I am extremely excited that in a few short days from now your children will be coming back to school for the 2021-2022 school year! We have been very busy planning for their return, and we are optimistic that this year will see all of us feeling more of a sense of normalcy here at school. I wanted to take this opportunity to briefly highlight all the mitigation strategies and procedures we will be employing at the start of school so you and your children have an idea of what to expect. Please read the following closely:
- The wearing of face masks is required for all students and staff when inside the building at all times except for when eating or drinking. Masks do not need to be worn outside.
- There will no longer be the need for you to certify your students each morning.
- We will not be temperature-screening upon arrival any longer.
- When students have symptoms, please keep them home out of an abundance of caution.
- Hand sanitizing and hand washing is important and will be frequent in school.
- Social distancing will be 3 feet or more in the classroom and no less than 6 feet during lunch.
- We will continue to contact trace virus-related cases involving staff and students. In situations where individuals are not vaccinated but all contacts involved are wearing masks, they are not required to quarantine as long as other mitigation measures are in place (i.e. social distancing, cleaning, etc.). Quarantined children will be provided with a packet of learning (hard copy or digital) to engage in from their home and they may be able to check in with a teacher as needed. We expect students who test COVID-19 negative to return to school as quickly as possible.
- There will be paid bus service this school year.
- All students (walkers and those being dropped off) will enter only the main entrance Door #1 (except those riding buses, who will enter Door #9) upon arrival to school. Like last year, they will come directly inside and wait outside of their classrooms.
- For dismissal, we will have the same procedure as last year. Walkers will go out the side Door #3 off of the blacktop. Students whose families are parking and walking up for pickup will also go out Door #3. Students getting picked up in the front circle will exit the main entrance Door #1. Students riding buses will exit Door #9.
- Currently no visitors are permitted inside the school except for the office. For the time being, events such as Curriculum Night will be virtual (more information will be communicated to you in a week or two from the teachers).
- Students will travel to their specials classes this year as long as at least 3 feet of social distancing can be maintained. In cases where that is not possible, specials will go to teach in those particular classrooms.
HERE ARE A FEW OTHER UPDATES:
Supply Drop-Off:
At the end of last year, we had hoped to be able to have Supply Drop-Off in-person this year. However, out of an abundance of caution, we will still have Supply Drop-Off, but we will do a drive-through version so that students do not have to carry all of their supplies to school on the first day. Supply Drop-Off will take place on Tuesday, August 17 between 1:00 - 3:30 p.m. As a reminder, please arrive through the front circle drive right off of Westgate Road. We ask that you clearly label the bags with your child(ren)’s name and homeroom teacher (as I shared in my last communication, you can find your child(ren)’s classroom teacher for the upcoming year in the D62 Parent Portal). A staff member will come to your vehicle to get the supplies from you. Then they will bring them to the classroom. If you cannot make it during this time, please do not worry. There will be plenty of staff members helping our students as they arrive to school on their first day.
Supply Lists:
If you still need to view our supply lists, please click here.
School Breakfast & Lunch:
School breakfast and lunch will be free again this year.
iPad Return:
All students will receive a brand new iPad and charger for the new school year. Therefore, all returning students will need to bring back their iPads and chargers starting on the first day of school. Within the first few days, we will swap out the old one for the new ones. Returning students who do not bring their old iPad will not receive their new one until it is brought in. New students will receive their devices as soon as we can get them ready. Please be patient as we work to do that.
Staffing Changes:
This year, the following staff members will be joining Terrace:
- Jackie Williams - STEP
- Lisa Butera - Math Intervention
- Agnes Pondo - Reading Intervention
- David Lynch - Literacy
- Melissa Dane - Speech (1 day per week)
Summer Workbooks - Students present at the end of last school year received a summer workbook that was designed to support math and reading skill-building at their current grade level. The goal was for every student to complete at least 75% of the workbook before he/she returned to school this August. Soon after school starts, students who completed at least 75% of their workbook will be recognized by their teacher and principal, and they will receive a certificate of completion. Please hold on to the workbooks until your teacher asks for them to be brought in so their completion can be recorded. We will then send it back to you when we have seen them. Thank you!