Broken Arrow Friday Flyer

November 9th will be here soon, so I want to make sure everyone is clear on what our new first days (Nov 9 and Nov 10) will look like at BA!

There will be a slightly staggered schedule to allow K students a little more time and a little more help getting into the building on Monday and Tuesday only. On our first days, all 1-5 students will start the day first, with their arrival time being 7:45 - 8:00. Our Kinder students will begin their drop off between 8:00 - 8:15. That will give everyone the opportunity to help older students learn new processes for entering the building before we can be "all hands on deck" again to help K students enter as well! If you have older students and K students, please just aim for an 8:00 arrival. Please note that no one will be able to enter the building before 7:45.

There is a new entry point for some grade levels. To avoid crowding, we have opened up the south door at the top of the ramp and the entrance next to the library for a morning arrival. In the first few days, staff will have large signs indicating where students should go that will also match their "dot" color. Dots have been painted on the sidewalks to indicate six ft of space while waiting to enter the building. All students (and parents if walking a student to the building) will stand at a dot while temperature checks are happening inside the door. Of course, families can stand together!
K and 5 - South Door @ Top of Ramp - Yellow Dots
1 and 2 - Front Entrance - Red Dots
3 and 4 - Library Entrance - Blue Dots

Parents will need to wear their masks on school property. Especially, if they are waiting in line with their child before temperature screenings or walking their child to the door.

Unfortunately, parents will not be able to enter the building. Don't worry about first day pictures with the teachers, though! We have a plan!

Water Bottles: Please send a bottle, if you have one, already filled on the first day of school. Our AMAZING PTA provided a water bottle for each student, but with only two water fillers in the school, sending one with a student on day one would be great. Everyone will have their PTA water bottle with them when they return home on day one! We as if at all possible that students come with a full bottle to school each day.

Dismissal will be very similar to in year's past but, for extra safety, students will be staying with a teacher or supervisor in a specific place while waiting for pickup. If you are picking up through the drive-through, your student will just come to you. If you are parking and walking up, here are the general locations:

K and 1 - in front of the front entrance

1 - Along the front sidewalk in front of the art room.

2 - Along the sidewalk in front of the playground.

3 - Along the front sidewalk between the playground and the library entrance

4 - Along sidewalk that leads to the Library Entrance

5 - Along the southernmost side of the front sidewalk

Please let me know if you have any questions! If you have them, someone else probably does also and I can include them in upcoming Flyers so that everyone feels prepared for hybrid at Broken Arrow!

A/B Days were sent out via our messenger system on Thursday afternoon. If you did not receive notice, please call Mrs. Wahlthall in the front office!

Teachers will be sharing specifics about what supplies students will need to bring to school, or what should be left to use at home! Each grade level will have different suggestions, so teachers will be sharing that with you soon if they haven't already!

To create a safe environment for everyone in the building, it is vital that everyone is aware of symptoms that should keep students and staff staying home from school. We are all conditioned to "pushing through" not feeling 100%, but this year, we are asking everyone to be extra cautious. Guidelines for when students stay home are attached below in the Daily COVID-19 Assessment Document.

Because staff members are being held to this same standard, please also be aware that we may have teachers out more often than would be typical. With a shortage of substitutes in the district (as well as across the state), I have a "triage" list of how to fill a teacher's position for the day if they have to call in sick, or for an extended time if they are unable to enter the building due to quarantine or extended symptoms. This list includes non-classroom teachers or myself teaching class, teachers teaching from home while supported by another adult in the classroom, ESC staff substituting, etc. However, if, at the end of that list, we are still unable to safely support students in the classroom, we may have to announce that the classroom, grade level, or possibily the entire building will need to work from home. That information would come to you via messenger by email and text. This would be similar to a "snow day", but students would still have class online. Please know that I will not make that choice lightly, and that if it is announced, it is truly necessary.

Email: heather.renk@usd497.org
Website: https://www.usd497.org/Domain/8
Phone: 785.832.5600