Blue Valley USD 384

Message from the Superintendent 8-23-21 Hello Blue Valley Families, After having a conversation with our school nurse today, we felt it might be a good time to remind everyone about our mask recommendations and the benefit of wearing a mask at school. Again, these are currently recommendations and not required. The guidance we are sharing is intended to keep kids in school and keep them safe while here. We are doing our best to maintain 6 feet of social distance but that isn't always possible. With that in mind, if we are notified of a positive case, we use this guidance from RCHD to ensure safety. If a person is WITHIN 3 FEET FOR LONGER than 10 MINUTES, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THEY ARE WEARING A MASK OR NOT, THEY ARE CONSIDERED A CLOSE CONTACT. They will be sent home to quarantine. Teachers are doing a great job of keeping small groups under 10 minutes to avoid possible exposure. If the student is WITHIN 3-6 FEET BUT WEARING A MASK, THEY WILL BE CONSIDERED A CLOSE CONTACT, BUT ALLOWED TO ATTEND CLASSES IF THEY ARE MONITORED DAILY FOR SYMPTOMS. If they become symptomatic they will be required to quarantine at home, and should get tested. If a person is WITHIN 6 FEET FOR LONGER THAN 10 MINUTES AND NOT WEARING A MASK, THEY WILL BE CONSIDERED A CLOSE CONTACT and have to quarantine. If a person is WITHIN 6 FEET FOR LONGER THAN 10 MINUTES AND WEARING A MASK, THEY ARE NOT CONSIDERED A CLOSE CONTACT and can stay in school. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to call the school nurse, Emily Cassel at 785-293-5256.

Message from the Superintendent 8-23-2021 Good Morning, You are receiving this because we were notified that a student at BVMS was a direct contact of a person who tested positive for COVID. The student is now quarantined at home and following protocols from the health department. The areas where the student has been have been cleaned and sanitized by our custodial staff. The Riley County Health Department was notified for guidance. They advised that the students at school today are contacts of a contact and that we can proceed as normal and should monitor them for symptoms. When they come home, please monitor your students for symptoms and if they experience any, notify your doctor and get a test and let us know. If they get tested, they can’t return to school until you receive the results from your doctor. Contact your building office/administrator to get the student set up on remote learning for the time they are at home. Here is a list of the most common symptoms: Fever (100.4 or higher, Chills, Muscle aches, Fatigue, Headache, Sore throat, Difficulty breathing, Loss of taste or smell. If you have symptoms or get tested, please contact District Office 785-293-5356 and let us know immediately.

RAM Weekly Update - Community Edition - 8-20-21 This a way for me to share new information and/or update information that was shared previously. I am trying something new and will see how it goes. Happy Friday!!! #RAMFAM https://docs.google.com/document/d/13OnKHsLxn-l6_79rovBTyjfQA1UI7VgBEMVsmUkvNxA/edit?usp=sharing

Message from the Superintendent 8-19-2021. Good afternoon, You are receiving this because we were notified today that a student at the Blue Valley Preschool in the afternoon class was a direct contact of a positive COVID case on or before Wednesday 8-18-2021. The student is now quarantined at home and following those protocols from the health department. The areas where the student has been have been cleaned and sanitized by our custodial staff. The Riley County Health Department was notified for guidance. They advised that the students at school yesterday are contacts of a close contact and that we can proceed with school as normal. When students come home, please monitor your student(s) for symptoms and if they experience any, notify your doctor and get a test. It continues to be recommended that everyone wear a mask for personal protection. If they get tested, they can’t return to school until you receive the results from your doctor. Contact your building office/administrator to get the student set up on remote learning for the time they are at home. Here is a list of the most common symptoms: Fever (100.4 or higher), Chills, Muscle aches, Fatigue, Headache, Sore throat, Difficulty breathing, Loss of taste or smell If you have symptoms or get tested, please contact District Office 785-293-5356 and let us know immediately.

