Welcome Back to School
March 2021
Our staff is very excited to welcome back students to campus. Careful planning has gone into bringing our students back to school. Our staff has worked with district leadership to gather feedback and identify protocols surrounding the safety, educational, social, and emotional needs of our students and families.
As students return to school there may be new information we need to share with families. We send out updates or new information through the following methods - email (from teachers and /or Synergy), our website, and our social media (Facebook). Emails sent from the school are accompanied by a text and recorded call.
Basic Information
- Please update your ParentVue account if your contact details have changed.
- Please contact the office if you need assistance accessing ParentVue.
Health and Safety Requirements
- As some students return to on-site learning, it will look very different from previous school years. Students and staff will be expected to follow strict PPE and Physical Distancing protocols, we will strictly follow CDPH’s guidance for schools.
- The school site has increased cleaning practices. There are hand sanitizer sanitizing stations at various locations, increased hand washing throughout the day, MERV-13 air filters, and classroom protocols that follow the most recent health and safety guidelines, and regular cleaning of “high touch” surfaces in the building, classrooms, and restrooms.
- If a staff member or student who is participating in our on-site program is exposed to Covid-19, the exposure may result in a staff member, student or an entire cohort having to return to distance learning for the recommended quarantine time. We are working in partnership with our local Public Health and will notify parents/guardians should these protocols become necessary.
- Please review our Site Specific Protection Plan on our school district website, www.arcataschooldistrict.org.
Family Contract for On-Site Learning
- Please review the family contract and return it on or before the first scheduled day back to school.
- The contract reviews daily home health screening, health screenings at school, face coverings, exhibiting symptoms at school, responsibility to quarantine, visitors, and recommended at-home cleaning procedures.
What Students Should Bring to School
- Students should dress in layers because the classroom doors and windows will be open at all times to ensure air flow. Please write the students name (including last name) on clothing, backpack, and reusable spill-proof water bottle.
- Students can bring a backpack and a filled water bottle.
- Please leave toys and other distractions at home.
- Student devices (school issued Chromebooks) will stay at home. There is some component for asynchronous learning for all students. There will be a collection date for devices before school ends for the year.
Arrival to School
- Please drive slowly and watch for children.
- The gates to the school will not open before 8:15 AM. Students are asked to stay in their family’s car until the gates are open to limit crowding and grouping.
- Students will have a designated drop off point by grade level.
- Please review the map for drop off and pick-up. The map is on our website.
- Students will be scheduled to arrive in stages by grade to alleviate clustering.
- Students are required to wear their mask and practice social distancing.
- As students depart the vehicle a staff member will ask if they completed their Daily Home Health Screening and the student is symptom free. Students will be given a dollop of hand sanitizer.
- Families will not have access to the classrooms or the interior of the school due to COVID protocols.
- We request that families leave campus immediately after drop off and pick-up to meet required non-gathering rules in place based on health and safety guidelines.
Departure from School
- Please drive slowly and watch for children.
- At the end of the day, students will be dismissed by classrooms to travel with their teacher to parent pick up locations.
- At parent pick up, we will require that all families remain in their cars and utilize the parent pick-up lane, rather than walking up to retrieve your child. This will allow us to expedite our process efficiently and safely while students exit the building in their cohorts.
- There is a sign to tape in the passenger window to help quickly identify the student you are picking up. This will be sent home the first day of school.
- We will follow our normal process for students that walk or bike home.
- Students will have the same designated pick-up point from the morning drop-off.
Arrival or Departure from School Outside of Scheduled Times
- If your child is late to school, please escort them to the main office doors and ring the bell
- If you are tardy or need to pick up your child early for an appointment please come to the main doors near the office and ring the bell. A staff member will assist you.
During the School Day
- Students will remain in the classroom group with their assigned teacher throughout the school day.
- Students will use supplies from their own "pencil box," rather than sharing communal supplies.
- Students can bring a spill-proof water bottle from home that can be refilled throughout the day from the faucet in the classroom.
- Our four school rules are still in effect: be safe, be responsible, be respectful, be kind.
- Teachers will implement social distancing, strategic seating/grouping, and extra handwashing/hygiene as often and feasible as possible.
Required Daily Minutes of Instruction
- There are minimum daily minutes mandated by the state that can be a combination of synchronous and asynchronous instruction. Depending on the grade level there may be assigned work outside of the asynchronous instruction. Each grade level will have information on the assignments to complete.
- TK - K, 180 minutes daily (3 hours)
- Grades 1-3, 230 minutes daily (3 hours, 50 minutes)
- Grades 4-5, 240 minutes daily (4 hours)
Breakfast and Lunch Bagged Meals
- Students attending on-site instruction can order lunches using our Google Form (sent to your email and it’s on our website) and picked up as the student leaves for the day. The meal includes a bagged lunch and breakfast (for the next day).
- Students that are distance learning can pick up bagged meals at the designated places and times in Arcata. Please see our website and Facebook page for the latest information on those locations and times.
- There is no lunch or breakfast service at school, only the bagged meal that is taken home.