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Friday, August 27, 2021 Quote of the Week: " “You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.” Jane Goodall, primatologist Dear Ocean Shore Families, Several families have contacted me about travel protocols for their unvaccinated children, and I understand that there is some frustration about the lack of strict guidelines. I've spent hours looking at county, state and federal websites. Believe me when I say that I understand your frustration! Domestic travel is undefined; the CDC chart is titled "Recommendations and Requirements", but doesn't say what is recommended and what is required. The bottom line is that all of us, especially unvaccinated children, should limit travel. If you travel with your unvaccinated children, it is strongly recommended that you have them tested 1-3 days before travel, get tested 3-5 days after you return home AND quarantine for 7 days. If you don't test after travel, the recommended quarantine period is 10 days. Travel isn't defined either. The San Mateo County Department of Health used to define travel as going 120 miles from home. Currently, there is no mileage specified. To me, the 120 mile guideline makes sense, but it doesn't account for trips to places like Great America, Six Flags, or Oracle Park which are risky for unvaccinated individuals. Disneyland might be the "happiest place on earth" in a normal year, but now it is one of the least safe places for kids under twelve. My job is to keep as many children in school and healthy as I possibly can. I know we all have different levels of risk tolerance and make different choices for our families. Right now, more than ever, our decisions have an impact on the entire community. Take care, Jeanne  School Business: Back to School Night: Back to school night is on Thursday, September 2, 2021 @ 6:00 pm. The meeting will be virtual. I will do a quick welcome for all parents on Google Meet, and then at 6:20, parents will go to their child's homeroom teacher's session. They will share links with you beforehand and we will also put links in the chat during my welcome presentation. I will keep my Google Meet session open until 7:15 for parents that have additional questions. I know that many of you have more than one child, and that you can't be in two places at once. Teachers will be providing slide shows with the information they share and possibly taping their presentations for parents that can't attend in person. Google Meet joining info: Video call link: https://meet.google.com/bqu-gpge-ceo Or dial: (US) +1 413-459-4133 PIN: 192 588 070# Morning drop off: We will be locking the Edgemar and Nelson gates at 8:30 am. If you or your child arrives after that time, you should go to the office to get a tardy pass and then your child should enter their classroom through the hallway door. School starts at 8:22 am. Covid cases: Parents have contacted the district office and myself about the communication regarding the active COVID-19 cases last week. Please know that as a school district we take parent feedback seriously, and will continue to work on improving communication. I'm happy to report, as of this moment, we've had no additional cases in the classrooms that were affected. Thank you to all the parents that scrambled to have their children tested. I appreciate your care and cooperation, and I empathize with the additional stress and inconvenience involved! Testing: Consent forms for COVID-19 testing will be sent home soon. This service is opt-in which means we cannot test your child unless we have a consent form on file. We will have rapid response and PCR testing set up by mid-September. In the meantime, here is the link to testing sites and testing information in San Mateo county: https://www.smcgov.org/testing. Additional Fliers attached: OSS PTO Golden ticket fundraising raffle, Cub Scouts, After School Sports at Ortega, and the SMC COVID-19 Quarantine Guidelines (English and Spanish)
Dear Ocean Shore Families, Because of the two COVID-19 cases that came to light on Thursday and Friday of last week, we are going to take a few additional precautions. Pick up/Drop off: One parent can come on campus for pick up/drop off and walk a child to class if necessary. Parents should not linger to have conversations. Lunch: all students will be eating lunch outside. Testing: Consent forms for COVID-19 testing will be sent home soon. This service is opt-in which means we cannot test your child unless we have a consent form on file. We will have testing set up by the end of September. In the meantime, here is the link to testing sites and testing information in San Mateo county: https://www.smcgov.org/testing. We do advise that you have your child tested if there was a positive COVID-19 case in his/her classroom. http://pacificaredesign.cyberschool.com/files/user/25/file/COVID-19%20Exposure%20at%20School%20(CDPH).pdf Opt-in to PSD text messages: This will ensure that you receive notifications regarding your child's exposure to COVID-19. More information to follow. Take a deep breath and take care! Jeanne 
