Conestoga High School
Issue 8: December  2020 
December 2020 Reopening Timeline

Dear Parents,

Beginning next week, we will follow the reopening timeline that we communicated to families on November 18:
  • Monday, December 7 - Identified students with special needs returning to school buildings.
  • Thursday, December 10 - Our regular hybrid schedule resumes for elementary students, with students in cohort L-Z who selected hybrid instruction returning to school buildings.
  • Monday, December 14 - Our regular hybrid schedule resumes for all students in grades K-12, with students in cohort A-K who selected hybrid instruction returning to school buildings.
Families who selected the fully virtual learning option will not be impacted by the reopening timeline and will continue with daily virtual instruction. All students participating in hybrid instruction will continue to learn virtually on Wednesdays. Please click here for more information on the reopening of school.

TESD COVID-19 Dashboard 

The dashboard will be reinstated on Monday, December 7, 2020. The dashboard provides a place for the district to communicate with families, students and staff about the COVID-19 cases in our building as well as the metrics for monitoring local data.


*** Daily Health Screening***

Parents are required to submit a daily health screening for each student attending in person. Failure to complete the screening could impede your child's ability to participate in in-person instruction. The screening must be completed daily within two hours of the student's arrival. Click here for a video on completing the health screening. Upon arrival, students are required to show proof of completion which will be available through Power School, by showing their status on their phone or by checking in with an attendant at each entry. Click here for a video showing the student check in process. Any student who does not have a completed daily health screening must complete an in-person screening upon arrival. The screening is completed by certified nurses on site. Students are reminded to stay home if they are not feeling well.

Welcome to the 2020 'Stoga Big Give!

Yes! We are continuing this annual tradition! In the face of COVID-19, the needs of children and families have never been greater. For your convenience, we have selected charities that provide both virtual and in-person options this year. Details for donations will be posted to Schoology via the Student Activities Group. If you wish to donate, please have your child look up the details there. If you have any questions, please email us at chspeermediation@tesd.net and a student leader or advisor will get back to you as soon as possible. While many of these drives are on-going, we are holding our schoolwide drive from Monday, December 7th to Monday, December 21st.
Best Wishes for good health and happiness through the holiday season and into the new year.
Conestoga High School Peer Mediation and Student Council

Toys for Tots
This is a fully virtual version of Student Council's Annual Toys for Tots Drive! Choose a toy and put it into the virtual toy box!
  1. Click on the link: Toys for Tots Virtual Toy Box (toysfortotsbox.com)
  2. Select an age group above the first group of toys
  3. View the toys for your chosen age group
  4. Drag the toy into the Toys for Tots toy box
  5. Choose another or click on the "my toy box" icon to go to the electronic check out.
  6. All major credit cards accepted.
  7. You have officially donated with our thanks!
USPS Operation Santa (In-Person)
For a more personalized option, choose a child's letter to Santa and grant their wish by buying their present, packaging it and dropping it off at your local post office!
  1. Click on the link:  USPS Operation Santa® | USPS
  2. Click on "adopt a letter" to read the children's letters to Santa
  3. Adopt a letter (you will get a form that goes with the letter)
  4. Shop for the child - note you may have to get creative with some of the requests!
  5. Package the gift in a box and take it to the post office with the form
  6. They will send the gift (there may be a postage charge)
  7. NOTE: There are reports of package delivery services being strained, so it is recommended you get the package to the post office ASAP.
Chester County Food (In-Person and Virtual)
Our Food Bank is extremely short on goods for the coming winter months due to COVID-19 and the holiday season. So, we're hoping you can help us reach our $2000 virtual goal. Prefer an in-person option? Drop off any of these high-need items to Conestoga's Main Lobby: Pasta; Rice; Sauces; Cereal; Mac & Cheese; Canned Hearty Stews; Canned Hearty Soups
  1. To make a virtual donation, go to this link: Stoga Big Give's Virtual Food Drive (fenly.org)
  2. Click "Add" for the item(s) you wish to add to your cart
  3. When you're ready to donate, click "check out now" at the top of the page
  4. Complete the payment page and click "make your donation"Congratulations! You've donated with our thanks!
The Joy of Sox!
This is a local sock donation organization. Did you know that socks are the most requested item in homeless shelters? Sometimes they're more important than food. You have two virtual options to donate to this charity.
  1. Amazon Smile Sock Purchase:
  2. Click this link AmazonSmile: You shop. Amazon gives.
  3. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click the "start shopping" button
  4. Follow the prompts to log into your Amazon account (phone number and password)
  5. A page of sock choices will appear - choose your socks and add them to your cart
  6. Pay as you usually would for your Amazon order
  7. Congratulations! You've donated with our thanks!
Junior Conferences
 
Attention Junior Parents / Guardians: 
 
It is our pleasure to invite you to schedule a post-high school planning conference with your child's counselor sometime this winter or spring. This meeting is an opportunity to discuss your child's goals and high school academic record as we help guide you toward your own individualized post-high school plan. We recommend that parents call the Student Services Office at 610.240.1045 to schedule a conference. These meetings begin on November 30th and dates may be scheduled through the spring. It is helpful to know your student's availability or free period so we can schedule the meeting when your child does not have class. We look forward to meeting with you!

