Madison Middle School

October 19-23

• Week’s Thoughts: The load this year is more than it has ever been. The load at Madison has always been even heavier because of the students we love so much who experience so many things other kids don’t have to deal with. Adding distance learning, full of its own unique weight, to the burdens we carry, and it may feel like too much. We want to encourage you on the weekends, long weekends, and the coming breaks to use your “out of office” feature on email, try and step away, and make time for the things that bring you joy. You are all doing the impossible and even superheroes need time away to recharge. We all deserve clear boundaries between our work and private lives and education is very good at blurring those lines. 
     
• Attendance Update: Some information from this week’s admin meeting:
  • Autodialers will happen only on Mondays and will begin next Monday.
  • We aren’t doing truancy this year. Instead 4J staff that does truancy will be conducting wellness checks for students who haven’t been connected.
  • Please ask parents to use the absence line (4343) when reporting an absence, so it gets into Synergy. Despite being CDL, only parents can request an excused absence. 
  • Please be sure to document your attempts to reach students in the Synergy Student Contact Log.

• Updated Tech Use Policy: Linked here is the English version of the tech use policy. We are waiting on the Spanish version. We’ll include it in the next WAG for parents, but it’s a good idea to review it with students. If an iPad breaks, the district will replace the first one for free, but a 2nd replacement means the family pays 50% of the cost, and with every subsequent replacement, the family pays 100%. The iPads and cases with chargers run about $500.             

• COVID Protocols and Updates: As there have been a few COVID cases in 4J schools, here are a few updates and reminders regarding Return to Work protocols.
  • Home Visit Approval Required – Home visits are allowed, but require prior approval from downtown, so let us know if you need to visit a family and we’ll seek approval for you. It sounds like they’re working on a system where possibly our truancy officer checks in on families as home visits are a routine part of their job and, since we aren’t doing truancy right now, having them shift to this role makes sense. At another school, there is a staff member in quarantine after a 20 minute contact with a parent during a home visit who later tested positive.
  • Deliveries to Families Not Allowed – Schools are no longer allowed to deliver supplies, devices, or food boxes to families. If this is a need, there is a ticket system for administrators to request a delivery. After each materials distribution, we’ll use this service to get materials to students. Let us know if you have a need.
  • Shared Equipment – One outbreak at an elementary school may have been the result of transmission by staff sharing equipment that had not been disinfected. Try not to share equipment, like a copier, paper cutter, refrigerator, or even typing on someone else’s computer, disinfect it after you’ve touched it.
  • Face Coverings – Face coverings are worn over your nose and mouth, are required upon entry to school, when completing the sign in/out, and when working and moving about in common areas. You are not required to wear a face covering when working privately in an office or classroom. However, when working with colleagues, a face covering must be worn in the 6′ (and preferably 10′) physical distancing requirement cannot be met. If another employee asks you to wear a face covering while interacting at a distance greater than 6 feet apart, you are encouraged to follow their reasonable request. Employees may choose to wear a face covering at all times if they so desire. Face shields may be an additional (optional) barrier of protection, but must be accompanied by a face covering when within 6′ of another person. Linked here is additional information on face coverings.
  • Sign-In Log – Please write your name legibly and also be sure to use your legal name, not a nickname. Also, the log has changed a bit and now has a column for your last name and another for your first. If we need to identify staff to quarantine, these logs will be essential.
  • Notify Gina of COVID Symptoms or Exposure – If you are experiencing COVID-like symptoms, are being tested for COVID, or have potentially been exposed to someone who possibly has COVID, please call, email, or text Gina. When that happens, the staff member will be asked to telework, we will notify the appropriate district staff, and those who were in close contact may also be asked to telework as a precaution.

• Talent Ed Goal Setting: We’ll work on building goals people can copy and paste, but the district has also provided a template for writing an SEL focused goal for this year. If you haven’t yet done your self-assessment, please do so as soon as you can.
       
• Repeat: Political Statements – Linked here are the updates from Kerry Delf on Political Activity and from Cydney Vandercar on Black Lives Matter. Additionally, Kerry shared this guide on elections for public officials.
                       
• Oct 23 Professional Development/Progress Report Day:
  See calendar below for schedule.
       
• 4J Student Services Newsletter: If you’re interested, linked here is a copy of the latest 4J Student Services Newsletter that was sent to SSD staff and principals.
       

Schedule of Upcoming Events: 

October 19 (M) – A Day
8:00 – TLC

October 20 (T) – B Day
8:00 – 6th Grade GLT
10:45 – 7th and 8th Grade GLT

October 21 (W) – A Day

October 22 (Th) – B Day

October 23 (F)
No School:
8:00 – 10:00 QPR training – Zoom
10:00 – 11:15 Canvas Module 6
11:15 – 11:45 OEA Survey
11:45 – 12:15 Lunch
12:15 – 4:00 Progress Reports to be complete by Monday morning

October 26 (M) – A Day

October 27 (Tu) – B Day

October 28 (W) – Flex Day
8:00 – Climate and Equity
Parent Teacher Conferences from 4:30 to 8

October 29 (Th)
Parent Teacher Conferences 8 to noon
Building PD 1 – 4

October 30 (F)
Building PD 8 – 10-:30
Afternoon – Flex for Wednesday evening

Have a restful weekend!
Peter and Gina