We are looking forward to welcoming you back to campus on October 5th. For everyone’s safety, here are some key pieces of information for you to review. We have had recent changes in our arrival/dismissal times and procedures in order to space out student groups. We have also included information regarding health requirements, computers, free meal service, and cohorting. Remember a safe school day begins at home!

Teacher Changes
Copper Basin K-8 has had several teacher changes due to the number of students enrolled in Florence Virtual Academy (FVA). Several of our teachers needed to switch over to be FVA teachers for 2nd quarter. 

• K-4th grade: You can confirm your child’s teacher by checking in ParentVUE. (For K-4 questions, email Mrs. Lopez at mlopez@fusdaz.org)

• 5th-8th grade students: ALL of our 5th-8th grade students have a new schedule. Please log in to ParentVUE and StudentVUE to see their new schedule. We have printed hard copy schedules for all 5th - 8th grade students and will hand them out Monday morning in addition to access in StudentVUE and ParentVUE. (For 5th-8th grade schedule questions, please email Mr. Ourlser at koursler@fusdaz.org)
• As part of our mitigation plan, all students (even middle school) will stay in cohorts throughout the day, including their electives/specials. If you see electives that your child didn’t request, that is why. Due to cohorting, every student will take every elective/special. We will make every attempt to switch classes each quarter so all students have the opportunity to take a series of classes they enjoy.

Masks
Masks are required for all students, all grades, and all staff members on all buses and all school campuses in our district. This is a non-negotiable component of our district’s dress code. Students need to arrive at school already wearing their clean face mask, correctly fitted around their nose and chin. Please have an extra mask in a baggie just in case. Younger students in grades K-4 may keep their back-up mask (in a baggie) in their desks. Older students in grades 5-8 will keep their back-up masks in their backpacks. We have a few extras for emergencies, but each student must have their own masks. Masks are not required while eating/drinking or during recess/PE. If students are not participating in physical activity or they sitting stationary (during recess), they will be required to keep their mask on. Students will have mask breaks when they are able to physically distance. 

Safety on the Bus
Students are expected to wear masks and practice safe physical distancing at bus stops. Students will have assigned seats. When the bus arrives at school, students should stay seated and follow directions from the bus driver on unloading from front to back. In the afternoon, students must continue to wear their mask until they exit the bus and are physically distanced from other students on the walk home.

Water Bottle Stations
As a precaution, our drinking fountains have all been disabled on all FUSD campuses. Our district has purchased and installed 2 water bottle stations which are in key areas on campus. Students need to bring their own water bottle DAILY and will have the opportunity to refill it throughout the day. Please be sure you send a clean, refillable water bottle daily. We do not have other water options on our campus due to the unique design of our handwashing stations.

Health Check
All students must undergo a daily home health assessment before heading to school. All parents/guardians agreed to this when signing the risk waiver for in-person schooling. Students should stay home if they exhibit any concerning symptoms (may be mild to severe). For additional information on this topic, please contact the school nurse.

School Health Office
Our school nurse is Lori Alvarado. Her number is (480) 888-7500     ext 4609 and her email is lalvarado@fusdaz.org.

This year, due to current circumstances, we have some changes regarding what types of medications our school nurse and health aid can administer. School health staff will NOT be able to dispense aspirin, Tylenol, Ibuprofen, or Cough Drops due to the risk of masking symptoms associated with COVID-19. They can dispense medications by prescription only. As always, students may not carry any medications with them on school grounds. This includes cough drops.

Any students showing COVID-like symptoms will be isolated and sent home. They need to be picked up within one hour. Specific requirements for return will be explained by the school health office staff.

Visitors Restricted & Office Appointments
No parents/guardians or visitors are permitted inside the building, except for the immediate safety and well-being of students, as per district policy. Essential visitors will be required to sign an agreement, wear face masks, follow all safety protocols, and will be restricted in their access to campus as a whole.

The school’s front office is open by appointment only. We can only have one parent/guardian in the front office at a time. This is expected to cause longer wait times so please plan ahead. Please call 480-888-7520 to make an appointment to speak with the nurse, complete registration paperwork, submit documents, or talk with any school staff member. All IEP meetings and teacher-parent meetings will continue to be held virtually. (For late arrivals and early check-outs, see that section below.)

Arrival & Morning Drop-Off
Please do not park in the parking lot unless you have an appointment in the front office. All student drop-off is via the curbside drop-off line. 

• Copper Basin K-8 is essentially on a “Rainy Day Schedule” arrival until further notice. Staff will report each morning to their classrooms to welcome students beginning at 8:20 A.  Please do not allow students to exit your vehicle until staff has arrived and unlocked each entry point (by 8:20 AM). There is very limited space and we do not want students to congregate in front of the building. 
• Please make sure your child is ready with their mask, water bottle, and backpack in place so the drop-off process is as fast as possible. 
• We will have ribbons tied 6 feet apart on the fence near the Kinder/1st Grade gate to help students’ social distance as they are waiting for parents or older siblings.
• Please note the following entry points (There will be large signs posted to help direct you to the correct location):
• Kindergarten - Kinder Playground Gate
• 1^st Grade – 1^st grade Hallway Doors
• 2^nd/3^rd Grades – 2^nd/3^rd Grade Hallway Doors
• 4^th/5^th Grades - Kinder Playground Doors
• 6^th – 8^th Grades – Main Foyer Doors
• All students will report directly to their classrooms and there is no morning recess (very similar to our rainy day arrival process). Older siblings may assist younger siblings to class until they know the route independently. Due to visitor restrictions, no parents may walk students to class.
• Students will eat breakfast in their classrooms, not in the cafeteria. 
• The bell rings at 8:35 AM daily for class to begin. 
• We’ll have additional staff there to help in the mornings.

