June Avenue Public School

Welcome to the 2020-2021 School Year! 

Posted August 28, 2020

Welcome to the 2020-2021 School Year! 

 We are looking forward to welcoming all of our new and returning students back to June Ave Public School this September!

As you are aware, the Upper Grand District School Board has put extensive plans in place for the school year. Our school has now created plans that include both operational changes (how we manage the people and resources within the school) and health and safety changes (our response to the COVID pandemic). We hope this document will help answer your questions about the specifics about the opening day and first week of school.

Please also look through our board Parent Handbook, for more detailed information about the changes for this school year. There is also a link to the Board Website and the Parent Question and Answer (Q&A) page.

Link to Parent Handbook

Link to Board Website and Parent Q & A

Staggered Entry

We will be having a “staggered entry” for all students this year. This means that all students will come to school with approximately half of their classmates on alternating days for the first two weeks of school. This will allow us to carefully review and establish safety routines with fewer students in the building. Only students in our self-contained developmental classes will attend school on September 8 and 9, and continuing every day after that. Staggered entry for all other JK to grade 8 students will begin on Thursday, September 10, and follow the alternating schedule as outlined in the chart below:

We are referring to these two groups as Alpha A-L and Alpha M-Z. Alpha groups will attend school as per the chart below:

Staggered Entry Chart:

Before Coming to School

COVID-19 Screening:

• All parents/guardians must screen their children every day before leaving home for symptoms of COVID-19. If there are symptoms, children need to stay home from school. If COVID-19 is suspected, testing is recommended. 

Link to self-screening tool

Access to the School

Only essential visitors are permitted inside the school (e.g., maintenance personnel). 

All parents/guardians and visitors will not be permitted inside schools during the pandemic, except in case of emergency. At entry and dismissal times, parents/guardians are to remain outside the school and adhere to physical distancing protocols.

What to Bring to School

Please keep your child’s personal items to a minimum! To support a safe and comfortable environment, students are asked to bring the following items clearly labelled with the student’s name: 

• Knapsack or tote bag for personal belongings
• 2 Face masks  
• Personal water bottle
• Seasonal outdoor wear (we are not requiring ‘indoor shoes’ at this time)
• Only those items that are necessary for the day (e.g., pencil case, pencils, eraser, glue stick, scissors, pencil crayons/washable markers/crayons/calculator – depending on student age)
• Students may bring their own devices, but they must be wiped by the student upon entry and before leaving at the end of the day

Note: Lockers and change rooms will not be used for the 2020-2021 school year. Students will be required to keep all personal belongings with them throughout the day. 

Note: Additional information will be provided to families about how the school will help students manage winter boots and coats when cold weather arrives.

How Will I Know What Class My Child is In?

On August 28th, you will receive a phone message with Alpha Group Information.

On September 8th or 9th you will receive a phone call from your child’s teacher. Aside from introducing themselves, they will confirm start date information, provide class information and let you know where to meet on the first day.

Your child should only attend the school on the correct Alpha grouping day as listed above. 

Please understand that this placement can not be changed.

On the First Day of School

From 8:50 am – 9:00 am on Thursday, September 10th teachers will meet Alpha A-L  students and on Friday, September 11th Alpha M-Z students. Arrival closer to 9:00am is recommended to reduce the number of people on the yard.  The school day will begin at 9:00am and end at 3:30 pm.

• Each class will be designated with an assigned class area on the yard. On the first day, there will be a sign with each teacher’s name and class to show students where to meet their class and teacher.
• As students arrive (see Arrival Routines below), they will go to their designated class spot. Teachers will come to meet their students at this location.
• There will be staff available to help students locate their specific class location.
• On the first day of school only, parents/guardians (1 per household) may walk their child to their designated class area (while wearing a mask and maintaining physical distance protocols). After dropping off their child, parents/guardians will then leave the yard. 
• If it rains on the first day, students will go directly to their home room classrooms. There will be staff to help to direct students to their new classrooms. Parents will not be allowed in the building.
• There will be a table set up on the first day. If you have any questions, if you are not sure who your child’s teacher is, or if you have medications or Plan of Care forms to drop off, please stop by the table.
• On your child’s first day, send a minimal amount of items. All items will remain with your child during the day and return home. Your child’s teacher will share routines and supplies that they will need for the first week and month of school. 

Daily Arrival Routines – Walkers:

• Walkers should arrive as close to the bell as possible.
• If you are dropping off your child, please say goodbye at the entrance to the yard
• Students will meet their class at their arrival location on the yard (the area of the yard where they met their teacher on the first day of school).
• Staff on duty will help to direct students to their arrival location and will help students with understanding physical distancing protocols.
• When the bell goes to start the day, students will remain in their class area. The staff on duty will send each class individually to line up in their line location; where they will meet their teacher who will bring them into the building.
• Please note, if you drive your child to school, please do not park in the parking lot. Please park on the road and walk your children to the entrance of the yard.

Daily Arrival Routines – Bus Students:

• Students will leave their bus and after entering the yard, they will meet their class at their assigned arrival location on the yard (the area of the yard where they met their teacher on the first day of school).
• Staff on duty will help to direct students to their arrival location and will help students with understanding physical distancing protocols.
• When the bell goes to start the day, students will remain in their class area. The staff on duty will send each class individually to line up in their line location; where they will meet their teacher who will bring them into the building.

