Ware Shoals Middle School

Plans are underway for another food distribution Friday from the "Farmers to Families" program. We are getting a truck load of about 1,100 boxes, packed with chicken strips, sausage, fruits, vegetables, and dairy products. We are excited about this opportunity to provide food for our employees, students, and community! Distribution will be at Ware Shoals High School from 9:30-11:30 FRIDAY or until the food is gone. No proof of income or identification is required. This is a USDA program in partnership with farmers, ranchers, and other food producers and distributors. A lot of food that would normally be sold to restaurants is not being utilized due to the COVID-19 national emergency. This program helps businesses, prevents waste, and helps families have access to fresh, healthy food. Officers and employees will assist with traffic control, showing you where to enter to get in line. The line WILL be long at times, but our volunteers will get you through as quickly as possible. ONE BOX PER FAMILY...FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED...WHILE SUPPLIES LAST! Share this message - help us spread the word. We don't want any leftover food! https://www.ams.usda.gov/selling-food-to-usda/farmers-to-families-food-box https://www.usda.gov/media/press-

We look forward to welcoming students back to school next week! Monday, January 25th is A Day (Purple Hornets) and Tuesday, January 26th is B Day (Gold Hornets). Please be sure your child wears a mask to enter school or to the bus stop to board the bus. School staff will monitor students for wearing masks, social distancing, and hand washing. Please do not allow your child to get on the bus or enter the school if sick. If a family member or close contact has COVID symptoms, do not send your child to school. Call your school nurse to get advice. We offer rapid COVID testing onsite for students and staff. Here is a link to an article by a doctor from MUSC. It may help those who are anxious about returning. https://web.musc.edu/about/news-center/2021/01/19/data-on-covid-in-charleston-county-schools-stun-doctor-who-crunched-the-numbers DESTINATION...GRADUATION!

WSSD51 E-Learning/Distance Learning pick up meal plan REMINDER: All requests need to be completed for free breakfast and lunch meals for ALL students and children 18 years and younger in our community to receive meals for the week of January 11 - 15. Please sign up by this Thursday at 3:00 pm. Meals may be picked up curbside at each schools' chosen location Monday, January 11th and Wednesday, January 13th from 10:00 – 11:00 am. Please sign up using this link: https://rb.gy/6voqf4 Please contact Sharon Mann, Food Service Director, with any questions. 864-456-7496 Thank you!

During our return to virtual learning January 5th - 18th, we will provide FREE MEALS to ALL students and children 18 years and younger in our community. If you want your child(ren) to receive free breakfast and lunch, you must sign up in advance using the form at this link: https://rb.gy/6voqf4 Meals may be picked up curbside at schools from 10-11AM on these dates: January 6, January 11, and January 13. Sign up starts TODAY and ends Monday, January 4th @ 3:00 pm. for pickup on the 6th. Sign up will required again for the week of the January 11th, and may be done between 3PM on Monday (Jan. 4 ) and 3PM Thursday (Jan. 7) using the same link. Please contact Sharon Mann, Food Services Supervisor, with any questions (864-456-7496).

During our return to virtual learning January 5th - 18th, we will provide FREE MEALS to ALL students and children 18 years and younger in our community. If you want your child(ren) to receive free breakfast and lunch, you must sign up in advance using the form at this link: https://rb.gy/6voqf4 Meals may be picked up curbside at schools from 10-11AM on these dates: Wednesday, January 6th Monday, January 11th Wednesday, January 13th Sign up starts TODAY and ends Monday, January 4th @ 3:00 pm. for pickup on the 6th. Sign up will required again for the week of the January 11th, and may be done between 3PM on Monday (Jan. 4 ) and 3PM Thursday (Jan. 7) using the same link. Please contact Sharon Mann, Food Services Supervisor, with any questions (864-456-7496).

