Dear Families,
It’s hard to believe that it’s October! I hope you are all able to get outside safely this weekend to see the fall colours.
Here are a few updates for this week:
Covid-19 Update
· We currently have ONE active case of Covid-19 in our school population
· The student has not been at school and has been isolating as per the directives by Public Health
· Close contacts have also not been at school and have been self-isolating
· Public Health has deemed our school to be safe and not at-risk
Medical Forms and Consent for Publication Forms
· Students received these forms today and will be bringing them home to you
· Please complete the forms and send them back to school with your child
· Now more than ever, it is important that we receive updated medical forms
· The Consent for Publication form has details and information directly on it
Cafeteria Services
· Unfortunately, the provider that has been running our cafeteria has abruptly decided to stop their services
· Please make sure that you send you child to school with lunch and snacks
· We are looking at new options and will send out details if we are able to secure a new vendor
Bike Path
· Due to ongoing construction, the bike path between our school and the local plaza has been disrupted and can no longer be accessed
· We were not given any warning that this was going to happen
· We have communicated with the City about the need for a safe detour for our students and community members to access
Inclement Weather
· Please remind your child to dress appropriately for the weather
· We are unable to supervise students inside prior to 8:40am so they will be waiting outdoors until then
· Due to the rain today, we did not send students who stayed on campus for lunch outside – they remained in their classrooms for the duration of lunch
· At lunchtime, if students choose to leave campus, they will not be allowed back inside and will remain outside for the full 55 minutes
· We are encouraging our students to make wise choices and remain in their classrooms to eat lunch when the weather is bad
Staff Shortages
· We are experiencing higher than usual staff absences
· Staff members are required to follow the guidelines of Public Health if they are experiencing any symptoms and must stay home
· This is causing an increased number of supply teachers in our classrooms
· Please understand that we are doing everything we can to recruit and retain high quality supply teachers and long term replacement teachers
· The reality is, there is a shortage of teachers available to work in schools in our area
· Thank you for your patience and understanding while we navigate these challenges
Social Media Detox Kit
· As you are aware, navigating social media is difficult for adolescents
· Here is a link to some resources to help you and your child:
Online Help For Parents
· When you child is absent from school, they can access their teacher’s online platform
· In order to support your child, I have attached instructions for parents to access online tutorials for both Office 365 and Google
· There is also a help-line number and email highlighted in each document
I hope you all have a safe and restful weekend.
Take care,
Tara Laine
Principal
Symmes Junior High School/D’Arcy McGee High School
819-684-7472 x 437001