Dismissal & Afternoon Pick-up
To spread out groups of students, we are dismissing in a staggered time pattern. Please do not arrive too early as it will needlessly delay the dismissal of all our students. Please arrive as close to the scheduled time for your student as possible.

Please do not park in our parking lot during dismissal (after 3:00 PM). Students walking across the pick-up lane causes an issue with traffic flow and restricts the range of our student supervision. We need parents/guardians/drivers to stay in their vehicles curbside in line. Thank you for your patience and support as we tweak our dismissal process to fit the unique needs of 2020.

• If you need to enter the front office, make an appointment in advance and then you may use the parking lot.
• SIBLINGS: Older siblings will not be dismissed early to meet up with younger siblings. The dismissal times do not change for sibling match-ups. Younger siblings will stay with their teacher in the outdoor waiting area until the older sibling is released and meets them.
• Dismissal Times are as follow:
• 2:45 PM – Kindergarten: Kindergarten released through Kinder gate

• Early Release: 12:50 PM

• 3:00 PM - 1^st / 2^nd
  • 1^st released through side doors at end of hallway
  • 2^nd released through side doors at end of hallway
  • Early Release: 1:00 PM
• 3:20 PM - 3^rd & 4^th
  • 3^rd released through side door to playground and through East gate
  • 4^th released through doors by Kinder playground
  • Early Release: 1:10 PM
• 3:25 PM - 5^th & 6^th by Classroom
  • 5^th released through playground doors, around to East gate
  • 6^th released through doors by Science room, around to East gate
  • Early Release: 1:20 PM
• 3:25 PM - 7^th & 8^th
  • Released by classroom through foyer doors
  • Early Release: 1:20 PM

• LATE PICK-UPS: unlike in years past, we cannot have students wait in the front office when someone is late to pick them up. Please be on time as much as possible because we do not have the facility or staff to supervise late pick-ups after school. If you will be late for some unplanned reason, please call our office so we can pull staff from a different location to supervise your child.

Late Arrivals & Early Checkouts

• If your child arrives late (after 8:35 AM), you need to park in the lot and sign them in via the front office. We can only have one family in the office at a time so plan to wait in line just outside the front office doors until there is space for the next person to enter. Due to the small size of our office, this will take some time so please plan ahead. (We understand that the first few days our drop-off line may be sluggish and may extend beyond 8:35. We have some wiggle room that first day or two only depending on the drop-off backup.)
• If you need to checkout your child early, please call the office 10 minutes in advance so we can contact the classroom. (This will serve as making your office appointment.) We will do our best to have your child waiting in the front office area when you arrive. (The front office number is 480-888-7500.) Our office staff is small and we do not have student helpers so please plan ahead on the extra 15 minutes this process will take this year.
• Due to the early, staggered dismissal times this year, we are not able to reach teachers for early checkouts after 3:00 (K-3rd) or after 3:15 (4th-8th grades).

Cohorting & Mitigation Measures
In order to keep our students safe, each group will stay with their cohort/class throughout the day. At recess, only one class will be each playground zone at a time. Breakfast and lunch will be eaten in the classroom with the same classmates they are with all day. In middle school, students are cohorted throughout the day including the elective block. Students will travel in a one way direction in all halls and schedules were done to facilitate this direction of movement. All schedules were created to minimize any cross traffic. Again, as we work to keep students together in cohorts or by classes, safety and social distancing is our goal.  

Meal Services
Due to a grant, the district has the capability to provide free breakfast and lunch service for all students through Quarter 2 (ending December 11, 2020). Breakfast will be delivered each morning to classrooms. Students will eat breakfast in their classrooms. 

Lunch will be delivered to classrooms and students will eat in their classrooms with their class/cohort. Students may choose the free lunch or bring their own each day. The lunch comes with a choice of white or chocolate milk.

School Supplies
While students are on campus, they must have their own supplies so as to not contaminate anything. Teachers will not be able to share “community” supplies like in years past. Please send pencils, pens, erasers, crayons/colored pencils, paper, and any other items they will need. Our goal is to keep things as clean and sanitized as possible. Required items for grades 6-8 include a laptop, fully charged each day. Any curriculum manipulatives that are required will be labeled in a set for only one student, or it will be items that can be fully cleaned each evening before another student comes into contact with them. 

Computers & Fees
All K-5 computers need to be returned on October 5th and please remember the charger too. Without the charger, we will have to assess fees.

Students in grades 6-8 keep their computers all year and a $50 fee is required. If you paid a partial fee for Quarter 1, please go online to complete the payment. All fees and payments can be made online at https://az-florenceunified.intouchreceipting.com/

Athletics
Our first season is Soccer, tryouts beginning Monday, Oct 5th. Athletes are to meet with coaching staff in the locker room immediately after school. All athletes must have a physical on file. (Last year’s is valid this year). If your child plans to try-out, please get the physical done and register at www.registermyathlete.com and upload your documents if you have not already done so. Athletes must have their own water bottles (gallon size is recommended). Once tryouts are concluded, Mr. Oursler, Athletic Director & Dean of Students, will have a parent meeting to discuss further information including limited seating, reservation tickets, and mask requirements for spectators. If you have any questions regarding athletics for this school year, please contact Mr. Oursler at koursler@fusdadz.org. 

See You SOON!
We are looking forward to getting back on campus with our students. Our number one priority is keeping our students and staff healthy by putting into place these new mitigation measures. Thank you all so much for your trust in us here at Copper Basin K-8. We know that things will not be perfect upon our return; it’s the nature of this current situation with many moving and constantly changing parts. Please notify us of your concerns, and we will do all we can to improve. Have a great rest of Fall Break.