April 28, 2021
Dear Great Falls Families,
Tomorrow we begin 4 days a week learning on-campus. Instead of our A and B student cohorts attending school for two days each week, all current hybrid students will attend in-person learning 4 days per week (Monday - Thursday). Our staff is so excited to see our students and have been working diligently during the last three days to prepare for the big return - we are ready!
Thursday, April 29th
Both A and B cohorts will return to campus on Thursday, April 29th. Students will be seated 3 feet apart in the classroom setting and will remain 6 feet apart while eating breakfast, lunch, and snack. Our arrival and dismissal process will remain the same. Although we anticipate that arrival and dismissal may take longer, we will try it as currently established and make adjustments if needed. Thanks for your patience!
Parent Drop Off
Students dropped off by their parents between 8:30-8:50 a.m. are expected to use the parent drop-off circle. Please use caution when students are exiting vehicles. Students must be wearing face coverings when exiting their vehicles. Grades K-2 bus students will enter through door 4 by the playground and head directly to their classroom. Grades 3-5 students will enter through door 2 in the center of the school and head upstairs and directly to their classroom. Staff will be stationed in the parent drop-off loop to safely assist our students as they exit their vehicles. When you are arriving at the Great Falls campus, please enter the parking lot closest to the playground and stay to the right side of the parent drop-off loop. Do not park. There will likely be a line so your patience is greatly appreciated. We would like 15 cars to unload at the same time, so please move forward in the circle until you are around the corner and pull all the way up to the cone. After you have dropped off your child you may exit cautiously. If you are waiting to drop off, please remain in your position until you are directed by duty staff to proceed forward to the drop-off zone.
Breakfast
Beginning on Thursday, April 29th, students that participate in the breakfast program will eat their breakfast in the cafeteria upon their arrival before they head to their classroom. If your child will be having school breakfast they will enter the building through door #1 if they arrive by bus and door #2 if they are parent drop-off. Please note that breakfast ends promptly at 8:50 a.m. It will be important to account for such in your morning routine if you are transporting your child to school.
Snack Time
Students will eat snacks either outside using social distancing precautions remaining six feet apart or in the cafeteria at assigned seats.
Lunch and Recess Time
Students will be staying in their A/B cohorts for lunch in order to eat 6 feet apart while being unmasked. One cohort will eat in the cafeteria while the other cohort will eat in the classroom. They will rotate each week. Both cohorts will partake in recess and be assigned to a rotating area of the playground. Cohort A will eat in the cafeteria on Thursday, April 29th as well as next week.
New Creative Arts Rotation
The colored creative arts rotation will start with a “green” day on Thursday, April 29th, and proceed throughout the school year. The students will participate in 35-minute creative arts sessions every day they are on campus.
Parent Pick Up
School is dismissed daily at 2:50 p.m. For safety reasons, cars may not arrive on campus prior to 2:40 pm to begin to line up.
If your student usually takes the bus, and you are picking up your student just that day, you will have notified the school by 10:30 am and be prepared to show your driver's license upon arrival at the car pick-up line. If you have arranged a JUST FOR TODAY pickup, please follow the directions from Mrs. Murray on which parking lot you should enter.
Our top priority is to maintain the safety and well-being of all members of our school communities. As always, please feel free to reach out to me at any time with questions and feedback. I am available through email at becky.fortier@gorhamschools.org and by phone at 222-1050. We can’t wait to see our students!
Take care and be well,
Becky Fortier, Great Falls Principal
