Sultan Middle School
301 High Avenue
Sultan, WA 98294
360-793-9850
Principal: Nathan Plummer Assistant Principal: Thomas Kearney Administrative Secretary: Cindy Broughton
1/22/2021
Hybrid update
Dear Sultan Middle School Community and Family,
On February 2nd, we will be embarking on our newest adventure yet, a hybrid learning model. While we had significant planning challenges to overcome, we are elated to see our students again. Once in person, we will be able to develop meaningful relationships that support students’ well-being and their learning, which is very hard to accomplish with long
days on zoom without being able to hear and see many voices and faces. The following informational items will help inform you and your student(s) about how we will operate to keep our school community as safe as possible and provide an equitable learning environment.
The AM/PM learning model:
The AM/PM learning model is a model used by many schools offering hybrid learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Roughly half of our students will attend school in the morning (AM) session and the other half during the afternoon (PM) session. Students will transition to half of their classes each day, either attending periods 1-3 or 4-6 during their session.
Unlike our current remote learning model, all students are encouraged to do their at-home (asynchronous) learning after their in-person learning at school. For example, students who access AM learning sessions should complete their at-home learning later that same day. Students who access PM learning sessions should complete their at-home learning
later that same day or the following day before they come to school. The following is a link to our bell schedule. Please note: We have more students in our AM session than our PM session, if you are interested in changing to the PM session please contact us immediately so that we can make that change. Conversely, students who are scheduled for PM classes may not have the ability to change to AM.
Remote Learning
For those students who are unable to attend in-person services, they will have the option of enrolling in Sultan Virtual Academy (SVA). Students in SVA will engage heavily in the online Edgenuity learning platform monitored by a Sultan Middle School teacher. This is a self-paced learning pathway with weekly check-ins from the teacher to ensure progress. If your student attended SVA during the first and second quarters then the experience will be similar for the third and fourth quarters. For students who have not attended SVA then please know that the program will look drastically different than the remote learning model that you are engaged in currently. If you have questions or are interested in this option, or have changed your mind and would like to join us in person, please contact us at the main office.
Phasing in
To ensure this safest environment possible, we are following the recommendations of the Snohomish County Health District to phase in our students by grade levels to mitigate the spread of Covid-19. Under these recommendations, 6th graders will join us on February 2nd to become familiar with the building, learn (BEST) expectations, have a clear understanding of safety protocols, and allow us time to adjust our model or logistical procedures if needed. The next integration of students will occur on February 17th for 7th and 8th grade students.
Students in 7th and 8th grade will continue to engage in remote learning until February 17, however, to build consistency and to establish a routine, students will need to access their learning during their AM or PM scheduled times. For example, if a 7th grade student has PM schedule, then that student will engage in remote learning at the PM times listed on the schedule above with each of the classroom teachers. Conversely, if a student has an AM schedule, then they will need to engage in remote learning during the AM times. Students should use the Zoom links posted in their classroom Canvas pages, just as they do now.
Safety
Student and staff safety is our highest priority, and it will remain so during hybrid-learning. Students will be required to wear a mask, fully covering their nose and mouth, for the entire time they are on campus. Students exhibiting any symptoms of Covid-19 will be sent home immediately. Students will need to enter the building through the East entrance into the gym, have their temperature taken, and complete an attestation form that declares that they do not have any symptoms of Covid-19. Students can either complete the attestation form on paper when they arrive or by accessing the PowerSchool main site (not the app) and show the completed form to our screening staff. Students will walk on the right side of the hallways to ensure sufficient social distancing and will need to report directly to their classes after their previous class. Student classrooms will have designated seating charts and will be appropriately spaced. Before each transition, students will use an approved cleaning wipe to clean their learning space for that period
and any related learning equipment (i.e. calculator, colored pencils, etc.).
Students will not be permitted to eat or drink while on campus. Water fountains will not be accessible, but we will have a water bottle filling station available to students to fill up their water bottles for later use. If there are medical exceptions, then the front office will work with those students individually. A grab and go lunch and breakfast will be
available for all students at the end of their day at school.
At the present, due to the unique challenges in scheduling for a socially distanced hybrid learning model, schedules are not yet finalized. We are close to completion and will communicate as soon as they are finalized. We will also be releasing future communication, including a video for students and families on how to enter the campus, follow safety
protocols, and various resources. Please remember to check our website for updates as well as our Facebook page. We are ecstatic to see our students and we promise that we will do our very best to provide an outstanding educational, social-emotional, and fun learning environment for them while on and off campus. We know that if students don't feel
safe at school then it will be difficult for them to learn. We are excited to embark on this new adventure as we do our best to wholly educate our students during this pandemic. For more information, please review our detailed SMS COVID Opening Manual that can be found HERE. Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions that you may have.
Respectfully,
Nathan Plummer
Proud Principal
Sultan Middle School
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