The Board of Trustees met today to discuss our return to school, considering the spike in COVID-19 cases from the Christmas break. They decided we would return to virtual instruction from January 5-18. They will meet again in 2 weeks to review the data and decide what to do starting January 19th. Right now community spread is higher than it’s ever been, so we will take a pause in coming to school to learn. It is the safest choice, but it is not an easy choice. Board members and I understand and accept that there is no solution that will please everyone; however, the priority in our district has been and will remain safety for all. COVID-19 is a threat…an intruder…one that we take very seriously because it is highly contagious, it causes illness that is sometimes serious, and it can cause death, especially for those who have underlying health conditions. Many of our employees are at risk of having complications if they get the virus. During the remaining holidays and the 10 days of virtual instruction, please observe the safe practices that you’ve heard over and over and encourage others to do so as well, so that we can get back to school Jan. 19th! Dr. Fay Sprouse, Superintendent

WSHS girls' and boys’ basketball games scheduled for Friday vs. Dixie have been postponed. A make-up date has not yet been determined.

We have added three important links on our district website under the COVID-19 tab, which is circled in red. Please review and submit the electronic permission form if you agree for our nurses to administer COVID rapid tests if your child becomes symptomatic. Read all about it on our website. If your child tests positive for COVID or if your child is a close contact of a positive case during the holidays we need you to report it to our district nurse using the electronic form or by calling 864-377-0587. The district will be monitoring the numbers over the holidays and will announce by January 1st if there is a need to return to eLearning. Students are bringing all needed materials home today and tomorrow to be prepared in case that happens. The extra work brought home by some is not homework to be completed over the holidays. We encourage everyone to follow the CDC guidelines of wearing a mask in public, socially distancing six feet, washing hands frequently, and avoiding social gatherings. These simple steps prevent the spread of COVID-19. Let's all do our part so that we can be back to a normal schedule soon after the holidays!

We are very thankful for our students, especially those who look for ways to help others. This is Eli Burton, an 11th grader at WSHS, who bought paper sacks while working at an auction this past weekend. He donated them to our Food Service program! What a great way to SERVE others, by providing supplies for sack lunches. Thanks, Eli....you embody our motto "LEARNING, SERVING, LEADING," and we appreciate you!

Our scheduled date for returning to five day instruction, November 23, has been changed due to the increase in COVID19 cases in our counties and the chance that students, their families, and our staff will be attending gatherings over the holidays where exposure may occur. The new target date for reopening with five day instruction is January 14, the first day of the second semester. This is an additional 23 days of the hybrid schedule. We thank you for your understanding and patience as our Board of Trustees and I put safety first.

News from the District Nurse: Mask wearing has become the new norm. The students in our district have adjusted well and have been very good at wearing their mask. Since mask wearing is a daily routine, how to store and clean them are very important. The following are some tips on storing and washing your child’s mask. Store your cloth mask properly and wash it regularly to keep it clean. Consider having more than one mask on hand so that you can easily replace a dirty mask with a clean one. Wash your cloth mask whenever it gets dirty or at least daily. If you have a disposable face mask, throw it away after wearing it once. Using a washing machine It is okay to include your mask with your regular laundry. Use regular laundry detergent and use the warmest settings on the washer that is safe for the material, or wash your mask with tap water and laundry detergent or soap. Rinse thoroughly with clean water to remove detergent or soap. Dry your mask completely in a warm or hot dryer use the warmest setting on the dryer that is safe for the material, or hang your mask in direct sunlight to dry completely. If you cannot hang it in direct sunlight, hang or lay it flat and let it dry completely.

Due to increasing threat of high winds from remnants of Hurricane Zeta that are predicted for our area, B Day (Gold Hornets) will have an eLearning day tomorrow. Students must log into their Schoology or Seesaw account to be counted present. A Day students (Purple Hornets) will return to school on Friday. Stay safe, everyone!

The Board of Trustees voted unanimously in favor of returning to the traditional model of instruction (5 days, face to face) beginning November 23. Today we learned that the company helping us needs one more week to get all materials in (demand is very high right now) and to finish making and installing everything. Starting on November 23 will give teachers and students 2 days (23rd and 24th) to learn and practice new routines and safety procedures for being all together again. After Thanksgiving, we'll have three weeks of productivity before the Christmas break.

