Lisa Leatham, Principal
Lisa Leatham
Hello VES Families,
This year more than ever before, we see the need for our schools and families to work closely together to support our students. As an essential part of this support, we will continue to take attendance in order to identify students experiencing difficulty with engaging in their learning. Please expect communication when we notice that your student’s attendance levels indicate possible disengagement with their Comprehensive Distance Learning. It is our desire to partner with you to help provide the support your student needs to be successful and satisfied with their educational experience.
Your student is counted present when they participate in class activities or when they interact with their teacher or an educational assistant. In elementary, attendance will be taken once per day. In middle and high school, attendance will be taken in each scheduled class that day.
Some interactions that count positively for attendance include:
- Participating in a live class.
- Posting completed coursework to Google Classroom or through email or similar.
- Communication from the student to the teacher/educational assistant through text message, email, message board, or communication app.
- A phone call between the teacher/educational assistant and the student, or, for younger students, with the parent or guardian.
- Turning in completed assignments on a given day.
When there is no evidence of student interaction during a 24-hour period surrounding a scheduled school day as described above, students are reported as absent.
If family events, work schedule, or related reason prevent your student from attending for a 24-hour period or longer, please contact your child’s school:
- EES 541-935-8214
- VES 541-935-8225
- FRMS 541-935-8214
- EHS 541-935-8200
Our highest priority at this time is to do what we can to support active engagement with your student, and to partner with you to ensure that together, we can overcome the challenges we face in our current learning environment.
Sincerely,
Lisa Leatham
Veneta Elementary Principal
The five sites are continuing Monday through Friday around the community.
11:00-12:30 at the EHS North Lot (119 lunches served today)
12-12:30 at the DS Mart (9 lunches)
12-12:30 at 5th and Woodland (8 lunches)
12-12:30 in Noti (7 lunches)
12-12:30 at the Fern Ridge CDC on Jeans Rd. (7 lunches)
Today at our 4 stops around the community, we served 31 lunches, up from 17 the day before. In order to continue with these stops, we need to have community members/youth access them. Please help spread the word!
On another note, we would like to hear from you if a 5-6 PM meal pick up in the EHS back (North) lot would be helpful for some families that cannot access the meals mid-day due to work or other commitments. It would be a cold lunch and breakfast in one larger bag for the next day. If this is something a good number of folks tell us they would access, we will work on a plan to get started next week. Please email Michelle Cook @ mcook@fernridge.k12.or.us with this in the subject line “PM HS MEAL SITE”…and the number that you would pick up in the message (or leave a comment below). Thanks so much!
FRSD Parents and Students,
The district is looking for ways to provide additional support to our families. To this end, we have begun a new section on the top of the “2020 school year” tab from the District’s main page. The direct link is here: https://www.fernridge.k12.or.us/2020-school-year/
You will notice the first item at the top of that page is titled “Training for parents and students on different topics.” The first training we have included, is a Zoom training from the parent/student perspective (Thank you Mr. Lee). We will add more trainings, a Q and A, and other supportive materials as time allows, and as we hear from families around the specific areas they need support. To help in that regard, please take the very short 4 question survey to help of focus our trainings on what is needed most. The survey can be taken at: (click here)
Hot meals are available in the Elmira High School cafeteria each weekday from 11:00-12:30.
The district has added four additional pick-up sites throughout the community for families to get sack lunches each weekday from 12:00-12:30.
The meals will be picked up and delivered by our bus/transportation staff to the following locations:
- Noti Market Parking Lot
- DS Mart/Farm Store Parking Lot
- Fern Ridge Child Development Center parking lot, located at 25391 Jeans Rd.
- 5th & Woodland Ave. in Veneta
All you need to do is show up at one of these locations between 12:00 and 12:30, give a last name, and you will receive both a breakfast and lunch sack lunch for any child 0-18. A REMINDER THAT ALL MEALS ARE FREE.
Good afternoon FRSD K-3 families,
As you know, Lane County school districts have been closely following the weekly Oregon Health Authority School Metrics: Case and Testing Rates. The last update indicates that Lane County reported 64.9 cases per 100,000 residents. This is the second week in a row that our county has seen an excess of 30 cases per 100,000. While many of us are eager to be back in the classroom like “normal”, the safety of our students, families, and staff remains our top priority.
Despite having our limited summer staff working on purchasing devices, adding software, and preparing professional development it has been a challenge. Teachers and IAs, who returned in late August, worked steadily to prepare for students. While this planning and preparing has helped close the gap, it is nowhere near perfect.
