November 1, 2020
Director's Note
Dear Ivymount Families,

I hope everyone who celebrates Halloween enjoyed it, albeit possibly in a different way than we're used to. First, a reminder that there is no school for students this Tuesday, November 3.

Cancellation of Nov 9 Return

In line with our criteria for on-site programs and the current rise in COVID-19-related public health data and trends, we are regretfully canceling our Phase One Return Plan scheduled to begin on November 9. Students who were scheduled to return the week of November 9 for the on-site option of their program will not return at this time. Together, with our Board of Directors and medical advisors, we will begin to look at alternatives to our plans and report back to you regularly.

After successfully resuming some on-site programming for our Early Childhood Clinic in July and the Maddux School in mid-October, we were optimistic that we would begin a gradual return for our initial group of Ivymount School students next week. Although only 64 students were scheduled to participate in this initial phase (56% of the invited students), it represented the first step toward our eventual return to campus. While we have all been concerned with flu season and colder months, the COVID-19 numbers have risen faster than we anticipated.

Unfortunately, the significant increase in new COVID-19 cases and community transmission nationally and locally have required us to re-evaluate our plans. Last week, the number of cases in Maryland was as high as it was the week of July 25. This past Thursday and Friday, Maryland saw more than 900 new cases, which has not previously occurred, except once, in August. Additionally, Montgomery County had its highest cases per 100K since mid-June. Please see the chart below for more information on the change in numbers.

Since we announced Phase 1 on October 12, staff have been working diligently to provide our remote program while also preparing for the return to campus. Directors, Operations, Technology, and Program Staff have focused on ensuring a carefully planned and organized return. I want to thank our staff for their contributions and dedication to bringing students back for in-person learning.

The building and classrooms are almost ready for students; with signs posted for each cohort zone, technology for concurrent instruction, desks marked and spaced apart with plexiglass barriers, and a large tent that was to be installed this week to cover the blacktop for lunches. This Tuesday, staff were scheduled to be on-site for additional training, to practice with technology, and finalize room set up. We will continue with the planned Nov. 3 professional day.

We will also continue to host the Montgomery County Health Department's Rockville testing site in the Ivymount parking lot on Tuesday. Students previously scheduled to return on November 9 no longer need to be tested. However, families who may still want to have their child tested to prepare and practice for the required testing before our eventual return are welcome to do so at Ivymount this Tuesday from 10 am to 5 pm. We will plan testing again prior to our next scheduled return.

As partners, we have worked together to ensure the health of the Ivymount Community. Governor Hogan renewed the state of emergency on Thursday stating, "While Maryland's positivity and case rates remain lower than most states in America, we are closely monitoring increases in some of our key health metrics as well as rising numbers in states across the country. This crisis is far from over, and this virus does not recognize state borders. I want to remind Marylanders that the only way to keep our state open for business is to avoid traveling to hotspots and continue following the public health guidelines. We cannot let our guard down, and we must remain vigilant."

This delay in our on-site reopening plans is a disappointment for all. Thank you for your ongoing partnership during this challenging time. We will continue to invest in our remote programs and work toward a gradual return to campus when numbers have stabilized and are no longer increasing to this degree. Please see below for snapshots of last week’s Ivymount School events and program highlights.

We are excited to continue to offer Outreach Virtual Programs. See below for information on upcoming clubs. We have something for all ages and hope many of your students can participate. Games Club, Cooking Club and Ivymoves Club offer social opportunities and fun.

Sincerely,

Susan Holt
Upcoming Events
Tuesday, November 3
Professional Day
No School for Students
On-site COVID-19 Testing
(no longer required for students)

Monday, November 9
PTA Parent/Caregiver Hangout

Wednesday, October 18
Project SEARCH info session

Wednesday, October 18
Mental Health Presentation

Return to Campus Update
The COVID-19 Guidance for Maryland Schools calls for on-site programs to be reassessed when the new case rate per 100K increases by 2 per 100K or test positivity rate increases by 1.5% within 2 weeks. Three weeks ago, new case rates increased by 2, then remained high but stable, and this week's case rates increased again by 2 or more across Maryland State, Montgomery County, and our blended figure.

See the chart below, which includes figures and guidance from:
PHS Hosts Halloween Happening
On Friday evening, the Post High School hosted a virtual Halloween Happening. The students and staff had a great time showing off their costumes and playing Halloween games, including Name That Pet Costume and Scene It! Halloween Edition.

No PHS event would be complete without a dance party, so the night ended with everyone rocking out to songs like Monster Mash and Thriller.
Other Ghoulish Get-Togethers
MAP Trunk and Treat
MAP Trunk and Treat
MLN Dance
Best Buddies Gets in the "Spirit"
Best Buddies held their first (virtual) event of the year this past Sunday with a turnout of more than 50 participants!

Buddies came dressed in a costume, decorated pumpkins and played a "spooky" themed trivia game. There were plenty of jokes and smiles all around!

