Family conferences & mask wearing

 Hello families,

Teachers have been back at school for a few days now. We are excited to start learning and laughing with your children again! This year will be different in some ways, but in many ways it will be the same: reading and writing, specials and math, and time with friends.

Superintendent Libby Bonesteel sent a letter to families on August 20. Here is some of the important information:

Parent conferences - families in grades K-8 will have a virtual family-teacher conference before school starts. The conference dates are Friday 8/28, Monday 8/31, and Tuesday 9/1. Please watch your email for a note from your child's teacher about scheduling a conference.

Air purifiers - every classroom will have an air purifier. Classrooms will also have plenty of hand sanitizer.

Masks - many parents have asked about masks. Our school nurse, Megan Spaulding, says:

    Many children and adults this summer have been wearing face masks at camps, or schools in other countries, and have been doing very well with wearing them. Some children or adults with different health concerns should not wear them, but for children and adults with no health concerns, they can wear them without having any problems. 

    By wearing a mask, you are keeping your respiratory droplets to yourself. When everyone wears a mask, it's hard for the droplets to transfer from person to person. So when everyone in a classroom wears a mask, we are all protecting each other. 

    I highly recommend children and adults start wearing masks now and practicing at home for different lengths of time in order to get used to it before school starts. 

    

If possible, every child should come to school each day with 3 masks: One to wear, and 2 in their backpack for just-in-case. Your EL teachers are practicing mask wearing too!

Ms. Sylvia
This year: grades 1-4 at UES, and grades 9-12.

Ms. Hannah

This year: all Kindergarten students, and grades 5-8. 

Ms. Laura
This year: virtual academy grades 1-3

Here are some resources about masks:

• Short PBS video for kids.
• Vermont Department of Health fact sheet: Face Coverings for Children
• Instructions for mask-making (from the CDC)

Also, free cloth masks are available for Montpelier residents. Call or email for a free face covering:

rgowans@montpelier-vt.org

(802) 371-9633