Bogan Elementary Weekly E-News

December 4, 2020

Happy Friday.  We hope you have had a great Thanksgiving break.  We had a great week back in the remote and face to face classrooms.  

TSD Communications Reminders from Mrs. Morrish

Semester 2 Learning Options

Please complete the questionnaire for each student in your household.  Please understand that the selection you make will determine the plan for your student for the entire second semester, and determine whether they are served face-to-face or remotely.  Please also understand that if your selection is a change from the learning program your child currently is in, this may result in a change in your child's teacher.  TSD will continue to collaborate with health officials and evaluate conditions relative to the pandemic.  The continued spread of the virus may result in changes to the TSD learning plans for the second semester.  Please develop a PLAN B for your family for childcare should there be a need to return to remote learning at any or all of our schools.  Questionnaire DUE DATE- Saturday, December 5, 2020, by 5 pm.  If you do not submit this form, then your child will remain in the learning program they are currently in.  Thank you.

Please access the questionnaire here.

TSD Transportation News

It’s important to develop contingency plans during the pandemic regarding TSD Transportation Services, as we have experienced staff shortages in other areas.  The priority now is to continue to transport elementary students to school, and to provide service to our extracurricular programs that are still open.  If we experience shortages, the first priority will remain to transport K-5 students to school.  In the event of more extreme staff shortages, we may need to eliminate transportation for extracurricular activities.  We will certainly provide as much notice as possible.

Please have a Plan B in place, should shortages occur that would result in temporary changes to transportation services in TSD.  The district will continue to network with Petermann Transportation Services to have substitute drivers available, but we understand that the pandemic is putting stress on many organizations as people become ill or must quarantine.  We will continue to report on this and other TSD services as we navigate the ever-changing environment associated with life in a pandemic.

Weather Delays/School Closings Information:

Now through January 18, 2021(pending no other decisions have to be made i.e. health department or Governor’s orders, lack of substitutes, etc.):

 2 Hour Delays:

• Elementary staff and students, for both in-person learning and remote learning, will start school 2 hours later, and not have early release on Wednesdays.
• Secondary staff and students doing remote learning will not have a delay (working normal hours), but staff may work from home.
• Secondary staff working an elementary assignment will follow the elementary schedule.
• AM Prek will be canceled when there is a 2-hour delay.

Closings:

• The first 5 days that TSD has to close school due to calamity/weather/etc., will be a typical school closing with no school for all Prek-12 students.
• On the 6th day (and future days after) TSD has to close school due to calamity/weather/etc., staff and students will participate in a remote learning plan on those days.  Teachers will provide more information to students and parents including links and times. This eliminates any makeup days at the end of the school year.

Starting January 19, 2021, when all students are either learning in person or through remote learning (pending no other decisions have to be made i.e. health department or Governor’s orders, lack of substitutes, etc.):

• A 2-hour delay is the same for all students (remote and in-person learning), with no early release on Wednesdays.
• A school closing means we will not host school for the first 5 times school is closed due to calamity/weather/etc.
• On the 6th day (and future days after), a remote learning plan will be instituted for any days school is closed to eliminate having any makeup days at the end of the school year.

Quarantined Student

During these last two weeks, we have had a few confirmed and probable cases in the district that caused classrooms to be quarantined.  While we know that we want our students to be at school, we all need to do our part to help prevent the spread so that we can stay open.  Classroom quarantines are part of this but so are individual quarantines.  If someone in your house is showing symptoms of Covid, EVERYONE should stay home until the sick person has a negative covid test or an alternate diagnosis, and certainly if a student has been directly exposed to a positive case the student should stay home.   

Please see this Returning to School form for more information.

Should I Stay Home From School Today

If your child is a Face to Face student and is sent home and quarantined, we are providing materials to work on from home.  Please continue to check SeeSaw (grades K&1) and Google Classroom(2-5) for work.  Teachers may also send hard copies of materials home.  Our school social worker, SRO, or principal can bring materials to your house and drop them at the door.  Please also look for emails from your child’s teacher.

If your child is quarantined and you are not receiving any work or need assistance, please contact your child’s teacher or Mr. Winslow.

Update from the Health Department

Public Health Commissioners in Butler County Strongly Encourage Staying at Home, Whenever Possible

“We are at a critical point in the response to the coronavirus pandemic," says Jennifer Bailer Health Commissioner for the Butler County General Health District (BCGHD).

Hospitalizations of COVID-19 patients in Southwest Ohio have increased by 67% over the last 2 weeks and COVID-19 patients in the ICU have increased by 50% over the same time. Butler County has had a surge in COVID-19 cases and visits to the hospital since the beginning of October. “We had been setting records the last two weeks with around 200-250 cases reported each day. However, over the weekend Butler County had over 900 cases reported from Friday to Sunday, with a new record of 376 cases in a single day,” said Jordan Luttrell-Freeman, Epidemiologist. The City of Hamilton and City of Middletown Health Departments report similar trends.

"When the pandemic began in March, we were concerned about our medical facilities having enough PPE. Now it is the people. Hospitals and other healthcare facilities have been working tirelessly since March and feeling the impacts of staff shortages. They too are impacted by COVID and many need to stay home because they or their families are ill or in quarantine. We must protect our healthcare workers by doing our part and staying at home as much as possible, especially if you are sick, in quarantine or isolation, or waiting for test results," states Bailer.   

