Families – you may have noticed that some districts around the valley have started to close in-person learning. Please be aware that if cases continue to rise, the Yakima Health District (YHD) may determine that schools need to close. If directed by YHD or if cases arise in the building that make staffing impossible, we will have to pivot to virtual learning as a district. Please be prepared for this if it comes to pass. It is the last thing that the district wants to do. Please follow health guidelines regarding social activities that transmit COVID-19 and answer your child(ren)’s health screener honestly every day. Sending children to school with symptoms puts the district’s ability to stay open at risk as well as the health of our students and staff.
We will give you as much notice as possible if the school must close. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.
Lisa Gredvig
Superintendent
Bulk meal distribution is scheduled for tomorrow (Tuesday) night from 4:30 – 6:30 pm. This distribution is available for all virtual academy and in-person learning students due to the Thanksgiving holiday. This is the only meal distribution for the week as there is no school on Wednesday through Friday this week.
Liberty Bottleworks has provided 600 water bottles to our school! Shout out to them for this wonderful donation! Students don't have access to water fountains during the pandemic but they all have access to water bottle filling stations in the building that they can utilize with their gift! Thank you Liberty Bottleworks!
I just completed a meeting with Yakima Health District. They wanted to clarify that following the Governor’s press conference that they would NOT be delaying the start of 6-8 (tomorrow) but will be delaying the start of high school until further notice.
There has been little/no change of infection rate for K-8 in the last month even with schools opening to in-person learning in the county. They are comfortable with the safety measures in our school to allow grades 6-8 to begin tomorrow. The health district has completed a visit to our school while in session to verify our safety protocols and policies are in place as required.
All other school districts planning to start middle school tomorrow are moving forward as well.
The Yakima Health District will be putting out a press release on this later today. Once it is published, I will link it on this post.
To keep students and staff safe, it is VITAL that you check your child for fever and COVID symptoms as listed on the health screener every day. Please complete 30 minutes before your child arrives on campus. Your child will not be allowed in class to learn until the screener is complete as required by health guidelines.
As stated previously, if you are not getting the link the the health screener in your email, you should contact the school office at 248-3966. The generic link to the health screener is on our website www.uniongapschool.org for those that need to update their email addresses.
We are excited to see our older students tomorrow!
School delays or closures due to weather conditions
Due to COVID and advancements in student virtual learning, no late start or closure of school due to weather will be implemented this year. Instead, we will move to virtual learning for the day. The district will make this decision no later than 6:30 am. Parents should make sure that they check ClassDojo, district mobile app and social media as well when weather may prevent in-school learning. Teachers will schedule classes in Microsoft Teams on any day that the district moves to virtual learning.
Mental health support available.
With grade 6-8 students starting on Monday, it is a good time to remind you of the daily health screener requirement. Please complete the screener at least 30 minutes before your student arrives on campus.
All parents whose students are coming into school for in-person learning are receiving daily emails, including grades 6-8. If you are not receiving the emails, please call the office to verify your email address is correct.
English Health Screener Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvi-ZAjQdRE&t=94s
Spanish Health Screener Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Act-twGfwME&feature=youtu.be
Bulk meal distribution tonight only 4:30 pm - 6:30 pm
Due to Veteran's Day on Wednesday, bulk meal distribution will be on Tuesday during the evening only - 4:30 pm - 6:30 pm as school is in session during the day.
October is National Principals Month. We would like to thank our principals, Mr. Vincent and Mr. Schilperoort for guiding our school through these trying times! #ThankAPrincipal
Grade 3-5 Parents - school starts Monday! You must complete the daily health screener each day before your child leaves for school. These emails started for you today. You have to complete them daily but not until Monday when your child(ren) start school. A few important reminders and resources are listed below:
1) Attestation video: https://youtu.be/uMbDTwoKLnM
2) Bus Routes: https://bit.ly/2HmiF98
Reminder - no in person school on Wednesdays (K-2). Food service today from 11:30 - 1:30 and tonight from 5:30 - 6:30 pm.
A lot is going on these days. Here is the latest:
ALL DAY: No in-person school on Wednesday 10-28 (AM or PM). Teachers will let your students know the work and times for the day. Check the Teams Calendar for scheduled meetings and Specialists times.
FOOD SERVICE Wednesday 10-28:
11:30 – 1:30: Pickup at the building or on the bus stops, or
5:30-6:30: Pick up at the building.
ONE PICKUP PER STUDENT, so you can come either in the afternoon or evening, not both. Thank you.
ALSO, food service is not available during the day for AM or PM students, so please make sure they eat their breakfast or lunch before they come to school.
VIRTUAL SCIENCE NIGHT Wednesday 10-28
6:00-7:00: Join us online for the Teams event: https://bit.ly/31JSa47
DAILY SCHEDULES for K-2 (and soon 3-5) are NOW available on the website. These are updated as minor changes are made to fit it all in— AM, PM, and Virtual Academy instruction: https://bit.ly/2G9wPd6
SPECIALISTS: Please check students’ Teams Calendars, THESE ARE ALL UP TO DATE. The new K-5 specialists schedule will begin on Monday, 11-2 (also updated for next week in the Teams Calendar).
K-2 Parents - school starts tomorrow! You must complete the daily health screener each day before your child leaves for school. A few important reminders and resources are listed below:
1) Attestation video: https://youtu.be/uMbDTwoKLnM
2) Bus Routes: https://bit.ly/2HmiF98
This week's meals will be available for pick up TODAY (Wednesday) between 11:30 - 1:30 pm and on all bus routes as scheduled.
Please fill out this survey (once) so we can determine the number of students who will use bus transportation once we return to in-person learning. This survey is vital to determine our bus routes in order to maintain as much social distancing as possible on the school buses. If you do not utilize bus transportation there is no need to complete the survey. The state and district encourages families to drop off their students or allow them to walk or bike to school, if safe and available during COVID. This survey will close at end of day on Sunday.
http://bit.ly/UGSDBus
Meal distributions are changing due to move to hybrid instruction. A letter is going home with calendars for clarity. They are also posted on our website at http://bit.ly/UGSDfood.
This week's meals will be available for pick up TODAY (Wednesday) between 11:30 - 1:30 pm and on all bus routes as scheduled.
Union Gap School will be introducing a new feature in the coming days that will allow Microsoft Teams to send you a WEEKLY SUMMARY of your students' assignments. Contact the office if you need to add or update your email records.
Finally, TECH TIP FOR THE WEEK: Restart your students' computer every week. This will update the programs and keep things running well.
Reminder there is no school tomorrow for teacher professional development.