The website is in addition to this newsletter, and our current website, which includes posting from our Facebook page and our school calendar. The hope is that you will find information that you are looking for in any and/or all of these sources.

New website address:

https://sites.google.com/epschoolsri.com/silver-spring-elementary-sch/home

School wide expectations are shared with our school community on a daily and weekly basis. This ensures that all members of our school community know what to expect when he/she is at school.

Star Students are selected based on how they model Attendance, Achievement, Participation, or Kindness, and their names are announced on a weekly basis in our Monday Morning Announcements. This is a great way to celebrate our role models!

UPDATED COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic Information:

The vaccination clinic scheduled for Thursday, January 20th has been postponed until Thursday, January 27th at 12:30 pm - 4:00 pm at the high school (cafeteria).

Students under 16 need a parent/guardian present. Permission slips can be filled out at the door. No pre-registration is needed.

The following is a link to the updated Outbreak Response Protocols: Pre K-12 Playbook:

https://health.ri.gov/publications/guidance/Outbreak-Response-Protocols-Pre-K-12.pdf

East Providence School Department 2021-2022 Covid Protocols

Updated: 1.21.2022

Playbook

Notification Process

When a school staff is notified of a Covid case, report it to Diane Wallace/Sandy Forand.

1. Review class lists for all classes including specials, bus lists, cafeteria, sports teams/after school programs/activities are reviewed

• Students that sit within 3 ft in the cafeteria are considered close contacts but are exempt from quarantine under MTS (unless exempt from quarantine due to vaccination or 90 day window).

• Students on the bus in the same seat are are considered close contacts but are exempt from quarantine under MTS (unless exempt from quarantine due to vaccination or 90 day window)

• Students that are less than 3ft are considered close contacts but do not need to quarantine if they meet the PreK-12 Quarantine Exemption.

• Staff close contacts would not need to quarantine if the staff member is considered fully vaccinated. If a staff member is not fully vaccinated, staff members will follow MTS guidelines.

• RODOH Close Contact sheets no longer need to be completed.RIDOH K12 Direct Contact Template V8 Updated 8 9 2021 (3).xlsx

2. Parents should be notified by the school nurse (Dojo, letter, phone) to inform them of their close contact status.

3. A letter is no longer being sent to the whole class. Only close contacts are being notified using the updated letter below.

Covid Classroom Letter (Not currently being used)

Close Contact Letter

4. A positive student case must be entered into the 2021-2022 Student Covid Form: Each school has their own link. Enter positive staff using the COVID Staff Quarantine Report.

5. Email notification to staff about the positive case.

Quarantine Procedures

General Guidance

• The last day of contact should be counted as day 0.

• Infectious Period for Symptomatic Cases: Two calendar days prior to symptom onset until 5 days after symptom onset

• Infectious Period for Asymptomatic Cases:Two calendar days prior to testing (the date the swabbing was conducted) until 5 days after the date of testing

• Definition of VACCINATED being 14 days past the second shot (first shot for J&J) AND have received the booster if more than 6 months from the final shot. Vaccination card must be provided to the school nurse to be exempt from quarantine (staff should provide vaccination card to HR).

K-12 Exemption

• A K-12 student exposed to another K-12 student infected with COVID-19 does not need to quarantine if all of the following apply:

  • Both the infected person and exposed close contact are K-12 students;

  • The exposure occurred in an indoor K-12 classroom;

  • Both the exposed (close contact) student and the infected student wore face masks at all times during the close contact exposure; and At least three feet of physical distance was maintained at all times during the exposure.

  • This exception does not apply to teachers, staff, or other adults in the indoor classroom setting.

Monitor to Stay

Monitor to Stay allows students and staff identified as close contacts to a known COVID-19 case, who are UNVACCINATED to be able to remain in school as long as they:

• consistently and correctly wear a mask for 10 days

• Remain with no symptoms.

• Quarantine outside of school

They are eligible to participate in Monitor to Stay if the close contact with a COVID-19 case occurred under all of the following conditions:

● The contact occurred outside of their household

● Both the contact and the COVID-19 case were consistently masked during the

exposure even if brief unmasked periods (e.g., snack time, cafeteria) occurred, and

as long as three feet or more of space was consistently maintained;

● If outdoors at school, both individuals were masked or supervised if unmasked (e.g.,

mask breaks, physical education, recess);

● The close contact remains asymptomatic (if they develop any symptoms they must

revert to regular isolation/quarantine requirements).

Ill Students

• A student currently identified as a close contact who has developed symptoms (even one symptom) should quarantine for 5 days at home or may return with a negative PCR result. Nurses can use professional judgment for students with frequent symptoms (i.e. frequently complains of headaches).

• In the absence of a more likely diagnosis by a healthcare provider, the chart below should be used to determine a probable case.

