"Back to School" Phase 2

1. Friday Half Days for Elementary Students - Fridays will be a half-day for all elementary students (eLearners & in-person) beginning November 13th . Dismissal will be at 11:30 This will provide important planning time for our teachers.

**Please note that there are two Fridays in the spring that are full-day professional development days for teachers (March 12 and April 2. Students will not come to school at all on those two days.

Families will work with their child's teacher to determine Chromebook usage at home.

To Consider

• Chromebooks remaining at school will be cleaned, charged, and ready for the next day
• Homework will not be assigned so students will not need a device at home for schoolwork
• Possible damage that can occur w/ transporting devices
  *If you did not purchase insurance, all costs for damage or loss are the responsibility of the family

All Students

• The daily schedule will be the same for all students
  *Morning meetings begin at 8:15 and the instructional day ends at 2:30
• Students will continue to have the same teacher
• Lunch is still 12:00 - 12:30 for all
• Activity classes are now 40 minutes instead of 30
• Recess time may be at a different time of the day
  *Teachers will share all changes to their personal or grade level schedule

eLearning

• This will look very similar to Phase 1
• Students will log on to their teacher's Google Classroom and Meets
• Students at home will interact and collaborate with those at school throughout the day

Classroom Communities

• General

• Please send your classroom supplies with your child on Nov. 4th - supply list is below

• Safety

• Complete the home health screening for your child each morning - doc is below

• Classroom doors will remain open
  *Windows will be open during times when masks are off (lunch) and at other times as weather permits

• Everyone must wear a mask

• Social distancing will be practiced

• Hand sanitizer dispensers have been mounted outside of each classroom and students will use before entering the class

• Water fountains are not being used
  *Please send a water bottle with an easily closed top to school each day

• Schedule

• Students will remain with just their classmates throughout the day

• Students will take bathroom breaks with their class

• Recess will be taken with their class only - different areas of the school grounds will be accessed

• Activity classes will move to a weekly rotation (art for one week, then music for a week, etc.)
  *Most activity teachers will come to the classroom
  *Students will go to PE classes (time is built-in for cleaning between classes)

• Meals

• Breakfast will be available in the classroom

• Lunch will be brought to the classroom
  *Choice of a hot or cold lunch will be available

• Arrival & Dismissal

• As students arrive at school, they will go straight to their classroom

• During car rider dismissal, students will wear masks and social distancing will be practiced

Below this message, you will find the links for many of the important documents that we normally print and send home with the children at the beginning of the year.

Please take the time to review the following documents:

• Daily Health Screening Information
• Our School Supply Lists
• School Uniform Information
• Spirit Wear Information & Order Form

If you have any questions, please contact the school office.

Thank you!

Students that are coming back into school will be able to place books on "Hold" through the online catalog and the books will be delivered to their class. Younger students will be able to choose by looking at pictures of the choices.

These books will stay at school in the child's desk

We highly encourage you to get a public library card at this time. You can place a book on hold and then and then choose the location for pick-up. Here is the information from the Richland Library website:

Get a Library Card

Anyone can enjoy the full benefits of the library! Complete the form below to get an instant library card online.

• Library cards are free for Richland County, SC residents and property owners, and $65 a year for most others. Click here to request a card.
• Cards are issued at the time of registration. For online registrations, cards will be available when you next visit the library, but electronic resources are available sooner.
  *The card issued online will work for all online services.
• Think you might already have a card? Call us at 803.799.9084 to find out.

We will not be able to host any outside after school programs during Phase 2. Many of the programs that have been available at Forest Lake are offering virtual or off-site programs. You can view this information on our After School & Virtual Programs newsletter

Remember that you can access Parent Portal to view your child's grades throughout the year and pay fees, etc.

You can pay your child's fees and add money to your child's lunch account through Parent Portal.

You'll find a link for Parent Portal below.

During Phase 2, attendance for students that are eLearning will remain the same. The Daily Performance Assignment (DPA) will serve as evidence of a student being present.

For students that are coming to school, attendance will be taken each morning.