Parent Night Nov 9/10
Best Buddies Maryland is hosting two Parent Nights on Nov 9 and 10 for all parents interested in learning more about Best Buddies or connecting with other BB parents. Please email Lmya Ahmed or Carley Sturges of Ivymount for additional information!

To attend the parent night, please RSVP online at these links to receive the Zoom information.

Nov 10 at 8 pm: https://bit.ly/BBMDParent10

Email malikabriggs@bestbuddies.org if you have any questions or concerns!

Project SEARCH Plans
Information Session
Are you interested in learning more about or applying to Project SEARCH? Join the Ivymount/SEEC virtual information session on November 18.

Project SEARCH provides employment readiness training for people aged 18 to 30 with intellectual and developmental disabilities through intensive internships and classroom instruction.

Parents, professionals, and potential students who are interested
in applying to the Project SEARCH programs should make plans
to attend.

The agenda will include:
  • Program overview will include information on our host business sites at —Project SEARCH NIH; Project SEARCH Montgomery; Project SEARCH Smithsonian
  • “A Day in the Life of a Project SEARCH Intern”
  • Hear from a former PS intern and parents
  • Review application process and receive application materials

Zoom Link

Meeting ID: 894 090 4816
Passcode: 436383

Register Now for Outreach Clubs
Virtual after-school clubs provide a space for students to stay social, practice new skills and have fun.

  • Groups are led by Ivymount’s highly-trained staff and are designed for participants of all abilities ages 6 - young adult.

  • Each session will run for 5 weeks.

  • Next session dates are November 8 - December 17 (no classes during the week of 11/22 - 11/27).

  • Cost is $50 per 5 week session ($10 per class)

  • Minimum number of participants required for group to run

GAMES CLUB - Mondays 4 - 4:45
Participants will play games like Jeopardy, Memory, and Scavenger Hunts virtually along with other participants. They will also practice skills such as greeting friends, taking turns, and following game rules. A different game will be played each week with how to play instructions provided by our Game Master and Host, Ms. Alicia.

COOKING CLUB - Tuesdays 4 - 4:45
Participants will practice basic cooking skills, such as following recipes, measuring, using kitchen tools and more while preparing an after-school snack. Chef Chelsea will be cooking up a new tasty recipe every week!

IVYMOVES CLUB - Thursdays 4 - 4:45
Featuring a mix of stretches, beginner’s yoga, and fitness exercises along with music to get you moving and shaking. Iymount’s own Adapted Physical Education teacher Mr. B will be leading the fun this session. Each class, participants will engage in upper body, lower body, cardio or strength training movements. Fitness challenges and rewards will be celebrated throughout the session.

Ivymount PTA News
kudoboard
Join Us in Thanking Our Ivymount Staff

In November we celebrate Thanksgiving, so the PTA is asking Ivymount families to join us in creating a digital greeting card to show our incredibly hardworking Ivymount staff how thankful we are for everything they’ve been doing during these challenging times.

Kudoboard (kudoboard.com) is a website that makes it very easy for families to attach messages, photos and videos to make a digital group card. Messages can be added by Ivymount families from November 2-16. You can post a photo of your child, a video of your child, or parents can also post videos of themselves expressing their gratitude to the Ivymount staff. We plan to post the card on November 20 so all staff and families can view it.

To add messages, photos and videos, go to this link:

Hang Out with Us

November Parent/Caregiver Hangout 

Monday, November 9
7 - 8 pm
 
Join us for the next PTA Parent/Caregiver Hangout, where Ivymount families can share and support one another.

Topic: Ivymount Parent/Caregiver Hangout
Time: Nov 9, 2020 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting

Meeting ID: 845 6254 7031
Passcode: 882138

Save the Date!

Thanksgiving Family Event
Sunday, November 15

Get ready for a PTA Thanksgiving craft and story time. Save the date and your uncarved pumpkins for our Thanksgiving craft, story time and freeze dance on Sunday, November 15. A supply list (yes, we are making turkey pumpkins) and Zoom link will follow next week.
 
Be Part of the New PTA Listserv
The Ivymount PTA listserv will be moving to Groups.io in the next few weeks. This is due to an announcement by Yahoo Groups that it will be shutting down all groups as of December 15. We will be migrating members from Yahoo Groups to Groups.io. If you receive an email from Groups.io, you will need to accept the invitation if you would like to be a member of the Ivymount PTA Groups.io. 
 
Our PTA listserv will continue to be a forum for posting upcoming community events, asking questions related to resources for our children and posting upcoming school events. The group includes current and alumni Ivymount families. If you are not on the current PTA listserv and would like to join the Groups.io Ivymount PTA listserv, please email Cindy Gottfried at ckgottfried@gmail.com to receive an invite to join.

Sneak Peek!

Next week we will be launching our Boon Supply Fundraiser where the PTA will receive 40% of all profits and money will go towards supporting Ivymount staff and planning family events.

Helpful Links
Ivymount
School & Programs
301-469-0223