Viking Voice

Weekly Newsletter  

Fort Walton Beach High School July 31, 2020

  John Spolski, Principal

400 Hollywood Blvd, SW Fort Walton Beach, Florida 32548

(850) 833-3300

**If you no longer wish to receive the newsletter, please send me an email (include your student’s name) and I will remove you from the distribution list.

Please read all the way through this newsletter for a back to school message from Superintendent Chambers.

Messages from Administration

First Day of 2020-2021 School Year

The first day of school for students will be:

Monday, August 31, 2020

OCSD Calendar for 2020-2021

Drive-Thru Produce Distribution

Mary Esther United Methodist Church 703 E. Miracle Strip Parkway, Mary Esther, FL

Mondays July 20, 27, and August 3

10:00am until supplies are gone

Class of 2020 – Diplomas Contact: C. Lemasters (cindy.lemasters@okaloosaschools.com)

Class of 2020 – If you have not picked up your diploma – please do so before August 31, 2020. Schools are not permitted to hold the diplomas past the start date of the new school year.

There are several diploma plaques and a few medals that need to be picked up, as well.

Pick up: FWBHS Main Office Monday-Friday 8:00am-1:00pm Please have your picture ID with you.

Class of 2020 – Graduation Pictures

If you have questions about the photos taken by GradImages at the July 17, graduation ceremony, please contact:

GradImages Customer Service Department 800-261-2576 Ecc.giservice@gradimages.net www.gradimages.com

Guidance Department News

MySchool Online Students & Parents

In an opportunity to provide a more comprehensive schedule of classes, the Okaloosa School District has created a synchronous instructional model which will allow students to participate in select courses, live via zoom. The courses listed below will now be available in the myschool online platform – in a synchronous/zoom setting.

If you are registered for any of the courses below and will be attending myschool online - please email your counselor and let her know that you want to keep the course on your schedule. Email confirmation must be received by the counselor by Tuesday, August 4.

Synchronous = The student will have to attend class at an assigned time/class period (via zoom or another platform). Attendance will be taken by the teacher. State and local attendance policy will be followed. Students must commit to

attending and participating in the class as if they are in the actual classroom. The master schedule of class periods is yet to be determined.

Courses impacted: American Sign Language 2 Latin 2 JRROTC Chorus Band AP Chemistry AP Physics (1, 2, & C) BioMed

All 9th graders Ms. Susan Ver Steeg (VersteegS@okaloosaschools.com) A – Gi (10th-12th grades) Dr. Linda Dugan (Linda.Dugan@okaloosaschools.com) Go – N (10th-12th grades) Ms. Jeniffer Zelaya (Jeniffer.Zelaya@okaloosaschools.com) O – Z (10th-12th grades) Ms. Lori Lipnicky (LipnickyL@okaloosaschools.com) Assistant Principal Ms. Hixson-Wells (HixsonP@okaloosaschools.com)

New School Counselor for FWBHS!

Contact Info for FWBHS School Counselors

All 9th Graders Ms. Susan Ver Steeg VersteegS@okaloosaschool.com

10th – 12th grade students with last name beginning:

A – Gi Dr. Linda Dugan Linda.Dugan@okaloosaschools.com

Go – N Ms. Jeniffer Zelaya Jeniffer.Zelaya@okaloosaschools.com O – Z Ms. Lori Lipnicky LipnickyL@okaloosaschools.com

Fort Walton Beach High School Guidance Department: 850-833-3300 then press 2

Fort Walton Beach High School website: https://www.okaloosaschools.com/fwb/

Immunization Requirements

Chronicles in COVID-19

Periodically throughout this semester, OCSD will publish a one-page update on the COVID-19 situation. Below is the first edition of the Chronicles in COVID-19. Contact: T. Schroeder (Teresa.Schroeder@okaloosaschools.com)

Yearbook and Picture Information

Yearbook Update Contact: S. Thetford (ThetfordSh@okaloosaschools.com)

If you were unable to pick up your pre-purchased yearbook on the advertised distribution days, the pre-purchased books will be available in the front office for pickup (with an ID and/or receipt). If you cannot make it to the school before we resume classes, the yearbook staff will have remaining books available in the yearbook room (316) for pick up when school starts.

If you have not yet purchased a yearbook, and there are any left, books will be available in the yearbook room (316) after school begins. You are not able to purchase a yearbook at this time. Thank you for your patience as we navigate uncharted waters!

Class of 2021 – Senior Portraits – More Dates Added! Contact: S. Thetford (ThetfordSh@okaloosaschools.com)

Another full week of senior portraits has been added!

August 10 – 14 8:00am-3:00pm (by appointment only)

No Postcards will be mailed because of the quick turnaround. Please call LifeTouch/Prestige Portraits to make your appointment with them directly.

