We hope everyone enjoyed the Thanksgiving break and was able to spend time with family and friends!  As we return to campus tomorrow, we would like to share an important update with our families. 

As we indicated at the beginning of the school year, there are continuously changing factors that impact us on a daily basis. One those factors is the percentage of COVID-19 cases within our community as well the health trends within our school community.  Gallatin County has returned to the RED status on the Kentucky COVID-19 statewide map. In accordance with district policy, all students, staff and visitors are required to wear a mask while indoors.  

 he health and safety of our students and staff is always a top priority. Our school community has been resilient in their daily efforts working together to keep everyone healthy and learning. We truly appreciate the commitment our staff and families have made to keep our students in the classroom. 

We are excited to announce that we have hired two new bus drivers! With the addition of these drivers, we are able restore service to existing routes, update routes and add a new route.

Below is a brief description of the route changes and additions.

• Bus 1405 – Service to both the AM and PM routes will be stored
• Bus 1304 – New Route
  • Hwy 16 from 9820 to 4620
  • Valley View/Hilltop Lane
  • Southridge
• Bus 2111 – New Route
  • Little Sugar
  • Miller’s Ridge
  • Hwy 562
• Bus 1803 – New Route
  • Sayersville Road
  • Heritage Drive
  • Dry Creek Road
• Bus 1002 – New Bus and Route
  • Hwy 16 by Munk Road
  • Munk Road
  • Mars Place
  • Concord Road
  • Munk Spur Road

Please see the link below for specific street names and bus numbers. The information can also be found on our website under Departments (located at the top)>Transportation Department.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1jk1_YST6sl18UuxgqgTcuZPPFOfOJj46Jb5gqP39FHA/edit#gid=397251709

We ask for patience for our new drivers as they begin these new routes. The times on the sheet are approximate. If you have questions about your child’s bus routes, please contact the bus garage at 859-567-5711.

As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday, we have a few calendar updates to share. 

• The Thanksgiving Break is on Wednesday, November 24th through Friday November 26th. 
• Monday, November 29th will be a Remote Learning Day for all students and a professional development day for all staff. Staff will be analyzing and evaluating assessments results and instructional strategies in order to best meet the needs of students. Teachers will communicate their plan for remote learning to their classrooms next week. 
• Students will return to campus on Tuesday, November 30th.

If you have any questions, please contact your child's school. 

On Tuesday, November 16^th from 3:00 – 8:00, Wild Health will be on campus for an optional vaccination clinic. Please see below for details about the clinic and who is eligible.

Gallatin County Schools will provide the site for the vaccine clinic however the Wild Health organization is responsible for all paperwork and questions. Their contact information and FAQs are listed below.

• Click here for Patient FAQs
• If you have any vaccination clinic questions please call or text the Wild Health clinic onboarding team at 502-791-6258.

What vaccine will be offered?

• Only the Pfizer vaccine will be offered.
• If you previously had the Moderna or Johnson and Johnson, you can still get the Pfizer booster.

Who is eligible?

• Students (ages 5 and up) and staff who want the initial vaccine.
• Students and staff who want the booster.

How long will it take? – A rapid COVID-19 test will be administered. The rapid COVID-19 test takes 15 minutes to process. Please allow 30- 45 minutes for your entire visit. 

​How do I sign up? – The link to sign up is below. Please remember that Gallatin County School personnel cannot assist you with signing up or answer questions about the clinic. Wild Health is responsible for all paperwork and questions.

Sign up here - http://kyvax.wildhealth.com/.  

Bus 1507 - AM and PM routes cancelled all week

Bus 1709 - AM and PM routes cancelled Monday and Tuesday 

Bus 1405 - Reminder that the PM route is cancelled until further notice. 

October 4th - 8th, Gallatin County Schools will be closed for Fall Break.  Classes will resume on Monday, October 11th. 

During a special meeting today, the school board approved a mask mandate for all students and staff while indoors on school property. This mask mandate will be in effect immediately while Gallatin County is red on the Kentucky Covid-19 map. The link for the map is below.

https://govstatus.egov.com/kycovid19

Beginning today, September 22, 2021, with the afternoon route, Bus 1802 (Heritage Hills) and Bus 2111 (Homestead Acres)  will travel into their respective subdivisions. This means that you no longer need to meet the bus at the end of the road. 

