Superintendent Letter – May 5, 2020
Dear Champion South Mountain Families,
I hope this letter finds you and ALL of your loved ones safe and well. We are all happy to hear that Governor Doug Ducey has announced the gradual re-opening of Arizona. In order for our economy to re-open, it is essential to open schools. Superintendent Kathy Hoffman is very optimistic that Arizona Schools will be opening for the upcoming School Year 2021.
Report Cards and Awards are being prepared for distribution via Pick UP and US Mail. We are very proud of all of our Students (and Parents) as we transitioned to Online/ At-Home Learning.
Meal Program will continue throughout the Summer, with FREE Breakfast and Lunch being available for Pick Up, Monday-Friday 8:00-9:30am.
We HOPE to have a FREE Summer Camp Program June 8-11, 15-18 and 22-25,
Monday-Thursday 8am-noon. This is dependent on the advice of the Governor and the results of the pending reopening. You may contact the school to reserve a space in the Summer Program. We will keep you posted.
We plan to open for School Year 2021, with the FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL on July 27th. (unless closures continue) What will school ‘look like’ after this COVID19 pandemic? Here are some important things to consider as you prepare for your children to return to school.
- Students should be prepared to Social Distance at School This means that children will not be sitting right next to each other, keeping space between each other in line, during lunch and recess. Playground equipment will not be used until we are sure that there is no risk
- Students should be up-to-date on their IMMUNIZATIONS. The following link describes how providers can maintain Childhood Immunizations During COVID-19 Pandemic https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/pediatric-hcp.html. For more information on where to go for Immunizations: www.WeArePublicHealth.org The Roosevelt Immunization Clinic has been and will continue to operate as a WALK-IN clinic while following social distancing and cleaning measures.
- Talk to your children about COVID19 Here is some helpful guidance from the CDC. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/talking-with-children.html
Students should bring a MASK to school: Wearing a mask protects them and others. These are available at https://www.etsy.com/market/masks . Teachers will have masks as well.- Students should bring a small personal bottle of sanitizer to school, and will be allowed to use it anytime. We also have sanitizer “magic soap” available in classrooms.
- Check for signs of illness if a student has a fever, cough, or shortness of breath, call your healthcare provider and keep your child at home and away from others as much as possible.
Here are some additional resources provided by Maricopa County Public Health
- For up-to-date COVID-19 information in Maricopa County, resources and guides to assist you in communicating with your families/community visit www.maricopa.gov/coronavirus
- Call 2-1-1 for general information on COVID-19. They also have information and resources on their website https://211arizona.org/covid-19/
- Poison Center 844-542-8201
Health care providers, individuals with COVID-19 symptoms, and individuals who believe they may have been exposed to COVID-19 only are advised to contact the Poison Center. This will enable the calls to be answered as efficiently as possible. - The Disaster Distress Helpline offers counseling services via telephone and in multiple languages
https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/disaster-distress-helpline - Enter your zip code to find a food bank near you
http://www.azfoodbanks.org/index.php/foodbank/index/ - Find free and almost free services in Maricopa County
https://www.findhelpphx.org/
Best Wishes and Take Care,
Ms. Sawyer MA
Superintendent