Modified masking guidelines

announced for Summer School; Issued May 24, 2021

 

Modified masking guidelines will be in place for Summer School.

As stated frequently throughout the year, the Waynesville R-VI School District monitors the evolving guidance of recognized health authorities, specifically the Pulaski County Health Department, to determine the most effective COVID mitigation strategies and has created a pandemic plan with the flexibility to react to the ever-changing situation.

 

Recently, after discussion with the Pulaski County Health Department, the district has determined the following measures will be implemented for the 2021 Summer School Session:

·      Students will be required to wear masks while transitioning between classes and while riding the bus.

·      Students will remain in cohort groups for summer school. Whenever they are out of their cohort, masks will be required.

·      While in their cohort classroom, masks will be optional.

·      Social distancing in classrooms will be maintained whenever possible. If students are less than 3 feet apart, masking is recommended.

·      If a positive is reported and a student was within less than 3 feet of the positive individual, he/she will be quarantined per guidance from the Pulaski County Health Department; however, the health department may not require quarantining for vaccinated students.

·      Masks will not be required at outdoor recess.

 

All other mitigation efforts will remain in place.

Please note that this modified masking guidance is only in place for Summer School and does not extend to the upcoming school year. Furthermore, the masking guidelines for Summer School may need to be adjusted due to increased cases of COVID. The Board of Education will revisit guidance from recognized public health agencies such as the CDC, Missouri DHSS, and the local health department prior to the beginning of the 2021-2022 school year. 

Issued May 24, 2021

Students should take home school items on Dec. 18 

On or before Friday, Dec. 18, all Waynesville R-VI students will be bringing home their:

-- Chromebooks

-- textbooks

  -- workbooks

-- classroom materials 

Why are they taking all of this home?

At this time we plan to return to the seated classroom on Jan. 4, 2021, following Winter Break; however, we want to be prepared in the event that we would need to move to the virtual environment. 

Are you saying we are going virtual at the beginning of the year? 

No.  Our goal is to return to the seated classroom, if it is safe to do so; however, we want to be prepared should it become necessary to go to virtual learning. Having students take home their items during Winter Break prevents us from needing to schedule special material pick-up times in the event that we needed to make a quick transition to virtual or hybrid.

Why are you telling us this now? 

We are proactively putting measures in place to ensure a smooth transition to virtual instruction, should it become necessary. COVID-19 cases in the community are increasing and we do not know what will happen over the break. If COVID-related factors prevented us from returning to the seated classroom or certain buildings have to go to Phase II (hybrid) or fully on quarantine on Jan. 4, we want you and your students to be prepared. 

If it did become necessary for a school or the entire district to make a change, when would you let us know?

We will send out updates as early as possible over Winter Break, if it is determined that we need to make a transition to virtual or hybrid. In the event that we do need to transition, teachers will post their lesson plans on their teacher webpages on the district website- www.waynesville.k12.mo.us. 

Can you remind me what would happen if we did make the switch? 

In the event we move to a virtual or hybrid model, students will be expected to log into the live virtual classes at the scheduled times. Students will be expected to complete and submit assigned work. 

Grades 6-12:  Secondary students will follow their regular bell schedules. 

Grades K-5:  Elementary students will have virtual instruction from 8:30 a.m to 11:30 a.m. and small groups between 12:30 and 3:30; when elementary students do not have small group meetings, they will have independent work to complete. 

Williams Early Childhood Center: In the event we move into a virtual or hybrid model students at Williams Early Childhood Center, students in the ECSE classrooms will have virtual instruction scheduled during their regularly scheduled class times. Williams students who are in the PACE classrooms will not have classes during virtual or hybrid.

What if our family is moving out of the district during Winter Break? 

If you will be moving over Winter Break, please let your child’s school know so that materials are not sent home.

Issued Dec. 15, 2020

Would you like to switch your child from virtual learning to the seated classroom?

 

Would you like to switch your child from the seated classroom to virtual?

 

If so, the time is now.  You have until 4 p.m. Friday, Dec. 18, 2020, to make that decision and complete the request form.

 

The details: 

 

Option 1. 

If your child is currently in Tiger Virtual Academy, but you would like for your child to move to seated classes, please complete the “Return to Seated Request Form” at Instructional Services/Curriculum / Tiger Virtual Academy (https://www.waynesville.k12.mo.us/Page/12375.)  

 

 

Option 2: 

If you would like for your child to move from the seated classroom to the Tiger Virtual Academy (TVA), please complete either the “Grades K-5 2nd Semester TVA Request Form” or the “Grades 6-12 2nd Semester TVA Request Form.”  Additional information about TVA and the links to the request forms are available at https://www.waynesville.k12.mo.us/Page/12375.  

