Dear Boone Parents and Families,
Welcome to the 2020-2021 school year. We are so very excited to have the opportunity to meet all of our Boone Bulldogs as we connect with them this week! We all know that the start to this school year is like no other. Our teachers have been working harder than ever to make these first few weeks of virtual learning a great experience for our students.
The first two days of school will be spent meeting teachers and students, and engaging in typical beginning of the year activities that help students and teachers get to know each other and build community in the classroom. We know that everyone will not have received their district requested technology by the first day of school, so teachers and staff will provide activities that can be accessed on personal devices at home including iPads, computers, and cell phones, and they will have options to complete assignments without a device at all. Teachers will also offer short check-ins via Google Meet for those students who are able to join. If students are not able to participate in the scheduled Google Meets, they will still be asked to complete assignments on Thursday and Friday. Both days will have a very flexible schedule, and teachers will communicate their specific plans to you soon.
Beginning Monday, August 24, teachers will follow their classroom schedule as if it were a typical school day. Students will begin grade-level content instruction, have breaks for lunch and recess, and will receive instruction from their Specials teachers. Teachers will be communicating their daily schedules with families at the end of this week or the beginning of the following week.
We are not starting the school year as we had hoped, but we are going to make the best of it and work diligently to provide our students with a high quality school experience during our first couple weeks of virtual learning and beyond. The Boone staff and I are truly grateful for your continued support, flexibility and patience as we navigate a brand new school experience together. Please contact your classroom teacher or me with any questions. We are looking forward to seeing our students at Boone in the coming weeks!
Class Placement Information
We will be communicating class placements in a couple of ways this year. The student class placements will be posted through your Skyward account on Tuesday, August 18 by 12:00 pm. Shortly after that, you will receive an email from your child’s homeroom teacher, and teachers will make phone calls to each family on their class roster between Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday afternoon. The phone calls will be brief, but we want students to be able to hear their teacher’s voice and have a personal connection. If your child participates in TAG or Take Flight, they can expect a phone call from those teachers as well.
Meet and Greet for In-Person Learners
Your teacher letter will include a link to a Sign-Up Genius for specific time slots for your teacher’s Meet and Greet. During these Meet and Greets, students will have an opportunity to walk to their classroom, see where their assigned seats are, and pick up their To Go bags (generously donated by our PTO) which will be filled with supplies and materials needed until September 8th. If you requested district technology, the iPad or Chromebook (depending on grade level), will also be in your To Go bag. If you are unable to attend in-person for any other reason, you may attend the virtual meeting that will be offered by each teacher and can schedule a time to pick up your To Go bag at a later date. We realize that there may be students who do not want to separate from you when you bring them to school at your designated time. Please know that although we would love to have parents join students inside the building, we will not be able to allow adults in at this time. Our goal is to keep staff and students safe and healthy so we can have a successful start to the school year. If your child is not able to go inside, you may also attend the virtual meeting offered by your teacher, and a staff member will retrieve your child’s To Go bag for you to take with you before you leave.
When you arrive, please wait behind the Hug Zone signs while staying socially distanced. We will have the classroom teachers stand outside the main entrance and they will be introduced before calling each small group of students by homeroom to join them. While students are inside, we will pass out personalized signs to each parent which will be used during carpool or Hug Zone pick-up when we begin In-Person instruction. Please hold your sign up when students exit with their teacher so they can send your child to you safely. Please exit the Hug Zone area as soon as your child joins you so we can prepare for the next group of parents and students.
Meet and Greet for Virtual Learners
Teachers for students doing virtual learning will also provide a Sign-Up Genius for virtual Meet and Greets during the same times as our In- Person teachers. We will share scheduled times to pick up To Go bags for our Boone virtual learners this week.
Although some of our Bulldogs will be virtual learners, we want them to remain connected with our school and staff and know they are still part of our Boone family. We are planning ways to have weekly check-ins for our virtual students with our school counselor, Mrs. Fleig, as well as create opportunities for students to connect with the other grade level teachers. More information will be shared soon!
Thank you for your patience and understanding as we prepare for the school year. We are working diligently to plan for the health and safety of everyone, as well as create an outstanding educational experience, whether in person or virtual. Having worked with our new Boone staff for the past week, I can assure you that we have the most amazing educators preparing for your students.
Sincerely,
Amanda Reyes, Principal