Extended Experience Fall 2020
 
Verification forms and login sheets are now posted on Schoology for students participating in Semester I Extended Experience PE. These forms will verify that the student's required 30 hours of activity have been completed. The signed forms are due through Schoology on or before January 6, 2021. A student will not be given credit if the verification form is not submitted on time. Seniors will be put in a PE class to satisfy CHS PE graduation requirements if a signed form is not received on time.

Locker Room Items Pick Up

If you have any items that were left in the locker room last year, these items are available for pick up daily from (7:30 AM to 4:30 PM) until December 9th. The items will be in the main lobby and placed in bags with student names on them.  Students or parents may pick these items up. If you have any questions or concerns please contact Dr. Pat Boyle at boylep@tesd.net. 

In the News from Student Health Services
 
As colder weather approaches, influenza or flu season will soon be upon us. Influenza can be a serious disease that leads to
hospitalization or extreme illness. The single best way to protect against the flu is to get vaccinated each year. Student Health
Services strongly encourages all students, family members and staff to receive a flu vaccination this fall. Contact your local family
physician, health clinic or nearby pharmacy for information and questions regarding available flu vaccines.


***VISITORS***

Per our district's safety plan, we are not permitted to have visitors or parents/guardians in the school building. Exceptions will be made for emergency situations. Thank you for your understanding as we begin our reopening plan for hybrid instruction. 

A Note from the Attendance Office
During the hybrid model, daily attendance will continue to be taken through homeroom Schoology pages. If your child is scheduled to attend school in person but remains home (and participates virtually), there is no need to send an absence note to the attendance office. If your child is unable to attend school in person or participate virtually, please contact the attendance office at
 
Class Parent Organizations 
Class Parent Organizations
Each class at Conestoga has a Parent Chairperson and meets monthly with Administrators and Counselors to get updates on what is happening at school. This is a wonderful opportunity to get information and have questions answered. We will continue with virtual parent meetings this year. There will be no class parent meetings in the month of December.  If you have any questions, you can reach out to your Parent Chair or to Jeanne Braun at braunj@tesd.net.

 
Class of 2024
Chairperson: Diane Pancoast, chs2024parents@tesd.net

  
Class of 2023
Chairperson: Stacey Pellegrini, chs2023parents@tesd.net

 
Class of 2022
Chairperson: Carrie Erickson, chs2022parents@tesd.net


Class of 2021
Chairperson: Katrina Hottenstein, chs2021parents@tesd.net



Citadel Heart of Learning
 
Citadel has announced the nomination period for the 2021 Citadel Heart of Learning Award is now open. Chester County students, parents, and community members are encouraged to nominate a deserving teacher who goes above and beyond the call of duty.

The Citadel Heart of Learning Awards was created in 2001 by Citadel and the Chester Country Intermediate Unit. The program has recognized, honored and thanked thousands of teachers for their tireless dedication to students and community. You can access the nomination form by clicking this link. 
Tech Update

In order to streamline and provide service for any district laptops that may have hardware/software issues please follow these guidelines:
 
1. Open any Internet browser. 
3. Log in with your network user name (ie. 202ldoej) and password. Do not include @tesdk12.net.
4. Click on Report an Issue in the "I am facing an Issue" box in the middle of the page.
5. Click on the Others tab on the left and click on Student Helpdesk Request.
6. Fill out the required fields (with red asterisks). Include as many details as you can regarding your issue in the Description area. Include screenshots, too! 
7. Add request. An IT technician will reply to your ticket 

If you have an issue that necessitates an in-house visit we will have an open Helpdesk located in the Main Lobby at CHS to accommodate you. The hours will be 7-9am and 1-3pm Monday thru Friday. You will need to report any issues via the Student Helpdesk Request first.
 
We are here to make your virtual learning experience the best it can be!
 
Your Helpdesk Staff

2020-2021 School District Calendar Information
Please visit the T/E School District website to view the 2020-2021 School District Calendar information. School staff members have begun planning events and activities for the 2020-2021 school year. 

To view the single page summary of the 2020-21 school year, please view this link. 
Inbox to Receive Feedback on TESD 
Virtual Instruction Program
 
TESD has created an inbox to receive comments and feedback on our virtual instruction program. Members of the school community may email comments to virtualfeedback@tesd.net. Feedback received through this inbox will be shared with School Board members and members of the TESD administrative team on a weekly basis. Please note: this inbox is designed for feedback on the TESD virtual instruction program. Technical questions regarding virtual instruction should be sent to familyhelpdesk@tesd.net. Specific questions about individual classroom procedures or lessons should be directed to the teacher or school principal.

Upcoming Events


DATE
TIME 
LOCATION
12/24/20- 1/1/21
Winter Break
*No School*
STAY CONNECTED: