DES Families,
We hope this message finds you well. Next week on Wednesday, Oct. 28 for 3rd and 4th grade students on calendar Schedule A will have their fall party. The rest of the grade levels and students will have fall parties in their homerooms on Thursday, Oct. 29. New this year, we will not have parent volunteers for any party activities. The teachers have been planning activities and ideas for these days to make it fun for all our DES kids. On fall party day, students may wear costumes if they choose. The costumes should not include a mask or headgear. Students still have to wear face masks per our in person school policy. As a reminder costumes must follow these guidelines to be school appropriate
- No bloody or violent costumes
- No excessive makeup
- No play weapons
I have received questions and concerns with our return to learning in person plan given the new state guidelines. We are still on track to continue with our plans. As I have mentioned in my previous messages, our school is a lower risk, because we keep our students in homerooms for all subjects and classes, except PE and recess. The exploratory teachers for art, music and technology move to the homerooms for their classes instead of our students switching and sharing a classroom over the course of the school day. Thank you again to all the families for reporting illnesses and keeping your student home when necessary to mitigate the virus. This, along with the social distancing, mask wearing and personal hygiene strategies help to make our school as safe as possible given the pandemic. . . So as planned we will have the rest of our 2nd grade students returning in person 4 days starting next week on Oct. 26.
Also for future planning we do have a couple of calendar modifications that affect November. Tuesday, Nov. 3 is a holiday for Election Day. As a result we will have students in attendance on Friday, Nov. 6 instead of using that day for remote learning. Given as long as it all goes well with the return of students in person, the next grade level to return would be 3rd on Nov. 2. So all K-3rd, 4-day attendance 4th graders and Schedule B 4th graders will attend school on Friday, Nov. 6. Also on Wednesday, Nov. 11 is a holiday for Veteran's Day. We will have in person class on that Friday, Nov. 13 instead having a remote learning day this week for all students. We will still dismiss at 1:00 PM and will be serving meals on these days as well.
With Papoose Pride,
Diana Rea, Principal