• A probable case that is sent home will require the student to have a PCR or antigen test before returning to the classroom or they may stay home for the 5 day quarantine. Students should remain home if they are still sick. If the symptoms resolve prior to staying home for 5 day or a negative test result, an antigen can be given in school.

• A probable person must get tested for COVID-19 with a PCR or antigen test before returning to school unless they have provided documentation from a healthcare provider that symptom(s) are due to another health condition.

• A student may return without a negative test if all symptoms have resolved. The students will be tested for the remainder of the 5 day “isolation” period. If the parents declines testing, the student would remain in quarantine for 5 days or until a negative test result is available.

• School nurses may assess students who report or show symptoms using the documented medical history to determine if testing and isolation are necessary.

• If a healthcare provider, such as pediatrician/Medical Doctor (MD)/Nurse Practitioner (NP)/Physician’s Assistant (PA), provides documentation of an alternate diagnosis, isolation and testing may not be recommended.

• Unvaccinated family members of the symptomatic student/staff member may remain in school pending the test results. A Binex test on site is strongly recommended.

Quarantine for In-school Close Contacts

Students who meet the K-12 exemption will not be required to quarantine. These students should:

• Monitor for symptoms

• No test required

UNVACCINATED students who do not meet the K-12 exemption

• Follow the Monitor to Stay guidelines

VACCINATED students should:

• Monitor for symptoms

• No quarantine or test required

Quarantine for Out-of-school Close Contacts

UNVACCINATED students will

• Follow Monitor to Stay guidelines for all close contacts outside of the household

VACCINATED students (or within 90 day window) should:

• No quarantine or test required

• Wear a mask for 10 days

• Monitor for symptoms

Quarantine for Household Contacts - CAN ISOLATE

UNVACCINATED students/staff will

• Quarantine for the 5 day from the date of last exposure

• The student/staff can return on Day 6.

• The student / staff MUST test in school from Day 6-10. A negative test must be obtained each morning before the student reports to class.

• If the student does not agree to test on day 6-10, 5 additional days of quarantine are required.

VACCINATED students/staff:

• Not required to quarantine

• Daily testing at school for 5 days is required (Binax)

• If testing is declined, the student will quarantine for an additional 5 days.

• Monitor for symptoms

Quarantine for Household Contacts - CANNOT ISOLATE

UNVACCINATED students/staff will

• Quarantine for the 5 day isolation of the positive household member

• Quarantine for an additional 5 days at home

• The student/staff can return on Day 11.

• Testing in school from Day 11-15 is highly recommended.

VACCINATED students/staff:

• Not required to quarantine

• Daily testing at school for 5 days is required (Binax)

• If testing is declined, the student will quarantine for an additional 5 days.

• Monitor for symptoms

Isolation for Positive Student / Staff

• 5 day isolation required from the date of positive test or date of symptom onset (whichever is first).

• Student / staff may return on Day 6 if symptoms are improving and the person has been fever free for at least 24 hours without medication.

Travel Procedures

Domestic Travel & International Travel:

There are currently no testing or quarantine requirements when returning from travel.

CDC Guidance: https://covid.ri.gov/covid-19-prevention/travel-tofrom-ri

Updated 1/21/22

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

https://www.back2schoolri.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Pre-K-12-Quarantine-8.23.2021.pdf

Please keep in mind that in order to administer the BinaxNOW COVID-19 test at school, we need the consent form completed and submitted. Thank you for parents/guardians who have already sent in a form for his/her child.

Thank you for your cooperation, as we are doing our best to keep everyone safe and our students learning.

K-12 Testing Online Appointment: https://covid.ri.gov/testing

Contact Nurse Maria via Dojo, phone or email, if your child is ill/meets testing criteria.

Phone: 383-0908

Email: mfazioli@epschoolsri.com

Our PTC meeting is scheduled for

Thursday, January 6th at 6:00 p.m. ~ CANCELLED

This month's PTC meeting will be held virtually.

Please type in the following information in the address bar to join the virtual meeting: meet.google.com/iyh-vxhj-rmr

We are looking forward to seeing you!

Reach out to our PTC Preseident, Aly Laughlin, if you would like to help with events and/or if you have any questions regarding the PTC. Aly's email address is: alytheia16@gmail.com

The recordings from our Parenting in a Pandemic Workshop Series with Dr. Ellen Flannery-Schroeder are available to view on the EPSD YouTube channel. If you were not able to attend the sessions or would simply like to revisit them, you can access the recordings through the links below or by visiting the district's YouTube channel.

Our last session with Dr. Flannery-Schroeder, titled: Avoiding the Trap of Overparenting in Unprecedented Times will be held on March 2, 2022. See the flier below for details.

