Dear Raider Families,
The start of the 2021-2022 school year is fast approaching and we are excited to safely welcome staff and students back to our building!
Please mark your calendars and join us at our Open House on Tuesday, September 7th from 5:00-7:00pm, for opportunities to meet district staff, drop off any district paperwork, learn about new offerings and view a ribbon cutting ceremony for our Student Based Health Center. MS/HS students can access and set up lockers as well, and elementary students can drop off any personal items to their classrooms. Starting promptly at 5:00pm, you are invited to join us for a free chicken BBQ dinner hosted by Chix BBQ LLC. Dinners are limited and will be offered to GMU students and their parent(s)/guardian(s) on a first-come, first-served basis until meals are gone. Parent(s)/Guardian(s) are an integral part of their child(ren)’s success, so I encourage you to attend and to stay involved in their education throughout the school year. The teachers and I are looking forward to seeing you and developing a partnership with all Raider Families!
Our district’s reopening plan, available on our website, is based on local and state guidance. All instruction for the 2021-22 school year will be in-person and full-time for all students. School will begin Thursday, September 9th and will otherwise look much like it did when we ended last June.
- Masks are required indoors and during school transportation for all vaccinated and non-vaccinated individuals. Mask breaks will be scheduled as much as possible throughout the school day. Masks are not required when outdoors.
- A minimum of 3 feet of physical distancing will be maintained among all students and staff.
- We will not require the completion of health screenings but strongly encourage parent(s)/guardian(s) to check daily for COVID symptoms of your child(ren) before attending school.
Temperature checks – Each day students will have their temperature taken by a staff member during homeroom and again mid-day. If a student has a temperature of 100oF or higher, they will be sent to the nurse’s office to be re-checked. If the nurse confirms a fever, parents will be contacted immediately and will be directed to pick their child up from school. As required by law, to maintain the health and safety of others, students will wait for their parents in an adult-supervised isolation room.
Enclosed Student Schedules – Students with scheduling concerns, please contact Ms. Tanner at (607) 783-2207 ext. 118.
School Supplies – Students will receive all necessary supplies here at school except for pens/pencils to write with, a backpack and any personal items. This is available again this year due to grants and donations that the district has received. We ask that all parents provide their child(ren) with a padded backpack to protect a computer issued to them on the first day of school by the district. Please make sure the backpack will fit a laptop up to a 15 inches. The purchase of any additional supplies for your child is not necessary for this school year.
- Review, edit and return the enclosed Student Information Sheet and have your child return it to the Main Office on their first day of school.
School Accounts – Students must use their district-issued email accounts for all school-related emails this school year. When each student receives their computer, they will be given directions for accessing all school accounts.
School Meals – The district is anticipating to provide free school meals for all students again this school year. Regardless of income, please fill out the free and reduced school meals application (found inside the mailed school calendar) and have your student return it on the first day of school to the Main Office. These applications not only help all families be eligible for free school meals and PBET benefits to those that qualify, they allow the district to take advantage of other state and federal funding opportunities.
- Breakfast will be available for all students.
- PreK-3rd grade: All students will automatically receive a free daily breakfast that will be delivered to and eaten in their classroom. Please let us know if you want to opt your child out of this meal option.
- 4th-12th grade: All students will be offered a free daily breakfast that they can pick up from the cafeteria and eat in their homeroom.
- Free lunch will be available for allstudents. Options consist of one hot item and one cold item that the students can choose from daily. All students will select their lunch choice during homeroom.
- PreK-3rd grade: Lunch will be delivered to and eaten in their classroom.
- 4th-12th grade: Will eat in the cafeteria.
District Transportation – Students are required to wear a mask for the full bus ride, and must face forward in their assigned seat. You must designate your child’s single pickup/drop-off location with the district. Daily changes to this pickup/drop-off location will need to be made by the parent from the designated location as we cannot accept bus changes again this year. If you do not need district transportation, please call the Main Office as soon as possible.
Parent Transport, Pickup/Drop-off – Students should be dropped off between 7:50am and 8:00am at the designated Parent Drop-Off Location (look for signs) and will enter through the Arts wing entrance. Students will not be allowed to enter the building before 7:50am and can be picked up at the same location at 2:55pm but no later than 3:05pm.
The health, safety and welfare of all GMU students and staff are our top concerns, and we are extremely confident that by working together, we will safely and successfully reopen school for in-person learning on September, 9th. Your ongoing support is deeply appreciated!
Sincerely,
Principal Heather Wilcox and Assistant Principal Kevin Walsh
Posted 8/30/2021