This afternoon, board members along with school and district personnel worked together on a masking plan for the district. They determined that due to the high number of cases and quarantines in our school district, all students and staff will be required to wear mask indoors for the next ten school days beginning Monday September 20 ^th.

Student and staff safety is always a top priority. We want to ensure that our schools can remain open with as many students possible in the classrooms.

We also have a transportation notice for next week.

• Bus 1405 - Afternoon route is cancelled for September 20-24
• Bus 2111 - Both morning/afternoon routes are cancelled for September 20-22

The attached School Board Resolution and 2021 RS HB1 Plan was approved by the Gallatin County Board of Education August 12 and will be effective Friday, September 17. 

The primary points of emphasis to consider are included in item 2:   Gallatin County School District will not require mask wearing of students or staff indoors or outdoors, but does encourage and recommends mask wearing.  Masks will be provided to students who need them or want them.  Masks are required on public transportation, including buses operated by public and private school systems, for all persons two years of age or older unless otherwise exempted, in accordance with President Biden’s Executive Order and CDC’s public health order

Gallatin County Resolution

Over the last week, we have experienced an increase in positive COVID-19 cases and exposure among our staff and students. 

In order to allow our staff and students to heal and  help reduce the spread of COVID-19, Gallatin County Schools will utilize NTI Days on Tuesday, September 7^th and Wednesday, September 8^th.  

Middle and High school students will have assignments loaded onto Google Classroom. Lower and Upper Elementary students will complete the NTI packets (that were sent home earlier this week) along with the choice boards provided. Staff will be on-site with open Google Meets for questions and assistance during the school day.

All extra-curricular events (practices, games, meetings, trips, etc…) are cancelled on the September 7^th and 8^th. 

Our hope is that our students, staff and families take all necessary precautions over the next few days to help reduce the risk/spread of COVID-19. We are also looking forward to a possible emergency session of the Kentucky Legislature that may allow more flexibility at the local level. Our goal is to maintain in-person instruction as long as we can do so safely.

After the first few days of school, we have re-evaluated our transportation procedures, arrival/dismissal times and drop off/pick up procedures. We appreciate the input from our staff and our families for continual improvement within our district.

Please read this information carefully as these changes will take effect on Monday, August 30^th.

1. Updated School Schedules – In order to meet the need of our families, students and staff, all schools will begin start and end at similar times.
   1. High School  7:30 – 2:20
   2. Upper Elementary/Middle School  7:35 – 2:25
   3. Lower Elementary  7:40 – 2:30

• All schools will open their doors at 7:20 each morning for students that are dropped off or walk to school

2. Updated Transportation Information
   1. We started with 8 regular bus routes at the beginning of the year. The intent was to keep some drivers as substitute drivers because we normally need substitute drivers every day. We quickly learned that this was not meeting the needs of our families. While we continue to have a bus driver shortage, we have changed our transportation plan to include 12 regular bus routes. Please keep in mind that this means we currently have NO SUBSTITUTE BUS DRIVERS.  If the driver is not available for a route, the route will be cancelled and transportation services will not be available for that route. Each family, who relies on bus transportation to and from school, needs to plan ahead for back up transportation if the need arises. We will notify our families as soon as possible if a route is cancelled. If a regularly bus transported student is late or absent due to a cancelled bus route, they will be excused.
   2. There will be no bus service within one mile of campus. Below is a picture of the one mile radius around campus.

3. There will no bus service into some of the subdivisions/areas.  Buses will pick up/drop off in one location. Please see the link below for specific information
4. Bus route information can be found on our district website under Departments>Transportation
   1. https://www.gallatin.kyschools.us/Content2/1524
5. Families need to call the bus garage directly for information/questions about bus routes. Our school secretaries will not be able to answer questions regarding routes, pick up times, etc… Bus garage office hours are from 6:00 am – 4:30 pm. Please keep in mind that the bus garage staff are often working on buses, in schools working with other staff or on the phone with other families. If no one answers when you call, please leave a voicemail and your call will be returned. The bus garage phone number is 859-567-5711

