Lower School: Welcome Back Information and Updates

Greetings, Villa Lower School Families!

We are so thrilled to welcome you back to campus in the coming weeks. The teachers and staff have been diligently making preparations and are eager to have our students join us on campus. I’m sure our students are eager to hear about their class placements. As is the tradition at Villa, those assignments will be emailed to families this coming Monday, August 23rd.

On a personal level, I am both excited and humbled to be working in partnership with you. I think we have a wonderful year ahead! Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or concerns, and enjoy the remainder of your summer.

COVID Protocols: 

In the summary of Villa Covid Safety Measures shared by Julie Grasseschi, Villa will comply with guidelines from the Washington State Department of Health and the CDC. For visual learners, HERE is an infographic to help navigate Villa’s Covid protocols. We will continue to monitor current recommendations and appreciate your understanding if safety protocols need to change and morph over the course of the year.

Masks: 

• All students and all adults are required to wear two-layer masks at school, regardless of vaccination status.
  
• Masks will be worn by students both inside and outside while cohorting with students outside their grade levels.
  
• Exceptions to outdoor masking may be made during PE or homeroom outings where students are outside with only peers from their specific class.
  

Travel for unvaccinated students: 

• Unvaccinated students must quarantine for 7 days upon return to Washington when traveling on public transportation (flights, busses, etc.), test negative between days 3-5 of quarantine, and may return with a negative test result on Day 8
  
• Remote learning will not be offered when quarantining due to travel
  
• Travel via private transportation (ex: driving to Oregon) does not require quarantine for any students, regardless of their vaccination status
  
• Please be sure to have quarantined prior to the start of school post-summer travel on public transportation for any unvaccinated student
  

Travel for vaccinated students: 

• Vaccinated students who have submitted vaccination records to villa-office@thevilla.org do not need to quarantine after traveling via public transportation
  

Upcoming Dates/Events: 

1. Visit Day August 25th from 4:30-5:30

• Please use your discretion when deciding whether to attend this event and limit your visit to 15 minutes in the school building
  
• Families are asked to send only the student and one parent/adult
  
• Students and parent/adult are required to wear safe masks (two-ply fabric, surgical, or KN95)
  

2. First Day of School is August 31st, 8:30-11:50:

• Please note the pick up and drop off logistics listed below
  
• Students should bring a nut-free snack, water, and be dressed in uniform 
  
• No lunch is needed for the short day on Aug. 31st. Moving forward, please send your student to school with lunch until our new lunch delivery service begins on September 7th (See Chef Allison’s announcement.)
  
• Dismissal time…. 
  
• K- 11:30
  
• 1-2 11:40
  
• 3-5 11:50
  

3. Drop off/Pick Up Updates: We will continue to have staggered pick up and a variety of drop off locations in order to allow grade levels to maintain safe distances and grade band cohorting. 

• Drop Off: 
  • 8:05 drop off starts  - 5th through 8th graders have permission to be dropped off at St. Bridget’s in the morning.
    • Fifth graders have the privilege of being dropped off at St. Bridget’s if their family so chooses. They may also escort younger siblings from St. Bridget’s to their morning drop off space
    • K-2 will stay on the patio until the 8:15 bell. Kindergarten students will then enter through the Rainbow Theater door. Grades 1 and 2 students will enter up the patio stairs
    • 3-5 will go to the playground where they will line up by grade level until the 8:15 bell
  • 8:15 - bell rings and students enter 

• Pick Up On Mondays, Tuesday, Thursdays, and Fridays
  • K-2 at 3:00
  • 3-5 at 3:10

• Pick Up On Wacky Wednesdays - due to the timing of specialist classes, we will dismiss in a unique grade level manner on Wednesdays
  • Grades 2, 3, and 4 will dismiss at 2:05
  • Grades K, 1, and 5 will dismiss at 2:15

4. Curriculum Nights for Lower school will be held on two separate evenings (VIRTUAL)

• K-2 families will gather on Thursday, September 16th from 7:00-8:30
• 3-5 families will gather on Tuesday, September 21st  from 7:00-8:30
  
• In response to the increasing number of cases in King County and ensuring access to information for all families, our Curriculum Nights are moving to a virtual format. Specific information regarding your child’s Curriculum Night will come from Ms. May, Ms. Sullivan and/or Ms. Goldsmith prior to your scheduled date. All calendar events for Villa are updated on VikingNet, our parent and family resource page. Scroll down for the calendar.

Commute Advisory: Please note that the Montlake Bridge will remain closed for maintenance through September 3rd.

Warmly,

Michelle Lorda Sullivan, Interim Lower School Director