Principal
Picture Day is fast approaching!
Portrait packages can be ordered online at Lifetouch.com using the VES Picture Day ID: EVTXD2TRC or send payment in the order envelope distributed by teachers last week.
A big welcome to Ashley Fischer, our new K-5 Elementary Counselor! After many years without a school counselor, we are excited to finally have one working in our schools. Ashley will be splitting her time between Veneta and Elmira Elementary Schools this year, as she supports our families and students. Look for a letter with more details coming home Monday!
Welcome, Ashley!
Join us on Thursday, September 23 from 6:00-7:00 pm to learn more about the what it’s like to work in the Fern Ridge School District!
Beginning Monday, September 20th, FRSD Superintendent Gary Carpenter will hold community Q and A Sessions be from 5:30-6:00 PM. These will occur every month, on the night of the FRSD School Board meetings (typically the 3rd Monday of the month), for as long as they are helpful and utilized by the community. Each month there will be 5-10 minutes of information shared by the the District, followed by approximately 20 minutes of available time for those in attendance to type questions in the chat. We hope in future months the district will be able to present information on a wide range of topics, however this first meeting will probably be focused on all things COVID-19, although questions on any topic will be accepted. Any questions we don’t have immediate answers to will be followed up with the following day. We hope our families find this useful, please share this with your family and friends. The link for each meeting will posted on the website as they approach. The link for Monday’s meeting is: https://fernridge-k12-or-us.zoom.us/j/88212696504
Hello Veneta Elementary Families!
As many of you know, we’ve had some issues with late buses this week. The bus barn has modified some of the routes to try to get students to school and home in a more timely manner. Click on the link below for the updated times and stops. In addition to this post, students who ride the bus will be coming home with notes regarding any changes to their particular route. We have also posted the new routes on the front door of the school.
Thank you so much for your patience as we navigate this new school year!
Dear Families,
Recently, we learned that a student on campus has tested positive for COVID-19. As members of the school community, we understand that this might raise concerns alongside a caring response.
At this time, we are conducting contact tracing (if they have been on campus during the infectious period) which includes but is not limited to: reviewing cohort logs, interviewing staff, and checking cameras.
If contact tracing determines that your child is a close contact and needs to be quarantined, you will be personally contacted by school staff within 24-48 hours of the school being notified.
While it is our goal to keep students in school, please be vigilant in regards to watching for primary COVID symptoms. Primary symptoms include: fever of 100.4 or higher, cough, congestion, chills, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, new loss of taste or loss of smell.
We will keep you updated with any new information as it comes out, while meeting the requirements to honor everyone’s right to privacy.
If you have any questions, please contact Lisa Leatham, Veneta Elementary Principal, at lleatham@fernridge.k12.or.us or Nurse Elliott, our district nurse, at selliott@fernridge.k12.or.us.
Can you believe it? The start of school is just a few days away!
As we get closer to the first day, we want to remind families of some of the basics at Veneta Elementary this year. While some things will be different, many things will be the same-including all the staff here at VES who can’t wait to see everyone! We’re looking forward to next week!
A few reminders:
- Doors open at 7:30am
- School starts at 7:55am and ends at 2:25pm, except Wednesdays, when it ends at 12:45pm.
- 1st & 2nd grades will enter through the main front doors; K & 4th will enter through the north front doors; 3rd & 5th will enter at the north side of the building near the cement “stage” area.
- Class lists and bus routes are posted on the front doors of the school.
- Due to health precautions, we are not able to invite any family members or volunteers inside the building this year, even on the first day of school. So sorry!! Our sweet VES staff will be outside to greet your child and help him or her to the correct classroom.
- There will be a photo opportunity for students outside the front of the building on the first day of school. Everyone (even those not participating in in-person learning) is welcome to come take a picture!