Quote of the Week: "Do what you can, with what you have, where you are."- Theodore Roosevelt Dear Ocean Shore Families, I can't tell you how exciting it was to have all of the kids back on campus! I have never seen an entire school so ready to interact and learn with their classmates and teachers. There were smiles in every classroom, and a wonderful sense of energy throughout the building. Students did a great job of wearing their masks responsibly, washing their hands repeatedly, and keeping some distance when appropriate. Of course, nothing is perfect. As you know, we had a positive case of COVID-19 this week as well. Our procedures were followed, parents of close contacts were notified, and class continued today. We are doing what we can with what we have. Luckily, we will soon have additional resources so that we can provide rapid testing at school. This is an OPT-in service, so parents will need to return the consent form. These forms are NOT in the back to school packet, and will be sent home soon. Parents can opt-out of any COVID-19 testing offered. Once again, I invite you to take a deep breath and resolve to take life a day at a time. The only constant is change, and I'm sure we'll have more coming our way. Have a wonderful weekend and thank you for sharing your children with us! Jeanne Back to School Updates: Schedule: We go back to our full day schedule on Monday, August 23rd. The OSS bell schedule, with dismissal times for grade levels, is attached as a PDF. Masks & Handwashing: Everyone (parents, children, staff) will wear a mask on campus, inside and outside, unless they are eating. Students will be allowed to take mask breaks when needed. An even greater emphasis will be placed on handwashing multiple times per day, and classrooms will all have working sinks. Hand sanitizer will also be available in classrooms, the MPR, and on the playground. I've attached a link to the CSPH website which gives some advice about which types of masks are the most effective. CDPH Mask guidance Pick up and Drop off: All students will enter their classrooms through the outside doors. The Edgemar and Nelson gates will open at 8:10 am. Any students who arrive before 8:10 should wait outside the gates. Teachers will be in their classrooms at 8:12 am to welcome students as they arrive. At 8:35 am, the gates will be locked and late students should come to the office. Parents WILL be allowed to walk students to their classrooms and to pick them up in the playground after school. Kindergarten parents will pick up their children in the kindergarten playground. Lunch and Breakfast: Lunch will be free this year to all students. Teachers will be taking lunch count as usual, but no one will pay for their meals. The majority of students will be eating outside; some will be in the MPR so that every child has a space to sit and eat comfortably. A grab and go breakfast will be available at 8:10 in the cafeteria. Students should enter through the patio door by the MPR, grab breakfast, and head out to the yard through the B-wing hallway. Welcome packets have all been sent home. Please return all materials by Friday, August 27. If you need extra pages, the packet will be posted on the website this weekend, or come to the main office. Also, be on the lookout for a technology packet to be sent home next week, which includes the Chromebook Device Loan Agreement. Without a signed Agreement, your child will not be able to take a chromebook home. You can always email your completed documentation or direct documentation questions to [email protected] Thank you! Back to School Night: Back to school night is on Thursday, September 2, 2021 @ 6:00 pm. The meeting will be virtual. More information to follow. Stay tuned for information about COVID-19 testing on school sites. We will be doing rapid testing in response to positive cases but also doing screening tests. This is one of the policies that has been expanded this week and is being updated in our PSD Pandemic Framework. More information to follow. Additional School Business: Parking: Please do not park in the Edgemar turnaround. Last week, a district van could not get past a car. Please park on the street if you want to walk your child to class and can't find a parking spot in the lot. DLG - Diversity Learning Group – Wednesday, August 25th @ 7-8:30pm The Diversity Learning (DLG) group is back and virtual! DLG serves as a resource for parents, teachers, staff and students in the OSS community to identify and discuss ideas, concerns and areas in need of further growth or awareness. The Diversity Leadership Group’s mission is to provide leadership, guidance and support to the Ocean Shore community to cultivate an environment of inclusion where each individual is valued and respected. Please join our monthly meetings on the last Wednesday of the month, from 7-8:30pm. For more information or to get involved email: [email protected] Join Zoom Meeting https://fleetcor.zoom.us/j/92227846786?pwd=THlLemlSd2hhR2xHYWN5TGhjWktRUT09Meeting ID: 922 2784 6786, Passcode: DLG. One tap mobile +14703812552,,92227846786#,,,,*378753# US (Atlanta) +12133388477,,92227846786#,,,,*378753# US (Los Angeles) Additional Fliers: PEF, OSS Bell Schedule, COVID-19 Exposure flow chart
