Substitute Teachers Wanted.
Principal's Message
Welcome Back, Joan MacQueen Students and Families!
See the Entire Newsletter at https://www.smore.com/b149h
We are excited to begin the 2021-2022 school year and hope you are as well. I know that I speak for the entire staff in that we are excited to have all of our students on campus for the start of this school year.
The Weekly Update, our online Newsletter, is our primary form of communication and is emailed home on Fridays. We also post a link to the Newsletter on our website, Facebook, and Twitter pages. If you are not receiving our communications, please reach out to Leslie Perricone to make sure we have the correct information in our database.
Casey Currigan
We are hiring enthusiastic and dedicated staff to join #TEAMAUSD. Custodians, child nutrition staff, instructional assistants, campus safety assistants, bus drivers, etc...
Registration for AUSD busing is now open. Students who plan to ride the bus must register via our online portal by August 6. The link is located on the AUSD website under the Transportation tab. For questions please email tbagalini-rogers@alpineschools.net.
Dear Parents/Guardians,
Several days ago, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) released updated guidelines for K-12 schools around the opening of the 2021-22 school year. There appears to be conflicting guidance causing confusion around masking requirements.
The latest guidance, released on July 12, stated that masks are optional outdoors for all in K-12 school settings. However, students in grades K-12 would be required to mask indoors, with exemptions per CDPH face mask guidance. However, on July 13, it was reported in the news that CDPH has changed its guidance and will allow school districts discretion on how to enforce mask rules. As you can imagine, it is difficult to plan with ever-changing guidelines, recommendations, and requirements. Given the ever-changing nature of this pandemic, we once again expect the roller coaster of changing health protocols, requirements, and recommendations.
Based on current conditions, if districts are allowed discretion over mask-wearing during the 2021-22 school year, AUSD will make masks optional for students. We, of course, will continually analyze conditions and respond accordingly and make changes to ensure that our students and staff are safe. Last year, our mitigation strategy, which did include mask-wearing, was very effective. We will continue virtually all of our safety protocols. This will include a requirement for temperature checks upon entering campus. Students will also continue to be assigned restrooms and hand-washing stations across campuses. Frequent hand hygiene practices will be encouraged. Continued sanitizing and electrostatic spraying will also remain in place. We will also continue to offer COVID testing options for students, staff, and parents.
Last, with the ongoing and important conversation happening in our country—and in our own community—around opening schools safely, I want to remind us all that we take the safety of our staff, students and families, seriously. We also take the input of the community we serve seriously.
Last year, early on in the pandemic we made a decision to open our schools because we believed it was our moral responsibility to provide in-person learning for our students when safe and possible. We took this responsibility seriously and were one of the first Districts to receive a waiver from the state and county to reopen, and were one of the first school districts in the county to actually reopen schools for in-person learning. We were also one of the first districts in the state to upgrade our ventilation systems, and we were also the first District in the state to fully vaccinate our staff, provide District-led learning Pods, and begin COVID testing for staff, students, and our community. We continue to believe that our students need to return to school and resume life in as regular a fashion as possible. We remain committed to opening our schools as safely as is possible given the ever-changing nature of this virus.
While we are keenly aware that things will continue to evolve and change, we wanted to make sure our community knew where the Board and I stood in terms of mask requirements for students. We will continue to provide updates as necessary.
Sincerely,
Dr. Rich Newman
Proudest Superintendent on Earth
Happy 4th of July!
Congratulations JMMS Engineering: Team Ghost Rail. 2021 National Jr Solar Sprint Champions.
LAST DAY of SCHOOL REMINDER
11:30 AM DISMISSAL
HAVE A GREAT SUMMER
The last day of school is here! We are so excited for the eighth grade promotion. See you soon students and families!
Good Afternoon Dust Devils
This is a reminder that our Promotion and Awards Ceremony is starting promptly at 8:15 am. Parents please bring your own chairs and this link will take you to the parking map. Gates will open at 6:30 and seats are assigned.
Due to COVID, our students couldn't attend six grade camp so we brought the camp to them! #JMMS ROCKS
Parents, Today your child is bringing home the MAPS family report. This report compares your child's progress to a normed national average. If there is no score for your child under one of the testing categories they were absent for testing. Mr. C
Attention 8th Grade Families!
Promotion Tickets and Programs went home with your child today. Please secure those tickets and the programs and remember to bring them on June 10th.
We honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice, those who continue to serve, and those who return to civilian life! Thank you! #MemorialDay
NO WAIT FOR VACCINATIONS: Sharp Health COVID Vaccination clinic is being held today, Thursday, May 27 at Joan MacQueen Middle School from 10:00 - 3:00. Parents must accompany any student who is 12-17 years old.
The Federal Communications Commission has launched a temporary program to help families and households struggling to afford Internet service during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Emergency Broadband Benefit provides a discount of up to $50 per month toward broadband service for eligible households and up to $75 per month for households on qualifying Tribal lands. Eligible households can also receive a one-time discount of up to $100 to purchase a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet from participating providers.
Eligible households can enroll through a participating broadband provider or directly with the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) using an online or mail in application. You can learn more about the benefit, including eligibility and enrollment information, by visiting www.fcc.gov/broadbandbenefit, or by calling 833-511-0311
REMINDER: Sharp Health will be holding a COVID Vaccination clinic Thursday, May 27 at Joan MacQueen Middle School from 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM. Parents must accompany any student who is 12-17 years old. The Pfizer vaccine will be administered. No appointment is necessary.
Sharp Health COVID Vaccination clinic will be held Thursday, May 27 at Joan MacQueen Middle School from 10:00 - 3:00. Parents must accompany any student who is 12-17 years old. Appts can be made @ https://myturn.ca.gov - access code is BNN3GOODO6. Walk-ins of all ages welcome!
