Boo to the Flu is providing flu shots Wednesday, September 29, from 4:00 – 6:00 PM. Come and get ’em!
Olene Walker Picture Day!
Bring your smiles on Tuesday, September 21. PICTURE DAY ORDER FORM
Wake Up with the Wolfpack!
Please join us for a Back-to-School & Community Outreach, this Saturday, August 14 from 9:00-10:30 AM at Olene Walker Elementary School.
New Student/Kindergarten Registration
Thursday, July 29th 9 am to 3:30 pm
Monday, August 2nd 12 pm to 5:30 pm
Items to Bring
*Proof of Residency
*Photo ID
*Students Birth Certificate
*Students Immunization Records
School is out….Have a great Summer!
Kindergarten Registration for 2021-2022
Please fill out the form at this link if you would like your Kindergartener to attend Olene Walker next fall. After filling this out, we will send you more information.
https://datamanager.graniteschools.org/Form/KinderPre
For more information about Kindergarten in Granite School District, click this link:
Hear Principal Bergera honor Olene Walker
Walker School Openings Plan
Parents, please review the school reopening plan for Walker Elementary. We know many of you have health and safety concerns as you are making decisions about whether to send your children back to school for face to face learning or distance learning. We are doing all we can to put together a plan for students, teachers, and staff to safely return to school. Parents, you will need to make your selection for your child’s learning preference by August 7th. Please complete the form and return it to the school office.
Olene Walker Elementary Condensed Reopening Plan
Communication and Training
-Develop Olene Walker reopening plan following USBE and GSD recommendations and input from teachers, staff, and community council.
-Share this plan through the school’s webpage, Facebook, emailed through Blackboard.
-Valerie Bergera, Principal, is the point of contact for Olene Walker Elementary. vbergera@graniteschools.org (385) 646-4996
-Educate and train teachers and staff on school’s reopening protocols and action plans during faculty meeting on August 13
-Students will receive training the first week of school followed by monitoring and reteaching throughout the year.
-Post regular updates on the school’s webpage and Facebook.
-Provide materials in Spanish and English when possible.
-Share training video options with staff, students, and families.
Accommodating Individual Circumstances (e.g., High-Risk, Personal Decisions)
-Staff will be provided information on characteristics of ‘high risk’.
-If need, “High-risk’ employees will be directed to Human Resources for guidance on possible accommodations and leave options.
-Communicate characteristics of ‘high risk’ individuals to families. If concerns for students, parents will be asked to contact teacher/school administration to address areas of concerns.
-All families will be given the opportunity prior to select distance learning if best for their student.
-Prior to school beginning the assigned staff will review health care plans, IEP’s, and 504’s in order to address risk for exposure and accommodations for those with special healthcare needs.
-Social and emotional needs for students will be address through our school social worker, psychologist, and interventionists with training, calm down space, and one-on-one support when needed.
Enhanced Environment Hygiene and Safety
-Develop increased cleaning and hygiene protocols for custodian, teachers, support staff, and students.
-Faculty/staff/students wear face coverings.
-Provide hand sanitizer, soap, water, disinfecting solution and cloths in various locations in school.
-Classrooms will have sprayers with disinfectant for teachers to spray rooms periodically during the day
-Provide contact tracing when required by health department
-Disinfect touch surfaces at least twice daily
-Have adequate supply of PPE supplies, sanitizer, soap, etc.
-Use floor markings and signage for distancing and expectations
School Schedules
-Share with all school staff, and community the district infographic regarding possible schedule adjustments; Regular schedule, modified schedule or dismissal schedule.
Monitoring Incidents
-Use district provided materials and information to inform and train teachers and staff of protocols for symptom checking of students.
-Establish an on-going schedule of trainings for upper grade students on symptoms and how to monitor for them.
-Staff will be encouraged to take temp daily prior to coming to work.
-Monitor staff/student symptoms and absenteeism.
-Educate and promote “If you feel sick, stay home.”
-Do not allow for symptomatic people to physically return to school until they meet health department criteria or are cleared by a medical provider.
Containing Potential Outbreaks
-Establish sick room as well as an isolation/quarantine room for suspected exposure.
-Train office personnel on criteria to use to determine which area would be appropriate.