I live in Butler County, what should I do?

• If you are sick:
• Stay home for 10 days. After 10 days if your symptoms are better and you have had no fever for 24 hours without medicine, you are considered recovered and can go out.
• If you are waiting for a test result:
• Stay home! Do NOT go out, to school or to work while you wait!
• If you have been exposed to a positive COVID-19 case, or think you have:
• Stay home for 14 days! Do NOT go out, to school or to work!
• If you are positive for COVID-19, notify all your close contacts to stay home for 14 days.

What else can I do?

• Avoid gatherings, limit contact with people outside of your household, and reconsider holiday plans
• Keep six (6) feet of distance from others
• Wear a mask
• Including while inside around non-household members.
• Wash your hands

People with questions about COVID-19 can call the Ohio Department of Health COVID-19 Call Center, 7 days a week from 9AM – 8PM at: 1-833-4-ASK-ODH (1-833-427-5634) or contact their local health department.  Butler County residents call 513-863-1770

PTG Officer Nominations

Bogan PTG (Parent Teacher Group) Board Nominations are now open, if you are interested in participating on the Board and/or have any questions regarding the positions, please Click Here or contact Christina Shepherd or Kelly Beckman.

Pizza Day 12/10/2020

Thank you to RDI and SDS Pizza for donating pizza for all elementary students.  Click Here for more information.  Due to this added pizza day, tacos will now be served on Friday, December 11th.  

PAX 

Click Here for more PAX information on simple strategies for teaching kids behavior and upcoming workshops. 

Food Distribution Plan for those who are remote learning or in self-isolation

See information here: Food Distribution Program

Elementary Lunch Menu

Don’t forget to send a water bottle with your child to school.  Also, if your child is packing their lunch, please place their first and last name on the lunchbox.  

Oxford Kiwanis Club

The Kiwanis are looking for volunteers to ring the bell and accept donations for the  Salvation Army.  Information here:  Bell Ringing Invite    KiwanisVolunteerFlyer   

Goggin Ice Center Information

December Public Skating

PUSH (People United for Self Help)

PUSH has funding for furnace and water heater repairs or replacements. Grants are available to low-income, homeowners in the Talawanda School District for critical and emergency home repairs. Call Jeanne or Sabrina at 513-523-8100 for more information

Masks Are Mandatory at School

Here is a video in case you or your child has questions about masks.  https://youtu.be/erxczymki0g  Staff will help students with their masks.  Students who refuse to wear a mask properly may be moved to the online learning platform.  Thanks for your support.

Important Reminder for All TSD Parents:

Talawanda School District needs your partnership in keeping our students, staff, and families safe during the pandemic we are experiencing.  It's critical that parents do a wellness check on each child every day before school.  If your child exhibits any symptoms for COVID-19, please keep your child and their siblings home from school until you have an alternative diagnosis or negative test result.  See the checklist below.

People with COVID-19 have had a wide range of reported symptoms – ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to SARS-CoV-2. Symptoms can include:

• Fever or chills
• Cough
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Fatigue
• Muscle or body aches
• Headache
• New loss of taste or smell
• Sore throat
• Congestion or runny nose
• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhea

TSD is working on additional ways to report your child's illness/absence  to school.  Stay tuned for more information in the coming weeks.

COVID-19 TRAVEL ADVISORY & SELF QUARANTINING

We understand that families may be traveling during the holiday season.  The Ohio Health Department & the Butler County Health Department recommend that people self quarantine for 14 days upon returning from a state that is listed as a hotspot for Covid-19.  A hotspot is a state that is reporting positive Covid-19 rates of 15% or higher.  Please see the link to the map, as the states listed can change.

Travel Advisory States from ODH

Elementary Schedule

Students 9:30 - 4:15 (Dismissal begins at 3:55)

Early Dismissal Wednesday 9:30-3:30 (Dismissal begins at 3:15)

TSD Pandemic Plan

Talawanda School District School Reopening Guidelines 2020-21 School Year

Information about Ohio’s Connectivity Champions

Information here: Ohio’s Connectivity Champions

Medication Forms

If students who will be returning to school need medication during the day, please be sure to have the medication form completed by your child’s doctor and bring the medication in its original container.

Talawanda Board of Education Public Participation Policy

https://www.talawanda.org/district-blog/entry/public-participation-policy-01691-549/

Free and Reduced Lunch Information

This is more important than ever!  Federal and State funds are given to schools based on applications for Free & Reduced lunch.  Your application could get your child direct benefits and support Bogan Elementary.  Ohio is likely to issue additional EBT cards to families who qualify.

Free and Reduced applications are linked in Final Forms.  You simply create an account and apply!  You can also find the link on the Talawanda website under Departments/Food Service.  Contact the Bogan Office at 513-273-3400  if you need assistance with your application.  We can provide a computer and walk you through step by step if needed.

Free and Reduced Lunch Applications and Instructions

Have a great weekend!

Jeff Winslow

Principal

Calendar

December 4 - Remote Learners - Pick up/Drop off

December 10 - Pizza Day

December 11 - Lunch change, now serving tacos instead of 4x6 pizza

December 18 - Remote Learners - Pick up/Drop off

December 21-January 1- Winter Break

March 16 - Spring Pictures

March 16- Conferences

March 18- Conferences