 

FAQs

 

1. Why do we need to make the decision now?
2. We need this information by Friday, Dec. 18, so that our buildings have time to adjust student schedules and to make any needed staffing adjustments.

 

2. Why can students not just switch back and forth whenever they want to?
3. We allow switches to be made at each quarter so that students can remain on schedule and keep pace with their learning cohort. The continuity of student learning is extremely important and moving back and forth interrupts learning and the regular classroom environment. Students moving between virtual and seated also affect scheduling and staffing needs at each grade level. If it becomes medically necessary for a student to make the switch outside of the approved times, we will work directly with your family to minimize the impact on learning for your student.

 

3. Are all of the classes offered in the seated environment at the middle school and high available in the virtual environment?
4. Please note that for secondary students, not all classes that are available in the seated environment will be available in the virtual environment and that changes to schedules and courses will occur. 

 

4. If I make the decision to change now, when will my child make the actual switch?
5. On Tuesday, Jan. 19, at the start of the second semester (3rd quarter).

 

 

5. What if I want my child to remain where he/she is?
6. If you do not want to make a change, then there is nothing for you to do.

 

 

 Issued Dec. 10, 2020 

 

 

 

 

NEW THIS YEAR!  If students are out of school for one inclement weather day and return to school the next day, then students will enjoy a traditional “snow” day.  If the Waynesville R-VI School District is out for a second day or more in row (known as consecutive inclement weather days), then students will be required to log in and attend school online on the second, third, fourth, etc. consecutive inclement weather day. 

EXAMPLES:

For example, if students are out of school on Dec. 8 and Dec. 9 for inclement weather, then students will need to log in and attend school online on Dec. 9.  Continuing with our example, if Dec. 16 was also an inclement weather day, students would enjoy a traditional "snow" day and not need to log in on Dec. 16.  If, however, the next day (Dec. 17) was also an inclement weather day (in addition to Dec. 16), then students would need to log in on Dec. 17. 

FAQ

Why the change?  The State of Missouri’s Department of Elementary and Secondary Education has approved Alternative Methods of Instructions (AMI, such as distance learning) for use during weather days. During this pandemic, it is more important than ever to keep students engaged with their teachers to avoid a loss of learning during continuous days off.  Using consecutive days will help avoid gaps in your child’s education, provide continuity of learning and help your child achieve academic success. Additionally, inclement weather days will help prepare staff and students in the event that the district would need to return to distance learning. 

Will the district receive more money for having school on consecutive snow days?  No. The district has adopted a max calendar and does not have to make up the days; however, after witnessing the academic challenges brought on by the pandemic in the spring, we believe that we must do everything possible to keep students engaged and learning. We want students to be prepared at all times to make the switch from seated to virtual learning and this is one way to keep the skills intact.

How will inclement weather (snow) days impact the school calendar?  Because the district has chosen a max calendar, snow days do not have to be made up in the traditional sense. The last day of school will be May 27, 2021, regardless of the number of snow days. 

Issued Nov. 19, 2020 

 Issued Nov. 16, 2020

 

The Pulaski County Health Center and Home Health Agency will offer a free drive-through flu shot clinic, called “Boo to the Flu” for students, their families and the community from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 30, at the Waynesville Middle School parking lot.  (There is no school on that day in the Waynesville R-VI School District.)

 

Individuals should drive to the parking lot near the tennis courts at the middle school, pull up to the awning, remain in their vehicles and wait for a health official to come to them. Those who have insurance should bring their driver’s license and insurance card and be prepared to provide their phone number.  For those ages 6 months to 64 without insurance or underinsured (meaning their insurance does not cover flu vaccines) will need to fill out a one-page form.

 

Regardless of insurance or not, the recipient will not be billed for the flu vaccine.

 

Both flu and COVID-19 may be spreading this fall, so it’s more important than ever to get an annual flu vaccine. The best time to get vaccinated is before flu viruses start to spread—typically by the end of October. So, don’t wait. Say boo to the flu by making sure you and your family get a flu vaccine by Halloween.