-All suspected cases will be reported following district guidelines.
Transition Management Preparation
-Staff will be notified through email listserv or emergency calling tree regarding updates on a temporary dismissal process.
-Blackboard messages will be sent to all families enrolled.
-Essential staff will be available for parent support.
-School staff will work with Linguistica and GSD Ed. Equity to communicate with parents in their home language the best we can.
Mitigating Tactics for Specific School Settings
Classrooms
-Tables have been replaced with individual desks in all grade level classrooms.
-Students desks will all face the same direction.
-Students will be required to wear face covers unless there are mitigating factors in which case social distancing will be encouraged when possible.
-Non-essential furniture and equipment will be removed to allow further spacing.
-Cleaning schedules will be established by each classroom and occur at various times daily with touch points cleaned more often.
-Supplies to carryout cleaning schedule will be provided.
-Used cloths will be placed in a mesh laundry bag to be washed frequently.
-Two Chromebooks will be assigned to each student. One for home use and one for school use. As these will be used throughout the school year for class assignments, if a temporary closure is needed, Chromebooks are already distributed.
-Teachers will train students and use markings for lining up and social distancing in the classroom.
-Students will be trained by teachers on what distancing and pathways are to be used when lining up and moving through the building.
-Individual student supplies will be kept at their desk and not shared.
-Library books will be delivered to classrooms and students will be given the opportunity to request specific books available through destiny. Once checked in these books would be cleaned before being used again.
-Textbooks and small group reading books will not be shared.
Transitions
-Mark arrows and spots on the floor to have a clear flow of traffic.
-Post reminder posters in the hallways about social distancing.
-Staff will be trained in traffic flow patterns and teachers will set a time to train the students.
-Doors will be propped open to eliminate touch points.
-High touch areas will be cleaned on a regular schedule
-Stagger transition times for classes so there is only one class walking down each side of the hallway at a time.
-Doors will be assigned for classes to enter and exit the building
-Teachers will move from class to class or move their desks to work with a teacher
-Staff will be trained in flow patterns throughout the building.
-Teachers will train students as to the direction of flow for transitions between areas.
-High-touch areas will be cleaned before/after transitions.
-Face coverings will be required outside the classrooms and during recess/PE.
Entry/Exit Points
-Designate entry/exit point for before school and after school and lunch times.
-Limit nonessential visitor/volunteers
-Establish protocols for non-regular staff including wearing of face coverings.
-Drop off and pick up points will be shared with parents in first day packets and reinforced in weekly reminders as needed.
-Hand sanitizer will be used upon entrance to classrooms each day.
-Hands will be sanitized again when exiting the building; such following breakfast and lunch and when returning to classrooms.
-Signage will be posted to encourage distancing in lines and in play areas.
-Before school students will be lined up by individual classes and taught the procedure of social distancing.
-One class will enter at a time through their designated doorways.
Transportation
Parents will be asked to stay in their cars when dropping off and picking up their children.
Information will be given to parents on drop off and pick up procedures and asked to follow them.
Bus: All drivers and all students will be masked on the bus.
o The ONLY exception is for students with documented health conditions that preclude them from being able to be masked for a short period of time.
o Students who forget district issued cloth masks will be issued a paper one.
o Students who refuse to wear masks will not be allowed entry to the bus.
All buses will be sanitized between every run of students.
o Driver has a ½ gallon sprayer filled with disinfectant.
o Driver will walk to the back of the bus spraying one side of the bus and walk back to the front spraying the other side.
Hand sanitizer dispensers will be placed on every bus.
o These are the same dispensers that are located in classrooms and offices in the Granite School District.
Social distancing is not possible on the bus but is encouraged at the bus stop.
Students who are ill, or are showing any symptoms must be kept home.
Restrooms
-Classes will have scheduled bathroom break time.
-Signage and instruction on proper hand hygiene will be posted.
-Regular schedule cleaning for high touch areas.
-Bathroom passes will be given to students when needed.
-No more than 3 students will be allowed within the bathroom area at a time.
Lunch/Cafeterias
-A clearly defined lunch schedule has been established allowing for additional time to sanitize prior to entering the lunchroom.