Attendance is, as always, extremely important and is linked to a child's academic success. Please do all that you can to ensure that whether your student is in school or eLearning, they are present each day unless they are ill.

If your child is absent, please send a written excuse so the absence can be verified in the system. If your child sees a doctor, make sure you get an excuse from the office. You can email your excuses to our Attendance Secretary, Laurie Davidson (ldavidson@richland2.org),

If at all possible, make appointments for your child after school ends. If your child must miss part of the school day because of an appointment, bring or scan the excuse from the office.

Being "in school" whether virtually or in-person is also very important. Starting your day with your class sets the tone and helps children feel part of their class community.

eLearning: At home, make sure your child is logged on a few minutes prior to the first Meet session.

Car Rider: If your child is coming to school by car, we begin receiving students at 7:30. This gives them plenty of time to get to their class, have breakfast, and be ready for their day.

Bus Rider: Know the pick-up time and have your child at the bus stop a few minutes before the designated time. There is more information about bus transportation below.

One thing that helps all of us start the day on the right foot, is to have clothes lai and bookbags packed the night before. This can help avoid at least some of the morning craziness!

Thank you so much for helping us make sure that your child gets the most out of every day's instruction!

As a result of the extension of the U.S. Department of Agriculture waivers allowing school districts to serve free meals to all students through December 31.

Students will have a choice of a hot or cold meal for lunch. Meals will be delivered to the classrooms each day.

For more information about the meals, please visit the SodexoMyWay website.

FREE & REDUCED MEAL APPLICATION - If you have received assistance for meals in the past or feel you would qualify, please see the information below to be prepared for January.

Online Applications - The quickest and easiest way to submit applications is to use the new Richland Two Online Meal Application.

Paper Application - See the information and directions on the district's food services webpage

Download the SoHappy App

Check out the directions below:

Instructions - Parent SoHappy App Set Up

Instructions - Student SoHappy App Set Up

How to use Alexa with SoHappy App

In Phase 2, eLearners will receive a “7-day pack” of meals on Fridays, beginning on November 6, 2020.

Parents/eLearners will have the ability to pick up meals from 6 locations curbside on Fridays from 8 am until 11 am.

The locations are:

R2I2

and the following middle schools

Longleaf

Dent

Muller Road

Summit Parkway

and E.L. Wright

Students will receive a variety of meals including sandwiches, frozen items with reheating information such as burgers, chicken nuggets, and chicken sandwiches.

Sites will be collecting the names of eLearners picking up meals.

As we prepare to have about half of our students return to school, please take a moment to read through our carpool and bus procedures.

You'll find the school transportation document below and additional district bus information following that.

Routes - These will be finalized after Oct. 19 and will be posted on the district's website at www.richland2.org/busroutes. Please note the bus routes currently posted are routes based on student data from the beginning of the year. Updates will be made before Nov. 4.

Transportation Information on the Richland Two App -

Richland Two offers an app for Apple and Android devices. To download the app, open your phone's store and search for "Richland Two". Once the app is installed, follow these instructions to receive transportation updates on your phone.

**Please note that the pickup and drop off times listed in the app are approximate.

Need to change your child's way to or home from school to bus?

**The following forms are ONLY needed if the way your student(s) get to and from school has changed since you completed Enrollment or Annual Registration.

Bus Registration Form — Use this form to request bus service for your student(s).

Kindergarten Student Escort Form — Use this form to indicate who will meet kindergarten students at the bus stop.

Forma de Registro para Estudiantes en el Kindergarten — Uso este forma para indicar quién recogerá al estudiantes en el kindergarten a la parada de autobús.

Return forms to your child's school by:

email (send to your child's teacher and they will get it to the office)

fax (803-738-7365)

in person

NASA Explorer School and Elementary Learning Collaborative

We are the Eagles ... Soaring to be the best!

Email: mscullio@richland2.org
Website: www.richland2.org/fle
Location: 6801 Brookfield Road, Columbia, SC, USA
Phone: (803) 782-0470
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Forest-Lake-Elementary-434759179903888/
Twitter: @FLEEagles