 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevent recommends that everyone aged 6 months and older get a flu vaccine to stay healthier this fall. Here is why:

• The flu is dangerous. The flu is different from the everyday cold. It can last 2 weeks or more and cause serious complications such as pneumonia. Every year the flu causes millions of illnesses, hundreds of thousands of hospitalizations, and tens of thousands of deaths in the United States.
• Getting your flu vaccine is the best way to prevent the flu. Flu vaccines reduce your chances of getting sick with the flu. Studies also show that when getting a flu vaccine lowers your chances of becoming seriously ill or hospitalized from the flu. Although good health behaviors including proper etiquette for coughs and sneezes can help reduce the spread of flu, experts agree a flu vaccine is the best way to prevent flu.
• It saves lives and protects those on the frontlines. Getting your flu vaccine could save someone else from getting seriously ill. Babies and young children, pregnant women, people 65 and older, and those with certain medical conditions—are all at increased risk of complications from flu. Getting vaccinated reduces the spread of flu from you to them, which can protect your family members, co-workers, and all those around you. This year, your flu vaccine will not only keep you and your loved ones healthier and out of the medical setting, it will preserve precious resources for those on the COVID-19 frontlines.

Issued Oct. 22, 2020 

Important upcoming dates in October and November 2020

 

No school on Oct. 12, 2020

There will be no school on Monday, Oct. 12, 2020; it will be a teacher in-service day. 

 

 

Parent-teacher conferences

Parent-teacher conferences will be held virtually this year.

• Elementary grades K-5 will be held from 4 to 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 26 and 28.
• Grades 6-12 will be held from 3 to 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 27 and 29

Teachers and/or school buildings will be putting out more information closer to the dates.

 

 

No school on Oct. 30

There will be no school on Friday, Oct. 30, 2020.

 

 Issued Oct. 8, 2020 

No school on Nov. 11, 2020

There will be no school on Wednesday, Nov. 11, in observance of Veterans Day.

 

Early release on Nov. 13

Students will be dismissed early on Friday, Nov. 13.  Students in grades 6-12 will dismiss at noon. Students in grades K-5 will dismiss at 1 p.m.

 

Nov. 25 -27

There will be no school on Wednesday, Nov. 25, through Friday, Nov. 27.  Students will return to school on Monday, Nov. 30.

 

 

 

 

The Waynesville R-VI School District will be unable to include parents in the traditional Thanksgiving Family feasts this year, due to COVID-19; however, students will be served Thanksgiving feasts at school on Tuesday, Nov. 24.

 

Instead of eating with their child’s elementary student as they have in the past, elementary parents will be invited to send a special “Grateful for You” card to their elementary child. Each elementary school will send home the “Grateful for You” cards and envelopes, so that parents can write a special Thanksgiving message to their elementary child. The personalized cards, which will allow parents to help make the meal a memorable one, will be delivered to students on Nov. 24. 

 

In case a parent forgets to send in their card, a PTO volunteer, a teacher or principal will write a card so that every child will receive a “Grateful for You” card on Nov. 24.

 

 Issued Oct. 8, 2020 

 

Dear Parents,

The pandemic is scary and it brings out strong emotions.  Each time we issue information about a COVID-19 case, we hear from both sides – those who think that we should move the entire district to virtual and those who want us to remain in school no matter how many cases that we have.

Regardless of your opinion, the district’s decisions will continue to be based on data and medical recommendations, including information from medical and infectious disease experts at the Pulaski County Health Department who work with the district to monitor positive cases and oversee the contact tracing of our students and monitor the overall status of our community. When you receive information about the number of cases at a building going up and the district is not moving to virtual learning, that is because contact tracing does not indicate a need to do so, based on recommendations from the Pulaski County Health Department.

 

If the number of active student cases – 22 students out of 5,700 students as of Sept. 29 – or less than 1% – makes you uncomfortable with your decision to send your children to the seated classroom, please know that students may switch from the seated classroom to virtual learning at the end of this quarter.  The end of the first quarter is Oct. 23, 2020; however, applications to go virtual need to be completed by Monday, Oct. 12, to make the switch to virtual.  To apply for our Tiger Virtual Academy, please go to https://www.waynesville.k12.mo.us/Page/12375 and complete the online form by Monday, Oct. 12. The links are on that website and are titled:  Grades K-5: 2nd Quarter Tiger Virtual Academy Request Form and Grades 6-12: 2nd Quarter Tiger Virtual Academy Request Form.

 

If the number of active student cases and the way the district has handled the pandemic makes you wish that you had chosen the seated classroom for your child, please know that students may switch from Tiger Virtual Academy to the seated classroom at the end of this quarter.  Requests to transfer into the classroom may be made by contacting your child’s school by Monday, Oct. 12.  School phone numbers are located at https://www.waynesville.k12.mo.us/Domain/1517.

 

Students who are approved will begin either virtually or seated on Oct. 26, the start of the new quarter.

 

If you remain confident in the decision that you made previously and do not want to make a change, there is nothing for you to do.

