Elba Central School

Carol H. Bush
Elementary Principal

57 S Main Street, PO Box 370 Elba, New York 14058-0370

phone: 585-757-9967 fax: 585-757-2713

October 2020

Dear Parents and Guardians,

On Tuesday, November 3rd, we will be returning to full capacity at ECS! I can’t tell you how excited we are to
have all of our students back with us again. It’ll be a huge step towards normalcy for our students.

Over the past couple of weeks, we have been preparing for our return to full capacity. We discussed everything
from safety measures and protocols, to Monday agendas and remote learning. Though we anticipate the transition
to 4 days to be seamless, I wanted to share some of the changes that were made. If you have any questions, please
don’t hesitate to reach out.

Bussing
For those students riding the bus, routes have been reworked to accommodate more students. We hope to have
the bus to your house at your regularly scheduled time next week but please be patient with the process. It may
take a day or two to get the timing just right. If you have any questions regarding bus transportation, please
contact our Director of Transportation, Andy Reeb. (585-757-9967 x1240). Students must wear masks on the
bus.

Arrival
For students who do not ride the bus, our arrival process will remain the same. Student drop-off begins at 7:35am
and continues until 7:50am. Students who enter class after 7:50am will be marked late. If your child is eating
breakfast at school, you may drop him/her off at 7:30am. All students must wear masks when entering the school.

Dismissal
The most significant change you will notice upon returning to full capacity is our dismissal time. Since we have
fewer students riding the bus home, we had to find a way to stagger the dismissal process for those students being
picked up. This helps to reduce density in the hallway and keeps our students safe. That being said, grade levels
will be released 5 minutes apart from one another.

2:10 Pre-K
2:15 Kindergarten
2:20 Grades 1 and 2
2:25 Grade 3
2:30 Grades 4 - 6

Students in grades K-4 will be waiting at the elementary door at their indicated time. Grades 5-6 will continue to
exit the north door. If you have already made arrangements for your child to meet an older sibling at the end of
the day and exit the north door, they will continue to do that. For those of you with children in different grade
levels in K-4, you have a couple of different options for picking up your children.
1. You can drive through the elementary circle at the corresponding times for each of your children. (This is
perfect if you don’t want to get out of the car and can move quickly through the line.)
2. You can park your car and walk up to the elementary doors. As each of your children come downstairs,
we will send them out to you. Please remember to wear a mask since others may be standing outside with
you too.
We will create a respectful, safe, and engaging environment which will
empower and inspire our students to be continuous learners who are challenged to succeed.
 Elba Central School
Carol H. Bush
Elementary Principal

57 S Main Street, PO Box 370 Elba, New York 14058-0370

phone: 585-757-9967 fax: 585-757-2713

3. You can simply wait until your oldest child’s release time and pick all of your children up then. We will
keep your younger children in the hallway with us until their sibling comes down for dismissal. Again,
you can drive through the circle to pick them up or park and walk up to the elementary doors.

Remote Learning on Mondays

Students will continue to participate in remote learning on Mondays. Teachers have created a consistent agenda
for students so they can expect the same schedule each week.
• K-2 will include learning activities for Reading, Writing, Phonics, and Math
• 3-6 will include learning activities for Reading, Writing, Math, Social Studies, and/or Science
Remote learning assignments are NOT optional. All assignments are required and will be graded according to
each teacher’s grading policy. In addition to this, students will receive 1 responsibility point through our PBIS
system for each assignment they complete on time. These points can be redeemed for prizes, which students
LOVE!

“Buffer Packets”
On Tuesday, November 3rd, students will be sent home with something called a “buffer packet”. These packets
will contain two full days of paper-based remote learning materials and are to be completed if we go into another
quarantine/closure. The idea is that these packets will provide teachers a “buffer”, so they have the time they
need to shift their teaching into a remote model. It also provides parents and students with peace of mind,
knowing that they have what they need to get started. If it looks like the closure will be extended, your child’s
teacher will reach out to you with next steps for picking up Chromebooks, materials, etc. If we only close for a
day or two for contact tracing, then students will have everything they need. Please set these packets aside so you
have them ready for an unexpected closure. Please do NOT complete these assignments ahead of time. It will be
great for students to review previously learned skills.

Again, if anyone has any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out! We are looking forward to having ALL of
our students together again.

Stay Well,

Carol Bush

We will create a respectful, safe, and engaging environment which will

empower and inspire our students to be continuous learners who are challenged to succeed.