Hello Middle School Families!
We're so excited about the first day of school! We have such a wonderful community of families and teachers, and we're looking forward to a wonderful 2021-22 school year!
Thank you for your patience as I organized this information! Please read the below carefully, as there are some things that are different from how we did them last year. Also, please share this information with anyone who will be involved in making lunches for your child, dropping off or picking up, etc.
Drop-Off and Parking (please note that this information is specific for Middle School. Preschool and Lower School students have different instructions, so please also read over the documents geared to those groups if you have children in Preschool or Lower School):
Lunch:
Pick up:
What to Bring on the First Day Besides Lunch and a Towel:
Don't Forget to Tell Your Middle Schooler What You Expect Them to Do RE: Today's COVID Testing
I think that’s all for now! Please reach out with any questions you may have.
Warmly,
Martha
We're so excited about the first day of school! We have such a wonderful community of families and teachers, and we're looking forward to a wonderful 2021-22 school year!
Thank you for your patience as I organized this information! Please read the below carefully, as there are some things that are different from how we did them last year. Also, please share this information with anyone who will be involved in making lunches for your child, dropping off or picking up, etc.
Drop-Off and Parking (please note that this information is specific for Middle School. Preschool and Lower School students have different instructions, so please also read over the documents geared to those groups if you have children in Preschool or Lower School):
- Drop-off for Middle School students is 8:45.
- Lower School students who are siblings of Middle School students may also be dropped off at 8:45.
- Parents may drop off at the curbside drop off area along the side of the building on ninth street, but we encourage Middle School families to find a place nearby (such as the corner of D and 9th) to drop their children off, as it keeps the drop off lane open for those who's children are younger and may not feel comfortable walking the half a block from D and 9th.
- Please do not pull into the alley behind the building to park or wait, as this blocks access for emergency vehicles and for neighbors who have garages off of the alley, and this can also get us into trouble with the city, including the potential of having our zoning as a school revoked. If you see someone from our community parked in the alley please kindly mention to them that the alley area is a no parking/standing zone.
- Students will be accessing the Middle School area through the door that leads to the basement from the courtyard. New students should ask the staff members who are standing on the 9th street side for directions to the courtyard if they are unsure.
- Please note that there is roadwork going on near the building (on Maryland Avenue and sometimes even on 9th Street itself). At times, due to this, there will be road closures that could affect you. We encourage parents to get into the habit of checking email prior to leaving for school, as we do our best to warn parents by email when we are privy to things such as road closures, etc. It does look as if the Maryland Avenue work is almost completed, so that's the good news!
Lunch:
- For lunch, please remember that we are a tree nut-and peanut-free facility! Please pack a healthy lunch and we also ask that you only send water to drink (no juice or other beverages) and that you refrain from sending anything that can be easily spilled, like yogurt tubes, drinking yogurt, etc. Our carpet thanks you in advance! We also ask that you avoid sending in sweets (and that includes fruit roll ups and other fruit snacks that contain added sugar). Our teachers thank you in advance for that!
- We will be eating lunch outdoors whenever possible, so please have you child bring a towel if he/she would prefer to sit on that rather than the ground. We will ask students to take their towels home for washing on Fridays.
Pick up:
- Pick up is at 2:00pm for Middle School classes.
- Middle School Students will be dismissed into the courtyard to connect with parents at 2:00pm.
- How you arrange to meet with your Middle Schooler is up to you. They are free to walk and meet you somewhere else (such as Sherwood Park, etc) if you would like. CHLG staff will not be managing the Middle Schoolers whereabouts once they are dismissed, so please ensure that you have a clear plan worked out with your child.
- If your student will not be meeting you elsewhere they can stay in the courtyard and wait for you to either walk up or drive up, using the pick up lane on 9th street (if you choose to use the pick up lane please ask your child to come to your vehicle right away so that you can pull away to make room for others to pull in). We do expect that all Middle Schoolers will have moved on from the courtyard by 2:10. Parents who have not picked up their Middle Schooler by 2:10 will be charged $25 for every 15 minutes that they are late for pick up.
- Please inform your child that as long as they are on school grounds (in the courtyard or on the sidewalks anywhere around the building) that they must be wearing their mask.
- Please also inform your students that we expect proper behavior in the courtyard. Students should stay on the pavers/bricks and not be walking around in the flower beds. Additionally, there is absolutely no climbing of trees, running or yelling, etc.
- If students need to regain access to the building they may ring the bell on the 9th street side, but we ask that this not be a regular occurrence (this should be reserved for situations where they have not been able to meet up with a parent for some reason, or have forgotten something inside, etc.) If we notice that students are reentering the building for other reasons we will reach out to discuss this with parents.
What to Bring on the First Day Besides Lunch and a Towel:
- Binders and binder inserts MUST be brought to school on the first day.
- Summer Read: Students are to return their summer reading books as well as bring their book review linked to their summer reading to school on the first day.
- All other books can be left at home for the first day of school. Students will be spending time orienting on the first day, and will learn their schedule / what books they are to bring for each school day so they are ready to pack their backpacks starting on Thursday.
Don't Forget to Tell Your Middle Schooler What You Expect Them to Do RE: Today's COVID Testing
- Remember that Middle Schoolers are responsible for getting in the testing line out in the courtyard when they arrive at 8:45 if you, as the parent, would like them to be tested this week. We will not be monitoring whether your Middle Schooler tests, so be sure they understand that they need to get in the line upon arrival if you want them to test this week.
- One of our admin staff (either Sara Beth or Angela) will be in the courtyard to help the Middle Schoolers know where to line up / what they need to do in order to get tested. The only information they need to give to the lab staff is their name and birthdate. As long as you registered them online the lab staff will be able to print off the label for their vial.
I think that’s all for now! Please reach out with any questions you may have.
Warmly,
Martha