Schedule for next week: Monday, November 2nd, is an eLearning day for all students and Parent-Teacher Conference Day. Tuesday, November 3rd, is Election Day and a holiday for students and staff. Wednesday the 4th, we resume school with B Day (Gold Hornets).

The Board of Trustees will have a called meeting tomorrow, October 27th, at 4pm to consider a recommendation that students return to school full time on November 16th. This is basically a formality, as they have already given their approval to take steps to get ready for 5 day, face-to-face instruction. All schools will have the best PPE that is available. Acrylic shields are being made for tables and desks, and will be installed by November 12 (photos here are from schools in Spartanburg 6). Combined with the other measures that are already in place, schools will be safe places for children. We are looking forward to having all students under one roof again!

Hello parents. This school year has definitely been a challenging year for everyone. We appreciate your understanding as we wade through all the unknowns and changes COVID-19 has brought. We are diligently keeping up with guidelines from DHEC and CDC in an effort to support the safety of our staff and students. If your child, someone in your household, or a close contact of your child is tested for COVID, please keep your child at home and call your child’s school or the District Nurse Tonja Lindle @ 864-377-0587. If you need assistance with an appointment at a testing facility, contact your child’s school or Tonja Lindle, the District Nurse. As a benefit for our students, Abbeville Respiratory Clinic has graciously agreed to prioritize testing for any student we serve. Our main objective is to keep our staff and students safe and in class as much as possible. Thanks for your help! Tonja Lindle, District Nurse

Barring any further COVID-19 complications, our Board of Trustees has given the blessing to bring students back to school five days a week as soon as we can get our classrooms fully outfitted with the best PPE that is being offered right now, plexiglass partitions. Our goal is to return by November 11th, a little less than 4 weeks away; however, we may need a few more days for the vendors to fill our order, assemble the items, and install them. We will keep you updated on our progress and give you ample notice of the date we will be able to return. We appreciate the patience you've shown so far during the virtual and the hybrid instructional models. We look forward to the time when all of our learners return to the traditional schedule, all being taught together by our talented, caring teachers!

REMINDER: "Farmers to Families" Food Box giveaway is tomorrow from 9-11 at Ware Shoals High. Pull in the circle and a box will be loaded in your car. First come, first served, while supplies last! The box is packed with fruits, vegetables, dairy products, and meat. This is a USDA program which benefits farmers, ranchers, and others who produce food which, in turn, benefits families in economically distressed areas.

Plans are underway for a massive food distribution Friday from the "Farmers to Families" program. We are getting a truck load of about 1,100 boxes, packed with chicken strips, sausage, fruits, vegetables, and dairy products. We are excited about this opportunity to provide food for our employees, students, and community! Distribution will be in front of Ware Shoals High School from 9-11 FRIDAY or until the food is gone. No proof of income or identification is required. This is a USDA program in partnership with farmers, ranchers, and other food producers and distributors. A lot of food that would normally be sold to restaurants is not being utilized due to the COVID-19 national emergency. This program helps their business, prevents waste, and helps families have access to fresh, healthy food. Enter the front drive of Ware Shoals High School and drive around. A volunteer will place the box in your vehicle. Limit 2 boxes per family. FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED...WHILE SUPPLIES LAST! The line may be long at times, but our student and church volunteers will get you through as quickly as possible. Share this message - help us spread the word. We don't want any leftover food! https://www.ams.usda.gov/selling-food-to-usda/farmers-to-families-food-box https://www.usda.gov/media/press-releases/2020/09/29/farmers-families-food-box-program-surpasses-100-million-boxes

Here is the updated Hornet Football Schedule, which was revised yesterday. We will have 2 home games and 3 away games. Whitmire @ Ware Shoals Monday, Oct. 12 7:00 Ware Shoals @ Dixie Friday, Oct.16 7:30 McCormick @ Ware Shoals Friday, Oct.23 7:30 (Homecoming & Senior Night) Ware Shoals @ Southside Christian Friday, Oct.30 7:30 Ware Shoals @ Calhoun Falls Friday, Nov. 6 7:30