Important Updates 8-16-21. Hi RAMFAM! It was brought to my attention that the morning shuttle bus from McCormick to BVHS needs to be changed. Initially, we thought the 7:45 shuttle bus pick up for BVHS, BVMS and our 4 Preschool students would be adequate travel time. It was not. In order to get students to BVHS, BVMS and the Preschool on time the shuttle bus will be leaving at 7:40 starting Wednesday the 18th. Please have your BVHS, BVMS, and the 4 Preschool students at McCormick Elementary to catch the shuttle bus no later than 7:40am. Additionally, there are a few items that we feel needed to explain better. I have added links to this notification that should help clarify the BV Remote Learning guidelines for quarantined students and the updated Bus Sanitizing Procedures. Remote Learning Link: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1CaxOMl8396Jw-WLpf9Hyc2lAfzFX6sU1OeaOBgVpIss/edit?usp=sharing Bus Sanitizing Procedures Link: https://docs.google.com/document/d/14ogOA6ImTyXgJqyLwuvgMAcLJWgloLZ6-pJkoN-LBGM/edit?usp=sharing Please let us know if how we can help you as we continue move forward. It is a great day to be a RAM!!! # BVSTRONG

IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT. 8-16-2021 Good afternoon, You are receiving this because we were notified that a student at BVMS was a direct contact of an adult family member who tested positive for COVID on Monday 8-16-2020. The student is now quarantined at home and following those protocols from the health department. The areas where the student has been have been cleaned and sanitized by our custodial staff. The Riley County Health Department was notified for guidance. They advised that the students at school today are contacts of a close contact and that we can proceed with school as normal. When they come home, please monitor your students for symptoms and if they experience any, notify your doctor and get a test. It continues to be recommended that everyone wear a mask for personal protection. If they get tested, they can’t return to school until you receive the results from your doctor. Contact your building office/administrator to get the student set up on remote learning for the time they are at home. Here is a list of the most common symptoms: Fever (100.4 or higher), Chills, Muscle aches, Fatigue, Headache, Sore throat, Difficulty breathing, Loss of taste or smell If you have symptoms or get tested, please contact District Office 785-293-5356 and let us know immediately.

August 11th, 2021 Good morning Blue Valley Families, We have been diligently working to solve the District transportation problems. As you may know we are short route drivers and sub drivers. What you may not know is we have more students this year that we are working to transport to and from school. We have reworked routes to make sure students are being picked up and dropped off in a timely manner. We have routes that are close to an hour long. Additionally, the route that doesn't have a driver, we are piecemealing together with other staff who are willing to help. This is not a long term solution. As you know in a small district, every person does many jobs that are outside of the job that they were hired to do. We are stretched thin and have nobody left to ask for help, so I am asking for your help. Our enrollment is up this year and our buses are fuller than in previous years. With COVID we are limited to the number of students we can have on our buses with 2 per seat guidance that is the same as last year. All people riding the school bus for any activity must wear a mask because of the federal regulations for public transportation. In previous years, we were able to transport kindergarten students only, who lived inside city limits and the 2.5 mile transportation radius. The 2.5 mile transportation radius is the State regulation that tells us to pick up kids living outside of 2.5 miles away from the school. Those living inside the radius are not required to be picked up. Being a small district has its advantages and where we can accommodate some things we will, until we are not able to anymore. Last year, we were not able to transport Kindergarten students because of COVID restrictions. Under our current guidance, we are able to again accommodate only Kindergarten students who live inside city limits and the 2.5 mile transportation radius. This will not interfere with our preschool route. If our guidelines change at the state and/or federal level, we will change direction and do what must be done. The bottom line is, we need bus drivers, desperately. This problem is not unique to Blue Valley, as every district in our area and across Kansas have the same problem, not enough people to do all the jobs necessary to operate schools effectively. Everyone needs to know that our situation becomes more desperate if a driver becomes ill. We don't have subs to cover any bus route. This means, we may not be able to pick up and drop off your students until the route driver returns, leaving you to bring your child to and from school. We don't want that to happen. We have been seeking individuals to come work for us so we can operate at full capacity. We need individuals to drive routes for approximately 2 hours in the morning for pickup and 2 hours in the afternoon for drop off. We will pay for your training requirements including DOT physical, Drivers training and CDL license. We offer a starting monthly salary of $935, negotiable with drivers experience and proper CDL license and KPERS retirement. We also offer a single paid BCBS health insurance plan for drivers. We need SUB drivers to cover routes as needed and possible after school activities. Sub pay starts at $26 per day per route so if you drive morning and afternoon you will make $52 per day. Please call 785-296-5256 for more information. You may also find the application at USD384.org. Interviews will be scheduled quickly. Respectfully, John Cox Superintendent, Blue Valley USD 384

