Poudre School District update | Thursday, September 17, 2020
PSD: Safely returning to the classroom
We see the hard work you’re putting in to support the children in your lives. Thank you!

This week’s edition of Great Happens Here is designed to help you digest PSD’s upcoming shift to Phase 3: Hybrid In-School/Remote Learning.  

Your Top Frequently Asked Questions
Face coverings: Staff and students will be required to wear cloth face coverings in school. 
Parents/guardians will be responsible for providing cloth face coverings (which must follow county guidance and cover your nose and mouth).   
“Mask breaks” will take place periodically and outdoors for health department-approved time without face coverings. 
Students will be allowed to take their cloth face masks off for recess, following public health guidelines. 
There may be rare instances where students or employees with some medical conditions or students with disabilities may be exempt. 
Health and safety: What happens when there is a case in PSD? 
Important district protocols will be in place to limit the spread of COVID-19, in accordance with state and county public health department guidance for schools. 
Visit the Health and Safety web page for more on the 3 W’s (wear a mask, watch your distance, wash your hands), cleaning and sanitizing of schools, and more.  
We anticipate there will be outbreaks in PSD that will lead to quarantines of classrooms, school closures and shifts back to Phase 1 – Remote education – likely with little notice. Visit this web page to learn more about state and county guidance for what happens when there is a COVID-19 case or outbreak in PSD and review the district’s protocols for students and staff. 
Is my student in the A or B group? 
A/B group placement for K-12 students is available in ParentVUE. There are no A/B groupings for preschool. Early Childhood Education will continue communicating directly with its families.  

Need help with ParentVUE or StudentVUE? 
Will PSD continue to provide meals?  
Yes. Free breakfasts and lunches will still be available for all students (18 and younger). The district is finalizing distribution plans. More information will be shared as soon as possible.  
What data are PSD monitoring to make decisions? 
If there is one thing that is constant, it is that the COVID-19 pandemic is always changing. Because of that, it's important for our staff, families and community to understand there is not one single data point that will determine the educational phase in which PSD is operating. Learn more about PSD’s partnership with the local health department, community risk data being monitored and other key information. 
Get the latest from the Larimer County Department of Health and Environment on its website.
PSD website maintenance: Due to maintenance, the Poudre School District website may not be available between 5:30 and 6:30 p.m., Friday, Sept. 18. 
Apply by Sept. 23: Pandemic EBT one-time funds available to buy food 
Pandemic EBT, or P-EBT, provides eligible families with funds to help buy food since schools were closed this spring due to the pandemic. Families with children who were eligible for free or reduced-price school meals last school year and attended a school participating in the National School Lunch Program may get up to $279 per eligible child in benefits to buy food.  
Mental health matters: Your latest support update 
Several weeks into remote learning at PSD, we are finding our stride: teachers are mastering learning platforms, students are engaged, and parents are finding routines. However, life can still be complicated and overwhelming at times. Our brains can be overloaded with current events, fears, changes and emotional/physical exhaustion. Simple strategies can help our brain manage the toxic chemicals that are produced by this overload. Read more in this week’s update >> 
Early Childhood Education preschool 
PSD’s preschool program still has open spaces for the 2020-21 school year. More families may qualify now than ever before. ECE students will start with in-person education Oct. 5, the same day their K-2 peers start in Phase 3: Hybrid In-School/Remote Learning. To learn more and begin an application online, visit the Early Childhood Education web page or call 970-490-3204. 
Career Cruising is now Xello: Here’s what you need to know   
PSD would like to introduce the new updated version of Career Cruising: Say Hello to Xello! Xello is an online program that helps students (grades 6-12) build the skills, knowledge and plans to be future ready through exploration of internships, apprenticeships, careers, connections with local businesses, free online prep for SAT and ACT, and more.  
Need help? Visit xello.psdschools.org or contact Tanya Alcaraz, PSD Career and Technical Education coordinator, at talcaraz@psdschools.org. 
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to common questions are available on the PSD website. Read more >>
In case you missed it

Parents wanted for the District Accountability Committee Apply here >>

Support for students with disabilities in 2020-21 More information >> 
Translate
To translate the linked district web pages included in this newsletter, please click the linked text, then click on “Translate” in the top green bar, then click “Select Language” and choose your language. Once selected, the entire PSD website will be translated.
Traducción
Para traducir las páginas web del Distrito que están vinculadas a este boletín, hagan clic en el texto que contenga el enlace (por ejemplo, “hacer clic aquí”). Enseguida hagan clic en "Traducción", situado en la barra verde superior, después hagan clic en "Select Language” (Seleccionar idioma"), y hagan clic en el idioma que seleccionen (“Spanish” para español). Una vez lo hayan seleccionado, todo el sitio web del PSD se traducirá.