Over the next few weeks, we will take full advantage of the time that we have with our youngest students. We will continue to teach routines and build relationships but our primary focus will be to prepare them for our transition to Comprehensive Distance Learning (CDL). Time will be spent teaching them about usernames and passwords, while also training them on how to navigate a digital environment.
Like many in our local area, we are disappointed that we must prepare to change plans during this spike in COVID-19 cases, however, we hope that families know that when it allows, we are prepared to open our buildings for all students in a safe way. Safety procedures and protocols will remain in place even as rates begin to decline and students are able to return to buildings.
This is a challenging time for all of us. We will work together to make sure that you and your child have what they need to be successful in this ever-changing academic climate.
A few dates to be aware of:
- Week of 10-5: Get Chromebooks into the 2nd -3rd classrooms to start practicing and plan for device checkout.
- Week of 10-5: Families need to sign and return Chromebook user agreement sent home by teacher.
- Week of 10-12: Continue K-3 A/B Limited In Person Instruction in the AM
- Week of 10-12: Chromebooks sent home with 2nd-3rd graders. 2nd-3rd begin afternoon CDL schedule, practice logging in, work out the kinks, set online learning expectations.
- Week of 10-19: Limited In Person Instruction and CDL schedule to be determined based on metrics and on-going cohorting numbers.
- As further supplies of Chromebooks become available, K-1 students will be included in Chromebook checkout/Chromebook CDL. Details forthcoming.
The VES Parent Q&A being held tonight, Wednesday, September 30th, at 5:30 will be for 4th/5th grade parents. Originally it was scheduled for K-5 parents, but our Superintendent, Gary Carpenter, is holding a K-3 Zoom meeting with parents and elementary principals tomorrow night (see info below). Instead of holding two consecutive nights of meetings for our K-3rd parents, I’ll ask that K-3 parents join tomorrow night’s meeting. Tonight’s meeting will focus exclusively on our online 4th/5th graders. Any others may join if desired, but we will not be addressing K-3 LIPI instruction at this meeting. The Zoom link for tonight’s VES 4th/5th parent Q&A is:
Lisa Leatham is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: 4th/5th Grade Parent Q&A
Time: Sep 30, 2020 05:30 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://fernridge-k12-or-us.zoom.us/j/83670898124?pwd=L0VkTEJEUnoyamRZeGh5VExFUXZldz09
Meeting ID: 836 7089 8124
Passcode: 818873
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Meeting ID: 836 7089 8124
Find your local number: https://fernridge-k12-or-us.zoom.us/u/kBLk8ejgU
On Thursday, Oct 1st, at 5:30, the District will hold a zoom meeting for our K-3 parents to share where we plan to go from here and how we plan to expand. In addition, it will an opportunity for parents to ask questions and provide feedback.
The Zoom link for Thursday’s FRSD K-3 Parent Q&A is:
Gary Carpenter is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: K-3 Instruction
Time: Oct 1, 2020 05:30 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://fernridge-k12-or-us.zoom.us/j/86919668977?pwd=SGxwQ2habS9oc3FvdnBKTHFOSndBUT09
Meeting ID: 869 1966 8977
Passcode: 520552
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Meeting ID: 869 1966 8977
Find your local number: https://fernridge-k12-or-us.zoom.us/u/k8bDSvv8
What a great start we’ve had to this very different year! Our in-person students have come in the building excited to learn and our online students have been busy learning a whole new way to “do” school. Everyone is rising to the occasion, learning new ways of doing things, and seem to be thriving. A couple reminders as we move forward:
- School starts at 7:55. Our grade level entries will close at this time to allow aides to get to their other duties. After that time, students should enter through the main office doors. With only two hours of In Person Limited Instruction, it’s important to get your child here on time. Thank you!
- Daily bus changes cannot be accommodated during Limited In Person Instruction due to cohorting issues. Our bus cohorts must stay at 10 students and the cohorts cannot change day to day. Parent pick up and drop off is always ok.
- Please, please, please do not send your child to school when he or she is not feeling well. Err on the side of caution this year and keep your child home if he or she complains of possible illness before school. It keeps others in the classroom (students and staff) safe. Thank you!
You may be aware that the exception we were hoping to open under is no longer an option due to the 30.6 per 100,000 case rate in Lane County. However, we ARE able to reopen for Limited in Person Instruction (LIPI) if we can meet very specific guidelines. This includes no more than 10 students per cohort and students can be in no more than 2 cohorts including transportation. The transportation piece is one of the most complex issues of our plan moving forward. For any family that can transport their student, or carpool with another, please know THIS IS A TREMENDOUS HELP!
