This has been a year of continual change and adjustment for so many reasons but particularly related to the ongoing pandemic. As the CDC and the state of Ohio have made suggestions and changes to those suggestions, our schools have continued to adapt to their guidance. With the most recent announcement from our Governor as well as changes in CDC recommendations, we will be making some changes in our elementary schools as well, while keeping other mitigating measures in place.
Our students and staff will continue to wear masks and we ask that parents who are on our school grounds wear them as well - at all times.
We will continue to maintain social distancing during lunchtime when students are unmasked by keeping 6 feet from each other.
Recess has been in zones by class or grade for this year for the purpose of contract tracing. Last Thursday, the Bexley Watch Team met and has decided that students will remain masked at recess but that zones will no longer be necessary. We will continue to keep zones for grade levels but not for individual classes.
Our students have shown how resilient they are this year, but a change, even one some will see as positive, is still a change and our staff will need to teach what our continued expectations are for recess with a focus on being respectful, responsible, and safe. I anticipate that we will see some temporary increase in playground challenges as students who have not had the same opportunities that they would typically have to develop social problem-solving skills are asked to navigate a bigger space with children they do not know well.
I strongly encourage you to have conversations with your child about the positive expectations that you have for them when they are playing with others and reinforce our desire that everyone have a fun and safe recess with kids showing kindness, patience, and empathy towards one another. Please, please help us with this message by talking to your child often about this.
Thank you!
My best,
Melissa Klosterman-Lando
Melissa Klosterman-Lando, PrincipalMontrose ElementaryMontrose Elementary website
IMPORTANT UPCOMING DATES:
May 10-21: Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) Testing Window
May 13-20: Art Extravaganza (see details below)
June 2 at 9:00 am: 5th grade rising up celebrations via Zoom (links to come)
FOURTH QUARTER LUNCH MENU
Please click here for the lunch menu for the remainder of the year.
BEGINNING TOMORROW - STUDENT VERIFICATION WILL BEGIN IN POWER SCHOOL
Beginning Monday (tomorrow), parents need to go into Power School and update their information for the next school year. This is incredibly important information for us to have and it definitely helps to have it updated as soon as possible. Thank you!
STUDENT DEVICES- UPDATES FROM OUR TECH DEPARTMENT
Returning Students
Any students returning next year do not need to turn in their Chromebook or iPad and charger for the Summer.
Students Not Returning
Any students not returning to Bexley schools next school year need to turn in their device and charger no later than June 3rd. These devices can be dropped off in the building's main office.
Device Repair
Any student devices that currently are not working or need any repair need to be turned in before June 3rd. These devices can be dropped off in the building's main office with a note describing any problems with the device. If your child needs a device while it is being repaired, please let the main office secretary know and we will arrange a temporary device.
Wifi Hotspots
If you have previously received a Wifi Hotspot given to you due to lack of internet access at home and you no longer need it, please return this as well to your main office.
Transition to 2nd Grade Devices
Students entering second grade will receive a Chromebook in August. Students can continue to use their first-grade iPad throughout the Summer. Upon return, those iPads will be used by our incoming Kindergarteners, so please use care!
HEALTH PLEDGE REMINDER
Please take this time to review our Bexley Health Pledge below. If your child or anyone in the household has signs of illness that could be attributed to COVID-19, please keep everyone in your household home until the source of the illness can be confirmed by a physician or COVID-19 testing. During a pandemic, it is important to stay home with any signs of illness and contact the medical provider.
COVID REPORTING
Please continue to report COVID-19 cases among students and students experiencing symptoms in a timely fashion. Prompt COVID reporting contributes to our contact tracing & quarantine efforts and keeping our school community safe & healthy. You can report cases using our Confidential COVID-19 Reporting Form or by contacting your school nurse.
QUARANTINE REMINDER
Please continue to notify our school if your child is quarantined. Your child’s school counselor will be in touch to support your child's access to learning. If exposed to a positive case of COVID-19, and the student/staff member doesn't develop COVID-19 symptoms during their quarantine, they can end their quarantine after 10 days. Close contact is considered within 6 feet for a cumulative duration of 15 minutes or more.
MONTROSE KINDERGARTEN 2021-2022 INFORMATION NIGHT PRESENTATION
If parents and families of 2021-2022 kindergarten students weren’t able to join us, check out our recording of Kindergarten Info Night: https://youtu.be/dyYEPc5Njgo
SAFETY REMINDERS FOR RECESS
At Montrose, we are revisiting the kind of communities within our classrooms that we have developed inside the classroom and out at recess and lunch. Specifically, we are reminding our students:
- to keep a safe distance from each other,
- to use their words to communicate,
- to listen to each other and respect each other
- to keep the fun in play and to play kindly,
- to be responsible leaders, and
- to talk through what they plan to play at recess - who, where, what are established rules, etc.
SUNSCREEN
As the weather warms, the sun strengthens. Please remember to put sunscreen on your child in the morning, especially on their cheeks, ears, and limbs.
SCHOOL SUPPLY SALE
Montrose PTO is working with Office City Express to bring supply kits to every grade level for the 2021-22 school year. Kits must be purchased by Friday, June 4th, 2021. Click here to order.
CLAP OUT
Ms. Klosterman-Lando has met with some of our fifth-grade parents and we have a plan for clap out for our 5th-grade students on the last day of school, June 3. Fifth graders will be processing past MT staff and students (all grade levels) outside and then meet their parents at the end of the procession. (Mrs. Laing, our PTO 5th-grade celebration parent, will be providing parents with more detailed information in the near future.) Students will be dismissed from their line where they are standing outside for the clap out to their parents or to walk home (whichever their typical routine). If you are a fifth-grade parent who does not want your child to participate in clap out, please let Ms. Klosterman-Lando know ASAP and we will make plans for an early dismissal on Thursday, June 3rd.