Schedule your appointment for the week of August 10-14 at one of these numbers: 337-984-9766 or 985-345-5104.

Senior Portraits will be taken in the Media Center, and you will need to enter from the senior parking lot directly into the Media Center. The doors will be marked with orange cones. Enter the building, take your temperature, and sign in when you arrive. Please wear your first casual outfit to the sitting. You may be asked to wait in your car after signing in if you are significantly early.

The sitting fee is tiered dependent upon the number of poses and number of proofs you want to have mailed to your home:

• $20 (18-22 proof images of formal tux/drape poses and three casual sessions)

• $15 (12-14 proof images of formal tux/drape and 2 casual sessions)

• $5 (6-8 proof images of the formal tux/drape poses and one casual session)

Class of 2021 Senior Portrait FAQs

Costs and Fees: 1. There will be a $10 sitting fee due on the day of your appointment, which

will include having copies of the proofs mailed to your home address. There will be no other costs to you. Formal pictures will be published in the yearbook whether or not you purchase them. (See updated sitting fee information above)

Because of COVID-19 and the precautions that we must take for your safety, the conditions for your summer portraits are different than any class before you.

Please read them carefully:

Social distancing –

1. There will be only three photography stations in order to properly socially distance everyone.

Only 10 people will be in the Chorus Room at a time. At any given time, there will be three photographers, three seniors, three additional people (each senior may bring one person to help him or her dress), plus a check-in attendant. This is in keeping with CDC recommendations of gatherings of 10 or fewer.

2. Photographers will be wearing masks and gloves and will not be able to approach you to help with posing or dressing you. You must bring one person – a parent, sibling, or friend -- to help you dress – especially for the velvet drape (girls) or tuxedo (boys).

3. When you arrive, you must wait in your car until your appointment. You need to arrive wearing one of the casual outfits in which you want to be photographed in order to save time. We will text you when it is time for you to enter.

Other Health Precautions -

1. Everyone who enters the Chorus Room will have his or her temperature taken and answer the standard health questions before entering. Please do not come or bring anyone with you who may be ill. Anyone with COVID symptoms or a fever will not be allowed to enter.

2. All formal portrait velvet drapes (for the girls) and tuxedo jackets and shirts (for the boys) will be steamed between each appointment to sanitize them. For the boys, it is recommended that you bring or wear your own white dress shirt. For the ladies it is recommended that you bring or wear a top that has no collar and can be worn under the drape, such as a camisole with spaghetti straps or tank top.

3. Those who are helping you to dress must wear facial coverings in order to protect the other seniors, parents, and photographers in the room with you.

4. Hand sanitizer will be provided.

5. Seniors and their dressers may use the bathrooms in the Chorus Room for changing clothes.

6. All appointments will be kept to under one hour to allow time for photographers to take frequent breaks (the masks and the heat generated by the lights make it necessary for them to take breaks) and to allow for sanitizing of the drapes and tuxes and photography stations between each session.

7. You may only bring three (3) casual outfits or extracurricular outfits such as JROTC Uniforms, team jerseys, etc. You are limited to three clothing changes plus the formal drape or tuxedo because of the limited appointment time slots. Please be respectful of the photographers’ and of the students who are scheduled after you.

Senior Portrait Makeup Day –

There will be a makeup day for senior portraits in October, but in order to have the photos taken in a timely manner, only the formal portraits can be taken at that time. You will not be able to have any additional casual poses taken with multiple outfits. The makeup photos are taken through English classes (or no class or study hall), and the same COVID-19 precautions will be in place.

LGBTQ Considerations –

1. If you are biologically female and prefer to wear the formal tuxedo for your photo, or if you are biologically male and prefer to wear the traditional female drape for your photo, please let the photographer know. Your request will not be challenged.

2. If you plan to request a name other than your legal name to be used in the yearbook with the formal portrait, please have your parent or legal guardian write a letter to the yearbook staff and have it notarized for our records. For example, if your legal name is Elizabeth, but you wish to be called Jeffrey, we must have a notarized letter from your legal guardian. School district policy states that a student’s legal name must be used unless we have the correct documentation. It would save time and trouble to bring that with you on your scheduled day and drop it at the front office, but you can submit the letter after school starts, also.

Athletic Department News

Fall Sports Update Contact: H. McDaniel (McDanielH@okaloosaschools.com)

We continue to face uncertain and unprecedented times in regards to Covid-19. The health, safety and wellness of our student-athletes, coaches, game officials, and others associated with our sports programs remain our number one priority.   Fort Walton Beach High School is working closely with the FHSAA, OCSD Administration, and surrounding counties to give our student-athletes the opportunity to participate in fall sports (cheerleading, men's and women's cross country, stars dance team, swimming and diving, football, men and women’s golf, and women's volleyball). The potential start date for these sports is August 24th and we will continue with our summer activities, under provided guidelines, until this date. While decisions on sports will continue to be evaluated, our school and district will be prepared to modify throughout the season and make quick decisions in real-time based on the most current evolving medical advice and the fluid nature of the pandemic.