While the parameters are restrictive, we feel that it is critical to offer in person instruction for our youngest learners. Our teachers, instructional assistants and administrators are committed to this. We are working with parents, teachers and transportation to ensure that this is possible. Below is our plan:
- Beginning Thursday, September 24th, and continuing through Friday, October 9th:
- Students will start on their A / B Day.
- A Days = Tues/Thur & B Days = Wed/Fri
- Students will be on site from 8:00-10:00 AM
- 2 hours for LIPI
- The 2 hours will focus primarily on Math and Reading
- On days that students are in school:
- Teachers will spend some time introducing instructing on other subjects (Social Studies, Science, Art, PE, etc.) that students will work on when they go home in the afternoon.
- On days that students are NOT in school:
- Students will bring home Applied Learning Packets for their off-days (will not exceed 2 hours, and be appropriate to each grade level-will focus on Math and Reading)
- Teachers will have a system for daily communication
- On days that students are in school:
- The 2 hours will focus primarily on Math and Reading
- 2 hours for LIPI
- Students will start on their A / B Day.
- TRANSPORTATION: New pickup and drop off times will be communicated with families by tomorrow afternoon.
Over the next 2 1/2 weeks we will be looking into 3 different options of expansion, they are:
- Continuing with how we are going.
- Adding CDL in the afternoons and checking out chromebooks to our K-3 students for PM instruction with their teachers
- Going to an AM/PM model that would have A day kids attending EVERY day from 8-10, and B Day kids attending every day from 12:30-2:30
Where we fall will depend on the following factors:
- How well our model is working
- County health/metric data
- Information and availability of another 200-300 chromebooks
- Family feedback and input!
All the staff are excited to see our K-3 students beginning this Thursday.
Meals are still available, and students will have an opportunity to eat breakfast when they arrive, and be sent home with a lunch if they would like one!
We will have another K-3 check-in virtual meeting, next Thursday at 5:30.
Thank you so much for your continued flexibility as we all navigate these challenges! It is appreciated very much.
- Chromebook checkout for students continues today. We will be set up at the District office, and operating 1-4. If those times do not work for your family, please contact your building principal to help coordinate.
- Meals DO START TODAY. Meals are served out of the High School Cafeteria (North lot). You do not need to get out of your car, just circle the parking lot loop in a counterclockwise direction, stop at the cafeteria, and you will be helped. Meals are free for all students 0-18. All you have to do is provide your last name.
- Limited In-Person Instruction students (grades 4-8) that were scheduled to attend today from 9 AM-11AM IS CONTINUING! The OPTIONS program activities still begin today, and 4th-12th grade students that were to begin CDL today are STILL doing so!
- The rise in COVID cases in Lane County (released late yesterday), combined with the fact that we had not yet started in-person instruction, prevented us from starting school today and the staff is crushed at these turn of events! We are already working on a plan to get our K-3 students in school this week! We will share information during a 5:30 ZOOM parent meeting tonight. We need some time to confirm our plan follows ODE guidelines, and can work with our facilities, food service and transportation If you cannot make that meeting, we will post all of the information immediately following. Stay Tuned! The login information for the meeting is below.
Gary Carpenter is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: Parent Meeting for K-3 In-person instruction Options
Time: Sep 22, 2020 05:30 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://fernridge-k12-or-us.zoom.us/j/95408108332?pwd=WXgvTHVGb0NvTms4MUh5ZnA4V2Zadz09
Meeting ID: 954 0810 8332
Passcode: 587979
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Meeting ID: 954 0810 8332
Find your local number: https://fernridge-k12-or-us.zoom.us/u/aEJTsBtr6
Attention EES and VES K-3 Families- We have an important message for you regarding K-3 in-person instruction:
FRSD was informed late this afternoon that Lane County COVID metrics will NOT allow us to open for K-3 in-person instruction beginning tomorrow, September 22. Based on State of Oregon guidelines, we must be under 30 cases per 100,000. Lane County’s latest metric is 30.6 cases per 100,000. While this news is extremely frustrating, we are working on a plan in conjunction with LCPHA to move to “limited in person instruction” by Thursday, September 24 for our K-3 students. More details on this tomorrow.
Any students in grades 4-8 who were already scheduled to begin limited in person instruction will still begin tomorrow.
Again, K-3rd graders WILL NOT be attending school until further notice.
We apologize for the short notice and realize the implications for our families. Please know this is beyond our control. Expect and look for more information on district and school websites soon.
Thank you for your continued support and patience as we navigate through these challenging times. Food service WILL still be operating out of the EHS North parking lot from 11:00-12:30! Come down and pick up a lunch and a breakfast!
A phone dialer is going out with this message in a few minutes. It will repeat again in the morning!