Otter Splash News & Reminders

Posted by Stephanie Bias on 8/6/2021

Principal’s Otter Splash 8/6/2021

Hello, Oak Grove family! We hope you are having a wonderful weekend. Thank you to our Track 4 families in Kindergarten for attending our Meet the Teacher event on Friday, August 6. We can’t wait to see our newest Otters all together on Monday! Our PTA is excited about a new year, and you can read all about the PTA in this Introduction Flyer.

 

Face Covering Guidance Update:

Face coverings required in all schools
On August 3, the Wake County Board of Education voted to require all students and staff to wear face coverings while indoors at school. The requirement also applies to school buses and vendor transportation.

 

OGES Addressing Student Exposure and Quarantine:

As you know, we have recently seen an increase in COVID cases in the community. COVID has not left us, and it stands to reason that we will continue to see cases in the school. Oak Grove is following guidance from WCPSS as well as working collaboratively with other Southwest Area Year-Round Schools. We have developed this document (Guidance Document) to help families understand what happens if a case is reported to the school. Some area schools have had to report a cluster of cases. The guidance changes if a cluster is reported. Should that happen, you can expect updated communication and guidance from me, working with my area superintendent and WCPSS.

 

COVID cases at school:

Please help us continue to keep our Otters safe by carefully monitoring any symptoms at home. Please do not send your Otter to school unless they are free of symptoms.

If we have a presumptive positive case at school, the school’s first step is to notify the COVID nurse/health department. We work with that agency to conduct contact tracing. Individuals that are determined to have been in contact with the presumptive positive case are notified.

CDC considers someone exposed to COVID-19 if they were within 6 feet of an infected person, with or without a face covering, for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period starting from 2 days before illness onset or, for infected people without symptoms, 2 days before they had a sample collected to submit for COVID-19 testing.

WCPSS no longer sends out an email to the entire school when there is a presumptive positive case. Instead, the School District will update the WCPSS COVID Metrics website daily to list schools where someone reported to have COVID-19 was in the school. Information for employees is shared via WakeConnect.

All reporting and notifications must maintain confidentiality in accordance with FERPA, NCGS 130A-143, and all other state and federal laws.

If you have questions about COVID in the school, Ms. Rhodes, our Assistant Principal, is our COVID coordinator. Her email is lrhodes@wcpss.net.

 

Track 4 Back to Campus Reminders:

As a reminder, we still must limit visitors inside the building while students are in attendance. So, for now, please plan to meet an Oak Grove staff member at the door if you have something to deliver to school. 

 

Also, as a reminder, we still must wear masks inside the building when students are present. Students will not have to wear masks while outside or while actively eating or drinking (including lunch). Water fountains remain closed except for filling water bottles.

 

Reminders for Carpoolers for a smooth arrival & dismissal

  • Morning carpool begins at 8:45 and ends by 9:10. Please try to arrive on campus between 8:45-9:00. As a reminder, students need to be inside the building by 9:15 or they will be considered tardy.
  • Afternoon carpool begins at 3:40 and ends by 4:00. During the first few days of a track change, the carpool line may take a little longer than 4:00. If our families arrive on time and ready, we should be able to complete the carpool around 4:00.
  • Adults stay in car at all times with car running
  • Please have your carpool number displayed during dismissal
  • Please practice carpool numbers with your student
  • Students should be ready to get out of the car quickly. If they are able, they can open the car door on their own. Our staff is there to help if needed.
  • Students should be seated in the back passenger seat (right side of the car) upon arrival; and will be placed in the back passenger seat at dismissal
  • Students should have backpack/personal items ready
  • Say goodbye or hello quickly
  • You can pull off by the Oak Grove track to the right as you exit if your Otter need help buckling up before leaving our campus

 

 

Older Splash Reminders:

 

Updated guidelines: For family engagement activities, NCDHHS requires schools to limit nonessential visitors and activities involving external groups or organizations. Before or after school hours, when students are not required to be in school, you may have visitors in your building. 

