July 20, 2020
There are so many things to share with you as we approach the end of summer and the beginning of a new school year. We all know that we didn’t end last year in normal fashion, but we are going to try and return to a new normal in the building at Immanuel on August 31st. The Board of Christian Education and I are working on our Covid-19 plan but I wanted to share some of the highlights of that with you along with some exciting news about a new teacher joining our staff.
I will start with some of our thoughts on returning to school:
- Classroom sizes at 75% capacity
- Individual supplies and books for students
- Handwashing and Sanitizer routines put in place upon arrival, recess, lunch, bathroom breaks, and dismissal
- Water Bottles required in the classrooms and taken home daily for cleaning (no water fountain usage)
- Birthday and holiday snacks need to be store bought for less contact distribution
- 2 lunch shifts for serving to help students to space out at the lunch tables
- Scheduled adult disinfecting times for the bathroom, lunchroom, interior and exterior door handles, and desks
- Masks would not be required but would be allowed at the discretion of parents
We want to be in the classrooms with students and are going to have to be very strict on students with colds being in school. Families will need to make sure that if their child is sick that they are kept home for the safety of all.
New Teacher!!! We are excited to bring onto our staff and into our ILS family Mr. Austin Gowen from Trimont, MN. Austin describes himself as an enthusiastic teacher with a knack for making learning exciting and enjoyable. This is what Austin has to say….. I recently graduated from MNSU-Mankato with my Elementary Education degree, with a Middle School Math licensure and a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) certificate. I went to high school at Martin County West in Sherburn, MN. My home town of Trimont, MN is based around farming and livestock.
I grew up on a farm. We raised many different kinds of animals from chickens to llamas and most everything in between. Now we mostly concentrate on cattle. I am very close to my family. My mom and dad met while they were in the navy. My dad recently retired from the navy. My sister is a Lieutenant Officer in the navy as a registered nurse. I am an avid outdoorsman. I love to hunt and fish. I also enjoy boating and four wheeling. I love all Minnesota sporting teams but the Minnesota Vikings are my favorite. I am looking forward to starting my first year here, getting to know the staff and community, and meeting the students.
Please know that we are doing everything we can to keep all of our students and staff safe and in school. We look forward to seeing families again at the end of August for Back-to-School meetings with their teachers at school. You will get an email to be able to schedule that appointment in the next couple of weeks. You will also find the school supply list attached here for you to be able to shop leisurely and get the items needed for school. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at school or through email.
Blessings on the rest of your summer. Stay cool and healthy. If you haven’t confirmed your registration with the office please do so immediately. We have inquiries about the school each week and don’t want to give up your spot.
Mrs King
KIDS HAVING FUN is what summer is all about. Shining Stars Learning Center is the place to be this summer for fun plus learning so many new things. We want to share some of our favorite times in pictures.
