher knows this information.

Car Riders

If you are driving to pick up your child, you must remain in your vehicle. Do not park and get out of your car during arrival and dismissal. You will receive a color coded card where you can write out your child's name in big bold letters to help staff radio for your child. At the beginning of the year this is a slow process, as sometimes the first weeks of school more families drive their children to and from school. We do get faster as the process smooths itself out! Be patient if this is the method you decide on.

For health and safety, as well as to ensure our ability to manage the organized chaos of dismissal, please do not gather or wait for your child near the front or the sides of the building, you will be asked to return to your car. Thank you for your help and patience as we work to ensure every child gets home in a safe and timely manner.

MAKE SURE YOUR CHILD'S TEACHER KNOWS HOW YOUR CHILD IS GOING HOME.

Change of Going Home Plans

If there is a change of going home plans please make sure to notify BOTH the front office and your child's teacher before 2:00pm. Unless it is an emergency, we cannot accommodate for last minute changes to your child's going home plan.

Email attendance and change of going home plans to Sato-Attendance@beaverton.k12.or.us

Also available on our website HERE.

All students and staff will wear masks inside and outside during school hours.

Classrooms at Sato will be set up with the recommended 3 feet spacing between student chairs. Staff will maintain 6 feet from students. Other mitigation strategies will be used: mask wearing, hand washing and sanitizing.

NEW

• No brainboosts or activities that could create physical exertion (GoNoodle and the sort) in the classroom.
• No singing in the classroom for the first 6 weeks of school.
  

Recesses will be by classroom cohorts in zones that will rotate weekly. For example your child's class may be in a zone with a play structure for a week and then out on the track and field the next week. Masks are to be worn outside and students will be encouraged to maintain the recommended 6 feet of distance to the greatest extent possible. Please plan accordingly for the weather. We will be outside rain or shine!!

Note: we will not have access to the under cover areas as PE classes will be happening there.

NEW

Lunches: We are changing our lunch plan. Students will no longer be eating in the classrooms as we can better accommodate and monitor for the 6 feet of separation with the New Plan: Students will now be split between the cafeteria and the gym. We can fit even our largest grade levels AND ensure 6 feet of distance between students by using both the cafeteria and the gym. Our gym also has four large ceiling fans which we will run continuously through and after lunches.

Busses - no new changes

Spacing on buses will be dependent on how many students are present during a given ride. There will be no mandatory 3-foot or 6-foot distancing requirement.

The Oregon Department of Education (ODE) and Oregon Health Authority (OHA) recognize that many Oregonians are asking why there are differences between buses and school facilities with respect to distancing. There are important public health distinctions in these environments, and these distinctions require diverse solutions:

• Time spent: While students ride the bus for different amounts of time, generally, these trips are shorter than time spent inside school buildings, making bus rides safer.
• High seat backs act as barrier. Like plexiglass or other dividers, seat backs offer some protection from droplet transmissions.
• Frequent door opening/closing and open windows help fresh air circulate in the buses, which lowers the risk of infection.

Other Bus Safety Measures include:

• Hand sanitizer and masks will be available from the driver

• A minimum of four windows per side will be kept open to ensure ample airflow. Roof hatches also may be opened depending upon weather conditions.

• High-touch areas on buses will be disinfected each day between the morning and afternoon routes with EPA-approved products.

• Buses which have transported a student with a positive or presumptive case of COVID-19 will be deep cleaned and disinfected prior to returning to service.

• At the elementary level, students will have assigned seats to help with possible contact tracing.

Visitors will be allowed in our school's front office for 15 minutes or less during the school day. For example, family members or guardians can drop off paperwork or pick up a child. However, please note that we will be able have two people in our office at a time. You may be asked to wait in the entry way or outside until there is room in our office to accommodate you.

Due to the ever shifting guidance, we are making changes to the Open House, Meet Your Teacher and Supply Drop off event. As much as we want to have students and families inside our school, right now things are changing too quickly and we would rather play it safe. As disappointed as we are not to welcome students and families inside our building and classrooms, we feel we are making the safest choice for our school community. The Back-to-School website with the FAQ's is the best place to get the most accurate update information. However, this too changes frequently as our District leaders receive their guidance.

What this means for our event:

• We are shifting to a Drive Through Drop Off Supplies & Wave at Your Teacher Event.
• It will still be from 4:00-6:00 in staggered waves, on Thursday, September 2nd.
• The graphic below shows the general areas where grade levels will be stationed.
• Signs will indicate the teacher names. (These details are still be worked out, but we will do our best to make it as clear as possible.)
• This is still an optional event, children may bring their supplies on the first day of school as well.
• We ask that you do not park or get out of your car, so that traffic may continue flowing through the event.
• Please idle for just a few minutes so that we can give everyone a chance to go through the line.
• Adhere the best you can to your assigned time slot by last name, so that we may keep traffic flowing.
• This event will end promptly at 6:00, if you will be after that time, you will need to bring your supplies on the first day. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause you.

We know this isn't ideal and we so appreciate the positive flexibility that is continually demonstrated by the Sato community!

Don't forget! Our library and classrooms are raising money for more books that reflect our diverse community! Can you pitch in $10 today? Your contribution will be DOUBLED with a match from the Beaverton Education Foundation!