- Masks are required while at school, per State of Oregon requirement. This includes all indoor areas except while students are eating in the cafeteria. Recess and outside PE do not require masks. There will be timed “mask free zones” in classrooms that students will be able to utilize during the day when needed. We understand that masks can be a pain-they aren’t our favorite things either. Please help us by practicing mask usage before the start of school. Thank you!
- Cafeteria spacing will stay at 6ft between students, with several outside tables available for eating. As the weather turns colder, please make sure your child has a coat if he/she will be eating outside.
- If your child is sick please, please, please do not sent him or her to school. This is the main way we have of stopping spread in the school. We appreciate your help with this!
- If your child has one of these three symptoms we will call home right away and ask that you pick up your student: Fever (100.4 or higher), Shortness of breath/trouble breathing, or a Cough. Please do not send your child to school with any of these symptoms. We want everyone who walks through our building, students and staff alike, to stay safe and healthy!
Here are some additional resources:
- When to keep my student home?
- FRSD Safe Return to In-Person Instruction and Continuity of Services Plan
- Frequently Asked Questions for Families
- Schools and COVID-19 FAQ
- ODE Face Coverings in School
- K-12 Face Covering Rule One Pager
- COVID-19 Exclusion Summary Chart
And finally, here is a link to the 2021-2022 VES bus routes.
We’ll be in the office Tuesday morning, Sept 7th, at 7:00am. Call us at 541-935-8225 and Becky or I will be happy to answer any lingering questions or concerns.
See you soon!
Welcome back to school (almost…)!
Below you will find the Fern Ridge School District Return to In Person Instruction Plan. In addition to reading through the formal plan, please join me for a Back to School Parent Information / Q & A Zoom on the evening of Wednesday, September 1st, at 5:30pm. The link is below. At this Zoom I’ll go over the precautions we are taking at Veneta Elementary School to keep your students as safe as possible during these challenging times. These precautions will play a huge part in keeping our students and teachers healthy and in school five days a week. Join the Zoom and stay for the Q & A afterwards. See you soon!
Lisa Leatham, Principal
Veneta Elementary Parent Info/Q&A Zoom
Sep 1, 2021 05:30 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://fernridge-k12-or-us.zoom.us/j/82981123968?pwd=RHMvOE9wbXlJbDFYUUQwRXV6YS9udz09
Meeting ID: 829 8112 3968
Passcode: 083985
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To Our Fern Ridge Students, Families, Staff, and Community-
We hope you have had an enjoyable Summer Break so far!
Both the State of Oregon and the Federal Centers for Disease Control (CDC) have released their new COVID-19 safety guidance for schools. You can read through the Resiliency Framework for the 2021-22 School year here.
As we prepare to open our doors and welcome back our K-12 students, we wanted to share our reopening plan. Follow the link below to see FRSD’s draft Operational Plan regarding fall 2021. This plan will be discussed with the School Board on Monday, Sept. 20, at 6:30 p.m.
While trying to prepare for every scenario is nearly impossible, we feel confident that our district plan will create a safe learning environment for students and staff. The health and safety of our students and staff are our highest priority. To protect everyone’s health, we will open schools using safety measures that we have all grown familiar with:
- Physical distancing
- Face coverings
- Ventilation and airflow
- Hand washing
- Staying home if ill or exposed to someone with COVID-19.
We will continue to communicate with you as the new school year begins. As always, please do not hesitate to reach out to building administrators or district office staff if you have any questions or concerns.
Below, you will find the FRSD Safe Return to In-Person Instruction and Continuity of Services Plan. Please contact Michelle Marshall at mmarshall@fernridge.k12.or.us if you have any questions or would like to provide feedback.
FRSD Safe Return to In-Person Instruction and Continuity of Services Plan
*To continue reading in the boxes that are full, click in the text box and use the arrow down to see remaining text.
Welcome Back VES Families!
Online registration for the 2021-2022 school year (both in-person and the online Options program) is now open. The link to the 2021-2022 online registration can be found on the right hand menu on the VES website. In addition, if you would rather register in person, we are returning to our typical drop-in registration in the cafeteria this year. Please keep in mind that masks will be required if registering in person at the school.
