Admin

November 5 Friday Reminder from the Superintendent

November 5 Friday Reminder from the Superintendent
Posted on 11/05/2021

Milford Central School

Reminders from Mrs. Wenck

Friday, November 5, 2021

Good Afternoon,

I hope this “Weekly Reminder” finds you well.  During this week we had our first frost of the year.  Winter is on its way!!

One of the most important items I would like to share with you this week is a reminder about the “Annual Emergency Go Home Early Dismissal Drill.”  Please note:  

On Thursday, November 10th, the school will run the Annual Emergency Go Home Drill. Students in grades PK – 5 will be dismissed according to the information on the “Emergency Go Home Forms” parents or guardians provided at the beginning of the school year.  Students in grades 6-12 who are scheduled to ride a bus are to do so that day.  Parents are not to pick up their children on that day as we all need to make sure students know where to go in an emergency.  Students who walk home on a regular basis will be allowed to do so. 

 

It is important that this drill take place as planned so that our students know exactly what to do in an emergency situation when there very well may not be enough time to contact all parents.  

 

Thank you.

 

Romona N. Wenck, Interim Superintendent

 

Important Information and Reminders

*1   Parking concerns brought to the school’s attention:  

A. Please do not park your car at the Commons (the old school building parking lot).  We have received some complaints from individuals living at the Commons who have not had access to their assigned parking lot spaces due to others parking there.  

B. Also, please do not park on Main Street unless you are picking up your child early from school (before 2:45pm).  We ask that all parents enter the Main Lot to pick up your children in the center area of the lot. 

C.  FINALLY, PLEASE DO NOT PARK ANYWHERE NEAR THE CROSS WALK!!  That area needs to be safe, easily accessible and children need to be easily seen!!!

Your best option is to plan on picking up your children after the buses leave the parking lot.  That means not arriving to pick them up until 3:10pm.  The last high school class ends at 3:02, students load the buses between 3:05 and 3:08, and the buses leave the lot between 3:08 and 3:10pm.  Please plan to arrive at or shortly after 3:10 to avoid any parking issues on the main road.   

 

*2 Early Dismissal:  On Tuesday, November 23, 2021, dismissal will be at 11:30pm.  The district will provide bag lunches for all students.  Faculty and staff will be participating in Professional Development opportunities that afternoon.  

 

*3   CROP update:  We are pleased to announce that our CROP program will be returning for the 2021-2022 school year!  It is our hope to be able to offer the program three days a week, Monday Tuesday, and Thursdays.  The planned start date is Monday, November 29, 2021.  Mrs. Dutcher will be contacting those parents who have already responded as having interest in the program.  If you do not hear from her, please contact the school and ask to speak with her.

 

*4 COVID update:  I have been asked to provide some guidance regarding students being either sent home or kept home for COVID like symptoms, quarantine requirements, rules for bus quarantine, additional information about CDC appropriate masks, vaccinations and so forth. Please note:

* COVID symptoms are very similar to those of the common cold and/or flu: runny nose, cough, fever, upset stomach 

* Quarantine Requirements:  The DOH sets the quarantine requirements. When a person in the school tests positive for COVID, the school is required to report that to the DOH. The school is also required to report any close contacts and must identify those individuals in close contact two full days before the person who tested positive became symptomatic. This can cause confusion when determining the length of time a person who is a close contact must be out.  I could receive positive test results on a Thursday, but became symptomatic on the Saturday before; therefore, everyone in close contact with me on Thursday, a week earlier, have to quarantine for ten days.  As a result, my ten days and your ten days can be different days. (Are you confused?  Sometimes so are we!!)

* School Buses:  The DOH has provided schools with diagrams to use for determining close contacts. Whether or not a person is quarantined depends on where they were seated in relation to the COVID positive person. The entire bus is not quarantined. 

* Proper Masks:  We are using the CDC guidance with regard to allowable masks.  All masks must be constructed of at least two layers of material and must fit properly.  If you hold your mask up to a light, you should not be able to see through the mask.  Also, masks that have holes, vents, or are made of a mesh material are not allowable.  

*5. Have you scheduled your Parent/Teacher Conference yet?   

A team of middle and high school teachers developed the following process to be used to setting up Parent/Teacher conferences for grades 6-12.  Please note:

  • Guidance will send a letter to 6-12 parents inviting them to make appointments for conferences between 5:00pm-8:00 pm on Wednesday, 11/10, and 8:00am-3:00 on Friday, 11/12.

  • 9-12 conferences will be individual conferences

  • 6-8 conferences will be team conferences (as has been past practice)

  • Nicki Couse, the Guidance Secretary, will schedule all times and confirm phone numbers and emails. She will also confirm whether parents want to meet via Google meets or by phone.

  • Lorre Gregory will share directions with teachers for opening Google meets from Google calendar.

  • Teachers will schedule all Google meets.

  • Teachers will place the phone calls for parents who wish to be called.

Please remember, teachers will need to end conferences in time to open the next Google meet or make the next phone call. If you end up needing additional time to speak with your child’s teacher, please schedule another meeting.

*6. Parent/Teacher conferences for Grades PreK – 5: Friday, November 12

Teachers will be sending home information in each child’s backpack. Teachers will be setting up Zoom meetings for fall conferences.   We are hoping that every parent is able to schedule a meeting.


*7. News from the School Based Health Center: 

The SBHC has vaccine and can vaccinate students, age 12 and above.  Students can be signed up to receive the vaccine on Tuesdays, from 8:00am – 4:00pm, and on Fridays, from 12:00noon to 4:00pm. Call 286-7909 to sign up for the vaccine and/or enroll your child.  

No child will be able to sign up for the vaccine without written parental consent.  Consent forms are available in the SBHC.

New Information !!!

The SBHC anticipates being to start vaccinating 5-11 year old children as soon as November 15th.  Please call the above number to sign-up your child.  All of the above times are continuing to be in-place.