-Seating has been arranged to maximize distance between students.
-Tables and seats will be assigned for contact tracing.
-Traffic patterns will be clearly marked. Line movement will be monitored to ensure space between students.
-Masks will be required until students are seated. Once finished, masks will be required before moving outside.
-Home lunch students will carry their own lunch and move with class at the front of the line then move directly to their assigned table/seat.
-Students will enter the lunchroom in their line order.
-Lunch scan cards will be handed to the lunch clerk by the teacher for all students eating that day.
-Lunch clerk will scan, sanitize, and place cards back in teacher’s box daily.
-All students exit as a class to the assigned play area.
-All tables will be sanitized before and after each class.
Large Group Gatherings (e.g. assemblies, performances)
-Essential assemblies, if needed, will be presented in small groups with sanitizing areas between groups.
-Trainings and other large meetings will be held virtually, or on a staggered schedule if needed.
-Face coverings will be required.
-Assemblies that can be set up outside will have assigned seating for classes allowing for social distancing.
-Record assemblies to be viewed in classrooms or at home.
Unique Courses with Higher Risk of Spread
-Grade level groups will be assigned to a specific classroom for their academic and enrichment classes. Move teacher to students instead of transitioning students to teacher/room, when possible.
-Art teacher will go to individual classrooms for art instruction.
-Hold P.E. outdoors when weather permits.
-Signage to encourage social distancing.
-Built in time for sanitation of space and equipment between sessions/use.
After School Program
-Afterschool program will work with the school to establish movement patterns for enrolled students.
-After school program will occur in the community center to assign seating and spaces to students.
-After school program will arrange for a grab and go meal to be served in the community center and assigned tables and seats will be established to maximize distance.
-Assigned group leaders will be trained in movement patterns, school established sanitizer protocols, and COVID-19 symptom checking including temp checks daily.
-Masks will be required by all participates and leaders.
-Dismissal procedures with assigned exit doors will be established and shared with parents.
-Parent check out will take place outside the school. Masks and social distancing will be encouraged.
Recess and Playground
-Playgrounds equipment and turf areas will be off limits prior to school. Students will be trained to line up, socially distancing when they arrive.
-Playground assistants will monitor to mitigate congestion.
-Recess schedules will be established by individual grades and teachers with the understanding that equipment must be sanitized after use and each class must remain in their assigned area.
-Teachers will be encouraged to do alternate activities during recess times and to increase in class movement breaks in individual seating area.
-Lunchroom playground areas have been established on a rotation area with cleaning schedules built in and needed supplies purchased to allow ease in cleaning between use.
-Inclement weather: Students will return to classroom areas and be provided alternate seat activities or movies in their hallways, which would then be sanitized after use.
-Require face coverings when distancing is not possible outside.
Special Education, Related Services, or School Counseling (e.g. School Psychologist, Speech Language Pathologist, etc.)
-Face shields will be provided to the adults for one-to-one contact.
-Reasonable accommodations will be established for students unable to wear face coverings, including but not limited to larger socially distanced areas.
-Sensory rooms and materials will be sanitized between student use.
-OT/PT will provide services in classroom areas utilizing the sensory room space if possible.
-Social Worker/Psychologist/Speech will provide support in hallways utilizing the wall divider sound sponge space.
-Special Education Resource teachers will work in connection with our intervention classes and pull into the hallway areas with spacing and assigned seats when possible.
-Seating used in the collaboration spaces will be sanitized after each use.
-Students required to wear face coverings.
PD/Faculty Meetings
-Beginning faculty meeting and opening trainings will be opened to ALL staff members and will be held in our gym/commons area utilizing the bench tables to allow for social distancing.
-Other faculty meetings and professional development throughout the year will be held virtually if possible, or in small groups, or in the gym areas.
-Face coverings will be required if social distancing is not possible.
Before/After Student Supervision
-Parents will be notified that students should arrive at school as close to the start time as possible.
-Duties will be on the grounds directing students to their designated lines to wait for their teachers.
-Playgrounds and equipment will be off limits before and after school.
-Afterschool, students will be walked out of the building to meet siblings and head home.
-Teachers will monitor outside areas to see that groups do not congregate while waiting for siblings.