Message from the Superintendent 8-9-2021 Good morning Blue Valley!! I can’t believe we are so close to the beginning of school! Teachers returned to work today to get prepared for students to return. As a reminder, SCHOOL STARTS THURSDAY, AUGUST 12TH. You may drop your students off at school no earlier than 7:45 at McCormick Elementary or the BVMS/BHVS campus. Thank you for trusting us with your children! #BVSTRONG

Message from the Superintendent 8-8-2021 Hi RAMFAM, We just wanted to let you know the bus schedules are being developed and will be ready soon. With late enrollments, we a had to look at our numbers and make sure we have everyone accounted for on our routes. Once they are completed, your drivers will be contacting you with updated information and bus pick-up and drop-off times. This should be done by Tuesday late-morning at the latest. Please be patient as we work through this. We appreciate your understanding. #RAMFAM

Message from the Superintendent 8-7-2021 Hi RAMFAM, We have been working on a plan for the opening of school to make sure we can do it in as safe a manner as possible while trying to respect feeling and maintain a safe school environment. As we know, COVID has not gone away and with the Delta Variant it has caused some uneasiness because of its seriousness. We have examined other districts' plans and adopted pieces that we believe will work for Blue Valley as a whole. District administrators and the leadership team have reviewed the plan and believe it is as safe as we can be in our current situation. The one thing we know is that it will change. As the conditions change, we will adapt and overcome the challenges we are faced with together. Please take the time to review the Pandemic Response Plan for the 21-22 school year. We will continue to keep you informed as we navigate the school year. Thank you for the trust and flexibility you have given us. Blue Valley is a great place to be! Go RAMS! #RAMFAM #BVSTRONG Pandemic Response Plan Link :https://docs.google.com/document/d/19EdHYPkwGypuNG-D2HVm_HOycTaQ8wMps-dKGkLTF7g/edit?usp=sharing

Message from the Superintendent 8-6-2021 Hi Blue Valley Families, As you can imaging things are going full speed to get ready for school. Over the next few days, I will be sharing a few of these messages with you to keep you informed of what we are doing. I didn't want to send them out together for fear of overwhelming you. We will be hosting Blue Valley Open House on August 10th. Preschool from 5:00 - 6:30. McCormick Elementary School 6:00 - 7:30. BVMS/BVHS 7:00 - 8:30. Please bring your school supplies and meet your teachers. We are eager to meet you! Please note we have had reports of COVID exposure and positive cases in the school district but nothing directly at school . Wearing a mask is highly recommended to protect yourself and others as we meet to drop off supplies. #RAMFAM. #BVSTRONG

MESSAGE FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT 8-3-21 Hi Blue Valley Families, Enrollment is going well. We currently have about 60% of students enrolled for the upcoming school year. Which is fantastic! However, we need the remaining 40% to enroll ASAP. Online enrollment will be closing on Thursday August 5th at 4 p.m.. This will allow enough time for staff to make assignments and schedules properly. Please take the time to get it done. If you are having problems with the site, don't hesitate to call the office at 785-293-5256 for assistance. We appreciate your attention to this important matter. #RAMFAM #BVSTRONG

FYI - The annual SchoolaPalooza event will be held at the Alert Covenant Church “Open House” style on August 3rd, 4th and 5th. They will be open from 10am to 8pm for people to get supplies as they can.