All visitors, staff, and students must follow face covering requirements if students are in the building.

 

Schools should make efforts to limit or minimize the number of visitors in a school at a time. Possible options include staggering event dates/times to reduce the number of people in areas of the school at the same time or hosting the majority of the event outdoors.

 

As a reminder, we still must limit visitors inside the building while students are in attendance. So, for now, please plan to meet an Oak Grove staff member at the door if you have something to deliver to school. 

 

Also, as a reminder, we still must wear masks inside the building when students are present. Students will not have to wear masks while outside or while actively eating or drinking (including lunch). Water fountains remain closed except for filling water bottles.

 

Chromebook Distribution (Tracks 4)

If your Otter hasn’t already received a WCPSS Chromebook, they will be issued a device this week.  It's their responsibility to charge it every night and bring it back to school the next day. Please refrain from decorating cases or removing cases from the devices. We look forward to the continued use of technology in the classroom to enhance learning. Eligible Virtual Academy students should have received their Chromebook at item distribution on July 29.

 

Virtual Academy 21-22

For our Virtual Academy families, Oak Grove is partnering with the 4 other Southwest Area Year-Round Schools (Laurel Park, Olive Chapel, Turner Creek, and Salem) to finalize teachers, rosters, and plans for the 21-22 Virtual Academy. You should have heard from your child’s VA teacher at the end of July. Our Virtual Academy contact is Ms. Rhodes, our Assistant Principal. You can reach her at lrhodes@wcpss.net .

 

Track 3 Summer Camp (August 2-6 and 9-13):

Ms. Tysor (jtysor@wcpss.net) sent home information earlier in July with our Track 3 students that were notified of participation in the Spring. We will see you the first two weeks of this track-out in August.

Grade Level Supply Lists:

Please find the grade level supply lists here:

Kindergarten

First Grade

Second Grade

Third Grade

Fourth Grade

Fifth Grade

ECS

You child’s teacher may have additional items in a “wish list” that you receive at Meet the Teacher in July/August.

 

Items to Return to OGES:

We need to get the following back when students return in July/August:

WCPSS math manipulatives

WCPSS headphones

WCPSS white board

WCPSS EL books

If you haven’t returned these items, please do so when your student returns to OGES.

 

Purchase OGES Spirit Wear:

As we begin the 2021-2022 school year, the PTA wants to remind you that Spirit Wear is available for purchase now to get your student ready for the new school year. You can find ordering information here: https://oakgrove.memberhub.com/store 

 

COVID Guidelines Updates (Subject to Change . . . )

 

  • Classroom Set Up:  

Desks do not have to be six feet apart. Teachers will use a seating chart whenever possible to monitor student interactions. Assigned seating could reduce the number of people who may have to quarantine if someone is diagnosed with COVID-19 and facilitate contact tracing.

 

  • Recess:

Social distancing and masks are NOT required while outside at recess.  Students can use all recess equipment.

 

  • Cafeteria:

Classes will be eating in the cafeteria as they have done in the past with the following guidelines:

  1. Serving lines will be set up in the traditional way so students can "self-serve" and make their own food/beverage choices.
  2. Students must have assigned seats.
  3. Students can talk and socialize while eating.  
  4. Adults will always remain masked in the cafeteria. 
  5. Students will be encouraged to replace masks when they finish eating. Masks will have to be in place prior to leaving the cafeteria.

 

  • Visitors in the School:

While there are still restrictions on visitors inside the school, there has been some loosening of these restrictions. Below are some highlights:

  • Nonessential visitors must still be limited, but . . . 
  • Schools may allow visitors when students are not required to be at school (i.e. before/after school or teacher workdays). Generally, visitors will only be allowed for planned events.
  • All visitors, staff, and students must follow face covering requirements if students are in the building. 
  • Schools must limit the number of visitors in the school at a time. 
  • Schools will ask families to limit the number of non-students attending in-school events and make arrangements for siblings when possible.

