Cyclone Chatter March 4, 2021

Dear STM Families, 
Ahhh, it’s March!  I don’t want to jinx us, but these past few days certainly give us hope that spring is just around the corner.  STM students are enjoying more time outside with ‘picnic lunches’ and classes on the front porch of our school. Our 6th graders participated in outdoor Stations of the Cross on the track yesterday in the bright sunshine.  A kindergarten class experimented with an erupting volcano outside in today’s warmth.  This season of Lent coincides with spring, calling to mind the new life and growth, the hope and change that should characterize this time of prayer, sacrifice, and almsgiving.  May your family’s 3rd week of Lent continue to bring you closer together and in your relationship with Christ as we journey toward Easter. 
 
STM SCHOOL UPCOMING EVENTS: 
TOMORROW, Friday, March 5 
STM Spirit Day: Wear STM Spirit Wear, jeans, khakis, Spirit Wear bottoms, or uniform bottoms 

Monday, March 8 
Yearbook orders and money DUE 

Monday, March 8 
St. Patrick’s Day Candy Gram Orders are DUE 

Friday, March 12 
St. Patrick’s Day Spirit Wear Day:  Wear school-appropriate GREEN tops and/or bottoms 

Weeks of March 8 and March 15 
Students in grades 2-8 attend Reconciliation Services during regular Mass times 

Monday, March 15-Friday, March 19 
Spring Break; NO SCHOOL 

Thursday, April 1 
Holy Thursday—½ day of school; Students dismissed at 12:30 p.m. 

Friday, April 2 and Monday, April 5 
Good Friday and Easter Monday—NO SCHOOL 

Sunday, April 18 
2nd Grade First Holy Communion 
 
STUDENT VISION SCREENING: 
A free vision screening sponsored by the Leawood Lions Club will be offered to your child during school from 3/10-3/12/21. 
The screening consists of an electronic scan of your child’s eyes to determine the presence of six eye disorders. This scan takes several seconds. Students who wear corrective lenses are screened wearing their glasses/contacts.  
No physical contact is made with your child and the school nurse will be present during the screening. 

• There is no charge to participate in the vision screening process.
• You will be notified with results only if your child needs to be referred for a more comprehensive eye exam.
• The information from this vision screening is preliminary and should be considered part of a comprehensive eye-care program that includes periodic exams by an eye care professional.
• If your child is referred as a result of this vision screening test, you will be responsible for arranging for an eye exam with an eye care professional.

 
IF YOU PLAN TO TRAVEL OVER SPRING BREAK: 
Please inform your child(ren)’s teachers and the Absence line if they will need to quarantine after Spring Break (or other) travel.  We requested that you let us know by March 1 so teachers can prepare for your child’s absence. IF YOU HAVE NOT NOTIFIED THE STM OFFICE, PLEASE DO SO TODAY.  Please look at the STM Travel Policy with the COVID information below. 
 

1. PATRICK’S DAY CANDY GRAMS SALE:

Share the Luck of the Irish with your LUCKY CHARM at STM! 
Please help support Dan Tanner and his efforts in the 2021 BMA Foundation Dine and Dance with Stars to raise funds for STM for All! 
STM for All will be selling Candy Grams to be delivered on March 12th. 
“When you support STM for All you are helping to ensure that all aspects of STM are committed to welcoming all of God’s children by providing the resources, acceptance, compassion, and love necessary to support the development of their true potential.” 

• Candy Grams are $3 each.  Please print form, fill out and return with payment to school no later than March 8th. Questions, please contact Maeghan Miller at 913-626-9690.   
• Cash, Checks made out to BMA Foundation  

PLEASE SEE THE ATTACHED FLYER TO PURCHASE YOUR CANDY GRAMS! 
 
2ND GRADE FIRST COMMUNION: 
Our 2nd grade students will make their First Holy Communion on Sunday, April 18.  There will be three individual Masses for each of the classrooms: 
2:00 p.m.--Mrs. Anwander’s class 
3:30 p.m.--Mrs. Corkins’ class 
5:00 p.m.--Mrs. Spiller’s class 
More details will follow.  Please watch for additional information from your child’s homeroom teacher and/or in upcoming Cyclone Chatter newsletters. 
 
SPRING PLKC SPORTS INFORMATION:  
Boys’ volleyball registration for grades 4-8 is now open on the PLKC website.  The session will run from March 8 through May 7.  Games will be Friday nights.   I am looking for coaches for teams as well so please let me know if you are interested.   Rules for season will be same as girls COVID rules which are posted on the website.  If you have any questions please feel free to email Jenny Smith at jkalbsmith@gmail.com.   
 
