Principal's Message
Ms. Prindle shares news from around campus, including the latest on COVID testing.
Hello Castlemont Families,
As we are falling into the rhythm of school days, we are enjoying the moments of "normal." I especially notice the sounds-- laughing on the playground, good morning greetings in the hallways, and student voices on the intercom doing morning announcements. Our "new normal" of COVID mitigation strategies have also become familiar.
The most recent of our safety precautions is on-site COVID testing of students. The absolutely FREE service will be performed two times a week. At Castlemont, the testing will be done on Tuesdays and Fridays. Results are ready in 15 minutes, enabling us to catch possible positive results. The more students who test, the safer everyone will be. We need your permission to include your student in testing. Please use this link to access the QR code to the permission form.
On the form you will be asked to provide your insurance information, and I was among those who wondered why if the testing is free. The answer is that your insurance, if you have it, will be billed for the test. If you do not have insurance the testing is paid for by the federal government. You will not be billed for the testing.
Will it hurt? No. This test requires swabbing of the lower portion of the nostrils, not the dreaded "brain poke." Can you give permission and revoke it later? Yes. If your child refused to participate on the testing date will they be forced to do it? Absolutely not.
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We had our first Home and School Club meeting tonight and I was very happy to see returning and brand new Castlemont parents. I strongly encourage you to join this supportive and fun organization. Membership is free (a theme of this message)!
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Our teaching staff is participating in GLAD trainings. GLAD stands for Guided Language Acquisition Design. It provides strategies that support all learners in engaging, interactive ways. It supports the learning of ALL students and is especially beneficial for students who are learning English. Our veteran teachers were trained some years ago, and our newer teachers have been invited to participate in the full training online. Our English Learner specialist, Jennifer Bell, is leading monthly GLAD trainings for our teachers as well. This month's focus strategy is the Comparative Input Chart.
Thank you for reading this far-- enjoy your week!
~Kristen