Quote of the Week

Highlights

• Calypso Gilstrap (librarian at Tuckahoe Middle School) and Angela Smith (librarian at Quioccasin Middle School) are collaborating to sponsor a creative writing club called NaNoWriMo (or National Novel Writing Month). The 33 student members are meeting weekly in November to track progress towards their word goal, encourage each other, provide resources, and give peer feedback as they write creatively. Students can write a short story, poetry, graphic novels, or novel that is between 6,000 to 10,000 words. Students will earn prizes as they meet goals and there will be a virtual celebration in December to celebrate each student’s accomplishments.
• More Pictures from Pre-Safety Walk.
  
  **Feel free to share ideas and/or the great things that are happening at your schools throughout the year and I will include them in this section.

Principal Updates

Grades: Please remind teachers to follow up with students and families about missing assignments. Parent contact needs to be made with families of students who have grades below a C per school board policy. Here is the link for grading expectations if needed.

Limited In-Person: You will have the option of bringing in your most vulnerable students during the 2nd nine weeks, ahead of the full return to in-person learning in February. Please work with your admin teams to identify the students who would benefit from learning virtually, on campus. Many of our students who have low grades and who are disconnected may thrive with increased adult supervision and support. Let’s discuss in more detail before you begin reaching out to families. We would have to work with transportation to make sure bus riders are able to get to and from school. At this point, our priority is elementary school. If you have students who are struggling and who are not in need of transportation, you are more than welcome to invite those students to school.

Office Hours: When in-person learning begins for secondary students, teachers can schedule appointments to provide students with instructional support after school from 2:00-3:15 in the school building.

Q and A Follow-up:

1. What is the plan for cleaning the isolation room? The isolation room will need to be cleaned frequently between uses. The nurse (aide) and custodian will need to coordinate this. They will also be done after hours. This is included in the cleaning list provided in the principal memo that went out a few weeks ago from Facilities. MEMO FAC-1 HCPS CLEANING PROTOCOLS DURING COVID-19. ** In the event that the Isolation Room is used, the room will be closed, marked off and all cleaning will be performed in full PPE (gown, gloves, masks, and face shields). The entire room will be misted with the Oxiver product after the general cleaning is done). This shall apply to any ‘Suction Rooms’ as well. The custodial staff will utilize the PPE located in the bins placed outside these rooms.
2. Will custodians be fitted for the N95 mask? Yes. The N95s will be used for the Suction Rooms. Regular masks and face shields (gowns, etc) will be used for the Isolation Rooms.
3. Are students cleaning the desk guards between classes? Yes. They will be expected to use the alcohol wipes to clean up their germs before transitioning.
4. What is your recommendation for mask breaks at the secondary level? Needs to be very structured and organized, preferably outside. Students will need to be 6 feet apart. Would consider a sign-up sheet. Identified locations throughout campus. Students would still need to be supervised.

Schedule: The four-day schedule with Wellness Wednesdays will begin on February 1st. When staff return to the building on November 30th they will continue to teach virtually for five days a week; however, they may work from home on Wednesdays. Here is the schedule for your reference.

SSO Update: When elementary students return to in-person learning on November 30th, we will need SSOs to support the arrival and dismissal of students at the elementary schools daily until in-person learning begins for secondary students. We will provide you with more information soon.

Virtual Teachers: The following statement has been made to teachers approved to teach virtually for the remainder of the year by Human Resources. “By accepting the accommodation to teach virtually, it may mean that you could be assigned to a different student population, classroom, or school for the duration of the length of your approval in order to meet the instructional needs of our students across the division.”

School Quality Updates:

Here is the link to this week’s Friday Focus notes: Friday Focus Notes

EL Update from Sarah Modrak: Below is information regarding the limited in person return for EL students. In order to send letters inviting students, I need two pieces of information from you. Please complete this form (or have another admin do so) to answer these questions. 1. What is the capacity that an assigned room can hold allowing for the 6 foot social distancing? (see teacher distribution below) 2. Which LIEP staff member(s) will not be returning to the building? Thanks for your help! As always, please let me know what questions you may have!

Why: Level 1 EL’s need the most support in terms of language and technology. Utilizing the extended learning block at the end of the day allows students and teachers the opportunity to attend all classes and not to miss any of their regularly scheduled classes. This time period allows for additional direct service to students with the greatest language needs as well as an opportunity to receive assistance while completing independent assignments.

What: Select Level 1 English Learners in grades 6-12 will go to their homeschool (or a nearby school) 2 days per week during office hours (at the end of the school day) to receive additional direct language instruction and academic support. Students will be served by an ESL teacher or ESL Instructional Assistant who may or may not be their currently assigned teacher. Students and teachers will follow all safety guidelines including wearing a mask and socially distancing. Class sizes will be around 10 students or what will appropriately fit in the assigned classroom space adhering to social distancing guidelines (see ask above).

How:

*Students will be sent an invitation letter and be asked to return that letter to the school or complete a Google form

*Students who need transportation will be provided transportation (Routing information will be shared once finalized)

*Students may miss the last 10-15 min of their last block to catch a bus to the school

*All LIEP staff who report to work beginning Nov. 30th will work with students in the building

*School Distribution (Subject to change -depending on staff returning)

Brookland – 3 teachers

Tuckahoe – 1 teacher

Wilder – 1 teacher

Pocahontas – 1 teacher

QMS – 2 teachers

Holman (includes also students from HCMS and SPMS) – 1 teacher

Moody – 1 teacher (maybe only one day per week)

Elko/Fairfield/Rolfe – 1 IA from BMS

Principal Memos

DARE-52 NEW LEARNING COMPLETION EXTENSION – REVISED

Previous memos archived in the Google folder. Just click here to access the folder.

Reminders

• HCPS’ RESPONSE TO REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE USE OF RESTRAINT AND SECLUSION IN ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN VIRGINIA– Complete 5 modules before January 1, 2021. Tip: Open up the quiz and listen to the modules as you complete the quiz.
• Quarterly Updates: 11/20, 2/5, 4/16, 6/24
• Remediation Plans: The deadline has been extended to November 18th.
• Reporting COVID Cases:
  • SHS-1 COVID-19 EMPLOYEE DAILY SELF-SCREENING (Previously shared 8.4.20)
  • SHS-3 COVID-19 STUDENT DAILY SCREENING (Previously shared 9.18.20)
  • Employee COVID Positive Form
  • Student COVID Positive Form
• Updated Return to School Plan- click on Update 2020-2021 Return to School Plan to use as a reference when answering questions.

Leadership Handbook– Don’t forget to bookmark the leadership handbook and Secondary Dashboard as your go-to resources for admin, teachers, and staff. These are fluid documents.