Laurelwoods Elementary School

LAURELWOODS REOPENING

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 Laurelwoods 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 a smaller number 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.  Students are sorted into cohorts alphabetically by last name.  Cohorts will attend school as per the chart below: 

Before Coming to School 

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

–    Face masks – they may need more than one

–    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, calculator,   pens, pencils)

–    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: Coat cubbies 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?

Parents will receive a message next week via school messenger informing you of what class your child will be in. You will follow the staggered enter schedule above to know which days to send your child to school.   

First Day Procedures

Morning Drop Off For Those Driving Their Children:

The parent designated drop off will be the row of parking spots closest to the school. We ask that parents do not drive up to the front of the school. 

Students who are dropped off will walk along the sidewalk with their parent to the kindergarten gate. They will enter the gate and move immediately to their classroom cohort on the yard. 

Parents do not enter the school or the yard. Parents must leave their child at the gate.We will have staff on the yard to help the children find their new teacher.

For Those Who Ride the Bus:

As the buses arrive we have designated staff who will enter the bus assigning older students to remind students that they must keep their mask on while on the bus but that they can tuck it into their pocket when they get off the bus. Older students will be identified to walk the kindergarten and grade one students to their designated areas.  

Staff are encouraged to be on the yard prior to the bell to greet students.

Teachers will have name tags and there will be class signs so that students know where to go. When on the yard students will meet their teacher in what will become their morning meeting place. This is where their class cohort will gather prior to the bell. 

New Students:

New students will be directed to the Learning Commons where they will remain socially distanced.  At 9:00 AM staff supporting new students will direct them to their new class.

Late Arrivals:

If you arrive after class has begun, parents will phone the office when they have arrived to let us know their children are here. Students will wait at the front door, with their parent, until an office staff lets them in. The classroom teacher will be notified that the child has arrived. The student will walk directly to their classroom, drop off their things, and join the class.

Designated Entry Doors:

To facilitate speedy entry in the morning and to limit unnecessary travel through the building, each grade/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. 

Before Entering the Building:

Students will be reminded to put on a mask and to socially distance as they enter the building.  They will wash/sanitize their hands when coming into the building.

Handwashing:

Throughout the day the children will wash their hands before and after eating, before and after recess,after using the washroom and as needed.

Recess Information:

This year half of the school will eat while the other half  having recess. Then the school will flip the students who had recess first will have lunch and those that ate first will get some fresh air. We have made this change for two important reasons. Firstly, it allows for greater social distancing on the yard.  Secondly, it will allow our custodian to clean each room while the children are outside. The climbers and the sandbox will be off limits this year. Each class will be assigned designated yard space. Children are not to bring things from home onto the yard.

Breakfast Program:

For the first few weeks of school we will not have a Breakfast Program.  Food and Friends is working with the local food banks to develop “Grab and Go” breakfasts. More information will be coming in the next few weeks. Please keep this is mind when you are planning your morning routines and packing lunches for the day.

Lunch Procedures:

Students will eat in their own classroom at their desk or table.  Children may leave for lunch only if they are going home, alone. They may not leave for lunch in groups. You are encouraged to send your child with containers that they can open on their own. Packing food in small baggies might be easier than containers. Water bottles will be much easier than juice boxes.There will be no compost or recycling this year. Children will be encouraged to take their compost home- you may want to send a container for the compost. At the end of lunch students will need to pack all of their belongings into their bag, items are not to sit on the counters. For this reason containers that cannot be closed/ resealed are not encouraged (i.e. drinking boxes). 

Classroom Instruction:

While significant portions of instruction will continue to happen in the classroom, outdoor learning is strongly being encouraged where possible. Each classroom will have access to various areas of the property throughout the week.

To start the school year the gym will remain closed. Gym classes will to be conducted outside. 

Resource Support:

Our Special Education Resource Teacher will support in class only. Ms. Legault will be working with teachers during the next few weeks to create a schedule for in class support. 

 Communication with the School

We have ordered agendas and will distribute them when they arrive. Agendas should not be used for daily back and forth communication. Students may choose to use agendas for their own personal use and time management.  The agendas cost $7 and will be available on School Cash Online before school starts.

All teachers will use Google Classroom as their homework and communication portal. 

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.

If you need to pick your child up early. We require that you contact the office prior to 2:30 PM.

 Access to the School

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

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

End of Day Procedures:

For Students Taking the Bus:

Students will exit through their designated doors with their teacher. There will be markers indicating bus locations. Teachers will deliver their students to their bus location. Once there students will need to wait in a socially distant fashion for their bus to be called. 

For Students Being Picked Up:

Parents will need to let the office know, no later than 2:30 PM that they are picking up their child.

Students in grades 5 to 8 can go directly or wait in front of the school on the sidewalk in front of the offices. Parents will park in the first row.

Students in 1 to 4 being picked up will be asked to go to the front hall promptly.

Parents will need to park in designated spots in the front row. 

Parents will be asked to line up in a socially distant way as indicated by markers at the front of the school on the south sidewalk towards the LLC. Parents will be asked to wear masks. Students being picked up will line up in the hallway in a socially distant way (will mark with dots)

Any students waiting for pick up will need to wear a mask. There will be a staff member who will dismiss students in the hallway to their parent. Kindergarten students being picked up will line up socially distanced in their hallway. Please be aware this procedure will take longer than in the past. If you are in a hurry you may consider getting your child before the end of the day. 

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