3. Drop Off and Pick Up Procedures – We understand that drop off/pick up lines require a lot of patience for families. The procedures are in place and are meant to protect our students. It is important that all parents follow the procedures at each school to ensure efficiency, student safety and to avoid traffic delays on our town streets.
   1. Lower Elementary
      1. The doors will open at 7:20 for car riders. Please do not arrive before this time.
      2. Form two lanes and please stay in that lane. Do not attempt to change lanes as there are students being dropped off.
      3. Pull all the way up to the front before stopping. A staff member will be there to direct you.
      4. Do not allow your child to get out of the car without a staff member’s assistance. This is especially true if you are in the far lane. Students MAY NOT cross in front of cars without assistance.
      5. Please do not block Center Street. If you are waiting to get into our parking lot, please pull to the side so that other traffic can get through.
      6. Wait for your child’s number to be called for dismissal
      7. Exit the parking lot immediately when your child has been dropped off so that the line can continue to move
   2. Upper Elementary/Middle School
      1. The doors will open at 7:20 for car riders. Please do not arrive before time.
      2. Form two lanes (one for upper elementary and one for middle school) and please stay in that lane. Do not attempt to change lanes as there are students being dropped off. The lane closest to the building is for UPPER ELEMENTARY STUDENTS ONLY. The far lane is for MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS ONLY
      3. Upper Elementary parents - please pull up to the brick pole with the clock on it.
      4. Middle School parents - please pull up as far as possible.              
      5. Upper Elementary parents need to use the first exit by the board office rather than driving in front of the middle school to exit. This will prevent traffic delays on US 42
      6. Please exit immediately so that the line can continue to move.
      7. Do not drop students off in the board office parking lot and have them walk across to the schools. It is extremely dangerous for students to walk in front of moving traffic.
   3. High School
      1. The doors will open at 7:20 for car riders. Please do not arrive before that time.
      2. Students should be dropped off and picked up in front of the school. The gym parking lot is for student drivers and buses.

• Please obey traffic laws, be patient and courteous to others around you when picking up and dropping off your students.

We hope that these new procedures will help with the transition back to school for our families. We understand that this does not solve all issues for everyone however we do believe that we have addressed most of the issues facing our families and staff.

We look forward to the success of the changes put in place. Thank you for your support, patience and understanding.

Lower and Upper Elementary Students

The Kentucky Department of Education has approved our application for a virtual option for grades K-5. We are currently working on the implementation of an online curriculum called Edgenuity Pathblazer that wilbe utilized for the virtual option.

If a family has concerns about attending school this year in-person, please fill out the form listed below sharing your concerns.  Our number one goal is always the safety of our students and staff.  We want our families to be comfortable and for our students to feel safe. 

Since the application was recently approved, we are still working out specific details about the virtual option. We ask that for planning and time purposes, you allow the principal to contact you rather than parents calling. The principals and administrative teams are working with staff and may not be available when you call.

We realize that this process is last minute however we are doing our very best to ensure the virtual option is ready as soon as possible. We ask for your patience and understanding as work toward providing the safest educational environment for our families.

Gallatin County Virtual Application for grades K-5

We, along with districts across the state, are experiencing a bus driver shortage. Due to the shortage and other factors that are beyond our control, we have had to make significant changes to the district bus routes and the start/end times for our schools. Please read this letter carefully for all updates and changes

1. Schedule Update – NEW START AND END TIMES
   1. Lower Elementary – 8:35 – 3:25
   2. Upper Elementary – 8:30 – 3:20
   3. Middle School – 7:30 – 2:20
   4. High School – 7:30 – 2:20
2. Transportation Updates
   1. There will NO bus service for students that live within a one-mile radius of the board office. The board office is centrally located on our campus, so we are using this location as a point of reference.
   2. We will NOT accept bus notes again this year. This is due to seating chart requirements and the capacity of our buses. Students must ride the same bus to school every and the same bus home every day. Different buses in the morning/afternoon are acceptable but they must remain the same each day.
   3. We are currently looking for individuals to fill bus driver positions. If you are interested, please apply at www.gallatin.kyschools.us
   4. Masks are required on the buses for all students and staff.
   5. Bus route information can be found on our website at the following link. Please note there are designated bus stops on some routes. https://www.gallatin.kyschools.us/Content2/1524
   6. In order to plan for any additional changes to bus routes, the following form needs to be filled out for EACH STUDENT in your family. Please complete this form ASAP