In person registration is available during these times/dates:
In-Person Registration Dates for 2021-2022:
Wednesday, August 18th (New students/Kindergarten) 7:00 am to 7:00pm
Tuesday, August 24th (All students) 7:00am to 7:00pm
Wednesday, August 25th (All students) 8:00am to 3:00pm
Thursday, August 26th (All students) 8:00am to 3:00pm
For incoming kindergarten and new students please bring:
Copy of birth certificate
Proof of residency
Current immunization data
Kindergarten and new students registering online may bring required paperwork into the VES office between 8:00-3:00 anytime after August 16th.
As in past years, Veneta Elementary will again have a school supply fee. The school supply fee of $30 covers all needed classroom supplies. Not covered by the school supply fee are a backpack, lunchbox, and water bottle. The supply fee is payable at registration or anytime at the front office. Scholarships available.
If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact the VES office. We’ll be open from 7:30-3:30 M-F beginning August 16th.
VES Office: 541-935-8225 or lleatham@fernridge.k12.or.us.
We’re so excited to see everyone again!
Parents, Students and Staff of Fern Ridge:
As mentioned in a previous post, the District hopes to share the COVID-19 safety precautions that we will implement when school begins in September by mid-August. However, we would like to share with folks where we are headed so that families can prepare; our current thinking so to speak. These decisions are not being taken lightly, as every decision impacts families, students, and staff members differently. The decisions that will be finalized in mid-August when I share my recommendations with the School Board, WILL negatively affect some of our constituents. There is no way around it. We will do everything in our power to minimize those effects and support students and families in the best way that we can. In addition, it must be clear that our “plan” is subject to change at a moment’s notice. I have discussed the strategies outlined below with Lane County Public Health and our plan has received their support as they are based in sound public health practice and science. I have also discussed our plan with our insurance carrier, and with today’s information and conditions they are in support of it as well. I will be scheduling our insurance carrier for an onsite visit later in September for them to review the implementation of our practices, and to provide feedback.
On Thursday, June 22nd, ODE released their updated guidance, the Ready Schools Safe Learners Resiliency Framework for the 21-22 School Year (click here). The guidance changed very little, so with no update expected prior to mid-August, I am comfortable sharing what our current thinking is. Having said that, I want to repeat that it is not the final decision and even if we start the school year under what is described below, it may change quickly based on new guidance or variables we are experiencing in our schools. The district will CONTINUE TO WORK WITH LCPH THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AS CONDITIONS CHANGE.
MASKS: As described in the ODE guidance, we plan to strongly encourage masks for all staff and students K-12, but not require them. Masks are an effective way to slow or prevent the spread of disease. It should be noted that at this time, the CDC IS REQUIRING that masks be utilized on all public transportation, which includes school buses (click here). As long as that mandate is in place, we will comply with it.
PHYSICAL DISTANCING: As described in the guidance, the district will support and promote physical distancing in multiple ways, including:
- Maintaining at least 3 feet between students where possible.
- Consider physical distancing requirements when setting up learning spaces.
- Minimize time standing in lines and take steps to ensure required distance is maintained, including floor markings and one-way traffic flow in constrained spaces.
COHORTING: As described in the guidance, the District will develop cohorts to the extent possible. This will take place to some degree at all grade levels, with more of this at the lower grade levels, and less of it at the upper grade levels due to instructional constraints.
MEAL TIMES: In all buildings, increased distancing will be emphasized during meal times.
COHORT LOGS: Logs and attendance data will be kept and referred to. Cohorts help manage risks in the potential spread of COVID-19. In particular, the size of the cohort matters for risk management. Student cohorting:
- Limits the number of exposed people when a COVID-19 case is identified in the school.
- Quickly identifies exposed individuals when a COVID-19 case is identified.
