The focus of this month's meeting:  

• Strategies to support virtual learners.  

Meeting Zoom link:   

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89717901347?pwd=Z0U5TTFnT2tzMEw2bExFLzhqYU1yUT09

Here's a checklist that went out over the weekend to help avoid the morning scramble, for those returning to in-person school:

• Get the backpack ready. Help your child pack her/his backpack to include the Chromebook, charger, books, lunch, and anything else they will bring back and forth from school. See the last bullet point for a list of those items.  
  • Consider clipping an index card with your student's name, teacher, grade, and mode of transportation (car rider, bus, walker) to their backpack to assist in getting them to and from their classrooms during the first week back.  
• Upgrade face masks. Students must wear one mask to school and bring a back-up mask with them. Masks should be washed frequently, if possible at the end of each day. Given this, it is important to have several well-fitting, comfortable masks for your child. 
  • Review the latest CDC guidance here on the recommended type of masks: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/mask-fit-and-filtration.html (scroll down to Types of Masks). Make sure you follow this CDC guidance for your child's health and safety:  
  • Aim for a mask made with multiple layers, and not just one layer. As a test, hold the mask up to bright light and see if the mask blocks the light. 
  • Aim for a nose wire, which helps with fit.  
  • Make sure there aren't gaps on the nose, cheeks, or chin. Masks need to fit snugly.  
  • Do not use masks with exhalation valves or vents. CDC capitalizes and bolds the word “NOT” in its guidance, so please consider this a very important point.  
• Review with your child proper hand hygiene. You can ask your child to sing happy birthday 3x’s while washing hands, to be sure that they are washing for the proper amount of time.  
• Send your child with a water bottle. There will be one water bottle refilling station near the gym, but water fountains will not be turned on.  
• Send your child with a jacket or sweater. Windows will be opened in classrooms when feasible. Please be sure your child brings another layer of clothing like a sweatshirt/sweater/jacket so that they can be comfortable.  
• Locate the lunchboxes! Hopefully there were no unpleasant surprises...  
• Pack the necessary school supplies. Teachers have shared lists detailing what students in their class should plan to bring to school with them. 

These items may include:  

• Chromebook and charger   
• Headphones - provided at school, but pack your own if your student has a set they're comfortable using  
• Ruler, 12”   
• Whiteboard  
• Pencil box  
• Crayons or colored pencils  
• Erasers  
• Glue sticks  
• Dry erase markers  
• Pencils, sharpened  
• Scissors, blunt tip  
• Whiteboard Eraser  
• Eureka math books  
• Independent reading book of your choice, coloring book or book of puzzles, crosswords, etc. for breaks  
• Composition notebooks  
• Folders  
• Reusable water bottle with name labeled on it  
• Lunchbox or school will provide sack lunch*  
• Sweater/sweatshirt   
• Extra masks (at least 1, preferably 2-3)  
• Hand sanitizer (will be available at school but having extra wouldn't hurt!)  
• Some teachers have suggested including a small toy or bag of personal items your child can play with independently at their desk for breaks, such as Legos, small puzzles, or Rubix cubes.  

*In addition to free lunch for all students, all students can get bagged breakfast for free as well. Breakfasts will be eaten in the classroom. If you would like your child to take home a snack and dinner, please remind them to share that with their teacher at the beginning of each day.

Please review this update from MCPS regarding travel, which was released on Monday, March 8, 2021:   https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/coronavirus/travel/  

Excerpt:  

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Maryland Department of Health (MDH) discourage nonessential travel, asking residents to travel only for essential or emergency reasons, and to restrict or delay travel for tourism or vacation purposes.  

In alignment with updated MDH directives, students who choose to travel outside of Maryland and its adjacent jurisdictions (Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Washington, D.C.) should take a COVID-19 test within 72 hours of returning and self-quarantine while awaiting results. Please note there are specific exceptions for symptomatic students and students who have had COVID-19 in the 90 days prior to travel. Please read this guidance from the state carefully. This guidance applies to spring break and any other travel a student may take during the school year and it also applies regardless of vaccination status. These protocols will be regularly reviewed and updated as federal and state health guidance changes.