2020-21 Back To School Letter

Our 2020-21 Back-To-School Letter, included below, is being mailed to families during the week of Monday, August 17. 

Dear Millmont Families,

It gives me great pleasure to welcome you and your child to Millmont Elementary School.  The beginning of the school year is always an exciting time, filled with new experiences, teachers and learning. COVID-19 has certainly impacted what school will look like, but, rest assured, we will all stand “U-Knighted” and work together to educate our children.

As a reminder, Reading School District will begin the 2020-21 school year with all students and teaching staff working at home through FULL REMOTE LEARNING during the entire 1^st Quarter. Our teachers and staff have been busy this summer preparing engaging online learning programs and lessons for our incoming students. Even though we will not physically be together inside of our school and classrooms for now, you can still expect that your child will receive a high-quality education in a safe, supportive and successful environment. We believe that all students – without exception – can achieve at high levels, and we are committed to ensuring each student’s continuous growth.

Important Dates:

• Monday, August 31^st, 2020
  First Day of School
  
  
• Monday, August 31^st, 2020 through Thursday, September 3^rd
  Orientation Week for Families (more details below!)
  
  
• Friday, September 4^th and Monday, September 7^th
  Labor Day Holiday - School Closed
  
  
• Tuesday, September 8^th, 2020
  School Reopens - First, full instructional day for students
  
  
• Wednesday, November 4^th, 2020
  End of the 1st Marking Quarter

Orientation Week
To welcome our new and returning families to Millmont Elementary, we will host a special Orientation Week from Monday, August 31^st, 2020 through Thursday, September 3^rd. Families will visit the school by appointment to receive their Chromebook (if needed), a bag of school supplies and other important information. In addition, teachers will host special online sessions throughout the week to meet students and families, as well as share some fun back-to-school activities. Following Orientation Week, we will begin our first full day of school with remote learning instruction on Tuesday, September 8^th.

Millmont Elementary will hold our Orientation from Monday, August 31^st through Thursday, September 3^rd.  Orientations will be held each day; however, they will be scheduled dependent on your child’s last name.  Please see the schedule below for your Orientation date:

• Monday, August 31^st  from 8:00 AM to 2:00PM - Last Names that Begin with A through F  
  
  
• Tuesday, September 1^st  from 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM - Last Names that Begin with G through L
  
  
• Wednesday, September 2^nd  from 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM - Last Names that Begin with M through R 
  
  
• Thursday, September 3^rd  from 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM - Last Names that Begin with S through Z         
• We will be holding an early evening session from 4:00 to 6:00 on Wednesday, September 2nd for anyone that may be unable to attend the allotted times during the days indicated.

Please enter through the playground area of Millmont Elementary.  When you are in the playground area, you will receive your child’s Chromebook (if you haven’t already received one during the Spring), school supplies, and check pertinent information with the office staff.  Please remember to kindly follow safety protocols while visiting Millmont, and wear a mask while on school property.

Millmont Elementary School Schedule Information
With FULL REMOTE LEARNING, the school day will be structured, and students will follow a set class schedule from 9:00AM to 3:00PM.  For elementary and middle school students, the schedule will include a Morning Meeting with their teacher, on-demand video lessons and daily, small group live instruction with their teachers throughout the school day.  Please note, this is an example of a schedule.  Your child’s schedule will be communicated from their classroom teacher.

Daily attendance will be taken, and our teachers will use Google Classroom to share and collect school assignments. You will receive your child’s Google Classroom Code during Orientation Week. During the 1^st Quarter, grades will return to the standard A-F grading system for Grades 2-12, and we will no longer use the Pass-Fail grading system. Younger grades will use the number scale grading system.

Students will not be required to wear school uniforms during FULL REMOTE LEARNING.

Sample School Day Schedule

Reading Virtual Academy
If you feel your family cannot follow the set FULL REMOTE LEARNING daytime school schedule outlined above, we encourage you to enroll in our district cyber school – Reading Virtual Academy (RVA), which is expanding to grades K-12 for the 2020-21 school year. With RVA, families will have a more flexible learning schedule that allows students to watch on-demand virtual video lessons at any time and then complete their work assignments by a designated date. While students in RVA do not have a full-time RSD teacher, they would have access to RSD teachers who are available to assist with tutoring, as needed. To enroll in Reading Virtual Academy, you must complete a RVA application. The application is available online in English and Spanish at www.readingsd.org/virtualacademy or you can pick up a print copy at the ROCC Building, located at 800 Penn Street.

Millmont Elementary School Transportation
Although we typically send out bussing information through our summer mailing, this information will be forthcoming once further decisions have been made for our students about the timeline of their return to school.

School Communications
Our school website is www.readingsd.org/millmont.

We use Class Dojo to communicate directly with families, and the school district uses Blackboard for mass notifications, such as emergencies. You will receive more information about how to connect with your child’s teacher and our school during Orientation Week.

If you have any questions prior to the start of the school year, please contact our main office at 610.320.8947, visit our website www.readingsd.org/millmont, or visit the district’s Back To School information page at www.readingsd.org/backtoschool.

Together, we share the responsibility for our children’s education. I look forward to working with you to create a strong partnership so your child can achieve great success and have a wonderful 2020-21 school year!

Sincerely,
Dr. April Halligan-Rostek                                                                          
Principal, Millmont Elementary