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Dear Hunt Valley Families,
On behalf of the entire staff at Hunt Valley Elementary School, we would like to welcome you to the new school year! We are starting out the year 100% online, and FCPS will be reassessing this format as we near the end of the 1st Quarter. Our staff has been working on creative and innovative ways to connect with children and virtually facilitate the curriculum. With your partnership this year we are confident that we will be Virtually Unstoppable!
Hunt Valley’s amazing instructional staff is ready to take on this virtual start to the school year, and make sure that each child is successful. Unlike distance learning in the spring, your child’s attendance is required. Laptops will be issued to all children, in all grade levels. While we understand that you may have a laptop at home, we encourage you to use the school issued laptop which will have shortcuts and programs that we frequently use at Hunt Valley already installed on the desktop for your child. If you still choose to not use one of the school’s laptops, we will kindly ask you to fill out the “opt out” form. We have emailed you information regarding laptop distribution for the various grade levels.
Whether the learning is virtual or face-to-face, our goal is to encourage each child to achieve their full potential by instilling in them a love of learning. If there is something going on in your child’s home life that may impact their success during the school day, please communicate this to your child’s teacher, the counselor, or administration. The constant presence of COVID-19 has changed all our lives and has also impacted the children in many different ways. We all share the responsibility of the social-emotional stability, as well as the academic success, of our Hawks.
During virtual learning, Hunt Valley staff will be synchronously communicating with your child through the computer. We realize that this daily “look” into your home can be extremely personal as many of you will be juggling work, younger siblings, grandparents, and pets while you simultaneously work to ensure your child is logged on and ready to learn. Our staff will make sure we are always respectful of this. There is a feature in the platform we will be using that will enable you to turn off the video at any time if needed.
Student Welcome Back Bags
All students will be issued a welcome bag this year. We will be providing these bags to students soon (details on dates/times will be coming out soon). This will not replace the school supply list but will have some learning materials included to start the school year. School supply lists can be found on our school’s website.
If you have opted out of a laptop or still have the laptop, we will get back to you with a pick up date just for the Bags.
Your Child’s Teacher
Teachers will be sending out emails to you all to let you know your students' classroom assignment, prior to our Virtual Opening Event on Tuesday, September 1st. The teaching staff will also be making phone calls to families before this event.
Virtual Opening Event
Virtual Open House will be on Tuesday, September 1, 2020. Your child’s teacher will email you a link to join us.
Kindergarten: 9:30am-10:15am
1st grade: 10:15am-11:00am
2nd grade: 11:00am-11:45am
3rd grade: 11:45am-12:30pm
4th grade: 1:15pm-2:00pm
5th grade: 2:00pm-2:45pm
6th grade: 3:00pm-3:45pm
PTA
Hunt Valley ES has a wonderfully active and supportive PTA. If you would like more information about joining our PTA, please go to the Hunt Valley Website and click “Get Involved” underneath the Full Menu. Or, visit this link:
http://www.huntvalleypta.org/
Communication
As we move into this new school year together, we want to be sure that the Hunt Valley Families know that we are looking forward to building partnerships and staying connected. Communication will be imperative during distance learning, and the easiest and most reliable way to get in touch is via email. Most communications you receive from us will be in the form of emails through the What’s New at Hunt Valley, News You Choose, or eNotify emails. The What’s New at Hunt Valley messages most often will be sent every Friday.
We look forward to a safe, cooperative, and committed home-school partnership throughout the year ahead.
Sincerely,
Mr. Fee, Principal & Mrs. Donahue, Assistant Principal
FCPS Laptops Still at Home
Students that still have FCPS laptops home for the summer, should make sure they are still getting updates. In order for these laptops to work correctly, please follow these directions.These should be done once a week in August:
- Plug the device into an outlet.
- Turn the device on and let it boot up.
- Ensure it is connected to the internet at that location.
- Let the device sit for 30 minutes. No additional log-in’s or activities are required.
- Do this once per week beginning in August to ensure the laptop has the latest updates.
Laptop for Every Student
Every student will need an individual laptop this year in order to access daily synchronous instruction. It is not possible for students to share laptops. We have designated one laptop for every student at HVES.
We recommend that if you only have a tablet available for your child that you take advantage of a FCPS laptop. These laptops will work better with the programs teachers are preparing to use with students this year. Completed permission forms will be required to be turned in before laptops may be checked out to students. All families will need to complete a health questionnaire before entering the school gym.
The schedule is structured in such a way to best distribute laptops following CDC guidelines. We can only release laptops to students in those grade levels associated with specific days. This may require parents with more than one Hunt Valley student to sign up for more than one grade level/day.
We are expecting that some grade level teachers will be volunteering to help on their grade level distribution days.
If you can't make it to the scheduled pick-up date, we will be sending out a notice for more pick up dates in the near future,
Tips for a successful and expedient distribution:
- Please bring signed permission form
- Arrive ready to enter building at assigned time
- Park in side parking lot
- Students should remember their student ID# and password (Kindergarten students will get theirs on this day)
- Use sanitation stations located outside of building before entering
- Wear a mask
- Follow 6 feet social distancing guidelines
Please Complete the Sign Up Genius
Grades 2 and 6
Date: Monday, August 17
Link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C054CABAC2DAA8-sixth
Grades 1 and 5
Date: Friday, August 21
Link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C054CABAC2DAA8-first
Grades 3 and 4
Date: Thursday, August 27
Link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C054CABAC2DAA8-third
Kindergarten
Date Friday, August 28
Link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C054CABAC2DAA8-student
Please refer questions to Evan Lemmerman; School Based Technology Specialist eblemmerman@fcps.edu
Laptop Distribution Information
Laptop Distribution:
All HVES students will receive a school laptop for their individual use for the duration of distance learning, and 6th graders will be issued new laptops for the full school year. The laptop distribution will begin in late August. Detailed schedules and processes will be coming soon. Parents will need to complete an acceptance of responsibility/usage agreement form. The required forms to complete are available in multiple languages at: https://www.fcps.edu/technology-permission-forms
If you wish to opt out of receiving a school-issued laptop, please let us know by filling out this form:
https://forms.gle/T2pA3FpZ6bKown2b7
Please complete one form for every child in your family that does not need a laptop. If you choose to provide your own device, it should be a laptop or desktop computer. Tablets and cell phones are not always able to reliably access our virtual learning applications.
Internet Access: We have a limited number of MiFi devices that can provide families with Internet access if needed. If your family needs Internet access for the coming school year, please complete this form once for your household:
https://forms.gle/PXqBysrNwVnrTrVE7
Supply Lists
Here is the link to the HVES Supply Lists for all grade levels for the 2020-2021 school year. Keep checking for any changes we make to the Supply Lists!
https://huntvalleyes.fcps.edu/school-supply-lists
Daily Schedule
The new FCPS online instructional program will mirror the regular school day. HVES students will be assigned a grade-level teacher and all students will engage in online instruction four days per week. Daily attendance will be taken for each class, and the assignments will be graded. Teams will work collaboratively to develop their lesson plans, and to develop consistent formative and summative assessment practices. Students can also expect to engage in independent practice, reading, and exploration outside of the scheduled school day.
In short, with some movement breaks, lunch and specials, a student's day will begin at 9:20 AM and end at 4:05 PM daily, Tuesday through Friday (our 2019-2020 schedule)
Mondays will be available to assist students with the following:
Monday Mornings: Intervention/Enrichment: Select students scheduled for synchronous instruction based on need.
Independent Work: Tasks assigned by classroom teacher
Monday Afternoons: Student Independent Work, Teacher Planning and Professional Development
FCPS Food Availability
Since schools were closed, our food services team has provided nearly 2 million grab-and-go meals to families. FCPS will continue to provide grab-and-go meals through the remainder of the summer and once the school year begins. Food and Nutrition Services is currently researching how to best meet the needs of families this upcoming school year, while exploring meal service options. We will announce food distribution information as soon as possible.
Hunt Valley Yearbooks - Still can pick up!
If you did not get a chance to pick up the Yearbooks you ordered, please call Hunt Valley at 703 913-8800 between 9:30am - 3pm (M-F) to schedule a time to pick up your Yearbooks.
The pick-up location is in front of the school near the main entrance. Please pull up to the very front of the school and remain inside your vehicle.
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FCPS Cares
Do you know a Hunt Valley ES staff member who went beyond what is expected? If so, then click here to submit a brief description so we can all acknowledge the good work of Hunt Valley faculty and staff members!
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Helpful Links for Return to School
We will begin the 2020-21 school year with Virtual Learning for all students on September 8th.
FCPS Plan for Return to School:
https://www.fcps.edu/returntoschool
Student Health and Safety Guidance Document:
https://www.fcps.edu/node/41575
https://www.fcps.edu/blog/student-health-and-safety-guidance-document
Frequently Asked Questions for Parents and Guardians
https://www.fcps.edu/return-school/return-school-questions-and-answers
Kindergarten Registration
If you need to register your new Kindergarten student for the next school year, contact Ann Rodriguez, school registrar, at alrodriguez@fcps.edu. She will assist you with the registration process.
I hope you and your families are having a great summer.
Mr. Fee
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