August 17, 2020

Dear Ferndale Lower School Families,

We hope this back-to-school letter finds you well and excited to get back to what is sure to be one of the most interesting and innovative years any of us have ever experienced in education.  We are so excited to be with your children again and also get to know and welcome new Kindergarten families!

Here are a few reminders to help you feel READY for the start of our 2020-2021 school year!

1. Our first official day of school is Monday, August 31st, though as with everything else this year, the first “day” will not be quite the same as in the past! It is vitally important to our staff that we take the first two weeks of school and use them to build connections and community with our students AND our families.  In the first two weeks, we will be building relationships and getting to know our students and families before diving right into our academic daily schedule.  To that end, please see the box below for our tentative schedule for the first two weeks of school:

2. Classroom placements will be finalized on Wednesday, August 26th and will be viewable in Mistar that evening. Teachers will also be sending virtual postcards or letters to all families via Remind. If you have questions or have trouble accessing this information, you can contact mistarhelp@ferndaleschools.org or email Mrs. Keefe at diana.keefe@ferndaleschools.org

3. Our Board of Education approved in-person Learning Support Lab time for our students with special needs and to provide Internet access and support for families in need. While these labs will start small with pre-selected students so that we can ensure the safety of our staff and students, our goal is to slowly open up for sign-ups for all families in need. Please note that these support labs are not in-person instruction - students will be socially distanced with masks 10 feet apart in rooms and will have access to a workstation with a computer to complete their synchronous (online) learning with their homeroom teacher. More details will be forthcoming in the next few weeks and sign-ups will be opened up by October.

4. Ferndale Schools participates in the National School Lunch Program. Families that qualify can receive free or reduced price meals. Families that were approved last year must fill out a new application form as soon as possible to continue assistance.  Applications are available online at https://mistar.oakland.k12.mi.us/ferndale/FSOnline/Main/Login or on the Ferndale Schools webpage.  Only one application per family is required.  

5. Once our in person Learning Support Labs are up and running, if your child has a severe medical condition or allergy that could potentially require medical attention at school (i.e. a food allergy, bee sting allergy, asthma), we will need a medical authorization form and medication release form. Both of these should be submitted to the Ferndale Lower office by the first day of attending a lab at school, along with any accompanying medications (Epi-pens, Benadryl, etc). Medical Treatment Release Form  & Medication Authorization Form .

6. There will be so many questions as we move forward. To that end, I will be hosting two Ferndale Lower Town Halls via Zoom on Thursday, August 20th from 6-7 pm and on Wednesday, August 26th from 7-8 pm to answer FAQ regarding this coming school year. If you would like, you can pre-submit questions to https://forms.gle/DvGbGWVeYZQswRXU7

7. Do you still need technology support at home? Be sure you have completed the district TECHNOLOGY SUPPORT form as soon as possible so that we can have availability.

8. If you have not done so already, please fill out this quick survey link from the district to confirm that you have read this letter and understand that we will be starting the year virtually.

Finally, please know that we are here for you. If you have questions or worries, please don't hesitate to reach out. Our staff is fully committed to supporting you, your children, and creating a safe, loving, warm environment while we are not together in person.  We miss your children so very much and will be doing everything we can to provide the best possible learning experience for each and everyone of them. We will have bumps in the road. We will have connectivity issues. We will have days where we all want to throw our hands up! And yet, we CAN and WILL do this together in the most engaging, equitable, and Ferndale-esque way possible.

Wishing You Well,

Mrs. Diana Keefe

Proud Principal