Principal's weekly message
February 22, 2021
Hello SEMS Families,
We have a lot to share with you this week. There is a large amount of very important information, so please read them carefully, complete the two mandated tasks (LumiSight and Safe School Return Contract), and note the CJSF and Yearbook information.
School Re-Opening
With the anticipated move to the ‘red’ tier, we are preparing to welcome students back sometime in mid-March. To help with a projected timeline, please note the following:
The County receives the updated tier information every Tuesday evening. That means SMUSD will know on a Wednesday morning if we have moved into the red tier. When we do, that will start the timeline of five consecutive days the County needs to stay in the red tier to allow schools to reopen. During those five days, teachers will return to campus for their three prep days on the Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday of the following week. That will coincide with the end of the five consecutive days, and we will welcome students from all three grades in Cohort A back to campus on Thursday. We will then welcome students in all grade levels of Cohort B on Friday. Therefore, all students will get to experience one day back to adjust to in-person learning before the weekend.
LumiSight
All students returning to campus for hybrid, in-person learning will need to show their LumiSight clearance app every day. There is now an app for iPhones, and our school district has a webpage with instructions on how to download the app and/or create a shortcut to the URL (https://www.smusd.org/reopening_info_2020-21/lumi_sight_c_o_v_i_d-19_screening_app).
That webpage is LumiSight, and families will need to complete the questions every day, a separate screening for each child, before the child is allowed on campus.
Please watch this how-to video, and set up your account now, so we can be ready when we come back to campus:
Return to School Safety Contract
All students will also need to complete the Safe Return to School form found on our website homepage [News tabs, Return to School Documents] or click here
What School Will Look Like
In-person learning will look completely different than how school looked prior to the shutdown. Our SEMS TV crew have helped our staff video the major differences, including how to enter campus, the one-way hallways, the expectations for mask wearing, hand-washing, and social distancing. We will also post the bell schedule for in-person learning, show students how to enter and exit classrooms, explain the social distance expectations during passing periods and lunch, and how students will exit campus every day. We will also remind the students that they need to keep moving, especially during those brief movement times where social distancing is more challenging.
These videos will become available next week, and we will notify the community when and where they can be viewed in preparation for our return to campus.
Dressing for the Weather
A major difference when we return will be the open doors and windows to help with ventilation. These open doors and windows will be open during our winter and spring months, and we encourage students to dress in layers to help with the adjustments to different temperatures both inside and outside of the classroom.
CJSF
Our CJSF Spring Membership Drive for 7th and 8th grade students ends Wednesday, February 24 at 3 p.m.
Students can find our CJSF Application posted on SEMS website homepage, under News Tab, CJSF Membership.
Spring membership is based on grades earned during Fall Semester. Students will need to use BOTH their Quarter 1 AND Quarter 2 Report Card grades to complete the application. Remember, membership is for one semester, so you must apply to join CJSF again each semester.
From Yearbook
*Remember, yearbooks are on sale for only $40!
You can purchase them online through our webstore:
CLICK HERE FOR WEBSTORE
Due to the special circumstances of the year, Yearbooks are scheduled to arrive in July and we will have a drive-through distribution day, similar to last year. The dates/times are TBD.
Please be sure to purchase your book soon to guarantee your copy. Our final order number will be due by April 10, and we will not be ordering extras this year.
Thank you for your attention with these very important updates, and have a great week.