Lowell Lantern

August 21, 2020

Principal's Message

Hello Lowell Families!

It has been another great week of learning at Lowell!! Students have been engaged and working hard in their classrooms. We appreciate their committment to learning and safety!

If your child is ill and unable to attend school, please call the front office at 317-532-3900 to report your child's absence. It is important to contact school regarding illnesses and absences. If your child has an appointment and will be arriving late or leaving early, please make sure to notify the school and to send in a doctor's note to confirm the appointment.

School pictures are scheduled for next Thursday, August 27. Please see more information regarding school pictures in this newsletter. Order forms are available online only this year. Additional ordering information and optional picture packages are available online as well.

As we look ahead, Monday, September 7th is Labor Day. There is no school on Labor Day.

Thank you for your support of Lowell School! Have a great weekend! Take care. Be safe!

Mrs. Griffin

SCHOOL PICTURES ~~ PICTURE DAY IS THURSDAY, AUGUST 27

School Picture Day is Thursday, Augsut 27. In the past, fliers were sent home with students; however, this year fliers will only be available digitally via the Lantern and social media. Orders can be made online at INTER-STATE.COM/ORDER. Please visit the website and view the fliers below for more information on picture orders. We start picture taking first thing in the morning and usually finish up by mid-morning. Please make sure students arrive on time to school so they will be present for pictures.

ATTENDANCE INFORMATION

For the 2020-2021 school year, Warren Township has transitioned to a new student information system called Synergy allowing our parents and caregivers to have improved access to school information through the parent portal called ParentVUE. We are aware that at his time some students’ attendance records are reflecting students are absent, when in fact they were present. This is mostly the case for our students who are attending school VIRTUALLY on application days or in the VIRTUAL opinion full-time. We want to assure you that teachers are keeping accurate attendance records and that we are working to correct attendance records for all our students.

For VIRTUAL Option Students K-6th Grade

We have heard from our parents that the VIRTUAL schedule can be confusing for our students. In response to this feedback, we are designating specific days to our Black and Gold Cohort students in grades K-6th grade. Starting on Monday, August 24, 2020, students will follow the schedule below. *On shortened school weeks, there will not be an Friday Academic Enrichment Friday.

Black Cohort (A-K)

Mondays and Wednesdays: Direct Instruction Day
Tuesday and Thursdays: Application Day

Gold Cohort (L-Z )

Tuesdays and Thursdays: Direction Instruction Day
Monday and Wednesday: Application Day

Black Cohort and Gold Cohort

Fridays: Academic Enrichment Days

Friday Academic Enrichment Days are designed to ensure there is more feedback and attention to student needs as well as creating increased opportunities for student and family support. Student experiences on Friday Academic Enrichment Day will include a playlist; however, will provide more opportunities for enrichment, reflection and targeted supports for students. Please visit MSD Warren’s Virtual Instructional Guide and Weeks At-A-Glance to learn more.

IMMUNIZATION REMINDER

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In order for our schools to be in compliance with the state laws regarding immunizations, please make sure that your student(s) have their updated information on file with Nurse Deb, our school nurse. All student vaccines must be on file and up to date by September 21, 2020 to avoid exclusion from school. Please make Nurse Deb aware of any upcoming appointments for vaccines, or if there are any medical or religious objections to your student receiving his or her vaccines

Also, PLEASE inform Nurse Deb of any chronic health conditions that the school should be made aware of, and that your student's medical emergency information is up to date. Thank you for your help in getting this important information to our nurse!

FREE FLU VACCINES FOR LOWELL STUDENTS

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Warren Township Schools and Health Heroes, Inc are offering FREE flu vaccines for children attending Lowell Elementary. These vaccines will be given at a clinic set up inside our school on August 26th at 11:00am. If your child has not already been immunized against the flu for 2020-2021, we encourage you to have your child immunized at our upcoming clinic. Please know that these flu vaccines are of no cost to MSD Warren Township or your family -- regardless of whether or not your child has health insurance coverage. Even if you have insurance coverage, your insurance company will not be billed and you will not be charged any deductible or co-pay.