 
COVID-RELATED INFORMATION:  
STM COVID DASHBOARD:  See photo below
  
If your child has tested positive for COVID, and STM was not notified, please email Health@stmcyclones.org with the date of the positive test.  
COVID Task Force Meeting Notes:


The COVID Task Force met this afternoon with 18 of the 21 members present on the Zoom call.   
Discussed during the 45-minute meeting were:   

• Three Action Items: 

1.  Playground equipment procedures: 

• Large playground set will be used by students in grades 1-4 in rotation and sanitized between usages 
• Students are NOT allowed to bring playground equipment from home due to the necessary sanitization processes between usages (by the teacher) and lack of storage for the equipment except at the students’ desks (a distraction for students) 

2.  Quarantine periods for anyone at STM in contact with a positive COVID case continued at 14 days instead of 10 days due to the standards of that shortened period: 

• Have NO symptoms 

• Continue monitoring symptoms and wear a mask at all times around others for the full 14 days after exposure (not possible during a school day for lunch, snack breaks, drink breaks) 

• Avoid contact with individuals at high risk for COVID-19 for the full 14 days (there are numerous adults and children in our building with health conditions that put them at high risk for COVID-19) 

3.  Teachers will be able, as they choose, to show a video or movie during lunch break to limit the exposure of students and the teachers while all masks are off 
ALSO DISCUSSED:

• Cyclone Chatter will continue to be the main source of information regarding STM COVID-19 data and information, including the notes from the COVID Task Force Meetings 
• Though teachers noted that there is a lapse in their usual teaching of organizational skills during these actions, It is not possible at this time to allow junior high school students to use lockers, switch classrooms, eat lunch together in Flanagan Hall, integrate classes for recess, etc.  The Health Department was clear that we shouldn’t lower our standards of care in these areas.  We will look at a Specials class for next year that could focus on organizational skills. 
• The Drop-Off traffic pattern was discussed in regards to an issue brought to the Task Force about a back-up on Holmes Road.  Though the students are now dropped off at different doors around the building, the entrance and exit routes are the same as in past years.  A clarification of the issue is welcome. 
• As the meeting ran into overtime, a decision was made to determine by next Wednesday if a meeting was necessary for next Thursday or if the team would reconvene after Spring Break.  Mrs. Crosthwait will make that determination based on the items that might be brought forth for further discussion by the team.  

Any additional agenda items for next week’s meeting can be shared with Mrs. Crosthwait or any COVID Task Force member.  Following are the parents who serve on this team:  Ben Lizak, Stephanie Rogge, Layne Griffith, Natalie Rellihan, Matt Pomianek, McCall Creswell, and Courtney Fitzgerald. 
 
STM PROTOCOL FOR TRAVEL: 
With Spring Break only four weeks away, we have received questions regarding student & family travel guidelines.  Attached below is a letter from Dr. Dan Peters, Superintendent of Kansas City-St. Joseph Diocese schools.  Here is an excerpt from his letter: 
“As we approach spring break, some parents may consider taking their family on a trip. While taking a family trip is not inherently “unsafe”, meaning it does not necessarily expose those on the trip to the virus any more than traveling to the grocery store, it can unnecessarily expose our school community depending on the circumstances of the trip. For instance, if a family travels by plane to Florida, where few precautions are required by the local civil authorities, and then spends time in Disney World with hundreds of other persons enjoying the rides and exhibits, there is a much higher chance of exposure to the virus then driving to Colorado and spending time in a cabin where there is little or no exposure to others. 
I highly encourage parents to wait on taking any trips for the rest of this year where exposure to the virus is potentially high. If a family decides to take a trip which has a moderate to high chance of exposing the children to the virus, parents should expect the school may require the children to be placed in quarantine after returning from the trip and attend school virtually. This minimizes the exposure to the rest of the school community.” 
 
With this information in mind, STM will enforce the following protocols regarding travel: 
The St. Thomas More School Travel Policy 
Travel Information 
Days in Quarantine 

By plane OUT of the U.S. 
14 days AFTER your return 

By plane IN the U.S. 
7 days AFTER your return 

Being in crowds of 11 people or more 
7 days AFTER not being in crowds of 11 people or more 
 
STM HEALTH SCREENING CARDS: 
Your child's current individual Health Screening Card will be due Friday, March 26.  Please find the Health Screening Card attached to this email. 
We appreciate your partnering with us to verify that every child is fever-free and not experiencing: 

• New cough 

• Difficult breathing 
• Loss of taste/smell 
• Fever (equal to or greater than 100 degrees) or chills 
• Sore throat 
• Congestion/runny nose 

• Headache 
• Muscle or body aches 
• Nausea/vomiting/diarrhea 

If your child has any of these symptoms, they should not attend school.  Notify Amy Hokanson, RN of any symptoms or exposure to COVID-19 by calling 816-942-5581 or email health@stmcyclones.org 
 
  
STM YEARBOOK ORDERS:  
Order envelopes were sent home with your child for the 2020-21 STM School Yearbook.  All orders are due on March 8—no extensions available.  If you did not receive an envelope, you can order at ybpay.lifetouch.com and use the Yearbook ID code:  12113021 
 
ROOM/TEACHER REQUESTS: 
The STM office will review requests for room assignments based upon a written request submitted to Mrs. Crosthwait.  All requests must be submitted before May 1.  Only requests having a firm educational basis will be accepted for review. 
 
SUMMER CYCLONES INFORMATION: 
COST PER WEEK: 
$200.00 for 5 days 
$150.00 for 3 days 
$100.00 for 2 days 
$50.00 to add a day 
Family discounts for more than one child, i.e., 10% off for 2nd child. 
+ ONE-TIME ACTIVITY FEE OF $200 per child -(refundable) 
Summer Cyclones will run from June 1st through August 7th.     More information to come.     
 
 
This short Lenten prayer for children reminds them that God loves them and can help them show generosity to others.  Please consider praying this together as a family during this 3rd week of Lent. 
Dear God, 
Thank You that You are loving and forgiving. 
Help us to love people in the same way as You have loved us. 
Help us do generous things for others because we love You. 
Amen. 
 
Peace and Blessings, 
Linda Crosthwait, STM Principal 
 ​