Returning to Harris

All items subject to change as new guidance is received.

Whether you are new to Harris or returning to us, welcome back to school! In less than a week, our classrooms and hearts will again be full with the sounds of laughter and learning. We know that you have been faced with many difficult decisions in the last few months, including how to plan for your child's learning. Please be assured that we are working diligently to provide both a safe and fun onsite learning environment for our students. As you being final preparations for your child's return on Thursday, July 30th, there are a few things we wanted you to know.

Classroom teacher assignments: These are now posted in PowerSchool. Your child's teacher will communicate with you soon using the email address that you provided in PowerSchool. In addition, he or she will also reach out to help get you connected to his or her messaging app that will be used for regular communication.

Technology: If you have a student in grades 1-3 and have a device from last school year, it is important that you send that device to school with your child on the first day. We will be doing some updates to devices in the first few days of school. If your child is new to GC or in Kindergarten, they will be issued a device in the first few days of school.

*All Harris students will bring home their devices nightly as soon as we have them updated in the first few days of school. Please plan to have a system to safely store, charge, and return devices ready for learning each day. Please do not change passwords to the device or student applications.

IPAD Usage Agreements and insurance information will be sent home soon.

Supplies:  We recognize that for our students bringing everything and a device on the first day of school might be challenging, so please send what you can and if it takes a few days to get it all here, we understand.

Meet-Your-Teacher Night: Unfortunately, we have had to cancel our formal Meet-Your-Teacher Night for grades 1-3. For these students and families, teachers are preparing welcome videos and other opportunities to get familiar with them and their classrooms.

• Kindergarten: We are pleased to offer a brief in person Meet-Your-Teacher Night for our kindergarten students only. Please check your email for the sign up link later today.
• First - Third Grade: Teachers will be sending you this information by the evening of July 28th via the email you provided at registration. Again, there will not be any onsite visits this year.

Dismissal on the first day: To ensure an accurate dismissal, we need you to share with us how your student will go home the first day of school. If you need to make a change for any day following July 30th, please call our main office at 317-467-6731, and we will get a note to your child's teacher. In a few weeks, we will transition to School Dismissal Manager. More information on that will be sent home and emailed to you at a later time.

Medication: If your child needs to take medication during the school day, please follow this procedure:

• Medications may be brought into the school clinic from 8am-3pm on Tuesday, July 28th and Wednesday, July 29th, by a parent/guardian who is listed in PowerSchool as a contact for the student.
• The person bringing in medication will be required to wear a cloth face covering while in the clinic and practice social distancing. We kindly ask that only the person bringing in medication and the student taking the medication, if so desired, come into the clinic during drop off.
• Medication must be accompanied by the appropriate form, and the form must be complete and accurate for the medication to be accepted. Medication forms can be found in the link below.

• Health assistants will not be present in school clinics until July 28th. Questions should be directed to the corporation nurse at dhanson@gcsc.k12.in.us.

Visits to Harris: Due to restrictions with CoVid 19, visits to Harris will be limited. This includes classroom volunteers and lunches until further notice. If you have a need to visit Harris, please contact the office to make an appointment.

Text Book Fees:  You were prompted during registration to identify how you would handle textbook rental fees. If you are sending a check to school, please place it in an envelope with your child's name and teacher marked.

Masks: As a reminder, all students will receive a mask from GC. Thanks to our PTO, we also have a breakaway lanyard for students to use for securing masks during the school day.

Per the email from Dr. Olin on 7/22/2020 - Masks are required in the State of Indiana, including in schools for 3rd grade and up. Our expectation is that students in all grades will wear masks in school. This includes all staff and students at all times, except:

• In cases where desks are configured 3’-6’ apart and facing the same direction
• When an educator deems the removal of the mask necessary for instruction (phonics and early reading instruction, for example)
• During recess or other strenuous activities
• At individual discretion per a student's IEP or 504 plan

Your child will need his or her own mask on the first day of school, including at the bus stop, unloading from a car, and entering a building. Please talk with your child about the importance of wearing a mask to protect others, including vulnerable Harris students.

Recess: Students and staff should have a mask with them at all times; however, they do not need to wear it during outdoor recess. They will wear the mask while transitioning to and from recess, lunch or any other hallway movement. As noted, a lanyard will be provided to clip the masks. We have designated areas as recess for students to safely play with their classroom cohort groups, and we will rotate these locations throughout the week so kids can play in different areas. In addition, each classroom cohort will have their own recess equipment for play that will not be shared across classroom cohort groups. Equipment will be cleaned each night. Students will sanitize their hands before and after recess.

*Students should not bring their own recess equipment from home.

Hand washing: Students will be asked to wash their hands or use hand sanitizer often throughout the day. Please reinforce with your child the importance of washing and sanitizing their hands well.

Drinking Fountains: As noted in the district plan, drinking fountains will be closed. Students are allowed to bring their own, labeled water bottle with them. Please ensure that water bottles have a sealing lid. Only water is permitted. We will have water refilling stations available.

PTO: We have a wonderful Parent Teacher Organization. They have been so generous in helping buy some new things we need for the unique year we are facing, including: lanyards for face masks, additional traffic cones for our car line, and updated recess equipment for students and teachers. There will be more info from them on how and when they will meet. This year, we will need to focus on low or no contact fundraising options. Your support will be helpful in continuing to have the great resources we enjoy for Harris students. Thank you in advance for your support and generosity.