https://forms.gle/AyiYu1QZz8ojtjEX7

3. Chromebook Updates
   1.  Any student grades 6-12 who did not pick up their Chromebook during the pickup time earlier this week, will receive their Chromebook after school starts.
   2. A HIF form must be filled out in order to receive a Chromebook. Please keep in mind that the HIF form data is used by the Kentucky Department of Education to fund several of our programs such as Food Service, Technology, Title 1 Services, and our Family Resource and Youth Service Centers.
   3. Students in grades K- 5 will not take their Chromebook home each evening.
   4. Students in grades 6-12 may choose to use their personal Chromebook rather than a school issued device.
   5. If a student still has a Chromebook checked out to them, they will not be issued another one.

4. A new payment system for food service was implemented by KDE over the summer. Any payment methods that were stored in your parent portal will have to reentered.
5. First Day of School Reminders
   1. Parents/visitors will not be permitted in the buildings. Staff will be at the drop off areas and will assist students to their classrooms
   2. Buses may be running behind due to new routes and students. Please be patient.
   3. School supplies will be handed out on the first day of school.
6. Masks are REQUIRED by all students, staff and visitors when inside the school buildings during school hours and during after hour events. (including athletic events, meetings, etc…) The Kentucky Board of Education passed this regulation on August 12^th. All public schools are required to follow the regulations passed by the Kentucky Board of Education.

We understand this is a very trying time for our students, families, staff and community. We are all doing our best to work within the guidelines and regulations given to us. Please know that our goal is to remain in person as we believe the classroom is the ultimate place for our students. In order to maintain in person learning, we have several health and safety procedures in place from masks, small lunch groups, assigned seating, and hand sanitizing stations to scheduled cleaning of high traffic areas throughout the day. By working together, remaining positive and supporting each other, we can provide our students with a positive and productive school year.

The first day of school is approaching quickly! Listed below are important back to school updates and reminders.

1. If you have not completed your OLR (online registration), please due so ASAP. The OLR can be completed through the Parent Portal App or online at www.gallatin.kyschools.us/featured/3

Please call 859-567-1820 if you need assistance. We can provide password resets over the phone however if you need assistance with the entire application, you will need to schedule an in-person appointment.

2. Readifest and Open House for all schools will be on August 12^th from 4:30 – 7:30.

3. We are pleased to announce that we will continue offering free lunch and breakfast to ALL student as part of the CEP program. In order for the district to continue to qualify for this program, all families must complete the HIF form. This form can be picked up during Open House.

4. All students will have access to a Chromebook this school year. Lower and Upper Elementary students will leave their devices at school each day. Middle and High School students will be permitted to take their device home each evening. Students are permitted to use their personal Chromebook at school however the district will not be responsible for repairs. The HIF form (mentioned in #3) MUST be completed in order to receive a Chromebook

5. At this time, masks are optional for students and staff in the school buildings and on the buses. It is highly encouraged that ALL students wear mask on buses and that unvaccinated students/staff wear masks while indoors. If the recommendation/requirement changes due to a mandate or an executive order, we will communicate this with our families. For high school students, JCTC and the ATC are requiring masks for ALL students while on their campuses.

6. The school start and end times are listed below

1. Lower Elementary 8:10 – 3:00
2. Upper Elementary 8:05 – 2:55
3. Middle School 8:05 – 2:55
4. High School – 8:00 – 2:50
5. Preschool is available for all 4 year old children. Please contact the Lower Elementary at 859-567-6340 for questions. You can also use the link listed #1 for enrollment. As of right now, we do not have an answer from KDE as to whether our program will be 4 ½ days or 2 full days for each group.

8. Enrollment documents - Students entering school for the first time are required to have ALL of these documents. If your child is already a Gallatin County student, you are not required to send these documents. 

*Students entering 6th grade must have an updated physical and immunization certificate. 

• Birth Certificate
• Social Security Card
• Immunization Certificate
• Proof of Residency - copy of a utility bill or a current lease/deed 
• Physical Examination
• Vision and Dental Examination - By January 1^st