Cottonwood
Parent Portal: Please check your Parent Portal frequently. If you do not have access to Parent Portal, please reach out to office.
Visitors: At Cottonwood we are so thankful for our wonderful parents, grandparents, and volunteers. Unfortunately, this year we will not have visitors in the building. If a student needs to be picked up, parents/guardians will be asked to wait near the attendance office. We apologize for the inconvenience.
Sun Protection: Per state guidelines, we will spend as much time as possible outside. As such, please send students with sunscreen, hats, and sunglasses for PE and other classroom times when they are outside.
School Supplies: Because we do not have a back-to-school night this year, our school supplies can be brought in stages to school if it is easier for your student. Don’t feel like you need to send your student with all necessary supplies in their backpack on day 1.
Water Bottles: We will be limiting access to drinking fountains and ask that students have a water bottle sent from home. Please label it so we know who to return it to.
Labeling: Please make sure that all coats, lunchboxes, water bottles, and backpacks are labeled so we can return them if they get lost.
Hopefully these points help give a better idea of what the first day of school will look like for your student. As always, we are continually trying to grow and be better. We are so excited to see your students and appreciate the trust you have in us. We will do our very best to make this school year a magic one.
Jack Christensen Principal
Cottonwood Elementary
P. O. Box 10,000 Montrose, CO 81402 phone 970-249-2539 fax 970-240-6407
Drop Off and Pick Up: Because we want to limit exposure as much as possible, we are asking this year that all adults stay in their vehicle for pick-up and drop off. The included map shows changes to how we will be picking up and dropping students off. We have extended our pick-up and drop-off loop in an effort to maintain the flow of traffic. The yellow section marked on the map represents where parents should drop off their students. They may also park on Woodgate Road and walk them to the sidewalk. Please make sure your student’s after school plans are solidified by 2:30 PM every day and 1:30 PM Wednesday.
Additionally, because we want to try and limit cohort contamination, drop off now begins at 7:45 AM. At this point, we will begin screening students and letting them into their classrooms. If they get breakfast at the school, they will be able to have breakfast in their classroom as well.
For the past few years we have enjoyed a partnership with the Rec Center which we are fortunate to have just a few blocks away from us. Unfortunately, the Rec Center has had to change their guidelines so students must be accompanied by adults. As a result, students will not be allowed to walk to the Rec Center after school.
Screening Procedures: Before coming to school each day, we ask that you take your student’s temperature. If they have a fever, please keep your student home and notify the school. Every morning, your students will be greeted by two or three staff members who will take their temperature and ask the following questions:
Do you have new or worsening cough?
New or worsening shortness of breath?
Have you received a fever reducing medicine in the last 24 hours?
o If yes, why?
If a student has a temperature, we will sit them in the shade for a few moments and re-scan them. If they have a fever, they will be escorted by a staff member to a safe room while we await parents to pick them up.
Below are our screening stations:
