Churchill Chatter - Issue 1, August 20, 2021
Dear Churchill Road Parents and Guardians,
We are so excited to see your students on Monday for the start of the 2021-2022 school year. If you were able to join us for our Open House yesterday, you know our classrooms are ready to go, and our teachers cannot wait to see all of their students.
Below is some important UPDATED first day of school protocols and a review of some other information to ensure we get off to a great start. We kindly ask that you read them carefully.
Sincerely,
Cherith Pierson and Jen Niccolls
In This Week's Issue
- Updated First Day of School Procedures
- FCPS Face Mask Requirements
- Health and Wellness
- Virtual Back to School Night
- A Message from FCPS Transportation about Bus Routes
- Arrival/Dismissal--Bus Riders
- Arrival/Dismissal--Car Riders
- Arrival/Dismissal--Walkers
- Crossing Guard Guidelines for Families
- Share Your First Day Experiences
- Important Dates
Updated First Day of School Procedures
The school hours are returning to 8:35 a.m. - 3:20 p.m.Monday through Friday.
- As we are planning for the first day of school we would like to make you aware of a change to our first day protocols. As students enter the building, they will be directed and/or escorted by designated school staff to their classrooms. In addition to our previously mentioned layered mitigation strategies, parents will no longer be walking students to their classrooms. We thank you for your cooperation as we make this necessary change.
- Our arrival schedule is:
- 8:25 a.m.: students are allowed to go to their classrooms.
- 8:35 a.m.: students should be seated in their classrooms, ready to begin the school day; students arriving after 8:35 a.m. should report to the front office and will be marked tardy.
- Our dismissal schedule will be:
- 3:20 p.m.: All students will be dismissed.
FCPS Face Mask Requirements
We begin the new school year with a mask requirement in place for everyone indoors on school properties and buses. Masks will not be required when eating or when outside during recess. Universal masking is a critical safety mitigation factor in ensuring all students can return to our buildings, especially when social distancing is not possible and not all our students are eligible for vaccinations.
Any student who does not comply with the mask requirement, and is not exempt from the requirement as outlined in Regulation 2109.1, will not be allowed to participate in face-to-face learning. Students who refuse to attend school due to a refusal to wear a mask, will receive an unexcused absence. Intentional removal of or refusal to wear a face covering will be treated as a violation of the FCPS dress code policy (Regulation 2613).
Please talk with your child before school begins about the importance of wearing masks at school to protect each other against the spread of the Delta variant of COVID-19, and the consequences of refusing to wear a mask. FCPS appreciates your help in encouraging students to do their part to contribute to a safe school environment.
Approved types of masks include:
- Disposable masks
- Cloth mask coverings
- Gaiters
- Clear masks
- Cloth masks with clear plastic panel
All face coverings/masks must meet the following requirements:
- Face coverings/masks that fit properly (snugly around the nose and chin with no large gaps around the sides of the face)
- Face covering/mask with two (2) or more layers of non-woven material
Virtual Back to School Night
On August 24 at 6 PM and 7 PM, parents and guardians will have an opportunity to hear their children’s teachers. Parents can choose either time based on convenience. The presentations will be identical in content. Your child’s teacher will send the virtual meeting registration link to you.
A Message from FCPS Transportation about Bus Routes
As we prepare for children to come to school and go home on buses this fall, we ask you to be aware of possible adjustments to routes and scheduling. A national bus driver shortage is impacting FCPS and some routes may be longer or occasionally delayed as we work through the situation. Churchill Road will keep you informed of changes as soon as information is available. Your patience and understanding as we make adjustments is appreciated. FCPS is working hard to address the need for drivers and plan for transportation in a way that has the least impact on students.
You may consider driving, walking, or biking to school while we work through the driver shortage and adjust routes. Car pools or group walks and bikes are also encouraged for those who are able to help relieve pressure on buses. If you plan to walk or bike to school, watch this short video on pedestrian safety with your child.
Find out more about bus routes on our website and download the Here Comes the Bus mobile app.
Arrival/Dismissal--Bus Riders
Bus riders received route information directly from FCPS Transportation the week of August 16 via their Parent Vue accounts. During the first week of school, staff members will be posted in the hallways in the morning to direct students to their rooms and in the afternoon to help children find their buses at the end of the day. Please help us by ensuring that your child knows their bus number.
Arrival/Dismissal--Car Riders
The Kiss-n-Ride lot is located near the gym. Children can be dropped off between 8:25-8:35 a.m. When students arrive, they should enter the building through their assigned doors. Pick up begins at 3:20 p.m. The student drop off/pick up occurs along the sidewalk next to the building in the Kiss-n-Ride lot. School staff will be present to direct traffic and assist the children. Families should have their assigned Kiss-n-Ride number displayed. If you lose your sign, please make sure you write the number large enough for the staff to see it in your car window. For pictures of the Kiss-n-Ride Process, view this presentation. Many Churchill Road families drive their children to school, and we have a significant volume of traffic at Kiss-n-Ride during arrival and departure times. In order to maintain a safe and efficient procedure, please think “right”:
- As you approach the Kiss-n-Ride lot on Churchill Road, keep your car as close to the right hand curb as possible so that on-going traffic can pass.
- Always use your right turn signal when entering the Kiss-n-Ride lot, so that pedestrians, cars, student patrols and school staff know your intentions.
- Always turn right when entering the Kiss-n-Ride lot.
- Travel counterclockwise around the lot by bearing right.
- When you reach the designated drop off/pick up area, have your children enter or exit the car on the right hand side.
- Exit the Kiss-n-Ride lot by turning right onto Churchill Road.
- Please proceed towards Balls Hill Road without making any U-Turns.
*Raymond Avenue is closed to left hand turns during student arrival and dismissal times. Drivers will need to proceed west on Churchill Road and turn on Thrasher Street or Balls Hill Road. Please drive with patience and care on all of our community streets. We have many families walking to and from school every day, and it’s the responsibility of each of us to ensure safe passage for everyone.
Arrival/Dismissal--Walkers
Students who walk to school may enter or exit the building through the gym entrance, door 9, or the front entrance. Please view the Arrival and Dismissal presentation for your assigned grade levels door. For safety reasons, students who walk to school should not arrive before 8:25 a.m. because there is no adult supervision available before that time. At 8:25 a.m., all children will be directed to their classrooms by school staff.
At dismissal, children who walk home will be escorted to their grade level's door. (the front entrance, or Door 9) of the building by one of their grade-level teachers. Parents can plan to meet their children at 3:20 p.m., near the main entrance or Door 9 at the end of the school day.
Your cooperation in following both arrival/departure times and procedures is necessary to facilitate a smooth transition at the beginning and end of the school day!
Health and Wellness
We will continue to update you regarding Return to School safety protocols, and the latest county information can be found here. We are beginning the year with the use of additional plexiglass on our cafeteria tables, in addition to our previously mentioned layered prevention strategies.
Crossing Guard Guidelines for Families
Hello Churchill Elementary Families,
Hope all are ready for a new school year! I'm happy to report that I'm back as your Fairfax County Police Crossing Guard for the 2021-2022 school year at the intersection Raymond and Churchill Rd. We are all excited and ready to get started, and with that, car and pedestrian traffic will be heavy and hectic for the first 2 or 3 weeks or so. For the parents and students who will be walking to and from school, I have a few guidelines to help things run a bit more smoothly. Please read the list of guidelines below and make certain to go over them with your children if they will be walking to and from school this year. I greatly appreciate your support, cooperation, and patience.
- When I am present at the intersection of Raymond Rd. and Churchill Rd. I will stop all directions of car traffic to allow pedestrians to cross. Please be patient, I have a method of cycling car traffic and pedestrians.
- Please wait for my verbal command “CROSS” before crossing. Please cross briskly, with focus, but do not run.
- Please do not follow me when I am entering the intersection to stop car traffic. I will make certain that all directions of car traffic have completely stopped before letting pedestrians enter the cross walk to begin crossing.
- I will ask student patrols to hold pedestrians by saying "HOLD THEM". Please obey the student patrols (they will hold their arms out to their sides to signal not to enter crosswalk) and my verbal commands. Do not try to enter the cross walk after I have indicated to patrols to "HOLD THEM" or I have said "PLEASE STAY". This is very important, because I'm about to let the car traffic resume moving.
- Please make certain to cross in the crosswalk. Do not jump off the curbs outside of the crosswalk to begin crossing.
- If you are on a bike or scooter, please dismount your bike or scooter, and walk it across.
- Please know that I will cross your children as if they are my own, with firm and direct commands. My only goal is to keep your kids and you safe.
Be Safe. See you at the crossings!
Beeda Lee-Pawlak, Fairfax County Police Crossing Guard
Share Your First Day Experiences
The first day of school is almost here! We are counting down the days until we see our students and staff back together again. We invite Churchill Road families to share all those happy first day moments and use #firstdayfairfax and #FCPSReturningStrong in your social media posts. Remember, your photos should reflect FCPS safety practices including universal masking and social distancing when possible.
Health and Wellness
Important Dates
Please visit the FCPS School Year Calendar for more information
2021-22 School Year:
https://www.fcps.edu/calendars/2021-22-standard-school-year-calendar
Please visit the FCPS Return to School page for the most up-to-date information on student groups and the return to in-person learning: https://www.fcps.edu/returntoschool
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