-Students attending the afterschool program will be directed to the community center to check in.
Drop Off/Pick Up Areas
-Once registered, an informational letter will be mailed outlining what parents can do to help us keep their children safe and healthy.
-A map of drop off locations will be provided with drop off procedures.
-Parents stay in cars and move forward when space becomes available.
-Staff will be assigned to monitor pick-up zones for social distancing.
Front Office
-Building doors will be left secured.
-Touch points on the office doors will be cleaned each hour.
-Office distancing signage will be marked on the floors.
-Plexiglass barriers will be installed along the counters.
-Face coverings will be required of adults and children when interacting with the front office staff.
-If used, School guardian kiosk will be cleaned frequently.
-Hand sanitizer will be available for patrons and students to use.
-The vestibule will be used as a staging area requesting social distancing while they wait.
-Staff will be asked to enter through the back-hallway door rather than the front office doors.
-Encourage teachers to use classroom phones for students as much as possible.
-Band-aides will be issued in the classroom as needed; ice will be delivered by an adult to the classrooms as needed.
P/T or SEP Conferences
-SEP conferences will be scheduled allowing parents the option of in-person or virtual conference.
-Conferences will be held in the common area and gym with social distancing areas marked.
-Face coverings will be required for in-person conference.
-Areas will be sanitized after each group exits.
Safety and Fire Drills
-Maps will be developed to space out class exit routes.
-Students will be trained on their exit routes and gathering locations to allow for space between classes and students.
-Face coverings required.
-Teachers will be notified before drills so that one class at a time will exit through a door for drills to lower risk of congestion.
-If the alarm goes off without prior notification, teachers will still use the same exit routes but multiple classes on each side of the stair way would be used and both exit doors utilized to quicken the exit times.
-All doors and handrails will be sanitized after drills.
-Students’ _hands will be sanitized upon entrance back to the classroom.
-Desks tops and legs will be sanitized after an earthquake drill.
-During a shelter in place students will remain at their desks and follow classroom procedures.
-Lockdowns with cover will be modeled by the teacher but students will not cluster together
Patron Meetings
-Small group patron meetings will be held in large gathering spaces or virtually to allow for social distancing. Patrons can join in either format.
-Larger group patron meetings will be held virtually if needed.
-Face coverings will be required for in-person attendance.
-Sanitizing will be offered upon entrance.
-Spaces will be sanitized before and after each meeting.
Library/Media Centers
Younger grade teachers will select a set of books and place them in a basket for student distribution through the classroom.
Prior to distribution, teachers will wipe each book cover.
As books are returned, they will be placed in the collection basket to be returned to the library where they will be wiped down before redistribution. Older grade classes, students will request books through Destiny or Sora.
Librarian will go to each class to teach students how to use Destiny or Sora.
The librarian will pull requested books and distribute to classrooms. Students will be encouraged to utilized online books as much as possible.
Isolate Symptoms (e.g., contact tracing, testing, symptom monitoring, self-isolation, etc.)
- Students should be assigned to a place in line, assigned to a seat at library tables and/or on the floor if storytime is implemented in order to help with contact tracing.
Physical Distancing (e.g., maintaining distance, close physical interaction, frequency of travel, etc.)
- Students should practice social distancing while in line to check in and check out books.
- Library seating should be physically distanced or oriented to face one direction if distancing isn’t possible.
- Utilize floor markings or signage to direct traffic within the library to avoid congestion.
- Librarians will not hold storytime or lesson time in small spaces with whole classes.
- The librarian could visit the classrooms to provide storytime and/or instruction.
- Class groups will need to either be spread out or broken into small groups for library storytime and/or lesson time.
Respiratory Hygiene (e.g., face coverings, appropriate covering of sneeze/cough, reduce duration spent face-to-face, increase air flow, etc.)
- Students and staff in the library will wear masks or face shields at all times.
- Library seating should be physically distanced or oriented to face one direction where possible.
Physical Hygiene (e.g., personal hygiene, physical space hygiene, personal protective equipment, etc.)
- Library circulation desks should be equipped with plexiglass shields.
- Prop doors open to reduce touch where possible.
- Students should wash or sanitize their hands before entering the library.
