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January at Woodbrook
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year!
Dear Woodbrook Families,
We are hoping that 2022 brings us all health and happiness!
Thank you for your patience and support as we start the new year.
The children are back and already into the routine already which is a wonderful sign of recovery after 18 months of remote/hybrid school from March 16, 2020 to Sept 2021.
We will not be holding our annual International Expo in January due to the current situation. It may be postponed or held differently this year.
Our annual spelling bee for our classroom champions will take place in person at Woodbrook in the gym on Thursday, Feb 10 at 5 p.m and our annual talent show will take place in person at Woodbrook in the gym on Friday, Feb 19 at 6:15. All are encouraged to come with their pods, support their friends and show their school spirit! We will practice social distancing during these events and masks will be required of all in the audience and while participants are not actively participating.
We look forward to seeing you there!
Clubs Postponed
Look for exact dates if you joined a club...
Quick club postponement announcements:
- Wingman club will NOT meet on Wednesday 1/5.
- All winter clubs which were set to begin on Jan 10 will be pushed back and start the first week of February (week of Jan 31)
- Mr. Mulchay's Concert band club will not meet again until February and extend through May/June
- Other clubs not mentioned will continue as per their original schedule - contact your club teacher if you have a question.
COVID
Close Contact Update
I am happy to report that the close contact policy was revised as of this afternoon. The policy permits remote access to those who have been close contacts to a confirmed POSITIVE person or if the child is positive. The children may access instruction remotely while awaiting PCR results or for the 10 days after the close contact.
I have been trying to answer every email each day, but please know that I am receiving hundreds of emails by mid morning and it is literally impossible to get to them all in my typical timely fashion. I apologize if I have not responded to you.
If I had recently denied your child remote access due to a close contact, please reach out to your teacher directly as they may get to your email before I do (due to the sheer volume).
While we are in an age of technology which allows for remote access, please know the following:
- Technology does not always work properly, sometimes it does not work at all.
- If your child is ill/has symptoms, let your child rest and do not join remotely. No one will forget how to read or write while they rest for a few days. Some people are forcing their sick children to sit on line. No! Sick children should not do anything except rest!
- All students must stay muted unless the teacher addresses the children specifically. This is not a hybrid situation, therefore, participation is mostly limited to following along with the class as best they can
- Parents should not interrupt during online teaching.
COVID Protocols
Lessons Learned
The days of just "monitoring" your child for a day or two and then sending them back to school are gone for the time being.
If your child is showing symptoms, a PCR test is in order. Many of our students who tested positive after Thanksgiving were kept home for a day and then sent to school only to be sent to the nurse and turn out to be positive exposing everyone around them.
These are some the signs of COVID as experienced by our students - NOTE, they only had one symptom:
- headache
- nausea/stomach ache
- runny nose
- sore throat
- congestion
While fully vaccinated students/staff are permitted to attend after being in close contact with a COVID positive individual, considering there are many break through cases, it is always a good idea to get a PCR test on days 5, 6 or 7 after exposure to that person.
COVID Reporting
Child's first & last name
Child's teacher
Siblings' names & teachers (inform other schools if older)
Date of exposure to close contact and/or date of symptoms and date of PCR test collected (not reported)
Send a screenshot of the PCR report when you receive it
The district has moved away from our individual letters to a dashboard which will be updated each Friday on the district website. You will no longer receive letters from the school.
How can you help?
VACCINES
- Vaccines are now readily available for all children ages 5 and up.
- Send children in with clean CHILD SIZED masks daily. (Adult masks are not appropriate and do not fit.)
STAY HOME
- If a household member is sick or awaiting PCR test results, keep all children HOME.
- Keep sneezing and coughing children home.
- If you are questioning if your child is possibly ill, STAY HOME
- As per the district protocol, if a member of your household is symptomatic, all Edison students must stay home until that household member tests negative.
- These absences will be excused
- A doctor's note to return to school due to allergies/strep if a child was symptomatic is not sufficient. A negative COVID test must accompany the doctor's note.
- Do NOT give your children cough medicine and fever reducers and send your child to school. We are trying to keep everyone healthy.
COVID TESTS
- NO HOME TESTS are acceptable.
- If you take a rapid test, please also take a PCR test which is much more reliable.
- You must remain home while awaiting results of your PCR tests
CLASSROOM LINKS
- Only students who the school requires to stay home are permitted to listen via a classroom link. It is not available for everyone.
- This is not hybrid. There is no interaction between the students and teacher.
- The camera will only stay on during whole class instruction.
Attendance
Teachers mark students who are not physically in school as absent. Attendance secretary Mrs. Helene Michael then codes them if they are quarantined or excused, etc. Please wait at least one week to contact Mrs. Michael about recoding in order to give her the opportunity to enter the codes.
Safety
Thank you for not making the U turns in front of the flag pole. As many of you may know, we had a terrible situation in which one of our precious children and her parent were hit by a car while walking across the street right before vacation. We are thankful that she and her parent are still with us.
Use the stop & drop lot and only let your children out on the sidewalk from the passenger side of the car. Do not drive quickly, do not talk on your phone, do not try to cut the line. Be safe, stay alert!
January
Early Dismissal & Vacation in January
January
- Early Dismissal - Wednesday, Jan 12
School Closed
- Monday, Jan. 17
Traveling
Your child(ren) must
- share their date of return to the US via passport stamp and
- quarantine for 10 days after return date OR
- quarantine for 7 days after return date as long as you take a PCR (not rapid) test on days 3, 4 or 5 after your return as per your passport
If your child(ren) are fully vaccinated, you must share your proof of full vaccination
Full vaccination is defined as two weeks past the 2nd dose.
Dress for the Weather!
Please remember to check the weather for the need for WARM coats, gloves, scarves and hats. We will go outside for recess as long as the "real feel" is above 32 degrees for healthy fresh air and exercise! Students will also go outside for a break each day for fresh air and some release!
Please, also send umbrellas if rain is predicted.
Start Strong Test Results for grades 4 & 5
Within the next week or two, you will receive by mail your child’s 2021 Start Strong Individual Student Reports (ISRs). The reports are also available in the NJ Parent Portal at nj-results.pearsonaccessnext.com. Your code will be on the report. See the letter below for details.
Recycle your Batteries at Woodbrook!
Please recycle your batteries by sending them to school with your child.
Batteries should be placed in the battery bin
located in front of our library.
This organization was founded by former student Nihal Tammana here at Woodbrook.
Let's keep it going!