Principal Message for Back to School

Submitted by angela.killian on

Dear Riverview Families,

I hope this letter finds you well and enjoying the remaining days of summer.  I also hope you are relaxed, recharged and ready to start a new school year.  I am delighted that you are a part of our amazing learning community.  I welcome and value your positive energy and dedication to excellence in education, and I look forward to working with you and your children.

All signs point to another incredible and productive school year. We know this is not the ideal situation that we want for our students, but we will move forward with enthusiasm and do our best to provide a great experience for our students. I would like to recognize the good work of our Riverview staff; our secretaries, our maintenance crew, our teachers who have been working diligently during the summer to get our school ready for Fall! 

Living through a pandemic has required us to consider changes in our daily routines both at home and now at school.  At School Learning will be for students that come back to school.  Nebo School District and individual schools continue to develop plans following the State and the Health Department Guidelines to make sure our school is safe.   We plan to do as much “business as usual” in our classrooms, teaching students and moving them forward from where they are, as we have always done in the past. 

Remote Learning is an online experience taught by a certified teacher from Nebo School District. The students take the course by way of CANVAS and complete a number of modules, which include lessons and assignments each day, focusing on reading, writing, math and science. The work load is planned for 3-4 hours a day. There may be some ZOOM Meetings, depending on the teacher. 

Parents and students communicate with their teacher via email, CANVAS, and possible ZOOM Meetings. Appointments, of course can also be set up for parent-teacher meetings.

IEPs and 504 plans will be accommodated with Remote Learning. Students will receive grades for their work as outlined by their teacher. Parents and Guardians will play a big part in supporting and helping their children in Remote Learning.

What Returning to School Will Look Like for Students and Staff

Face Covering Requirements

Face coverings will be required based upon Governor Herbert’s mandate and best available data and input from the local health department.  Students, staff, and visitors will be required to wear face coverings. 

Students will need to wear face coverings (disposable masks, cloth masks, gaiters, shields) provided by parents or guardians when social distancing is not possible. Students will wear face coverings prior to entering the school.

Classroom Structure

We will be keeping our classrooms running as close to normal as possible! Face coverings will be worn when social distancing is not possible.  Teachers will submit a disinfecting plan to the administrator prior to the start of the school year.

We are providing plexiglass barriers in certain areas of the classrooms so that students can take a break from face masks. The plexiglass will help with small group teaching and individual help for students.  It will also provide some work time with no face masks for students.

Students will be encouraged to take hand-washing breaks throughout the day, in addition to washing hands before and after eating, as well as before sharing materials.  Sanitizer and soap will be provided in each classroom.

Students are to bring their own water bottle.  We have our water fountains covered but classroom teachers will implement protocols where they assist students in refilling water bottles throughout the day.

Teachers will minimize the use of shared items in the classroom.  This includes all classroom settings, specialty rotations and special education services.

Teachers will increase the use of digital instruction where possible to limit the spread of germs in classroom areas.

Signage will be posted in classrooms, restrooms, hallways and throughout the building.

We will sanitize our school, classrooms, and playgrounds daily, following State guidelines.    

IEP Goals and 504 Plans will be followed.

Limited Access to Visitors and Volunteers

It is essential to create a healthy and safe environment by limiting potential COVID-19 exposure whenever possible.  All visitors must check in at the office and will only be allowed access to classrooms for specific and defined purposes. Parents/Guardians/Visitors will need to wear a face covering when coming into the school.  All contact by individuals and our school must be signed and time stamped for potential contact tracing as per the county health department. Please note that there will be no exception to the requirement that all parent volunteers will need to wear face coverings inside the classrooms. 

Specialty Classes/Common Area Modifications

Students will also participate in recess and PE schedules, along with breaks throughout the day where students do not have to wear face coverings. Students will be monitored in all common area locations to encourage social distancing practices.

Specialty classes such as library, art, music, computers and PE will adhere to social distancing.  When social distancing is not possible, face coverings will be worn. We will however need to modify the access at home to our library books.  These specific protocols and more details will emerge as we navigate our first few weeks of school. 

Meals

For meals we will limit gatherings and potential mixing of classes or grade levels in the cafeteria or other common spaces. 

Tables will be six feet apart.  Students will not be seated opposite of each other, instead a zig-zag pattern will be adopted to allow for space between seats.  

There will be designated areas in the cafeteria for students with underlying health conditions to limit exposure to other students. 

Students will be taught not to pass or share food with other students. Students will be taught entering, exit and disposal of trash procedures. Students will wait in line in a socially distanced manner.  They will not use the punch pads for lunch transactions.  There will be one entrance and one exit for each eating area. 

Lunches will be staggered to allow social distancing whenever possible.  Older students, 4th – 6th grades, may be using outdoor or classroom lunch options. 

Face coverings will not be worn at lunch or at lunch recess.

If students are bringing a home lunch, it would be helpful to pack a home lunch in which they can throw away all items when finished.

Arrival and Dismissal

Students will be required to wear face coverings upon arriving to and at the dismissal of each school day. On the first day of school parents will need to drop students off outside of building where students will make their way to classes. Please help us out in preparing your child for this new format. 

At dismissal, we ask that you wait in your cars or at designated outside areas with face coverings, and students will meet you at the end of the day.

Walking students to please come as close to 8:40 as possible. We cannot accommodate mass student gatherings before the beginning of the school day. If you need special accommodations for this you may coordinate with your individual teacher. Also note that teachers are on contract beginning at 8:15 am. 

Movement Procedures

Students will walk on the right-hand side of the hallways.  We will have signage to encourage proper movement to limit contact.

Mass Gatherings

For the safety of staff and students at Riverview assemblies and fieldtrips will not be permitted until further notice. We will have ZOOM/Google Meet assemblies and gatherings. 

Our school open house will be in a Zoom format where individual teachers will hold a meet and greet meeting. They can show you around the classroom, tell you how to get there the first day of class and even give some insider tips and tricks as we attempt to navigate the new normal. 

We will hold SEP Conferences in October with parents using Zoom.

Medical Attention

Nebo schools have nurses to help create a safe and healthy environment.  Riverview will be two separate rooms for students with basic first aid situations, and students exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19.  Students exhibiting possible COVID symptoms will be isolated from others within the office area.

Sanitation, Cleaning and Disinfection

Teachers and students must work together with custodial staff to promote a clean and healthy environment for everyone within Riverview.  Each classroom will have additional sanitation stations. Students and teachers shall wipe down any community or high-touch areas after each class to reduce exposure for the next classroom..

The building will be cleaned daily, focusing on major touch points such as doorknobs, handles, light switches and soap dispensers. Throughout the workday, the custodial staff will implement a routine of surface cleaning in the restrooms. 

After School Clubs

All after school programs at Nebo Elementary Schools have been put on pause for the 2020-2021 school year.

Upcoming Events:

  • August 10th-Students will be assigned to a class. Parents can access this information via infinite campus
  • August 18th-VIRTUAL Open House-please look for more information coming from classroom teachers
  • August 19th-First day of school for 1st-6th Grade
  • August 26th-First day of school for Kindergarten students.

Please remember that we are still planning and thinking of special situations that we need to be thoughtful of.  I hope that if there are concerns about the things we have in place, that you will notify me so we can discuss them. 

We are truly looking forward to having our students back with us and hope you know that we are here to support and help you!  We want the very best for our students and our teachers are caring and sensitive to their needs.  Please call us if you have any questions or concerns!

Best Regards to All, 

Mrs. Angie Killian, Principal