The Scott Spotlight

September 3, 2020

Principal: Linda Reha

School Address: 804 Wilson St., DeWitt, MI 48820

Office Phone Number: 517-668-3400

Attendance Phone Number: 517-668-3458

Website: https://scott.dewittschools.net/

- Face to Face Instruction Start Time: 8:15 a.m. (First bell rings at 8:10 a.m.)
- Dismissal Time: 3:05 p.m.

School Events

Sept. 4 & Sept. 7: No School—Labor Day Weekend

Sept. 8 - Sept. 18 - In Person Meet & Greet and Acadience (reading) Testing

Sept. 16: Teacher CLT - No Synchronous Learning in the Afternoon

Sept. 21: Hybrid In Person Learning Scheduled Begins

Reha's Report

Dear Scott School Families,

Thank you Scott School families for helping us with a successful week two of the school year. Acadience testing, meet and greets, and materials bag drop off/pick up went really well, and students are settling into a routine with remote learning. I am proud of our students, Scott School staff, and our families for scaling a learning and teaching mountain which initially elicited fear, frustration, and uncertainty. Our school motto among staff is, 'We rise by lifting others.' This has definitely been the case for everyone involved in the successful launch of the 2020-21 school year. Thank you for your role in this.

As indicated in the DPS Return to School Phase In Plan, elementary schools will be transitioning to a hybrid schedule on Monday, September 21st barring any significant increases in COVID-19 cases in our area. Families can expect to receive email communication from their child's classroom teacher on Tuesday, September 8th indicating which Cohort their child has been assigned to. More detailed information will be shared soon about the schedule and expectations for the three days of asynchronous learning students will be doing at home when we transition to hybrid instruction. Informing you of your child's assigned cohort days early next week is the first important step in this transition to allow you to plan accordingly.

I talk with my staff a lot about cognitive load. When we learn a task and repeat it over and over, we develop muscle memory. When we are continually in learning mode, we are stretching our brain power in great ways, yet adding to our cognitive load. Students feel this, and parents/guardians do too. I hope you and your family are able to reduce your cognitive load over the long Labor Day weekend to regroup and recharge. I also hope you and your family have a safe four days doing something you enjoy to close the summer and welcome fall. Thanks for being amazing.....and supportive.....and kind.....and flexible.

With gratitude,

Linda Reha

Scott School Principal

District COVID-19 Documents

Our district COVID-19 and reopening documents are posted on our DPS website.

_1) COVID-19 Preparedness and Response Plan (1).pdf

1) DPS Protocols for Reopening - 08.20.20.pdf

Help Needed

Scott School is looking for help during recess and lunch times. If you're available and willing to work a few hours each day please review our employment postings and apply for either the "Non-instructional Assistant - 1.5 hours" or the "Non-instructional Assistant - 3.75 hours" position.

Material Bags

Material bags for Scott School students were delivered by bus drivers to in district families this week. If you didn't receive a bag of materials, please contact your child's teacher. Also, please take great care of the Journeys reading textbook and Journeys consumable(s) that your child received. The textbooks are only a few years only and are valuable to our students' literacy development each year and are costly to replace. The only items that will need to be returned when we transition into in person learning are these materials. Students who are online for the year, will work with their teacher at the end of the year on a plan for any materials that need to be returned. All other items that your child will receive in their material bag are yours to keep, and the assignments provided are to support your child's online learning. They will not be returned to school or teachers even when we move to in person learning. If we stay on track to move to hybrid learning on September 21st, there may not be another assignment distribution. However, if that date changes due to COVID-19 cases in our area, then a plan for additional paper copies of assignments will be communicated to families.

Planning & Procedures - Update

Hybrid Cohort Parent Letter - Sept. 2020.pdf

We are on track to follow the Return to School Phase In Plan which means that students will be scheduled into A/B cohorts soon. Families can expect to learn what cohort their child has been placed in the week of September 8th. Please accept our apology in advance that we unfortunately cannot honor cohort requests. A cohorts will attend in person instruction at school for full days on Mondays and Tuesdays. B cohorts will attend in person instruction at school for full days on Thursday and Friday. If COVID-19 numbers remain low in our area, our hybrid schedule will begin on September 21st and go until October 2nd. If COVID-19 numbers in our area continue to remain low, we will then resume full in person learning at school Monday-Friday on October 5th. The criteria we are using for A/B cohorts includes:
- Alphabetically divided class lists (A-L and M-Z) to support families who have students in multiple buildings so they are learning on the same days
- Balanced class numbers - an alphabetical split may not be possible in all classes, so some students A-L or M-Z may be placed in the other A/B cohort.
- Support services for students with special education and intervention needs
- IMPORTANT NOTE: Creating cohorts alphabetically did not work for all classroom to meet the criterion above, so some students had to be placed in a different cohort than alphabetically by their last name.
Refer to the Elementary Remote Learning Schedule to help you and your child plan each week. Classroom teachers will eventually provide more detailed information to families about small group meeting times that will occur within the ELA and math blocks and perhaps even in the afternoon once we start bringing students into the building. Also, reference the Return to School Phase In Plan as a guide for when we are planning to move to a hybrid and then full in person instruction when confirmed COVID-19 cases are at or below 5% in our area.
Live instruction will occur M, T, Th, & F. Attendance is important, but we understand things come up that prevent students to log on and participate. All live instruction will be recorded and shared with students through Google Classroom. This will allow students an opportunity to watch the lesson if they miss it the first time or view the lesson again to help everyone stay on pace with daily instruction.
If you do NOT wish for your child to be videotaped during live, virtual instruction, please turn off the camera on your child's device. This feature allows students to still participate but not be on camera when the lesson is recorded.
Because we are starting school virtually this year, please complete this online Scott School Permission Form asap if you haven't already. This is really important for us to have on file to support your preferences for the items listed on it.
If your child is going to be "absent" and miss virtual and/or in person school on any given day, please be sure to call our attendance line at 517-668-3458. We are required to take attendance even when students are learning remotely, so we want to be sure to account for our students and excuse absences in Infinite Campus. While online instruction is occurring, you should also communicate absences to your child's teacher. We care about our students and worry about them when they aren't in class, even during virtual school times. Remember, lessons are recorded and placed in Google Classroom so students can still complete their daily learning slides even when they aren't able to join live instruction. Please help your child stay on top of their assignments while learning remotely.
Eligible special education students have been scheduled to come to school during designated times. Special education teachers will continue to communicate with families about schedule adjustments should the occur. Parents/Guardians can help prepare their child by reviewing CDC guidelines such as mask wearing, social distancing, and frequent hand washing. Mask wearing practice at home also help build stamina and familiarity with this necessary safety measure.