School Greeters:

A “Greeter” will meet each student at their assigned point of entry first thing in the morning.  Students will be reminded to put on a mask and to socially distance as they enter the building, and the greeter may assist with hand sanitizer.

Designated Entry Doors:

To facilitate speedy entry in the morning and to limit unnecessary travel through the building, each class will be assigned an entry/exit door. This will be the only door that students will use for entering the building, for accessing outdoor activities (and recess) and departing at the end of the school day. 

• KA  – Kindergarten door
• 1/2A, 1/2B – Primary doors
• Big & Little Room – Primary Doors 
• 3/4A, 4/5A and 6A Junior doors

Entering the Building:

• Each class will be designated an entry/exit door, which will be used at various times during the day (i.e., arrival, recess, outdoor learning, dismissal)
• Students will be reminded to put on a mask and to socially distance as they enter the school 
• Upon entry to the school, all students are required to follow hand washing protocols
• Students will keep all of their personal items at their desk location (coat hooks or cubbies will not be used)

Class Meeting Location:

Please see the link below for morning meeting class locations.

Morning Meeting Locations (1)

Student Absences:

• If your child is going to be away for the day, please call the office (519-824-4560)
• At this time, we will not be using the agendas for parent communication including attendance notes; please see the Communication with the School section below for more information
• There is voicemail if the call is made before office staff arrive for the day

Signing Students In (i.e., Late Arrival):

• Parents/Guardians and other non-essential visitors are not permitted at this time; unless there is an emergency 
• When the parent/guardian arrives in the parking lot, they will call the office (519-824-4560) to say they have arrived at the school
• Office staff will greet the child at the Front doors of the school 
• Students will stop at the office door to show they have arrived in the building before heading to class

Signing Students Out (i.e., for an Appointment):

• Parents/Guardians will inform the office in the morning of any early pickups. Please call the office to share this information.
• When parent/guardian arrives in the parking lot, they will call the office (519-824-4560) to say they have arrived at the school
• Office staff will send the child out to meet their parent at the front door 

Lunch Procedures:

• All students will eat lunch in their classrooms at their assigned seat
• Once students are sitting to eat, they may remove their mask 
• During lunch time, all students are required to follow hand washing protocols
• Students will not be allowed to share food
• If students require assistance with containers, the lunch supervisor will help with this
• All recyclable containers will be coming home; as we will just be recycling paper/cardboard at this time
• Only water bottles will be used at this time, and they may be filled at the fountains
• Pizza and Hot Lunches are not available at this time
• At the end of nutrition break, students will wait to be dismissed by the staff on duty

Recess Information:

• The staff on duty will dismiss each class one by one to the yard; classes will exit through their designated entry/exit door
• Classes will have their own assigned locations on the yard during recess, and they will be provided will a coloured break-away lanyard to wear during recess (to differentiate between student groups and the lanyard has a clip where a mask can be hung)
• Recess Expectations:
  • Classes will remain in their “bubble” and not blend with other classes on the yard
  • Students will play 2m apart using as many individualized activities as possible
  • Gentle reminders to help students to understand physical distancing protocols
  • Students may have a mask break during this time if they are playing at least 2m apart from others; masks can be clipped onto a school provided lanyard or they can be put in the student’s pocket
  • Students may not bring in personal items or toys for recess time or play
  • Students will not be permitted to play games where distancing is a challenge (i.e., soccer, basketball)
  • Sand play, the Climbers, and the Swings are all closed at this time
• When the bell goes to end recess, students will remain in their class area. The staff on duty will send each class individually to line up in their line location; where they will meet their teacher who will bring them into the building.
• Upon returning from recess, all students are required to follow hand washing protocols
• Students will store their lanyards at their desk

End of Day Routines:

• Classes will exit the building using their designated exit door
• They will be dismissed one at a time by their teacher
• If classes are outside, they will be dismissed by their teacher from their outdoor location
• Parents/Guardians of JK to Gr 3 students are required to provide pick-up information to their child’s home room teacher (more information will be shared by your child’s teacher)
• Safety and Bus Patrols will follow safety protocols
• No unstructured play in the school yard after school; students must leave school property at the bell

Walkers:

• Walkers will leave the school property at the bell 
• Parents/Guardians who come to pick up their children must follow physical distancing protocols
• Parent/Guardians are also reminded to pick up their child promptly at the end of the day

Bus Students:

• Bus lines will remain in their “bus cohort” and not blend with other bus lines on the yard
• After being dismissed, bus students will line up with their bus line in their designated spot on the yard  (following physical distancing protocols)
• When the buses arrive, bus lines will be sent one at a time to load

Communication with the School

We will be sending home our regular package of information on the first day of school.  Please complete the forms, and return them to your child’s teacher as soon as you can. Your child’s teacher will be providing specific information regarding how best to contact them. 

• Just a reminder that parents/guardians and other non-essential visitors are not permitted in the school building at this time; unless there is an emergency 
• If your child is going to be absent or late, please call the Office (519-824-4560) to report
• To start the year, all communication will be using the phone or other electronic means
  • Messages between parents/guardians and staff can be via Google classroom, UG Messenger, email or phone
  • Paper agendas and communication bags will not be used at this time; please do not send notes to the school in the agenda
• Classroom teachers will share how to best contact them
• Any meetings that need to take place will be arranged electronically (.e., Google Meets) or using a teleconference

Public Health Information

Categories: News