 

 

 

Middle School set to reopen in Phase II

The number of positive cases and quarantined students has decreased during the physical closure of Waynesville Middle School; however, cases still exist; therefore, students will return in Phase II of the district’s reopening plan. Phase II is a reduced attendance plan that focuses on bringing back a lower number of students.  Students will be selected to return based on criteria related to their unique learning needs.

 

Students in need of additional support will return to seated classroom on Tuesday, Oct. 13.  As stated in the District’s Pandemic Reopening Guide, which is available on the district’s website, in Phase II, “a limited number of students with unique learning needs in grades 7-12 (in this case, grades 7-8) will be invited to attend school in person.”

 

Students who are in need of additional support will be the first selected to reenter school and their parents will be notified by Waynesville Middle School staff.  During Phase II, additional precautions will be in place, including random screenings of students and additional daily cleaning. During Phase II, all middle school students will continue to follow their regular daily bell schedule and virtual learning will continue with Live Teaching through Google Meets for those not in the seated classroom. At this point, all middle school students will be returning on Oct. 26. All extra-curricular activities will be suspended until Oct. 26.

 

The district recognizes that extending the time on virtual learning is not ideal and apologizes for the inconvenience; however, the district, in close cooperation with the Pulaski County

Health Department, has reached this decision in an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19 among middle school students.

 

 

Issued Oct. 2, 2020 

How the district makes COVID-19 decisions

 

When it comes to COVID-19, there is no precise number or percentage of students that will be used to determine when a cohort (small group, such as an elementary classroom), team, building and/or district will be placed on virtual learning.

 

With 5,8000 students, a small increase in cases does not necessarily mean that the district will move students to virtual learning. With each positive case, the Pulaski County Health Department looks for trends to see if the coronavirus could be spreading within specific cohorts within our schools, which is why the 8th grade team at Waynesville Middle School was temporarily moved to virtual learning.

 

With each case, the district partners with the Pulaski County Health Department so that those students with direct contact may be in isolation for 14 days.

All others may remain in school, per the health department’s guidelines. 

The district’s goal is to work with health officials to keep children in school for as long as it is safe to do so. 

 

Parents will continue to be notified daily if there is a new case at their child’s school. 

The district also has created a COVID-19 dashboard at https://www.waynesville.k12.mo.us/Domain/1938 for the public and families to track cases; the dashboard will be updated weekly on Tuesdays. 

 

The Waynesville R-VI School District considers five factors when making a decision:

 

1)             The Pulaski County Health Department recommends isolation, quarantining or closing, based on their medical and infectious disease expertise. The health department reaches its decision based on not only what is going on in individual schools, but also the outbreaks occurring in the community as a whole.

 

2)             Staff absences are at a level that the district cannot maintain in-person instruction within a cohort, team, building and/or districtwide.  

 

3)             Traditional seated student attendance dips to 60% or below in a cohort, team, building and/or districtwide.

 

4)             Contact tracing by the health department indicates the potential for rapid spread within an isolated cohort, team and/or building and the district moves the group to virtual learning out of an abundance of caution. 

 

5)             The Pandemic Task Force members recommend that the district make a change in its status.  The Pandemic Task Force includes officials from county health and community medical clinics, and Fort Leonard Wood, along with district personnel and school nurses. The recommendations from the task force are considered and the final decision regarding any change rests with the Waynesville R-VI School District. 

 

 Issued Sept. 22, 2020

 

 

Two positive cases reported on Sept. 17; 

New COVID-19 Dashboard unveiled  

The Waynesville R-VI School District received notification on Thursday, Sept. 17, that another student at Waynesville Middle School and a student at Waynesville High School have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, COVID-19. Both students were not in school today. 

Unless parents are notified otherwise, their students may remain in school, per guidance from the Pulaski County Health Department. 

In an effort to be transparent regarding COVID-19 cases, the district has created a COVID-19 Dashboard to track staff and student positive cases and the number in isolation/quarantine. Information on positive cases, broken down by school and by students and staff, is available at https://www.waynesville.k12.mo.us/Domain/1938 and will be updated on Tuesdays. Please note that isolation/quarantine counts include those who are positive, those reported by the health department as being on isolation/quarantine, individuals who have been instructed to isolate by their providers, those who made a personal decision to isolate, those who are observing travel quarantines per Fort Leonard Wood guidelines, and those who have isolated while pending test results.

Wearing masks and keeping socially distanced have kept the close contact list to a limited number of students. We ask that parents continue to reinforce these preventive measures, so that the district can continue to keep students safely in school. 

Under the direction of the Pulaski County Health Department, students who have had close contact with the positive case will be in isolation for 14 days. Parents of the students who came in close contact with this individual have been or will be contacted privately by the Waynesville R-VI School District. 

