August 11, 2020
Good afternoon Marietta Family!
This is the week we’ve all been waiting so long for--- it’s time for back to school! Our teachers and staff returned last Thursday and are here all this week to do the final prep work for the 1st day of in-person school this Thursday, August 13th!
Health & Safety
This year will no doubt be like none other, but we are determined with your help to make the best of it every way we can. The safety of your children and our staff is of utmost importance as we return to school. During the school year, we are asking that you check your children daily for signs of COVID-19. Below is a checklist of statements you may use as a reference. If your child exhibits any of the following signs, indicated by answering yes to the questions below, please KEEP THEM AT HOME.
_____ 1. Does your child have a temperature of 99.5 degrees or more today?
_____ 2. Does your child have a sore throat?
_____ 3. Does your child have a cough?
_____ 4. Does your child have a loss of smell or taste?
_____ 5. Does your child have shortness of breath?
_____ 6. Has your child had close contact with a positive COVID case?
By sending your child(ren) to school, you agree the answer to each of the statements above is “No.”
Transportation:
Buses: We know that many of our students currently ride the bus to and from school each day. We will continue to provide this option. However, we do encourage anyone that has the ability to transport their own students, please do so. Students that do ride the bus will be required to sit in their “assigned” seat each day. We will be keeping a log of all bus riders and their seat location. This will prove helpful in contact tracing should we have a positive COVID case in the future. Also note, we plan to take temperatures as students load the bus in the morning. If they have a fever of 99.5 degrees or higher and cannot safely return home to be supervised, they will be required to wear a mask, be isolated in a seat up front and taken to their school office to await pick-up. This is for the safety of all faculty, staff and students. We want parents to know that along with the seating charts, daily cleaning and as much social distancing as possible, we will also be increasing air flow on buses, which will include having windows down during the bus routes. We are following CDC guidelines and will do whatever is necessary and feasible to keep our students safe.
Pick-up/Drop-off: We expect some long pick-up and drop-off lines the first few weeks of school as we work on our routines, so please plan your schedule accordingly. All parents will need to stay in their vehicles in the car line. To help maintain social distancing, no walk-ups will be allowed. We have a new software system in place at the elementary and primary sites to hopefully expedite the pick-up process as much as possible, but please be patient as pick-up/drop-off can take a lot of time in even the best of circumstances. All parents must use the main car loops to drop off/pick up.
We have made changes in the pick-up/drop-off route. A map with directions will be published in the Marietta Monitor tomorrow so be sure you get a newspaper to get more information. Remember to drive slowly and carefully when near campus and watch for children. This is a new plan for drop off/pick up and we hope it is safer and faster, but as with everything is subject to change.
Here’s the new route: From HWY 77 you will need to turn on Mayall Street by the football field to line up. Gilliam Street will be a westbound only/one way street for both drop off and pick up. Football Way will be closed for thru traffic.
You can also access the drop off/pick up line from the east side of campus by taking 4th street to Veterans Ave. and turn west on Gilliam.
To pick up/drop off Pre-K thru 5th grade students: Use the car loop in the elementary parking lot. You will be directed by school staff to stopping points for loading/unloading. As you exit the elementary parking lot/car loop, all traffic will have to turn right to go to Hwy 77. Remember parking will only be for school staff. DO NOT park and walk up. Stay in your vehicle and follow the directions of school staff.
To pick up/drop off Middle school students: Middle School students can be picked-up/dropped off from the elementary car line with their younger siblings OR once you reach Gilliam Street, you can bypass the elementary loop and go straight west on Gilliam to drop-off/pick up in front of the middle school building. Keep in mind that Gilliam Street will be one-way – westbound only - during pick-up and drop-off times. You must wait in the car line up until you reach Gilliam. Please stay in your vehicle.
To pick up/drop off High School students: Use the loop in front of the high school. The high school loop will only be accessible from HWY 77 during drop off/pick up times. All High School student drivers will enter the high school student parking lot from HWY 77 in front of the High School and can only exit the high school student parking lot at the south exit by turning right on Gilliam to go to HWY 77.
Full-Time Virtual Students:
We are very pleased to be able to offer virtual options for our students this year. Development of our new full-time virtual program for the students who have requested and been approved for this option is almost complete. Each site will have a success coach that will be in contact with families this week to start orientation. If you have questions related to full-time virtual learning you can contact Mr. Michael Oakley, Virtual Program Director, by email at moakley@mariettaisd.org.
Distance Learning
If the need to quarantine students, classes or entire sites occurs, we will begin delivering instruction via Distance Learning. Students will use Google Classroom and/or the Seesaw platform (Primary grades) to receive online instruction and assignments. All students will begin to practice using these programs while they are in class in-person so they will be prepared to use them on their own at home.
Devices & Hotspots
We are working to get our Chromebook computers ready to check out to each student in grades 3rd thru 12th. Because of issues surrounding the pandemic, we have ordered additional devices, but they are back ordered until later this year which is making the process more difficult. Individual sites will disperse devices to students as soon as possible. Students will be responsible for bringing the device to and from school each day and are expected to have their device fully charged each day. At this time, primary students will wait to check out devices drive-thru style only if classes have to quarantine or the site has to close due to COVID.
We have a limited number of hotspots available for families who do not have internet service at home. Teachers are working to determine who needs these hotspots and we will get them out to families as soon as possible. Only one hotspot would be needed per family.
Even with hotspots, there may be location in our district where you cannot get internet service. Our parking lots have wifi coverage that can be accessed after hours or during a school closure. Work with your site principal on how to receive online instruction if home internet service isn't a possibility.
Patience, Grace and Flexibility
We know this year will be one that is filled with uncertainties at times. Any of these plans can change as the information we receive changes. We’ve already had schools in our area that have had to move from in-person learning to distance learning. We may have the same happen to us, but we have prepared for the possibility and will do all we can to minimize the disruptions. Please remember that we are all in this together. Patience, grace and flexibility will be needed for all involved. Thank you for entrusting your children to us and we look forward to the coming school year!
If you need additional information, please call your child's site at 276-9444 and follow the prompts. You can also email your site principals at the following:
High School Principal - Adam Sherfield - asherfield@mariettaisd.org
Middle School Principal - Carrie Tucker - ctucker@mariettaisd.org
Elementary Principal - Dana McMillin - dmcmillin@mariettaisd.org
Primary Principal - Ann Rutledge - arutledge@mariettaisd.org