 

  • Health Screening:

We need your help to keep our school communities healthy by keeping your student home if they are not feeling well or have been diagnosed with or exposed to COVID-19. Thank you for your cooperation. More information

 

Move to Symptom Screening Reminders:

Students should not be in school if they are diagnosed with COVID-19, exposed to someone with COVID-19, instructed to quarantine, or if they are sick or experiencing any of these symptoms: 

  • 4° fever or higher
  • Sore throat
  • New cough
  • New shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
  • New loss of taste or smell
  • Diarrhea or vomiting
  • New severe headache

Visit www.wcpss.net/WhenToReturn for information about returning to school.

 

 

As always, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Ms. Rhodes or me with any questions you may have. We are happy to help.

 

All my best,

 

Stephanie Bias, Principal

 

Reminders:

En español a continuación:

¡Hola, familia Oak Grove! Esperamos que esté pasando un fin de semana maravilloso. Gracias a nuestras familias de Track 4 en Kindergarten por asistir a nuestro evento Meet the Teacher el viernes 6 de agosto. ¡Estamos ansiosos por ver a nuestras nutrias más nuevas todas juntas el lunes! 

Nuestra PTA está entusiasmada con el nuevo año y puede leer todo sobre la PTA en este folleto de introducción.

Actualización de la guía de cobertura facial:

Se requieren cubiertas faciales en todas las escuelas.

El 3 de agosto, la Junta de Educación del Condado de Wake votó a favor de exigir que todos los estudiantes y el personal se cubran la cara cuando estén adentro de la escuela. El requisito también se aplica a los autobuses escolares y al transporte de proveedores.

OGES aborda la exposición y la cuarentena de los estudiantes:

Como saben, recientemente hemos visto un aumento en los casos de COVID en la comunidad. COVID no nos ha dejado, y es lógico que sigamos viendo casos en la escuela. Oak Grove sigue la orientación de WCPSS y trabaja en colaboración con otras escuelas de todo el año del área suroeste. Hemos desarrollado este documento (Documento de orientación) para ayudar a las familias a comprender qué sucede si se informa un caso a la escuela. Algunas escuelas de la zona han tenido que informar sobre una serie de casos. La guía cambia si se informa un clúster. Si eso sucediera, puede esperar comunicación y orientación actualizadas de mi parte, trabajando con el superintendente de mi área y WCPSS.

Casos de COVID en la escuela:

Ayúdenos a seguir manteniendo a nuestras nutrias a salvo controlando cuidadosamente cualquier síntoma en casa. Por favor, no envíe a su nutria a la escuela a menos que no presente síntomas.

Si tenemos un caso presunto positivo en la escuela, el primer paso de la escuela es notificar a la enfermera / departamento de salud de COVID. Trabajamos con esa agencia para realizar el rastreo de contactos. Se notifica a las personas que se determina que han estado en contacto con el caso presunto positivo.

Los CDC consideran a una persona expuesta al COVID-19 si estaba a menos de 6 pies de una persona infectada, con o sin cubrirse la cara, por un total acumulativo de 15 minutos o más durante un período de 24 horas a partir de 2 días antes del inicio de la enfermedad o, para las personas infectadas sin síntomas, 2 días antes de que se recolectara una muestra para someterla a la prueba de COVID-19.

WCPSS ya no envía un correo electrónico a toda la escuela cuando hay un caso presunto positivo. En cambio, el Distrito Escolar actualizará el sitio web de WCPSS COVID Metrics diariamente para enumerar las escuelas donde alguien informó que tenía COVID-19 estaba en la escuela. La información para los empleados se comparte a través de WakeConnect.

Todos los informes y notificaciones deben mantener la confidencialidad de acuerdo con FERPA, NCGS 130A-143 y todas las demás leyes estatales y federales.

Si tiene preguntas sobre COVID en la escuela, la Sra. Rhodes, nuestra subdirectora, es nuestra coordinadora de COVID. Su correo electrónico es lrhodes@wcpss.net.

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