Arcadia This Week 11/15/2021

Hello, Arcadia families, students, and friends!

I am so excited to be BACK! After six weeks of being stuck at home healing, I can’t wait to be back with all of you at school! A huge thank-you to Barb Wornson, who stepped in while I was out! I am so grateful to her for bringing her experience and knowledge as a school leader back to Arcadia during this time.

Here’s what’s happening at Arcadia this week!

Monday, 11/15: No School

Tuesday, 11/16: Day 3

--First day of 2nd Quarter

Wednesday, 11/17: Day 4

Thursday, 11/18: Day 5

Friday, 11/19: Day 6

 

Give to the Max Day

We will be participating in Give to the Max Day this year! It takes place in two days--on November 18th. I will send out more specific information. Our annual Thanks-Give fundraiser is moving to February 4th, so if you would like to give to Arcadia during this tax year, Give to the Max will be the day to do it! (Well...really any day is a good day to financially support Arcadia! But that will be an official day of giving. :) )

Arcadia Student Bill of Rights and Responsibilities

On Tuesday, I will be visiting advisories to review this important, student-created document. Developed during our opening expedition, the Arcadia Student Bill of Rights and Responsibilities names how we will hold each other and ourselves accountable to the Arcadia community. It gives us a way to measure whether or not our actions meet the standards of behavior we have established together to make this a safe, inviting place for students and staff to be. I wanted to highlight it again for families, because, in addition to the Student Handbook, this helps clarify community expectations for all of us, and, I hope, underscores what a uniquely wonderful community this is! 

This document reflects important community values and our quirky sense of humor, reflected in a reference to Magna Carta (no forced bridge-building without an ancient obligation here!). 

Final Bill of Rights and Responsibilities

COVID Update

Rice County COVID numbers have once again increased. For detailed information, here is a link to the Rice County website: http://www.co.rice.mn.us/492/Coronavirus-disease-COVID-19-Current-Sit

Transmission is high here in Northfield, too.

Vaccination is now available to children ages 5+! If you would like help finding a vaccination appointment for your child, please contact us! Most pharmacies are offering vaccinations, as are clinics. 

After vaccination, masks are students’ best defense at school. We will continue to be vigilant about students’ mask-wearing habits, and staff will continue to model those habits.

Once again, we have a number of plans in place to protect students as they return to school this year. Read those plans here: COVID-19 Plan 2021-2022

We are also offering in-house COVID testing! Tests are available at any time, just contact us. We have an option you can take home, and a highly accurate rapid test available at school.

Transportation

Some reminders on the morning drop off and afternoon pick up:

First, all students need to be picked up from the loading/unloading zone. Please don’t let your child get into or out of the vehicle if you are not by the loading/unloading zone. That is the area at the end of the sidewalk, in front of the stairs.

The loading/unloading zone is a State requirement, so we really do need you to use it--please do not drop students off in the crosswalk. The crosswalk is for students coming from the sidewalk where the bus drops off/picks up students.

We can have about three students loading and unloading if the front car in a line pulls all the way up to the end of the loading zone. Please continue to pull up as far as possible when picking up your child, especially at the end of the day.

NEVER pass another vehicle in the front drive, unless you receive instructions to do so from a staff member.

One other thing that has only come up a couple of times, but that is so important: please be kind to the staff members running the pick up/drop off! It’s a stressful job, making sure all of our students stay safe! We’re all human. Be kind.

More to Come

I’m sure I’ll have more to share with you as the week unfolds, especially about the end of 1st and the beginning of 2nd quarter! But in the meantime, thank you, everyone! I appreciate you, and I’m so happy to be back!

Have a great week!

Sincerely,