If you decide to have your child immunized agains the flu at our upcoming clinic, please complete the Vaccine Consent Form that your child brought home from school earlier this week. Please make sure you complete and sign the entire form. If the form is not filled out completely, Health Heroes will not vaccinate your child. Please complete the form and return it to school as soon as possible. If you have any questions, please feel free to call Nurse Deb at

532-3905.

MEET OUR LOWELL COUNSELOR ~~ MRS. HAND

SELF-SCREENINGS

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Thank you for taking time each morning to screen your child before coming to school each day. Please continue to do so. Below are symptoms impacting consideration for exclusion from school:

● A fever of 100.0° F or greater

● Chills

● Cough

● Muscle or body aches

● Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing

● Headache

● Sore throat

● Congestion or runny nose

● Fatigue

● New loss of taste or smell

● Nausea or vomiting

● Diarrhea

Students and employees should be excluded from school if they test positive for COVID-19 or exhibit two or more of the symptoms of COVID-19 that are not otherwise explained based on ISDH / MCPHD guidance. If in doubt, please don't hesitate to call school at 317-532-3900 for some guidance. We appreciate your support in doing this important screening step each day before sending students to school.

Are You in Need of Textbook Rental Assistance? Please Read The Information Below

PARENT VUE STUDENT INFORMATION TAB

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Parents ~

You can view your child's "Warren Password" on the ParentVUE Student Info tab.

Click on Student Info and then scroll to the bottom of the page. You will see your child's' passwords right after the bus info.

MSD WARREN TOWNSHIP S.A.F.E. REOPENING PLAN

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You may download our 20-21 Reopening Plan on our S.A.F.E. Reopening Webpage.

https://www.warren.k12.in.us/o/msd-of-warren-township/page/20-21-s-a-f-e-reopening

Covid Screening & Quarantine Information

CAR RIDER INFORMATION

Our car rider line has changed locations! The car rider drop-off and pick-up line is now on the SOUTH SIDE (Raymond Street) of the building. DO NOT ENTER OFF OF HUNTER ROAD. All car riders will enter the line off of Raymond Street. There is a circular drive that cars will follow around to the sidewalk. Pull your car to the end of the sidewalk, place your car in park, and wait for staff to signal that students may be released from cars. DO NOT RELEASE STUDENTS UNTIL STAFF IS OUTSIDE AND INDICATES THAT STUDENTS MAY BE RELEASED FROM VEHICLE. WE WILL BEGIN TO RELEASE STUDENTS AT 7:55AM. STUDENTS MUST WEAR A FACE COVERING WHEN EXITING THE VEHICLE. PARENTS ARE TO REMAIN IN CARS AT ALL TIMES AND CANNOT EXIT THE VEHICLE TO WALK STUDENTS INTO THE BUILDING.

Students will only be released on the sidewalk side/passenger side of the vehicle. Please make sure your child is sitting on that side of your vehicle. When the sidewalk is cleared of students, cars will be released by staff to exit back out onto Raymond Street. PLEASE DO NOT MOVE YOUR CAR UNTIL STAFF INDICATES IT IS SAFE TO MOVE. DO NOT GET OUT OF THE CAR RIDER LINE TO MANUVEUR YOUR CAR AROUND OTHER CARS. STAY IN LINE AND FOLLOW THE CAR IN FRONT OF YOU SO WE CAN EXIT SAFELY. When the next row of cars are lined up along the sidewalk and are stopped and in park, staff will release the next group of students into the building.

OUR PRIORITY IS TO KEEP STUDENTS AND STAFF SAFE! PLEASE MAKE SURE TO FOLLOW THESE PROCEDURES AND TO FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS OF THE LOWELL STAFF. WE APPRECIATE YOUR COOPERATION.

Please make sure your child has backpack/supplies ready and that good-byes are said before it's time to exit the car. We will not have time to retrieve items or have prolonged good-byes in the morning. We appreciate your help with this!!

Review the map below to see the entry/exit location and the path for the car rider line. We appreciate your patience as we all learn this new system.

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SMOKE-FREE CAMPUS

Please remember that our Lowell Campus is a smoke-free campus. There is no smoking allowed anywhere on Lowell grounds. This includes smoking in your cars while on the Lowell Campus. Please refrain from smoking on school grounds if you are picking your child up or dropping your child off at school. We appreciate your support with this policy!