Dear Husky Families,
Tomorrow is a very exciting day as we welcome our K-2 Hybrid Students! Thank you for your patience and partnership as we have worked through many challenges to get to this point. Here is an overview of the day and information you will need to know.
*PLEASE MAKE SURE TO TAKE YOUR CHILD'S TEMPERATURE AND ANSWER THE COVID EXPOSURE QUESTIONS PRIOR TO PUTTING YOUR CHILD ON THE BUS or TRANSPORTING TO SCHOOL. DO NOT SEND YOUR CHILD TO SCHOOL IF HE/SHE HAS A FEVER, ANY COVID EXPOSURE OR IS NOT FEELING WELL. Please call our school nurse, Ms. Ravizza, at 515-5210 to discuss any concerns.
*FACE COVERING ARE MANDATORY ON THE BUS AND THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL DAY, unless eating, drinking or at recess/movement ed. Students may take a quick (few seconds), individual face covering break when seated at his/her desk and at least 6 feet from all others.
*Please send a WATER BOTTLE with water to school with your child each day. For safety reasons, our water fountains will not be used. However, we do have 2 touchless water bottle refill stations to ensure students have water. An adult will assist with refilling water bottles. Please make sure your child's name is on the bottle and it seals tightly to prevent spills.
* We are following all CDC and LCS Health Mitigation Procedures, including frequently handwashing; hand sanitizing; face coverings; social distancing and frequent cleaning of contact surfaces including the playground equipment. We disinfect the entire school every night with the oxide mister as well. We also have face shields, gloves, disposal aprons and desk shields for 1-1 interactions available to our staff. Mask lanyards are available to the students as well.
School hours are 9:35 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
Students will arrive from buses or cars from 9:15-9:35 a.m. (Specific details for each below.)
We will have many staff members at both doors to welcome students and escort them to their classroom. Teachers will be standing in the classroom door to greet and welcome students as well. I encourage you to watch this video with your child so he/she can get a look inside the school. There are also several videos BHS is featured in that will help prepare for the school year:
HELPFUL VIDEOS
These videos include information about temperature checks, bus safety, face covering requirements, helpful tips on easing your child’s concerns, and much more.
As students enter from car rider or buses, they can take a FREE Grab and Go Breakfast and go directly to their classroom to eat. We will have a station set up at each entrance.
BUSES
Teachers will be calling or emailing you TODAY with your child's bus information. As soon as we receive our final update from transportation, we will begin our contact with you.
Students are REQUIRED to wear a face covering on the bus at all times. If you cannot provide one, the driver will give your child a face covering. Students will be told where to sit by the driver so we can maintain proper social distancing. The maximum number of students on a bus is 22. Please make sure you discuss the importance of listening, being respectful, staying seated and talking in a quiet voice on the bus.
When your child arrives at school, the driver will excuse students one at a time. A staff member will take your child's temperature as soon as they exit the bus. If your child has a temperature or is displaying any symptoms of Covid, they will go directly to our Health Annex (designated room in the school; not the clinic) for isolation and you will be called to immediately pick him/her up. It is imperative that we have current phone numbers and several emergency contacts.
Our remote teachers and many staff members will be greeting students from the bus and walking them to their class, since for many students, this is their first time inside Bedford Hills and returning students will still need help finding their new classrooms.
CAR RIDERS
*REMAIN IN YOUR VEHICLE AT ALL TIMES. Our staff will instruct the student when to exit safely.
*Please do NOT turn left on Morningside Drive and try to turn left into the parking lot or loop around in traffic. Keep straight down Indian Hill and turn at the next street, so you join the back of the car rider line.
Please line up on Morningside Drive behind the white line, ready to make a right turn into the front entrance at 9:15 a.m. Mrs. Riley, our front office secretary, will greet you and provide a detailed information sheet about the car rider drop-off and pick-up procedure. She will assign you a number that you will display in your front, right windshield when coming to pick up your child at 3:35 p.m. so we know which child to load in the car.
Our staff will be coming to your vehicle to take your child's temperature before they exit the car.
LEARNING TIME
We will be going over all safety procedures, including proper handwashing with students. We will continue to build our relationships with students, as we focus on engaging learning experiences throughout the day in all subject areas, as well as Social/Emotional Learning. Students will be given hands-on learning activities, as well as maintaing some SeeSaw activities during the 'remote' learning days.
LUNCH
Students can choose between a hot or cold lunch option each day, or they can pack a lunch. They will have a 30 minute lunch period in the classroom with the teacher. There is NO CHARGE for lunches (or breakfast) at BHS. We will also be offering Take-Home Meals on Wednesdays for Cohort A and Fridays for Cohort B. We will get a menu to you soon. Tomorrow's lunch options are:
TUESDAY
CHICKEN TENDERS - DINNER ROLL
TURKEY & CHEESE HOAGIE (IW)
Steamed Broccoli (1/2C DG)
Canned/Fresh Fruit (1/2C)
RECESS
At recess, students must maintain at least 10 feet from other students and adults, since they are permitted to remove their face coverings to exercise. Each class will be assigned a specific area to play each day. We will not be 'mixing' classes together. TEACHERS will be closely supervising during recess to ensure safety.
ENCORE
Students will have Art, Music, Library and Movement Ed once every two weeks. Mrs. Paris will also be providing violin lessons on a hybrid schedule.
DISMISSAL
CAR RIDERS
Parents will line up at the white line and be directed to enter the parking lot at 3:35 p.m. While waiting, a staff member will begin writing down your number in the order you are in line. We will post the car rider numbers in the classroom via the Smartboard so students are coming out a few at at time. (We will not be waiting in the lobby like last year.) Students will come to the front lobby and we will direct them to the appropriate cone to prepare to load. *Remain in your car at all times and clearly post your number in the upper right hand corner of your windshield (NOT the dashboard). We need to see it from a distance. This helps keep the line moving quickly.
BUSES
When car riders are dismissed and buses have arrived, teachers and/or a staff member will walk students to buses and load them on the appropriate bus. They will be checking off the students as they load them to ensure they are on the correct bus.
I hope that answers your questions and gives you a vision of the day. Please know we are here to help! We know this is a big adjustment, with a lot of last minute changes, but it is going to be awesome to have the students back at BHS and to meet our new students! Please do not hesitate to call the school (434) 515-5210 with any questions or email me at [email protected]. We want you and your child to feel comfortable and confident about coming to Bedford Hills!
Sincerely,
Mrs. Steele, Principal