Transportation

Arrival

School Starts @ 7:50 AM

Upon entering Harris, students should report directly to their classroom. They may stop and purchase breakfast at one of our locations spread throughout the building. Breakfast will be eaten in the classroom.

Harris AM Drop Off: Harris officially opens the doors to students beginning at 7:30 AM, using the car line off Elm Street on the north side of the building. Students left before that time are not supervised and left in an unsafe situation. Please ensure the safety of your child by supervising them until they are dismissed from your car by school staff.

Dismissal

School Dismisses at 2:10

Staggered Dismissal: We will stagger our dismissal prior to 2:10 by cohort groups to the various dismissal areas to meet social distancing guidelines. Student dismissal groups will be announced over our intercom system and the adults in our building will monitor a safe, staggered dismissal.

Special Transportation: As noted in the GC Re-Entry Plan, there will be no special transportation requests this year. The only bus students may ride to and from school is their assigned bus, which is determined by the student's address. Students may not ride home with friends, or make any other arrangements.

Leaving by car: Students who are being picked up by a car should use the car line off of Elm Street on the north side of the school. When picking up a students, please remain in your car. Staff will assist in safely loading students, and you will need to follow their directions. Please leave your car tag visible until after your child has entered the car. If you do not have a car tag, you may be asked to pull around. If you are picking up a GIS student with a Harris student, it is recommended that you do not arrive early. It takes GIS students a while to walk over. You must let GIS know that you are picking up a student at Harris so that they can be dismissed appropriately in their staggered dismissal. If your GIS child was unable to make it to Harris on time, you will be asked to pull around to the end of the line to ensure that the Harris car line remains efficient and safe.

*Car tags will be distributed on the first day. You should write the names of the children and classroom teacher on the car tag for who you are picking up. If you don't have a tag, you may be asked to pull around to verify the person picking up the child.

Leaving by foot: For students who live in a walk zone and leave on foot, they will exit out Door 1 by the office after 2:10. For the safety of our walkers, cars are not to park in this area during dismissal. Parents on foot will meet their students outside of Harris near door 1. This year, you may not enter Harris to sit in our lobby. At 2:10, a staff member will identify the parent and retrieve the student one child at a time. Parents meeting students on foot are asked to practice safe social distancing outside and are encouraged to wear masks and/or follow all local and state guidance for safe social distancing.

Other Transportation Information

School Dismissal Manager: This program is not yet active. We will send information home on this soon.  For now, changes needing made to dismissal should be called into the main office by 1:00 PM.

Harris uses the School Dismissal Manager program or app to manage transportation arrangements for our students at the end of the day. Parents may also use this to report absences or schedule early dismissal for appointments. To ensure an accurate dismissal, any change you need to make to your child's after school transportation should be done through this prior to 1:00 PM.

Buses: Students at bus stops should wear a mask and socially distance at bus stops while riding a bus. On the bus, students will be assigned a seat, and sibling groups may be asked to ride together. Students should practice safe social distancing when entering and exiting a bus. When arriving at school, students should follow the directions of a staff member for safe unloading and report directly to their classroom. Buses will be cleaned after AM and PM routes.

Ride 360: This year you will have the ability to see your child's bus number, approximate bus pick up time and approximate, drop off time. Registering for this services is easy. All you have to do is go to your APP store, download the Ride 36- app, and enter your information that ties your student to your account. The app for GC should be fully functional by the afternoon of July 27th.

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Breakfast and Lunch

Lunch Prices 2020-2021:

• Elementary Breakfast: $1.75
• Reduced Breakfast: $.30
• Elementary Lunch: $2.85
• Reduced Lunch: $.40
• Extra Milk: $.50

Breakfast:  This year, breakfast will be Grab & Go. As students enter the building, there will be several stations that they can stop at and purchase a breakfast to take back to the classroom with them. Students will have a grain choice, one cup of fruit, and milk. Breakfast will be available the first day of school.

2-Hour Delays & Breakfast: Harris does NOT serve breakfast on 2-Hour delays.

Lunch: Lunch at Harris this year will have a few changes. We plan to use more than one supervised location for the purpose of keeping students with their classroom cohort and appropriately spaced. Students will eat in the same assigned area and assigned seat daily. Students will be distanced to the greatest extent possible. Tables will be cleaned between each group of students. Visitors are not permitted at lunch.

Lunch Accounts - Greenfield-Central is once again using www.ezschoolpay.com to put lunch money in your child’s lunch account (there is a small fee and you will need your child’s student number found on Powerschool). Lunch money may also be submitted by check when you come to registration. Please be sure to keep your child’s lunch account in good standing. Additionally, our cafeteria computer system does not have the capabilities to put a “block” on student lunch accounts for purchasing extra lunch items. You will want to make sure your child is on the same page as you when it comes to spending lunch account money. You can also pay textbook rental fees and iPad insurance on ezschoolpay as well!

Stay Connected with Harris

Future Dates at Harris

*The following dates are tentative and are subject to change based on national, state, and local guidance.

Harris Specific Dates

• Kindergarten only-Meet-Your-Teacher Night: July 28, 2020 (4-7 *Must pre register, link emailed.)
• First Student Day: July 30, 2020
• School Picture Day: August 18, 2020
• Labor Day (No School): September 7, 2020
• First PTO Meeting: September 9, 2020 *location TBD

Health, Safety, and Operational Items from GC