Greetings Poca High School Students, Parents, and Guardians,
On behalf of the administration, faculty, and staff at Poca High School, we would like to welcome all students to the 2020-2021 school year. We are very excited to be returning to school, and we look forward to working with students whether it is five day in-person instruction or virtually.
Under the guidance of the Putnam County Health Department and Putnam County Schools, we are making every effort to ensure that our students, faculty, and staff can safely return to school. Due to these guidelines, our daily routines and procedures will be different. We will work with students during the staggered re-entry the first two weeks to make sure that they are following the new guidelines to ensure that everyone is as safe as possible. Putnam County Schools Comprehensive Re-Entry plan can be accessed at putnamschools.com
Outlined below are some of the Poca High School plans for this coming school year.
Technology:
- All students will receive grades and assignments through the Schoology learning platform.
- Parents will receive instructions for creating a Schoology parent account. Access codes for parent accounts will be sent via USPS.
- All students will be issued a laptop by Putnam County Schools.
- Laptop distribution for virtual students only will be on the following dates/times. A parent/guardian must accompany the student to sign Acceptable Use Policy and Student Technology Device Guidelines. Students will receive their class schedule, directions for signing onto laptop, and directions for accessing Schoology accounts when they receive their laptops.
LAPTOP DISTRIBUTION FOR VIRTUAL STUDENTS ONLY:
Wednesday, September 2nd
9th Graders: 8:30 - 11:00 am
10th Graders: 12:00 - 3:00 pm
Thursday, September 3rd
11th Graders: 8:30 - 11:00 am
12th Graders: 12:00 - 3:00 pm
- In-person students will receive their laptops during the first week of school. Parents/guardians must sign the Acceptable Use Policy and Student Technology Device Guidelines and return these to the school before their student will be issued a laptop.
Expectations for students:
- Students who are attending five days in person and those that are taking the classes virtually will have the same assignments and due dates.
- Assignments will be graded, and scores entered in teachers’ gradebooks.
- Assignments will be subject to late penalties as outlined in the teacher’s syllabus.
- It is strongly recommended that virtual students sign onto their Schoology at the same time inperson class is occurring. Students will receive instruction at this time and may ask questions and get help as needed. Teachers will not give separate instruction sessions outside the regularly scheduled class times.
- Teachers will not be required to contact students and answer questions outside of their regular contract day. If a student has a question, they may get assistance during the regular class period or they may email the teacher during his/her planning block.
- Students attending in-person will be expected to bring their laptop each day fully charged. All students will utilize their laptops and the Schoology platform for their assignments and grades.
For virtual students, every effort is being made to ensure that your student has a Putnam County teacher - For virtual students, every effort is being made to ensure that your student has a Putnam County teacher for his/her classes; however, due to the nature of high school scheduling, this may not be possible. If this happens, your student may be assigned to West Virginia Virtual School for one or more classes.
Class Schedule:
1st Block: 8:35 – 10:02
2nd Block: 10:07 – 11:28
3rd Block: 12:31 – 1:55
4th Block: 2:00 – 3:33
Lunch/Breakfast:
- Students will be served prepackaged meals for lunch and breakfast. When students arrive at Poca High School, they will pick up their breakfast and report to their first block class where they may eat.
- Due to health department distancing guidelines, students must eat lunch in different areas. We will work with students the first two weeks of school to be sure they understand the new lunch procedures.
- The lunch period will still be one hour long. Students will eat lunch in their designated area the first 30 minutes. During the second half, students will be able to go outside (weather permitting) or attend tutoring if needed.
- Students will follow all distancing guidelines.
Safety Measures:
- Parents are to conduct a daily health assessment BEFORE sending your child to school.
- If your child is showing any symptoms of COVID-19, he/she should not come to school.
- All students and staff shall wear a mask. Masks may only be removed when eating lunch. Masks will be provided for any student who does not have one.
- Hand sanitizer stations have been installed in each classroom and in common areas.
- No personal deliveries (e.g. food, flowers, forgotten homework, uniforms, or other items).
- If your child becomes ill at school, he/she will need to be picked up from the school as soon as possible.
- Students will not be assigned lockers, so it is recommended that students have a backpack.
Signing Out Your Student:
- Parents/guardians are not permitted inside the building to sign students out. To sign out your student, you must come to the door and the secretary will communicate with you from the intercom. Please have identification ready.
- Any student who is signed out will not be permitted to re-enter without a doctor’s note.
Morning Drop Off:
- All buses will be delayed 30 minutes for the morning bus runs.
- Students will not be permitted in the school building until 7:45.
- Students may enter the building through two entry points: main doors or the doors by the counseling office.
- Students will enter the building, pick up their breakfast if they choose to eat, and will go to their first block class. Students will not be permitted to congregate in common areas.
Evening Pick Up:
- Student drivers and students who are picked up will be dismissed at 3:24.
- Students who ride buses will be dismissed in the order of the bus line-up.
- Students driving to school are not permitted to have passengers in their car with the exception of students living in the same household.
September 8-18, 2020
Five Day In-Person Schedule
Group 1 (Last Name A – K)
Group 2 (Last Name L – Z)
| In School | Distance Learning | |
| Tuesday, September 8 | Group 1 | Group 2 |
| Wednesday, September 9 | Group 2 | Group 1 |
| Thursday, September 10 | Group 1 | Group 2 |
| Friday, September 11 | Group 2 | Group 1 |
| In School | Distance Learning | |
| Monday, September 14 | Group 1 | Group 2 |
| Tuesday, September 15 | Group 2 | Group 1 |
| Wednesday, September 16 | Group 1 | Group 2 |
| Thursday, September 17 | Group 2 | Group 1 |
| Friday, September 18 | Groups 1 and 2 |
*Virtual students will need to log into their Schoology classes daily at scheduled class times during the first two weeks of school.