- Make hand sanitizer available
- Common library equipment should be cleaned by students, teachers, and school librarians after use.
- Time in between library sessions should be given in order to adequately clean and sanitize the library.
- Books that are taken home should be quarantined for at least 4 days upon return to the schools.
- This means books should be placed in a location where they are not used, such as a workroom, tote, closet, or other isolated location.
- Library seating should be physically distanced or oriented to face one direction where possible.
- Furniture that can’t be wiped down (bean bags, pillows, etc.) should not be used if it can be avoided.
IEP/Special Ed Meetings
-All IEP, 504 or health care plans meetings will be held with social distancing if all parties agree.
-If all parties are not in agreement, virtual meetings will be held.
-Face coverings will be required for in person meetings unless individual accommodations are needed.
-Areas will be sanitized after meetings.
Multipurpose Room
-If multipurpose room is required, social distancing and face coverings will be required.
-Space will be sanitized before and after each use.
-Garage doors will remain open to allow further air circulation.
PE/BTS Classes
-BTS and PE will be encouraged to use outside space if possible.
-Limit class numbers as much as possible.
-If utilizing the multipurpose room, face coverings will be required unless accommodations for specific students are required.
-Space and equipment will be sanitized after each use.
Hallways
-Signage will be placed to remind students of movement patterns.
-Students will be trained to hallway flow.
-Masks will be required when in the hallway unless individualized accommodations are needed for specific students.
-Touch surfaces will be cleaned regularly.
-Floor markings and signage will be used to direct traffic flow.
-Minimize/monitor congregation of students.
Welcome to Walker Elementary!
Dear Parents and Families,
Welcome to Olene Walker Elementary! It is a privilege to be the principal of this new school. The staff at Walker Elementary is excited to welcome back students in the fall. We will not be able to move into the new school building until August, so we will be holding student registration at Roosevelt Elementary (3225 S. 800 East) on Wednesday, July 29th from 12pm-5pm and Thursday, July 30th from 9am-7pm. If you are registering new students, please make sure to bring a copy of their birth certificate, immunization records, and proof of address.
We are working with Granite School District and the state to follow best practices to create health and safety plans throughout the school. More detailed information will be sent out as it gets closer to the beginning of the school year. Distance learning options will be available for any parents who are interested in having students participate in that format.
Please feel free to contact me with any questions you might have about Olene Walker Elementary. You can reach me by phone at (385) 646-4998 or email vbergera@graniteschools.org
If you know people who are new to the area and need to register for school, please share this information with them. I look forward to meeting you.
Valerie Bergera Principal, Olene Walker Elementary 3751 S. 900 West South Salt Lake, UT 84119 (385) 646-4996 (385) 646-4997 FAX
Estimados Padres y Familias,
¡Bienvenidos a la escuela primaria Olene Walker Elementary! Es un privilegio ser la directora de esta nueva escuela. El personal de la Primaria Walker está emocionado de darles de nuevo la bienvenida a los estudiantes en el otoño. No podremos mudarnos al nuevo edificio de la escuela hasta agosto, de modo que estaremos llevando a cabo la inscripción estudiantil en Roosevelt Elementary 3225 S. 800 E. Salt Lake City los días miércoles 29 de julio de 12pm-5pm y jueves 30 de julio de 9am-7pm. Si ustedes van a inscribir a nuevos estudiantes, por favor, asegúrense de traer una copia del acta de nacimiento de ellos, registros de vacunas, y prueba de dirección.
Estamos trabajando con el Distrito Escolar Granite y el estado para seguir las mejores prácticas a fin de crear planes de salud y seguridad en toda la escuela. Enviaremos más información detallada al acercarse más el comienzo del año escolar. Las opciones de aprendizaje a distancia estarán disponibles para cualquier padre que esté interesado en que los estudiantes participen en ese formato.
Por favor, siéntase en la libertad de contactarme por cualquier pregunta que pudieran tener sobre la Primara Olene Walker. Pueden contactarme por teléfono al (385) 646-4998 o por email vbergera@graniteschools.org
Si conocen a personas que sean nuevas en el área y que necesiten inscribir a sus hijos en la escuela, por favor, compartan esta información con ellos. Espero con interés conocerles a ustedes.