When Back to School Isn't Back to Normal

Recognizing Anxiety and Depression in Your Child or Adolescent

Building Your Child's Coping Skills

Amended 2021-2022 District School Calendar

Two additional professional development/distance learning days have been approved by the School Committee:

December 8, 2021 for grades PK-8 and

January 14, 2022 for grades PK-11

January 14th ~ Super Hero/Inspiration Day - Dress Like the Person Who Inspires You!

Show your school spirit by participating in Spirit Days!

It is easy and fun. Follow the schedule below and come to school dressed to reflect the Spirit Day theme.

Seven Habits for Successful

Silver Spring Stars

In January we focus on Successful Habit #4- Family Time- Connect & Check-in

“Family is not an important thing. It’s Everything.” Michael J Fox

3 minute video: Importance of Family in Today’s World

• Highs/ Lows, Peaches/Pits

  • During dinner or on the commute, make a habit of each person sharing the day’s high/low. The only way we know what is impacting others is if we ask or if they tell us. Children talking about the lows will help to soften them. Check out The Power of Sharing Your Highs and Lows at Family Dinners

• Get kids in the habit of talking/ trusting us with the small stuff, big stuff will follow

• Harvard study- followed 65 children 8 years, found that family dinners were the activity that most fostered healthy child development.

Why Families Should Eat Dinner Together

Attendance

The Seven Habits for Successful Silver Spring Stars were created to help improve attendance. One of the best attributes about Silver Spring is the strong teachers who LOVE teaching and students who LOVE learning... If they are not here we cannot teach them.

Students must be present 90% of the time in order to be in good standing by the Rhode Island Department of Education. Currently, we've been in school 75 days. If a student has been absent 6+ days, they are considered chronically absent by the RIDE. (Quarantine absences are not factored into this number.)

Families should make every effort to get students to school every single day. If a student takes days off for vacations or birthdays, and later needs to be quarantined, the absences add up quickly. If there is an appointment, please attend school before and/or after.

We are here for you. Feel free to reach out to Mrs. Francescon

on Class Dojo or email DFrancescon@epschoolsri.com

Each student is assigned a Chromebook once the student has returned the signed Acceptable Use Policy: Computer, Technology, Internet and google for Faculty, Staff and Students Instruction - Instructional Resources and Materials page and the Chromebook Loan Agreement page.

These and other documents can be found at the District's website: https://epschoolsri.org/parents/

Winter Bingo

There are a lot of ways to practice social-emotional skills; here is a fun challenge that provides ways that maybe you haven’t thought of. Your whole family can participate together!

Happy Birthday to Our Amazing School Community Members!

January Birthdays

Alexander Thurber

Sidney Isom

Sophia Rivera

Darien Plante

Marciello Murawski

Ava Valcorba

Evalyn Uzokwe

Chloe Cabeceira

Nasir Pierre

Aiden Adams

Amanda Rodriguez

Aubrey McGovern

Liam Leonardo

Jaicee DeCarvalho

Ryleigh Penha

Logan Dugan

Mrs. Bickford

Mrs. Gage

Ms. Troche-Vargas

Ms. Raposa

To complete a free/reduced lunch application, please click here.

https://www.myschoolapps.com/Application

https://epschoolsri.org/parents/

This school year we will be using My School Apps for the Free/Reduced School Lunch Application program. No more paper applications to complete and return to the school office. Apply for meal benefits online from the privacy of your home, or anywhere with an internet connection.

While everyone will be receiving free breakfast/lunch this school year, we are still encouraging parents/guardians to fill this application out. In particular, it will help parents/guardians for the first month of school in September 2022. If students qualify for free/reduced lunch now - that will continue on through until for the first 30 days of school - roughly the second week of October.

January

The Hope & Faith Drive is making bags for the nurses at Miriam and RI Hospital.

The bags will be filled with toiletries and anything that would cheer the nurses up.

Instead of our regular January food collection, we will be collecting toiletries.

Please help us help the Hope & Faith Drive! This charity does so much good for so many people!

Thank you for your kindness and generosity!!

Because of the great response to the Feinstein Jr. Scholar Golden Ticket promotion, Mr. Feinstein has decided to continue drawing winning numbers through summertime school vacation!

Winning numbers will continue to be announced every Monday on WPRI Channel 12 during their prime time 4:30 p.m. news program and repeated the following day on our Facebook and Virtual Club right up until the end of August.

So, check your ticket each week to see if you and our school are winners! If you have a winning ticket, hold onto it until the start of school in the fall and present it to Mrs. Avila then. What an exciting moment that would be!

If you are wondering which educational and fun books, games, and/or manipulatives will help your child develop academic and social emotional skills, the list below may help you thanks to our staff's suggestions. Happy Holidays!

Social Charades and other SEL games (https://www.thepathway2success.com/using-games-to-teach-social-emotional-skills/)