KES Families,
Welcome back to the 2020-21 school year! I am excited for the new school year but I also know it is going to be very different from what we are used to. This year as we plan to Return to Learn, you had a choice of Hybrid (in person for 2 to 3 days a week, based on your last name) or Remote (staying home and logging in everyday on a Chromebook). Students have been placed according to your choice as submitted on the survey.
1st and 2nd grade families:
If you chose hybrid, your child will attend school either on Orange days (Monday, Wednesday and every other Friday, last names of A-L) or on Blue days (Tuesday, Thursday and every other Friday, last names of M-Z). We will run on color coded weeks, Orange weeks and Blue weeks, starting with our first week as Orange. That means that Orange day students will attend Monday, Wednesday and Friday, while Blue day students will attend on Tuesday and Thursday. If your child does not attend that day, they will have things to work on during the day and will check in with their classroom teacher virtually later in the day. So all hybrid students will have contact with their teacher daily. Hybrid students will receive their Chromebooks on their first attendance day. Please note that on August 31, teachers will see orange students, they will then see their blue students on September 1. They will start the remote piece (Checking in remotely) on Wednesday, September 2.
If you chose remote, your child will have an assigned remote learning teacher. They will be expected to be on-line starting at 8:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. This will be broken up into whole class, small group and independent time. We are asking that all remote learners be on-line at 8:00 a.m. for attendance and morning meeting. Students should be dressed and ready as if they were attending school. We are planning Chromebook pick up for Tuesday, August 25. Due to social distancing, we are asking that families with last names starting with M-Z come between 3:00 - 4:00, and families with last names starting with A-L come between 4:00 - 5:00. Students will have a chance to meet their teacher. Please wear masks. There will be a form to fill out and sign similar to what we did in the spring.
Kindergarten families:
Kindergarten will be running on a daily basis with hybrid in-person morning and afternoon sessions or daily remote learning. Kindergarten orientation will be on Thursday, August 27 and Friday, August 28. You should have received a letter with this information.
If you chose hybrid, your child will attend every day. The morning session is from 8:00-10:50 and the afternoon session from 12:00-2:50. Please know that we tried our best to honor your first choice of AM or PM sessions. We had about 90% who wanted the AM session, so we first looked to make sure that the student was registered, then we went in the order of the Half Day Kindergarten Preference survey. We tried our best but we only have so many spots.
If you chose remote, your child will work remotely (virtually) with the teacher daily. Remote learning students will do their orientation virtually. Due to the numbers, the teacher will be splitting the group into a morning and afternoon session. The times will be 8:00 – 10:30 and then 12:00 – 2:30. Chromebook pick up for Kindergarten remote learners will be Thursday, August 27 or Friday August 28 from 9:00 – 1:30 at KES. Please bring all forms that need to be turned in, including health forms.
Kindergarten parents remember that when you come for orientation or to pick up a Chromebook, please bring any health forms you may have. The district nurses will be available to collect them and make sure all forms are in.
Open House
We will be holding a virtual open house this year using google meet. It will be September 3. Kindergarten will be from 6:00-6:30, 1st grade will be from 6:30 – 7:00 and 2nd grade will be from 7:00 – 7:30. The classroom teachers will be sending out a link to join.
I look forward to seeing you, in-person or virtually, and I am excited for the new school year.
Stefanie Hill, Principal