We are excited to host Spirit Week! Students will have an opportunity to show school spirit, pride, and dress up. Fun, togetherness, and culture are important components of a healthy school. We are looking forward to Spirit Week!

Below are photos from 7th grade Social Studies. Students engaged in hands-on learning to experience what it was like to be a scribe in ancient Mesopotamia. Students practiced writing in cuneiform. Ask your student about their experience and look forward to their exemplar coming home soon.

Monthly at EMS we recognize students for their kindness, their academic growth, and their academic achievement. We are proud of the intentionality many of our students exhibit towards their learning and our schoolwide culture at EMS. Congratulations to our Students of the Month!

Starting this week, the Estacada School District will implement the new “Test-to-Stay” protocol announced Nov. 23 by the Oregon Department of Education and Oregon Health Authority. District leaders are excited about this opportunity to keep students in school after an in-school exposure and limit learning disruptions, all while minimizing risks of COVID-19 transmission.

Highlights of the Test to Stay Protocol:
OHA’s test to stay protocol allows unvaccinated students to continue to participate in in-person instruction in Oregon’s K-12 schools during their quarantine period. The risk of transmission is minimized in school settings because the required testing is combined with several layers of protection including utilizing face coverings, physical distancing, cohorting, and ventilation.

• Parent consent must be obtained before the district can test a student for COVID. Parents will receive individual notification from the school asking for testing consent following a COVID-19 exposure.
  
  
• Test to stay is available only for unvaccinated students and staff who have had an on-campus exposure. Outside of school exposures will not be eligible for this program.
  
  
• Test to stay requires unvaccinated individuals to be tested twice during the 7 days following exposure. First, as soon as the exposure has been identified, then with a second test occurring between days 5-7 following the exposure.
  
  
• Test to stay is a form of modified quarantine, which allows students to attend school during their quarantine period. However, individuals participating in test to stay are expected to maintain quarantine outside of classroom settings.
  
  
• Students participating in test to stay may participate in school-related extracurricular activities during their quarantine period but must wear a face covering at all times during these activities.
  
  
• The CDC considers test to stay a promising practice for minimizing quarantine and maximizing school days in school for students.

• Note: There may be instances where OHA determines that there is a high risk of transmission and may implement a home quarantine for exposed individuals.

If your student has an in-school exposure, your child’s school and/or the Oregon Health Authority will inform you if test-to-stay is an option for your student. You must have documented consent in order for your child to be tested. Students who do not have parental consent will not be tested. These rapid tests use a lower nasal swab, not a deep swab. Participation in the test to stay is optional and families who opt not to participate may quarantine their child at home.

Learn more about test to stay via the Oregon Health Authority's FAQ here: https://sharedsystems.dhsoha.state.or.us/DHSForms/Served/le3898i.pdf

Your feedback from the Parent Satisfaction Survey as well as conversations during Site Council indicate we must change our approach to inform you about how well your student is learning at EMS.

Please click here to download the mobile app.

We will begin to use ParentSquare posts and messages to communicate more frequently and with more intention about how well your student is learning. Please expect an increase in ParentSquare communications from EMS.

We appreciate your feedback and we are your proud partner in your student's K-12 journey.

The 21/22 Girls Basketball Season will start on Tuesday, January 4. Prior to the first practice you must have turned in a Physical (completed by your doctor within the last 2 years), register on Family ID and pay the athletic fee of $125 to the EMS Front Office. Please call the Front Office at 503-630-8516 if you would like to see if your student's physical is still current.

The registration, physical and fees must be received by the first practice or the student athlete may attend but not participate in practice. Please click on the link to register your athlete. This will only need to be completed once a year and will follow your student into Estacada High School. You must complete a Family ID registration. If you are uncertain if there is a physical on file at EMS please call Anjie @ 503-630-8516 xt. 2501 to confirm.

https://www.familyid.com/estacada-high-school/2021-2022-estacada-middle-school-athletic-registration

Please call 503-630-8516 or email emsinfo@estacada.k12.or.us if there are any questions.

Go Tigers!!!

As winter weather approaches, our district is prepared to transition in-person learning to distance learning to keep school going even during inclement weather. This means that instead of having no school during snow days, your child’s academic progress won’t skip a beat. Students will transition to virtual learning.

Prepare your children by ensuring that they are bringing their school device home every evening, and contact your child’s school if you need a hotspot or additional support to ensure that you have home internet access.

This is a program being offered to families through the government. It is for families that may need to get the Internet into their homes. We want all students to have access to the internet.

Families: Please visit Reliance Connect's website and the very first thing that comes up is the Emergency Broadband Benefit program. Follow the prompts through the different paperwork and it is fairly easy to apply.

You are eligible to receive $50.00 a month toward getting your internet connected. All you need to do is follow the links. Most of the programs through Reliance are only $59.00 so this would cover all but 9.00.

Families qualify if they:

1- are low income,

2-have children that qualify for free and reduced lunches,

3-Received a Federal Pell Grant,

4-Are SNAP eligible,

5- Had a substantial loss of income due to job loss or were furloughed and had an income of below 99,000.00 single filers and 198,000.00 for Joint filers.

Call the weekend COIVD-19 case hotline on the weekend. It is self-automated; select the right school (per the prompt) and leave a message. The voicemail you leave will be directed to our Vice-Principal, Mr. Kelley so we can begin to identify potential close contacts.

The number you need to call to notify us about your student's positive case is: 971-220-6594. Thank you for partnering with use to keep our students in the classroom with as little interruption as possible.

Our mission is to equip each student with the skills necessary to be resourceful and successful.

Email: emsinfo@estacada.k12.or.us
Website: www.ejhs.estacada.k12.or.us
Location: 500 Northeast Main Street, Estacada, OR, USA
Phone: (503) 630-8516
Facebook: facebook.com/estacadamiddleschool
Twitter: @estacadamiddle