- Minimizes the number of people who may need to be quarantined as well as school-wide disruptions in student learning.
ENTRY SCREENING: While we are not sure what this will look like yet, there will be entry screening. Not having sick staff or students come into the building is one of the best ways to stop the spread of any virus.
MERV-13 FILTERS: Prior to COVID-19, most schools (along with Fern Ridge) used MERV-8 filters in their HVAC systems. In 20-21 we upgraded (with a significant cost increase) to the use of MERV-13 filters. A MERV rating chart can be accessed by clicking here
INCREASED AIR EXCHANGE: We have been and will continue to work with our HVAC vendors and facilities staff to set our systems up for maximum air exchange of our spaces, as allowed by the constraints of the outside temperatures.
P.R. CAMPAIGN REGARDING KEEPING SICK KIDS HOME: This has always been something we have tried to do. It will be emphasized this fall. Please keep your students home if they are displaying any symptoms of illness.
USE OF SYNEXIS SPHERE SYSTEMS IN KEY SPACES: This is a hydrogen peroxide gas and Dry Hydrogen Peroxide Technology for occupied spaces. Several professional sports teams are using this technology in their locker rooms/clubhouses. We have purchased these devices for our health/isolation rooms at each school, as well as the locker rooms at EHS and FRMS. This technology uses ambient humidity and oxygen naturally present in the environment to create a safe level of hydrogen peroxide which reduces unwanted microbial contamination in the air and on surfaces. To read more about these devices you can click here.
HEALTH/ISOLATION ROOMS: As advised by ODE and OHA, the district will have exclusion and isolation protocols for sick students and staff identified at the time of arrival or during the school day.
EXCLUSION FROM SCHOOL: School administrators are required by Oregon law to enforce exclusion OAR 333-019-0010. Students and staff are required to isolate when they exhibit “primary symptoms” of COVID-19 per symptom specific guidance. They may return after a negative test, or 10 days if not exposed, 14 days if exposed.
HAND WASHING & USE OF HAND SANITIZER: Regular handwashing is one of the best ways to remove germs, avoid getting sick, and prevent the spread of germs to others. Each building will create protocols and systems to ensure access to soap, water and alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
INCREASED SANITATION BY CUSTODIANS AND ALL STAFF: Increased cleanings in particular of high touched surfaces both after school and throughout the day will be conducted.
COVID-19 TESTING: There are two types of testing programs discussed in ODE guidance. Those are diagnostic testing and screening testing. The district will not be participating in screening testing. Diagnostic testing is the testing of students or staff who develop symptoms at school. We are working toward having this option available for our staff and students.
TRAINING: Training for staff and students will occur at the beginning of the year regarding all of the safety protocols in place.
It will take a team effort to ensure our schools can stay open to in-person instruction, and everyone has a responsibility to do their part. I am hopeful that the safety measures listed above provide us with an excellent opportunity to experience a full school year, and limit the spread of the virus. Finally, a few additional pieces of important information:
- The district is required to enforce quarantining and isolation protocols. When a case of COVID-19 is identified in our school, we will contract trace with the assistance of our staff and District Nurse. Any staff member or student that is unvaccinated and determined to be a close contact, will be excluded from school for 14 days. When primary symptoms are shown, there are strict guidelines we must follow before the individual can return.
- Instruction WILL be interrupted. One of the biggest challenges we will face is the disruption of instruction when required to isolate/quarantine. Simultaneous “live” instruction will not be provided when this occurs. However, we will work with individually families to support their students.
- Be respectful of others. Many staff and students will continue to wear masks. Most, if not all, certainly wish to be mask free but they have individual circumstances that prevent it. We have many medically fragile students. We have siblings of medically fragile students, and we have folks who have medically fragile family members living in their home. For many of these people the vaccine is either not advised, or unavailable due to their age. Mask “shaming” or “harassment” will not be tolerated in any form, and will be addressed directly and quickly.
Gary Carpenter, Superintendent FRSD 28J