Families,
I cannot believe we are already into October and that Michigan State University will soon take the field for football. It seems like just yesterday it was the summer and we were working through Covid-19 plans trying to start the year and now we are 7 weeks in. The kids have done a fantastic job here at school with all of the protocols and it has been great watching them find their rhythm.
As we move forward we will have Elementary Conferences that are completely virtual this year. You can anticipate a sign up sheet coming from your classroom teacher over the next several weeks with dates and times to sign up. The real event, for the students, is not elementary conferences, rather they want to know more about Halloween, what will be allowed and what the day will look like.
Students can wear their costumes in their classrooms for the Halloween Party under the following stipulations:
1: No Masks (except the mandated mask. Yes...I know.) A Halloween mask does not replace the cloth facial covering / mask that must be worn by students during the school day.
2: No students will be able to share costume supplies with other students or bring items such as footballs, hockey sticks, hoola hoops, etc.
3: Students will not be permitted to change in the bathroom so all costumes must be able to go over the clothes students wear to school or worn to school. This would rule out the use of makeup or face paint within the classroom.
4: Any items for consumption must be individually wrapped or packaged; for example, an individual juice box is permitted where a two gallon jug of cider is not.
5: Per the elementary return to learn plan we will not be permitted to have parent volunteers in the building to assist with, or drop off items, before, during, or after the school day. Your child must be able to carry their costume into and out of the building.
6: Classroom activities will be within their classroom, not in hallways or other common areas to keep the students cohorted.
We wanted to make sure we kept the traditions and celebrations at the school this year as close to a normal school year as possible and our hope is with these stipulations we can have fun and safe Halloween activities for the students. Teachers will be communicating the specifics of their classroom parties to families over the next several weeks.
All the best,
Mr. Moore
Flu Season and Health Reminders
As we enter flu season, the Livingston County Health Department encourages everyone age six months and older to get a flu shot. Livingston County Health Department Medical Director Dr. Jaun Marquez recently shared a letter with the county's school districts outlining the importance of getting a flu shot. Please take a few minutes to read the letter, which can be found at https://bit.ly/2SjKGjj.
Additionally, it is very important that students stay at home when showing any signs of sickness. This will help limit the spread of illnesses in our school. If, for any reason, your child is tested for COVID-19 or identified as a close contact of someone with COVID-19, they must remain home until permitted to return by the health department. Lastly, all students and families should be completing the student self-screening outlined in the Livingston County Health Department Back to School Parent Toolkit each day.
Central Campus/City Schools
Grand River Construction and Detour
The Michigan Department of Transportation (M-DOT) is continuing to work on the Grand River repaving project that was started this summer. Currently, the work has closed westbound Grand River and caused traffic issues getting to several of our schools. According to reports, the detour is expected to last for at least another week. Due to this, please allow extra time when coming to drop off our pick up your child, or remind your students who drive themselves that they may need additional time to get to school.
Counselor’s Quick Tip
Health and wellness are both integral to success at school, and taking care of your child’s teeth is important to keep them healthy. All elementary schools in Howell are proud to work with the Mobile Dentist program, where a dentist and dental hygienists visit the schools twice per year to offer dental check-ups and cleanings. We are pleased to announce that we will once again have the Mobile Dentist visiting our school on Tuesday, November 3rd (in the morning during school hours). Your child received a Mobile Dentist application last week. If dental services are desired, please be sure to fill out that form and have your child return it to school as soon as possible. You may also visit www.myschooldentist.com to register online.
Your Partner in Education,
Sarah Marker