Friday, August 13, 2021 Quote of the Week: “Challenges are gifts that force us to search for a new center of gravity. Don’t fight them. Just find a new way to stand.” -- Oprah Winfrey Dear Ocean Shore Families, Welcome to all of you, new families and returning ones! What a year 2021 has been, and it's not over yet. The delta variant promises to keep us on our toes. Education policy has changed since Tuesday and will probably change again. I invite you to take a deep breath and think about Oprah's advice. We have to look at our challenges as opportunities to practice flexibility, adaptability, and patience. It's my policy to share information when I receive it, as I understand it, and as quickly as possible. Sometimes, this means I have to follow up with changes or clarify a point that I misunderstood and communicated incorrectly. Like most administrators, I pride myself on my ability to answer questions with confidence. During this pandemic, that hasn't always been possible, and it has been humbling, to say the least. Luckily, as a former middle school teacher and current parent of a teenager, I've had lots of experience with humility and with being told that I don't know what I'm talking about! In all seriousness, I am thrilled to be returning to Ocean Shore as principal and can't wait to have this building filled with children. All of us at Ocean Shore will do whatever we can to create a safe, healthy, and loving environment so that your children can continue to grow, learn, and thrive. Take care, Jeanne Back to School Updates: Schedule: School starts on Wednesday, August 18th at 8:22 am. The first three days of school are minimum days. The OSS bell schedule, with dismissal times for grade levels, is attached as a PDF. Masks & Hand washing: Everyone (parents, children, staff) will wear a mask on campus, inside and outside, unless they are eating. Students will be allowed to take mask breaks when needed. An even greater emphasis will be placed on hand washing multiple times per day, and classrooms will all have working sinks. Hand sanitizer will also be available in classrooms, the MPR, and on the playground. Pick up and Drop off: All students will enter their classrooms through the outside doors. The Edgemar and Nelson gates will open at 8:10 am. Any students who arrive before 8:10 should wait outside the gates. Teachers will be in their classrooms at 8:12 am to welcome students as they arrive. At 8:35 am, the gates will be locked and late students should come to the office. Parents WILL be allowed to walk students to their classrooms and to pick them up in the playground after school. Lunch: Lunch will be free this year to all students. Teachers will be taking lunch count as usual, but no one will pay for their meals. The majority of students will be eating outside; some will be in the MPR so that every child has a space to sit and eat comfortably. Back to School Night: Back to school night is on Thursday, September 2, 2021 @ 6:00 pm. The meeting will be virtual. More information to follow. Travel: Please see the attached PDF with the CDC's travel recommendations and requirements. Stay tuned for information about COVID-19 testing on school sites. We will be doing testing in response to positive cases but also doing screening tests. This is one of the policies that has been expanded this week and is being updated in our PSD Pandemic Framework. More information to follow. Staffing updates: Our new teachers, Erika (2nd), Stephanie (3rd), and Bridget (4th/5th) are excited to get started and are looking forward to getting to know their students. We are still looking for a full time teacher for our special education day class, and are looking to hire a full time counselor as well. Shout out of the week goes to all of our staff. Everyone is working so hard to get the school set up to welcome all of our students back safely. I'm so appreciative of all of them: teachers, office staff, kitchen staff, and custodians! Additional School Business EAT/School Garden: There is a garden clean-up scheduled for this Sunday, Aug. 15th from 10:00 to 1:00. It's an easy way to help the school and get exercise at the same time. Our garden needs you! Flyers: PEF/Sports Basement discounts, OSS Bell Schedule, CDC Travel Recommendations, PSD School Year Calendar.
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Jeanne BellingerPrincipal of Ocean Shore. Check back here for weekly updates and messages from the principal. Archives
June 2022
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