Principal's Message
Ashton Elementary School Health Precautions for 2020-2021
Posted on 06/05/2020
Safety Measures for School

Greetings Ashton Elementary School Parents,

I'd like to share with you specific measures we are taking at Ashton Elementary to maintain a healthy environment for students and faculty/staff this year:

 

BEFORE/DURING/AFTER SCHOOL TRANSITIONS: 

At the end of the day, bus students will be released at 3:10. Walkers and students being picked-up will be dismissed after busses have departed.  K-1st will exit the South door. 2nd-3rd will exit the main door. 4th-5th will exit the North door. We encourage parents picking up students to remain in their cars, if at all possible, as they wait for their children who are being picked up. Again, please do not leave your car unattended. 

 

LUNCHROOM SEATING FOR SOCIAL DISTANCING

-There will be markers on the seats of lunchroom tables to encourage distancing during lunch.

 

FACE MASKS:

-As the district's reopening agenda, face masks are not required but we highly recommend them, especially in high traffic areas of the school such as hallways, buses, and before/after school. Ashton Elementary will not require students to wear face masks in school, but we do encourage the wearing of face masks. (Some teachers or family members of teachers may have weaker immune systems, and they may reinforce the request for children to wear masks in the classroom. But, again, they ultimately are not required, and children will not be criticized for not wearing one.) If your child does wear a mask, we suggest that you write the child's name and the teacher's name on the mask so that we can quickly return it to the child should it be set down.

 

-Parents are also encouraged to wear masks when they visit the school, and if at all possible, please leave younger children at home when visiting the school. However, we understand that this last request can be very difficult for families without both parents home or babysitting help.

 

THERMOMETERS

-Students will/may be temperature screened before entering the bus by the bus driver or at the start of the day by a staff member. We encourage parents to keep their children at home if the child shows symptoms including a high fever, and/or coughing.

 

-If a teacher suspects a student might be sick, the teacher may either discreetly check the child's temperature privately in the hallway or send the child to the office where the administrative assistant also keeps a thermometer. Parents will be contacted if their child's temperature is at or above 100.4, and the student will remain in the sick room until the parent picks up the child.

 

-Preschool teachers will check the temperatures of students as they arrive at the classroom for the following reasons:

 a. Preschool students have a difficult time following directions in social distancing.

 b. These students are less likely to wear masks in a larger number.

 c. These students learn in centers where sensory learning and hands-on activities occur, making mask-wearing difficult.

 d. Parents are conveniently with the child when the temperature is checked and can take the child home immediately if the temperature is 100.4 degrees or above.

 

WATER BOTTLES

Though students are free to drink from the fountain, we encourage students to bring a water bottle to school to keep mouths off the water fountains. Please write your child's name on the water bottle. Water bottle sanitation will be the parent's responsibility. 

 

LIMITING SHARED SUPPLIES

-In the past many teachers have used caddies in the classroom for students to share supplies at their tables. Out of caution, we will have pencil boxes for students with their own personal supplies.

 

PARENT VOLUNTEERS in the CLASSROOM

Teachers love having parents volunteer in the classroom, and parents love to volunteer. However, to minimize the number of people (adults and children) in the classroom, the following measures will be adhered to:

a. Teachers will have one parent volunteer at a time in the classroom. (Classroom parties can have up to 3 parent volunteers.)

b. No younger children should accompany the parent when volunteering.

c. Masks are encouraged.

d. For classroom parties, parents may volunteer from home by completing an assignment needed for the party. (Teachers will visit with parents about this.)

 

SCHOOL ASSEMBLIES and FUNCTIONS

Ashton Elementary will likely adjust traditional events for the 2020-21 school year. 

 

BACK-TO-SCHOOL NIGHT

Back-to-School Night is set:

When: Wednesday, September 2

Time: 4:30-6:00pm

To maximize social distancing and minimize the number of people in the school at once, parents are asked to attend this open house meet 'n greet style by the student name during one of three sessions according to last name:

4:30-5:15- Last names from A-K

5:15-6:00- Last names from L-Z

Of course parents can attend any of these sessions if they cannot make the session corresponding to their last name. We will also ask parents to leave younger children at home, if possible.

 

HAND WASHING, HAND SANITIZING, and CLASSROOM DISINFECTING

Teachers will encourage frequent students' hand washing, hand sanitizing, disinfecting in the classroom, and other areas of the school. This will certainly take a few extra minutes of instructional time out of their day, but it will give all of us the peace of mind in knowing that we're striving to stay healthy.

 

I expect there will be other steps we take to maintain the health of students/faculty in our school as we observe these needs. We hope, though, that these descriptions will provide adequate information and some relief to families as the students prepare to come back to school. Please feel free to discuss these measures with your children so they are aware. The teachers will explain them to their students as well.

 

If you are concerned about your child’s learning options please contact myself at [email protected] 

 

We very much appreciate your support and look forward to seeing the children soon.

 

Sincerely,

Evan Ricks

Principal, Ashton Elementary School

 



We are hoping to have a fantastic year educating the students of Ashton Elementary. Feel free to drop in and see what's going on in our school.