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October 29, 2020
In This Issue
No School October 30
Nominate a RepMO Hero!
Meal Applications & EC/Elem Tech Forms Needed!
Thankful Thursdays
Masking Reminder
RepMO Return to Learn 2nd Quarter Update: Gym Rentals
Athletic Post-Season Live Coverage Change
Patron Surveys Open Through 10/30
Positions Needed: PLEASE SHARE!
Daily Wellness Check
District and Community Announcements

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As a reminder, the Staff Communicator will be distributed each Thursday that school is in session. Archives can be found HERE.
No School October 30
There will be no school on Friday, October 30 due to Fall Break. We wish everyone a safe long weekend!
**Teachers, please share this with your families.**
 
Nominate a RepMO Hero!
Don't forget to nominate a CERTIFIED employee for the October RepMO Hero of the month! The deadline for this month is October 31. CLICK HERE for the nomination form!
Meal Applications & EC/Elem Tech Forms NEEDED!
WE NEED YOUR HELP! 
Although ALL STUDENT MEALS ARE FREE through the end of the school year, the free/reduced meal status of our students provides many other opportunities outside of meals. The percentage of students who qualify for free/reduced meals in our district allows our schools to receive important federal funds. Because of the free meal program many of our families have not completed the meal application this year and therefore, we're at risk of losing important funding that supports student literacy growth, Leader in Me resources and various programs that provide needs for our most at-risk learners. 

Also, as we continue to grow our technology capacity for our EC and elementary students and prepare for any potential need to use school devices at home, a technology form for every student needs to be on file with the school. As a reminder, our hope is to stay in phase 1 of the RepMO Return to Learn plan as much as possible this school year. However, it's important for us to all be prepared in the case that a phase movement is needed. 

ACTION STEPS!
Students will receive both of these forms (secondary only the meal application) at school on October 26. Please complete them and return them by November 24. Even if you've already completed these OR do not plan to use the meal benefit, please do so. Our goal is to get 100% of these forms returned by November 24.

If you need another copy of the form please see the below links:

Thank you in advance for your help in completing and returning both forms by November 24!

**Take note: This effort looks a bit different for Sweeny Elementary.


Thankful Thursdays
Throughout November each Thursday we will be sharing out "shout outs" we receive from patrons thanking our teammates! Be watching our social media pages!
 
Masking Reminder
Thank you to our amazing teammates for doing a great job of modeling appropriate masking! In addition, our students are doing a great job at the required grade levels. However, we have recently seen a drop in the number of students participating in HIGHLY RECOMMENDED masking for those under 4th grade. Therefore, we're asking our EC-3rd grade teachers to include a masking reminder in your e-newsletters. Feel free to copy and paste THIS MESSAGE and use THIS GRAPHIC in your upcoming parent communications. Thank you!
RepMO Return to Learn 2nd Quarter Update: Gym Rentals
The district continues to operate in phase 1 of the RepMO Return to Learn plan. As indicated when the plan was released earlier this fall, there are a few items that needed to be reevaluated at the end of first quarter, which has arrived. While the large majority of the plan remains the same, there is one change: the ability to rent/use our elementary gymnasiums in a limited capacity. Due to winter sports, secondary gyms will not be available. Below are some important details to note:
  • Beginning October 27 those wishing to rent our elementary gymnasiums can call the school office to determine details. Rentals will be available starting the week of November 9.
  • Gyms will be available Monday-Friday only for one time slot, 7:00-8:00 p.m. Gyms will not be available during the weekends. This provides our custodial team ample time to sanitize for the school day.
  • Gyms can be rented one month at a time, and groups are limited to one rental per week.
  • To confirm your reservation THIS FORM will need to be completed and turned in to the building at least 10 days prior to the date requested.
  • A $10 per day of use cleaning fee will be required to rent our gyms. This will assist the district in covering additional sanitation costs. This fee must be paid at least three days prior to using the facility.
Below is an infographic sharing our expectations for using our facilities:

Athletic Post-Season Live Coverage Change
The Missouri State High School Activities Association informed local media outlets and 
school districts it will no longer allow them to live stream post-season athletic events on
 their own platforms. Those events must be sent and viewed through MSHSAA's pay-per-view platform. MSHSAA has indicated this revenue will assist them in recouping lost dollars from previous events that are needed to support school districts moving forward. Republic Tiger Sports has opted to not participate in the MSHSAA pay-per-view platform, and instead will be providing live audio coverage along with video highlights of post-season events. Details can be found at https://republictigersports.com/live/. 
Patron Surveys Open Through October 30
If you haven't provided us feedback yet, there's still time to do so! Our patron surveys will close at midnight on Friday, October 30.
Be watching for the employee surveys to be distributed Monday!
Positions Needed: PLEASE SHARE
To assist the district in being able to stay in phase 1 of the RepMO Return to Learn plan, we are in need of substitute teachers and bus drivers. The district is taking the following steps to keep students in seated learning during the substitute shortage:
      • Eliminated District trainings for teachers to be absent
      • Eliminated building trainings for teachers to be absent
      • Have other personnel covering classrooms when an absence is not filled
      • Helping PENMAC advertise for Republic substitutes
      • Working with local universities to encourage student teachers to sign up with PENMAC
      • Encouraged new pathways to substitute certification through a 22 hour training course
Please share the below information with anyone you feel would be a good fit!
**ALL FEES WILL BE WAIVED FOR SUBS WHO SIGN UP WITH PENMAC BY NOVEMBER 4!!!
 Daily Wellness Check
Each day we are asking all employees and students to do a wellness check before they come to school. Following these guidelines will help everyone stay healthy!   

District and Community Announcements
Upcoming Dates
October 29: RHS & RMS grade cards distributed
October 30: District Closed, Fall Break
November 13: End of Progress 4 (RMS & RHS)
November 18: End of Progress 2 (Elementary)
November 19: Board of Education Meeting, 7:00 p.m. at Central Office
November 20: Progress 4 Reports Distributed (RMS & RHS)
November 25-27: District Closed, Thanksgiving Break

*Reminder that every Friday during the school year full day preschool-12th grade students are released one hour early for teacher collaboration time.
For questions or comments please contact me via email or by calling 417-732-3605.
  
Sincerely,
  

Josey McPhail

Director of Communications
Republic School District