***Message from the Superintendent, August 1st, 2021 Please use the link below to read about our Blue Valley mask wearing recommendation for the start of the 21-22 school year. While we realize this is a tough discussion topic, we hope that everyone knows we are making decisions that are in the best interest of the students, staff and keeping our schools open during another challenging time. Thank you for support as we start school!!! Go RAMS!! #RAMFAM #BVSTRONG https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XnEKwx7W89C_eYBbhOf7lGk9BuLslUMk/view?usp=sharing

The deadline for the Household Economic Survey has passed, but we are still accepting them. If you have not submitted your HES form please email form to enrollment@usd384.org or drop off at district office as soon as possible.

**Important Information from the Superintendent 7-29-30. Hi Blue Valley Families, I wanted to share with you that in our community we have had a few cars stolen in recent days. We had one vehicle stolen from in front of District Office in broad daylight. I just heard of another vehicle that was stolen from a community member yesterday. We also received a report that some ATV's were stolen from a local farm. This is a good time to remind everyone that although we are in Randolph and Olsburg, Kansas, we are not immune to people making poor choices. We encourage all of you to remove your keys from and lock your cars when exiting your vehicles. Please remember to take all your valuables with you to help prevent theft.

REMINDER: Enrollment for the 21-22 school year is still open! Instructions can be found at https://www.usd384.org/page/online-enrollment If you have any questions, please call the district office or email enrollment@usd384.org.

Hello Blue Valley Families, The summer has gone by so fast. I can't believe we are talking about enrollment already. School starts August 12th! The enrollment portal is now open on our webpage. Please enroll your children in PowerSchool using the instructions at https://www.usd384.org/page/online-enrollment. This year we are requesting that you complete the Household Economic Survey (HES) that the State is using instead of the free and reduced application that was used in the past. By completing this form, it helps the district qualify and receive additional State funding that we otherwise won’t get if the form isn't completed. If you qualify for free or reduced, your school fees may be reduced by half or at no charge with the exception of the school computer technology fee for grades 8-12. (This fee covers the insurance cost for repairs and/or replacement of damaged technology.) Please return the HES form by Friday July 23rd, 2021. No fees will be charged at enrollment. Fees will be determined based on this application. After review, an invoice will be emailed to you for payment through our online payment center.

Message from the Superintendent July 7th , 2021. ***Important - Parent Feedback Requested**** Please take a couple of minutes to read the information and complete the 3 question survey at the bottom of the message. The survey will close on Monday July 12th at 4pm. The District is gathering parent feedback on using a bus location tracking app. Parents would be able to access the information on the app and be able to locate their student(s) bus during the route as well as be able to set alarms for when they get close to their designated bus stop. (Parents would have to set it up to make it work properly.) Depending on the services purchased the cost of the application and initial fees could be approximately $8200 up to $15,500 for the full package. We are looking at the base package of $8200 for cost effectiveness. It would include the tracking portion, hardware to be installed on the buses, and a basic bus safety and maintenance portion. There are annual fees associated with it from that point of approximately $5000 at today's cost. Is this a service that you as a parent of a Blue Valley USD384 student would value and want? Is this service something that you would be willing to pay a $56 per person per year transportation fee for. The fee would help purchase the equipment and maintain the annual costs? The fee would only be incurred by parents that have students who are on a dedicated route. The fee would not include shuttle routes or activity/athletic transportation. https://forms.gle/voViaZCFZtpZLwdy6

UPDATE FROM THE ARCHERY CLUB 6-1-2021 Hi RAM Fam, Here is the Blue Valley summer archery schedule. An email was sent to all club participants. Attend if you can but we also know this is a busy time of the year for all of you. Sat. June 5th 10-12 Matt Williams, John Nuckols Sat June12th 10-12 Matt Williams, John Nuckols Sat July 10th 10-12 John Nuckols, Blake Fronce Wed July 14th 9:30-11:30 John Cox, Kerri Butler Sat July 17th 10-12 John Nuckols , Blake Fronce Wed July 21st 9:30-11:30  John Cox, Kerri Butler