text: A Message from Principal Nixon--Week of October 19, 2020
  I hope you and your families are doing well! As many of you know, this is the last week before students on Plan B begin reporting back to school. As such, this week's newsletter contains a lot of important information for Plan B families.
  Please take a few minutes to read through the important information and updates below.
  The Week of October 19th
  At one point or another each of us has felt insecure, or stressed out, or alone. It is an important reminder that we are all in it together and can support each other. Use the hashtag #HereForYou on social media to let others know that they have your support.
  National UNITY DAY: WEAR ORANGE
  Virtual Counseling Slips
  Fill out this form if your student needs to speak with a counselor!
  Return to School Procedures:
  Plan B Families, we know that you have many questions about what the school day will look like when students return. To be clear, health and safety is our number one priority and we will do everything we possibly can to ensure a safe return. For your convenience, we have created a Return to School presentation that provides more specific information about routines, procedures, and expectations.
  If you still have questions, please consider joining me for a live Q&A session. Q&A sessions for Plan B families will be held tomorrow, Tuesday, October 20th and Wednesday, October 21st from 6:00-7:00pm. The link to join the meeting is posted on our website calendar and is also available here.
  Plan B: Student Accountability and Expectations:
  The WCPSS Student Accountability and Required Health Protocols document outlines our expectations for students to strictly follow our required health protocols when at school, as well as possible consequences and processes to address non-compliance. Families and students are asked to complete and sign the acknowledgement page and return it to your school, similar to the signature page for the Student Handbook. For your convenience, I've included links to the signature pages (English and Spanish) below.
  Student Accountability and Required Health Protocol Signature Page (English)
  Student Accountability and Required Health Protocol Signature Page (Spanish)
  To request an accommodation, parents or guardians must complete the form and submit it, along with supporting documentation, to Joe Nixon at jnixon@wcpss.net. The deadline for elementary students is Friday, October 23rd.
  Please be advised that current Plan B restrictions require schools to limit non-essential visitors and volunteers. In accordance with those guidelines, parents and other non-essential visitors will NOT be permitted in the building. Additionally, parents will NOT be permitted to walk students to class in the morning. We appreciate your understanding and flexibility as we work to keep our students and staff safe.
  Medication Drop-Off (Plan B Students Only):
  If your child requires medicine that will be administered at school, please use this form to schedule an appointment to drop off the medications and required forms. Due to social distancing requirements, we are only able to serve one family at a time.
  Bus routes were posted to the WCPSS Transportation site this morning. Please use this link to check the bus stop information for your child. Bus drivers will be calling families later this week to provide information regarding bus numbers and stop times.
  IMPORTANT: Families who plan to utilize WCPSS transportation should review the guidelines and complete the Bus Attestation Form prior to your child's first scheduled day of school.
  Requests for Virtual Academy or Plan B
  Due to scheduling constraints, class sizes, and availability of staff, I am no longer able to approve requests for program changes. Your child's placement on VA or Plan B is considered final for the remainder of the first semester.
  Online Learning Schedule Changes:
  Please be on the lookout for important information regarding schedule changes from your child's teacher. All students, including those participating in VA, will experience some changes due to the return of Plan B students to the building.
  Before-School & After-School Care:
  As a reminder, due to insufficient staffing, we are no longer offering before-school care for the fall semester. However, on-site after-school care will be provided by the Taylor Family YMCA. Registration information has been posted to the YMCA website. If you have questions about the after-school care program, please contact the program coordinator, Dana Kennedy, at Dana.kennedy@ymcatriangle.org or 919-653-2385.
  New Asynchronous Day:
  WCPSS is allowing school additional flexibility to create an additional asynchronous day on Wednesday, October 28th. Students participating in Virtual Academy will not receive live instruction on that day. Additionally, students participating in Plan B will stay home. Teachers will prepare asynchronous activities that students may complete throughout the day. Attendance will be taken via a simple assignment in Google Classroom.
  It's hard to believe the last day of Q1 is Thursday, October 22nd. Report cards will be emailed to parents on Friday, October 30th. In addition to report cards, families will receive individualized Istation reports and information about the Istation Parent Portal.