August 26, 2020
Dear BKW Elementary Families,
Things will certainly be very different this year when we open our doors to greet all of our little learners. Please be assured that faculty and staff members have been working around the clock this summer to prepare for this new normal. The primary goal of our hard work is to ensure that our students have a learning experience that is safe, welcoming, and educational, regardless of whether they will be learning from home or in person. Packets have been sent to parents with important papers to help them and their children prepare for the start of the school year.
When classes begin:
• Students in grades 1-6 will begin school on Friday, Sept. 11th
• Pre-K and K orientation will be on Monday, Sept. 14th
• Pre-K and K will begin on be Tuesday, Sept. 15th
In-person Instruction:
- Parents will need to complete the attestation survey by 7:30 a.m. each day for all in-person students. Please refer to the Covid-19 survey sheet in the packet that was sent for additional information, as well as the link to complete the survey. If you have an iPhone, you may use the QR code to access the survey as well. The link also may be found at the top of our website. If a student arrives at school and has not been approved via the survey, parents/guardians will receive a call to verify it is safe for their child to enter class.
- Elementary students will begin their day at 8:15 a.m. and finish at 1:15 p.m. Buses will unload students between 8:00 – 8:15 a.m. and load for departure between 1:15 – 1:30 p.m. For specific questions related to busing, please contact our transportation supervisor, Amy Santandrea at amy.santandrea@bkwschools.org.
- For those parents transporting their children, please refer to the campus map in this packet for parking lot information. Parents are to remain in their vehicles at all times. There will be staff outside meeting and supervising students as they move to and from the building. We ask for your patience as this process may take additional time while we work through new routines. Parents should contact Robin Erickson (robin.erickson@bkwschools.org; 518-872-2030) by Tuesday, Sept. 8th, to confirm they are listed as a parent/guardian driver.
- Parents were also sent a copy of their child’s schedule and teacher for this academic year. They will receive additional information from the teacher regarding the schedule, new classroom routines, and specific safety procedures. For example, in order to minimize cross-contamination, travel between different parts of the school will be minimized. Again, our goal is to keep everyone safe, while continuing to develop and grow our students.
- Resource Room, Specialized Reading, Related Services and AIS support will be added to schedules at the start of the year during the open time block on the schedule. Please direct all Special Education questions to our PPS Director, Susan Sloma at susan.sloma@bkwschools.org.
- In-person students who become quarantined or who are sick must stay home and receive their instruction and academic support from their assigned in-person teacher. Please email the elementary nurse, Mrs. Johnson, at katie.johnson@bkwschools.org if you have additional health-related questions.
- Students are allowed to carry backpacks when needed but are encouraged to leave them home when they do not have a lot to carry.
Remote Instruction:
- Students participating in remote instruction will be required to login and attend school every day.
There are three remote classrooms:
(K-1) Mrs. Mahoney loretta.mahoney@bkwschools.org
(2-3) Mrs. Malone brittany.malone@bkwschools.org, and
(4-5) Mrs. Thurber darlene.thurber@bkwschools.org.
These teachers will be contacting parents with information regarding virtual meeting times and remote learning expectations soon. Sixth grade remote learners will be contacted by their grade level teachers to establish learning protocol and meeting times before the start of school. - Chromebook pick-up is on Wednesday, Sept. 9th, between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Please contact Carey Raymond at carey.raymond@bkwschools.org if your student will need to borrow a device. If you still have a borrowed device from last spring, please drop it off at school to be serviced and cleaned before the start of the school year.
- Resource Room, Specialized Reading, Related Services and AIS support will be added to schedules at the start of the year during the open time block on the schedule. Please direct all Special Education questions to our PPS Director, Susan Sloma at susan.sloma@bkwschools.org.
- If parents would like to switch their child back to in-person learning, they must wait until the end of the first trimester (Friday, Dec. 4th).
Additional Information:
Breakfast/Lunch:
- Students will be eating both breakfast and lunch within their classrooms. They do not have to wear masks while seated at their desks and eating. We will be asking that students select their breakfast and lunch choice the prior day. If you send in money for breakfast or lunch, please place it in a sealed envelope with your child’s name written clearly on the front. Bag lunches are recommended for easy disposal but lunch boxes are still allowed.
- Parents/guardians are encouraged to apply for the confidential Free & Reduced Price Meals Program, which provides free breakfast and lunch for all qualifying children. Please contact Lateef Clark, our new food service coordinator, at lateef.clark@bkwschools.org for more information.
Remote students are still eligible to receive free meals.
Recess:
The classroom teachers will be taking students out to designated play areas. This will allow movement, some team play (with distancing), and a chance to be outside daily. Classroom cohorts may not interact with each other.
Visitors:
To ensure the health and safety of our staff and community, only visitors who have been asked to come to the building, by the nurse or the Principal, will be allowed to enter. Before entering the building, visitors must complete the Covid-19 survey and present a photo ID to Mrs. Erickson in the main office.
Parents are encouraged to refer to the BKW website for additional reopening information or to the BKW Facebook page to view the taped community forums.
We are looking forward to supporting you and your child throughout the course of this year. Please reach out to us with any questions you may have.
In partnership,
Mrs. Landry
Principal