Go Vikings!!! Holly McDaniel FWBHS Athletic Director

Message from the Superintendent

Back-to-School Update from

Superintendent Chambers I know this is a lengthy update, but I felt it important to thoroughly discuss the safety measures we are putting in place for our students and employees. Note: Some of the information below has recently been included in our Reopening Schools Plan based on feedback and up to date information from the Health Department. As you know, we have delayed the reopening of schools until August 31st. This is a decision that was not made lightly, but it was made with the safety of our students and employees in mind. Over the course of the last 5 months, we have all had to deal with a new reality, COVID-19, that changed the way we live, think and interact. During this time, I have collaborated and worked with many different people and groups in order to not only comprehend this virus, but even more importantly, to determine how to reopen schools safely. Here's what I have learned through all the conversations, meetings, interactions, and work sessions... everyone has a different opinion as to the best approach to reopen schools. I have been advised to mandate

masks by some and by others, to not mandate masks. I have been asked to reopen schools immediately while others say we should start the year online. Many believe this virus is real and others believe it is a hoax. And, even the decision to delay the start of school is supported by many and not by others. In my role as Superintendent, I fully understand that I cannot please everyone with the decisions that ultimately will be made. All of the decisions to reopen school weigh heavily on my heart because our most precious resource, our students, and the backbone of our school district, our employees, are the ones the School Board and I must keep safe. Over the course of the last 3 months, in order to create our reopening plan, we elicited the input of several groups and to each I am thankful. First, we created a Back to School Workgroup comprised of teachers, educational support professionals, union members, school-based administrators, district staff and the Health Department. This group diligently worked through and problem-solved the countless issues and questions regarding reopening schools safely. After the formation of the Work Group, we also met with principals, School Advisory Council (SAC) representatives, community members and then on July 10th and 13th, we had 459 teachers, educational support staff and administrators take part in a Zoom Meeting where I went over the Reopening Plan. I appreciated the many questions which helped us strengthen our Frequently Asked Questions Document. Now, we have about 5 weeks until the start of school on August 31st. I want to take this opportunity to share with parents, employees and the community what the district and schools will be focusing on over the next 5 weeks in preparation for the return of our employees and students.

• We are ordering, tracking and distributing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to include items such as masks, individual desk barriers and face shields. • We are creating and enhancing training for employees to be delivered during the week of August 24th (pre-planning week). Additionally, starting the week of July 27th, employees and parents will begin receiving guiding documents regarding COVID-19. Training topics such as symptom recognition, what to do if someone has symptoms, preventative measures, what to do if someone is sick, quarantine vs. isolation, employee leave, classroom setup, PPE, mySchool Online, social distancing, scheduled cleaning and disinfecting and much more. • School-based administrators are contacting each student/family who chose to attend school online. They are personally working with each student/family to create a student schedule that fits the requirements for graduation or progression to the next grade level. This is a monumental and time consuming task they are undertaking, but it is the right thing to do for our students. • After input from parents and employees, we are working with families who prefer a Blended Model, which would allow students to attend school through mySchool Online and the school building. • We are investigating the ability to create a synchronous instructional model on specific courses such as IB, AP, ROTC, Band, and CTE. This would allow students to Zoom into the classroom as schedules allow. We are working with our teachers to establish guidelines for this option to ensure teacher comfort levels. • We are finalizing the teacher training for mySchool Online and iReady (Elementary and Middle) to ensure a smooth academic experience for our teachers and students. • We are finalizing the creation of signage on the proper use of masks and other preventative measures.

• We are working with Band and Chorus to acquire PPE gear for instrument and face coverings. • The Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA), which governs high school sports, has postponed athletics through August 24th. The FHSAA is anticipated to release guidelines on August 17th which will provide direction moving forward with Fall sports. Until then, athletics will continue with our phased approach. • In anticipation of the release of the FHSAA Guidelines, we will continue working with surrounding school districts and our district athletic directors regarding Fall athletics.

I am so appreciative and proud of all the work and preparation that has been accomplished to date, and I am confident in the work and plans to be finalized over the next several weeks. I have shared with all of our employees my belief that "Everyone is Important or No one is Important." I have taken these words to heart as we have navigated these uncharted waters. In saying that, let me share the many measures we are implementing and investigating for the safety of our students and employees.

• We have delayed the start of school to August 31st. • We have created a Rapid Response Team that will serve 2 main functions: they will fill in for custodians/cleaners who are out sick and they will deploy to a school to clean and disinfect a classroom or office area where a positive case has been identified. • We plan to implement a Contact Tracing Team that will serve 2 main functions: they will investigate, in collaboration with the Health Department, to determine close contacts related to any positive COVID cases within our schools. Additionally, they will provide support to our school clinic staff for students or staff presenting COVID symptoms. • Schools will be afforded a daily substitute to handle emergency coverage needs. • We are continuing to install plexiglass barriers in front office spaces. • We have ordered individual desk barriers for every student as well as every employee where practical, understanding that social distancing will be difficult in a school setting. • We have ordered hand sanitizer for every classroom, office area and complex. • We have ordered disinfectant wipes for every classroom, office area and complex. • Students and employees will wash hands as appropriate throughout the school day. • We have ordered masks for every student and employee and we have ordered face shields for every employee who would like one as well as for students in certain ESE Programs. Currently, we are strongly recommending the use of masks everywhere where social distancing cannot be maintained in accordance with CDC Guidelines. It is important to note that over the next several weeks we will continue discussions with employees and parents on the potential mandate of masks everywhere social distancing cannot be maintained. • We have ordered clear face masks for Speech and Language Teachers and students • Students and employees will be required to wear a mask while riding the school bus due to the inability to social distance. In non-air-conditioned buses, all windows and vents will be opened to allow for air flow.

• Daily cleaning and disinfecting protocols will be implemented for shared materials. • High frequency touched areas will be cleaned and disinfected throughout the day. • Custodial schedules will be adjusted as appropriate to better accommodate cleaning and disinfecting throughout the day. • Though we appreciate and value our volunteers and visitors, they will not be permitted into schools during the first 9-weeks. This will be reevaluated at the conclusion of the first nine weeks. Essential volunteers will be permitted and must wear a face mask. Parents will be able to come to school to handle normal parent business. • At the secondary level, we are going to Block Scheduling to reduce the number of students with whom a teacher or classroom assistant comes into contact each day. This will also reduce the number of student interactions each day both in the classroom and hallways. • We will be mindful of the number of students in a teacher's classroom. This is a difficult topic because my goal is to keep class sizes as low as feasible. If we cut class sizes in half, we will need to double our teaching staff which cannot be funded. If we cut our class sizes in half, we would need to double the number of classrooms for students to attend, which do not exist. We are still brainstorming this topic because we know how important this is to teachers and parents. • We are mandating the display of signage throughout campuses for preventative measures, as well as creating videos to help inform employees and students/families. • Employees and students will be required to take their temperature prior to the start of school. • We will ask parents and employees to complete a Wellness Check prior to coming to school each day. • In order to limit the touching and sharing of devices, at the elementary level, we will go to a 1 to 1 computer model. K - 3 students will receive an iPad and Grades 4 - 5 students will each receive a Chromebook. • Each school will create a secondary clinic/space in order to keep students and employees who might have symptoms or be a close contact separated from others. • Upon the school district's notification of a positive case concerning an employee or student at a school site, the parents and staff of that school will be notified that an individual at the school has been identified as testing positive for COVID-19. Due to HIPPA laws, we are not permitted to identify the student or employee. Additionally, any employee or student deemed a close contact will be contacted by the Health Department. • Human Resources is working purposefully to safeguard high-risk employees in terms of both privacy and health as decisions are made across the district. • Employees will receive paid leave if forced to isolate due to being identified as a "close contact" of someone in the classroom or worksite. Employees will work closely with Human Resources to ensure that Emergency Medical Leave and Personal Leave is reserved for their own illness, positive test, or identification as a "close contact" in a non-work environment. • If an employee exhausts Emergency Medical Leave and Personal Leave due to COVID-19, unpaid leave will be approved until officially cleared to return.

For the first time since the Spanish Flu in 1918, we are experiencing a global pandemic that has impacted our country and the world. This virus has created fear, anxiety and discord throughout our country. I know many of you are also experiencing your own emotions pertaining to

COVID-19 and I understand that. We will continue to communicate and work together as we prepare for the upcoming school year. I am comforted and humbled by your support and willingness to be a part of the solution and offer suggestions and advice for the betterment of our school district. We will get through this together and together we will continue making a difference in the lives of students. Over the course of the next 5 weeks we will continue to stay in contact with each of you and we will continue to listen to your concerns and suggestions. For more information on the Reopening Plan, Frequently Asked Question Document and mySchool Online, go to Okaloosaschools.com and you can email questions or concerns to reopening@okaloosaschools.com. Respectfully, Marcus D. Chambers Superintendent of Okaloosa County Schools