What a trying time in our lives! COVID compliance has changed our world! At school, we have spent countless hours trying to figure out how to provide AfterZone to families and students in a safe way. As all of you know, information and advice changes daily and even hourly. Our goal is to get AfterZone started but it will certainly look different and will likely change often. Please be patient while we work through all the regulations we have to follow from DHHS, state health departments, local health officials, our 21st CCLC grant, the Governor, our school policies, etc. Sometimes the advice and guidelines from all those agencies do not agree and we are stuck in the middle. We are doing our very best to provide a place for your students to go after school but is has been very challenging. We have never had to limit student numbers for AfterZone but this year we are forced to.
As of today, August 14, 2020, this is our plan. This can, and likely will, change as our risk levels change from green, yellow and red. The Board of Education voted to increase the daily fee to attend AfterZone last March. The daily fee will be $3.00/student/day. If your family qualifies for free or reduced lunches, they may attend at no charge IF you sign the waiver to allow the District Office to share that information with AZ. No student will be denied AZ services because of an inability to pay.
We will notify families if their student(s) may attend AfterZone ASAP or by Friday, August 28th. Please return the required form ASAP if you need a spot for your students.
1. AfterZone will not start until Tuesday, September 8th to allow us to get school up and running and work out potential issues that may arise. AfterZone will also CLOSE this year at 5:30 every day to allow for our staff to clean the areas we have used so the building is ready for school the next day.
2. We will have to limit the number of students who may attend AfterZone to allow for groups of less than 30 (DHHS Rule).
3. All students and adults will have their temperature taken when they check in to AfterZone after school. Any student who has a temperature of 100 degrees will be sent home immediately.
4. Starting September 8th, we will ONLY allow 30 kindergarten and 30 first grade students to attend on any given day for the foreseeable future. No other grades may attend for two weeks.
5. Starting Monday, September 21st, we will allow an additional 20 second grade and 20 third grade students to attend on any given day for the foreseeable future.
6. Unfortunately, because of staffing and space, we are unable to allow ANY 4th and 5th grade students to attend AfterZone for at least the first nine weeks of school. We will reevaluate the situation at that time. Hopefully, these students are able to be a bit more independent after school.
7. The students who DO attend AfterZone will be kept in their grade-level groups. For example, Kindergarten will be split into two groups of 15 in a room, but may contain students from all four kindergarten classrooms of the school day.
8. Snack will be served by grade levels. During outside play, we will TRY to keep groups social distancing from each other.
9. The school doors will remain locked during AfterZone and you are unable to come in to the building to pick up your student(s). When you ring the bell, Marcia will ask your name (masks make it hard to tell who you are) and who you are picking up. You will remain outside at the door and she will intercom the rooms to have your student(s) gather their belongings and come to the front. She will walk your children out the door to you. Please be patient with this process.
10. Attendance is going to be VERY critical this year. Each family will need to communicate the days you need, or do NOT need, AfterZone. You cannot assume there is room. If your child is NOT coming to AZ on a given day, communicate that as well so that spot can go to another student. Failure to do these things will result in your child not being able to attend AZ.
11. It is very likely that not all students will be able to attend this year because of limited spaces. This is the worst problem we have and no solutions are obvious. Behavior, past due accounts, or non-communication with Marcia are all reasons that could affect your students attending AZ. Rationale for WHO attends may involve reasons such as working parents, teacher recommendations, academic needs, full time status, etc. There is NO final check list at this point but it may have to happen depending on demand.
12. If a student/staff tests positive in AZ, or in a classroom but they attended AZ, AfterZone may close for quarantine according to current public health department guidelines.
13. If AfterZone is a choice you make because your students enjoy coming, but you are home after school, please consider not requesting a spot if you do not need one.
14. If your student(s) have attended AfterZone in the past but you do NOT plan to send them this year, please let me know ASAP.
15. If you want a spot in AfterZone for your student(s):
1. Fill out the “AfterZone Application Request” and return it to the elementary school (These application forms were mailed on August 14th). You may email it to Marcia, drop it off at the school, send it with your student the first day of school, mail it to the school, etc. EVERYONE must fill this out, regardless of how long you have used AZ.
2. NEW families to AZ. You will need to fill out the full Enrollment Packet. This includes the “Cozad Elementary AfterZone Child Enrollment Form” – one for EACH child, “Cozad Elementary AfterZone Permission Form” – One per family, and “Cozad Elementary AfterZone Contract” – one per family, AND the “AfterZone Application Request” – one per family. The Enrollment packet is linked below.
Thanks for your understanding as we work through all of these things!
If you have questions, please feel free to call or email Marcia Fritz, Director
308-325-3258 marcia.fritz@cozadschools.net
(AfterZone Documents can also be found on our website under the Document icon--"Documents > Elementary > AfterZone")