Acadience Testing

At an at school meet and greet opportunity and Acadience (reading) testing began on August 31st and will continue through September 18th. Families have received SignUpGenius communication with dates to select a time slot. Parents are to drop their child off in front of the building to meet with his/her teacher and be escorted into the building. Parents should remain in their car and stay for the approximate 15-minute experience their child has to talk with his/her teacher and complete testing. If bringing your child to school to do this is difficult, please communicate this with your child's teacher to develop an alternate plan. We are eager to meet students and have them in the building. Please be sure that your child wears a mask when they come. Thank you for supporting this opportunity.

Remote Learning Daily Schedule

Here is the daily schedule you can expect your child to follow while students are learning remotely.

2020-21 Elementary Remote Learning Schedule.pdf

Item Donations

Thank you to those who have reached out and asked what needs our school has. We would be grateful for things such as:

Disinfectant Wipes
Hand Sanitizer
Face Masks (to have on hand for those in need)
Disposable Gloves
Paper Towels

Technology Needs?

Please access the DPS Remote Learning Technology Access page about connectivity and devices if this is a need area for your child. It's important that our students have what they need to be successful learners. Don't hesitate to reach out; we're happy to help as much as possible.

Google Classroom

Students will use Google Classroom for accessing their remote learning lessons. Teachers will guide students with how to use this platform. The Parent's Guide to Google Classroom is a helpful video resource for parents. Please consider watching it. This will help you be better informed on how to assist your child.

Mask Wearing

Students and staff will be required to wear masks inside the building. Mask breaks will be provided when safe and appropriate to do so. Parents/Guardians are also expected to wear masks when entering the vestibule at the front of the building. Our office is closed to guests, but secretaries will gladly assist individuals by phone. You can help your child adjust to wearing a mask by practicing at home for various amounts of time. Remember, face masks are required at school, neck gators don't meet mask requirements, and face shields can be worn in addition to face masks, but not without a mask.

Guests in the Building

To reduce unnecessary exposure to students and staff, volunteers and other guests will not be allowed in the building during phase 4. This protocol may be revisited when we reach phase 5 and additional communication will be shared with families if it is determined appropriate to open our building to volunteers and guests. This includes access to our office. Until then, parents/guardians who enter the building will be required to stay in the vestibule to drop off or pick up items and to sign in or sign out their child. We are hoping this protocol isn't necessary all year because we love having volunteers and guests in our school.

Allergy Awareness

There are some Scott students who have health-threatening nut allergies in our building. Scott School is a 'No Nut' building this year. Pack items that do not contain nuts for your child's lunch and snack when we return to in person instruction. It is critically important that we provide a safe learning environment for all students, and your help with this is needed and appreciated. Please always contact your child's teacher if you have a concern about an allergy or other health condition related to your child that he/she should be aware of. Also, if your child has a medical need, including food or other allergies, don't forget to update your child's Medical Management Plan by completing and submitting the district forms to the office when we return to brick and mortar instruction.

Medical Forms

In order for Scott School personnel to administer medication to your child when we return to in person instruction, you must:

Submit a completed district medication form to our office.
Be sure all medications are brought to and stored in our office.
Be sure prescription medication is in its original container accompanied with a physician’s signature.
Be sure non-prescription medication is in its original container accompanied by a parent’s signature.
Please communicate with your child's teacher if he/she takes medication daily at school.
If your child has a medical condition, please be sure to complete a Medical Management Plan for your child and turn it in at the office.

Medication and other medical forms can be found on our DeWitt Public Schools website.

Looking for Additional Support?

Our school social worker, Mrs. Schwarz, is always willing to assist students and families in any way possible. In addition to working closely with your child's teacher, consider reaching out to her if you have questions or need support. She is truly amazing at what she does! She can be reached at 517-668-3446 or schwarzdea@dewittschools.net.

You can expect further communication from Mrs. Schwarz about a social/emotional questionnaire for families to fill out with their child. Please be sure to help your child complete the questionnaire when you electronically receive as this will help to inform guidance services. Stay tuned!

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