The district immediately conducted extra deep cleaning in impacted areas and will continue to follow all recommended safety guidelines.  

 

Issued Sept. 17, 2020 

Waynesville R-VI notified of positive COVID-19 cases

 

The Waynesville R-VI School District has been notified that one individual at Waynesville High School, two individuals at Waynesville Middle School, and one individual at East Elementary have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, COVID-19.

 

All individuals who have had close contact with the positive cases have been notified and will be in isolation for 14 days.  Unless parents are notified otherwise, their students may remain in school, per guidance from the Pulaski County Health Department.

 

The positive individuals will not be identified, per federal privacy guidelines.

 

Wearing masks and keeping socially distanced have kept the close contact list to a limited number of individuals at each of the three buildings. We ask that parents continue to reinforce these preventive measures, so that the district can continue to keep students safely in school.

 

In coordination with the Pulaski County Health Department, individuals who have had close contact with the positive case will be in isolation for 14 days. Again, parents of any student who came in close contact with a positive case have been contacted by the Waynesville R-VI School District.

 

The district will no longer notify parents when their child has been in contact with a close contact of someone who has tested positive, as the health department has stated that the “contact of a contact” presents a low risk and does not provide an added benefit to the prevention of the spread of COVID-19 in the community.  The district will continue to contact parents of students who have had contact with a positive case and continue to notify parents whose children are in the building where a positive case has occurred.

 

The Pulaski County Health Department encourages families to practice the following--both in and out of school:

     - Social distancing

     - Wearing masks

     - Screening your child daily

     - Avoiding large gatherings

 

“By practicing these four guidelines throughout our community, everyone increases the opportunity for students to remain in the seated classroom,” said Dr. Brian Henry, superintendent.

 

The district immediately conducted extra deep cleaning in impacted areas and will continue to follow all recommended safety guidelines. 

Issued Sept. 14, 2020  

 

 

 

 

Middle School Sports Ticket Information

 

Middle School sports home tickets will be available beginning September 12, 2020, through the district's online MySchoolBucks service.

The link to Middle School Home Football tickets is here: https://www.myschoolbucks.com/ver2/stores/catalog/getlistproducts?selectedCategories=ZZR15Q4UVG1PUKN

The link to Middle School Home Volleyball tickets is here: https://www.myschoolbucks.com/ver2/stores/catalog/getlistproducts?selectedCategories=ZZJ0LAFHN1NRIJI

 

Step by step instructions for setting up a MySchoolBucks account and how to place an order are at https://www.waynesville.k12.mo.us/cms/lib/MO01910216/Centricity/Domain/1681/Ticket%20Purchases%20Step%20by%20Step%20Instructions%20on%20MySchoolBucks%20Sept%201%202020%20.pdf. 

 

Tickets for Home Middle School Football and Middle School Volleyball events will be on a first-come, first-served basis and will be available for sale up to the date of the event.  Stadiums and gyms will be limited to 50% capacity.  Tickets will be $3.00 for all events for individuals 5 years old and up.  Any staff member of the Waynesville R-VI District will be admitted free with a valid school identification. Family members of staff members will need to purchase tickets.

As a note, there will be no season passes and a ticket must be purchased for each event.  Spectators will check in at the gate where they will be on a pass list for confirmation, but it is recommended to keep a receipt or print out of your purchase through MySchoolBucks.

Tickets for away events will be purchased at the opposing school upon arrival.  

Issued Sept. 11, 2020  

 

Do you have a student in grades 3-5 who is interested in robotics and coding? If so, FREE after-school robotics and coding clubs are available to students attending seated classes in the Waynesville R-VI School District through Project EDGE, which is funded by a DoDEA Grant. If your child is interested in joining a robotics or coding club, an online application must be completed. Seating is limited and admittance will be granted on a first-come, first-served basis. Parents of students in grades 3-5 will need to pick up their students following the club meetings. Registration for Robotics and Coding Clubs will be open from 8 a.m. Tuesday, September 8, 2020, to 4 p.m. Monday, September 14, 2020.  Registrations will be processed in the order they are received.

 

Use the link below to register, beginning Sept. 8:

 

Robotics: https://forms.gle/TCZhF5mn9q5mdxZj8 (The link will open at 8 a.m. Sept. 8.)

 

Coding: https://forms.gle/bgcWocp1uNLUpWHw6 (The link will open at 8 a.m. Sept. 8.)

 

For more information, please contact Project EDGE Director Tina Rowden at trowden@waynesville.k12.mo.us 

Issued on Sept. 3, 2020