Dear GMS Families, This week we welcomed back our amazing staff. They have been preparing the classrooms and the school for your return. While there is still so much unknown, this did not limit them at all. The school will be ready for the students' return to this year of unknowns. Thank you to our amazing PTO for making our welcome back so inviting, inspiring, and delicious. At our opening staff meeting, the theme of this year was unveiled. We believe it is a theme that perfectly encapsulates the feelings many of us are having. Going into a year where we don't know how it will look or go; the only thing we are left with is hope and curiosity. So our theme this year will be: Be Curious! We hope that the students, faculty, staff, and families will join us in this curiosity of what is to come and what can be achieved. Below you will find important information regarding the opening days of school, recess, and the summer mailing that went out this week. Please give this information its due attention. We cannot wait to see you all again beginning this coming week! Be Well and Be Curious,
Dan Mitchell, Principal Maura Clinton- Jones, Assistant Principal
Upcoming Dates | Tuesday, September 1 | Remote Learning Information Day 8:00- 11:00 | | Wednesday, September 2 | Grades K & 1 In person Day 1/2 Day 8:30 - 11:50 | | Thursday, September 3 | Grades 2, 3, & 4 In person Day 1/2 Day 8:30 - 11:50 | | Wednesday, September 9 | First Day of School for All Learners |
GMS News Summer Mailing This week we sent out our annual summer mailing to families. There are many important documents that require your attention. The contents of this mailing are the same whether you are a remote or in person learner. Since we believe there may be changes this year and we hold out hope for a full return at some point we felt it best to provide everyone with everything. Further, though you may have indicated that your child will take the bus everyday, we understand that some days may require a parent pick up. This is why everyone was provided with a colored pick up tag. When/If you find the need to pick up your child, this tag is necessary to participate in parent pick up at the end of the day.
Recess Protocols Recess is such an important aspect of the elementary school experience. In an attempt to provide recess during this time of awareness and precaution recess will follow certain protocols and procedures. Further, our schoolyard will be divided into four areas that classes will access on a weekly basis. These area assignments will have to be reviewed and reassessed at the time of inevitable snow cover. Please see below for the detailed protocols.
Opening Days Information September 1- Remote Learners Information Session Classroom teachers have reached out to all remote families to set up a time to come in, meet outside, or meet virtually to get information and materials necessary for remote learning. We have received some questions about why students are not coming in for the whole half day? Many remote families reached out to us indicating that they were uncomfortable coming in that day. In an attempt to be accommodating of the needs of all our remote learners we determined that the best way to achieve the goal of getting information and supplies in the necessary hands was to set up the scheduled time model. Further it allowed us to control the number of people that may be in the building at that one time to further ensure safety, distancing, and hygiene.
September 2 & 3- In person student days These days will run from 8:30 to 11:50. Buses will be running and lunches will be served. These days will allow students to experience the classroom as well as the new protocols in place. September 2 is for Kindergarten and Grade 1, while September 3 is for Grades 2, 3, & 4.
Parent Pick Up on these days will be as follows: Pink 11:50 Yellow 11:55 Blue 12:00 Purple 12:05 Buses will begin pick ups at 12:00.
Daily Health Screening
Please reference THIS FORM on a daily basis in deciding whether to send your child to school or not. This form is the district health screening form which all student and staff as asked to adhere to.
A Message from the School Nurse We are facing unusual times while returning to school during this pandemic. Here is some information on our health guidelines for families on COVID-19 for the 2020/21 school year. I hope you will find this helpful. Please do not hesitate to call me @ 424 5931 ext. 1108 at any time. Here are things you can do @ home to prepare for this school year. Practice Hand Hygiene-regular thorough hand washing for at least 20 seconds. Review mask policy and practice taking masks of and on while only holding the ear loops. Please note that “Gators” are not acceptable for school use. Practice physical distancing - 6 feet apart. Please send in a reusable water bottle, as our water fountains are inaccessible. Practice respiratory etiquette. Cough and sneeze into elbows. Please keep your child home when they have any signs of COVID-19.
Fever > 100, Cough or shortness of breath Loss of taste or smell Headache Sore throat Muscle or body aches or fatigue Runny nose or congestion Stay Healthy and safe! Susan Seabrook, RN School Nurse, GMS Pick Up and Drop Off Drop Off For students arriving by bus, the buses will enter the large loop along with the parent drop off cars. Students will exit the bus and enter the school at the appropriate doors, while maintaining social distancing. For students arriving by car, parents will pull into the large loop (former bus loop) and drop students off at the curb. Duty teachers will be there to receive the students both from cars and uses and guide them into the appropriate entrance while maintaining social distancing. Pick Up For those using parent pick up, parents will be assigned a pick up group time. Colored cards will be distributed indicating this group. At the appropriate time, cars in the group may enter the large loop (former bus loop) and park. Parents are asked to exit their vehicle and stand by the driver’s side door of their vehicle holding their pick up card. Students will be dismissed by group. Duty teachers will reunite students with their parents at their vehicle. NO CAR WILL MOVE forward until all students are reunited and safely secured in their vehicle. This will be repeated for each pick up group. We are working on determining these groups and will be communicating this out shortly. For students using the bus, the buses will be parked on the blacktop section of the school yard. Buses will be called in groups as they arrive and the students will be led to their corresponding bus. When all students are secure, all buses will exit at the same time. Masks and Other PPE When it comes to wearing masks the scientific evidence is clear and decisive: Masks prevent individual droplets expelled by breathing from being spread to others. The purpose of masks is not to filter out droplets for the wearer, but rather to prevent a wearer’s breath droplets from being spread to others. Therefore, we will require masks to be worn on each school campus when six feet of distance cannot be maintained. This includes entry and exit from the building, in hallways, and during passing periods. While lines will be spaced out during passing, we cannot confirm that 6 feet will be able to be maintained. While desks will be 6 feet apart to allow for mask removal, there may also be times in the classroom where masks will need to be worn (i.e. small group work, morning meeting, etc.) Some parents have inquired about their child wearing other PPE, mainly face shields. Face shields can be worn but only with a mask as well. A face shield alone does not provide the protection or mitigation that a mask does. If you choose to send your child with a face shield as well as a mask that is more than acceptable. News from the SAU/ Superintendent No news to share at this time
News from the PTO No news to share at this time
News from the Community No news to share at this time
Repeated News and Announcements | 
