CORONAVIRUS INFORMATION

May 13, 2022

Dear BSSD Families,

Your household plays a critical role in reducing the spread of COVID-19 in our schools and community. If your student has possible symptoms of COVID-19, please keep them at home until COVID-19 has been ruled out. People with COVID-19 have reported various symptoms - from mild to severe illness. Symptoms may include fever, chills, cough, shortness of breath, fatigue, muscle aches, headache, new loss of taste/smell, sore throat, congestion, runny nose, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.

This week,18 cases of COVID-19 have been reported. You may view the COVID-19 Dashboard for more information. Thanks for doing your part to keep our schools safe and healthy.

Sincerely,
Blue Springs School District

May 6

April 14

April 8

April 1

March 25

March 11

March 3

February 25

Dear BSSD Families,

Please be on the lookout for any possible symptoms of COVID-19, which can include:

• New cough
• Difficulty breathing
• Loss of taste or smell
• Fever of 100.4 degrees or higher
• Congestion/runny nose
• Nausea/vomiting/diarrhea
• Sore throat
• Headache
• Muscle or body aches

Staying home when you are sick helps reduce the spread of COVID-19 in our schools.

This week, we had 12 cases reported. For more information, you may view our COVID-19 Dashboard. Thanks for doing your part to keep our schools safe and healthy.

Sincerely,
Blue Springs School District

February 18

Dear BSSD Families,

We hope you enjoy your extended weekend. Please don’t forget that the district is closed on Monday, February 21, for Presidents’ Day. We look forward to seeing our students again on Tuesday.

This week, 38 cases of COVID-19 have been reported. You may view the COVID-19 Dashboard for more details. Thank you for doing your part to keep our schools safe and healthy.
Sincerely,

Blue Springs School District

February 4

Dear BSSD Families,

Please keep a close eye on your student and have them stay home if they have any possible symptoms of COVID-19. Symptoms of COVID-19 include new cough, shortness of breath, loss of taste/smell, fever, chills, congestion, runny nose, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, sore throat, headache, or body aches. Also, please keep your student home if they are awaiting COVID-19 test results.

This week, 173 cases of COVID-19 were reported. You may view our COVID-19 Dashboard for details. Thank you for doing your part to keep our schools safe and healthy.

Sincerely,
Blue Springs School District

January 21

January 14

Dear BSSD Families,

We have a few reminders for you after the first full week of instruction during the second semester. First, please do your part to reduce the spread of COVID-19 by keeping your symptomatic child at home if you are awaiting COVID-19 test results. If you are unable to find a COVID-19 test (at-home tests not accepted), please keep your symptomatic child at home for 10 days unless you receive an alternate diagnosis from a doctor. Also, we will continue to inform families if someone in their child’s class has tested positive for COVID-19. Families may choose to quarantine their student due to possible exposure at home or school.

This week, 271 cases of COVID-19 were reported in our schools. You may view the COVID-19 Dashboard for the details. As always, we will notify you if any of our COVID-19 protocols change. Thank you for doing your part to keep our schools safe and healthy.

Sincerely,
Blue Springs School District

December 3

Dear BSSD Families,

With just 12 school days left until Christmas break, please continue to keep a close eye on your student’s health. It is important to keep students home who are ill. By doing so, you reduce the spread of COVID-19 and other illnesses like the flu.

From Wednesday, November 24 to today, December 3, 101 cases of COVID-19 have been reported. Please keep in mind that the case count includes part of last week. Many of the positive individuals have not been to school since before Thanksgiving break. You may view the COVID-19 Dashboard for more details. Thank you for doing your part to keep our schools safe and healthy.

Sincerely,
Blue Springs School District

November 26

November 12

Dear BSSD Families,

As we near Thanksgiving, it is hard to believe the school year has gone by so fast. Being in school and having our students on-site learning with our staff is definitely something we continue to be grateful for during this season. COVID-19 has created many shifts in our educational landscape. We are hopeful that stability and progress are coming soon.

In September we sent out a communication outlining the plan for the remainder of the semester. We felt this correspondence provided some manageable guidelines based on the information we had at the time. We as a district have followed the mandates for masking and have conducted contact tracing and quarantines this fall that was expected by the Jackson County Health Department. We also knew it was possible that there would be changes to this mandate by Jackson County even before the end of the semester. It is important to remember that our decision was made to keep masks on our students and staff to limit the quarantines necessary. As a part of our discussion and communication in September, we stated that “changes to mandatory quarantine requirements may result in revisions to our procedures.”

The Jackson County Legislature met this morning. One of the items on the agenda was, “A RESOLUTION ending the County’s current mask mandate order effective upon adoption of this Resolution.” By a vote of five to four, the Jackson County mask mandate has lapsed. By a vote of seven to zero, the Blue Springs School District Board of Education will follow the County’s mask mandate order expiration effective immediately. It would be inconsistent and arbitrary to keep the mask mandate in our schools if our students and staff were not being asked to wear a mask in any other setting. We will continue to report positive cases to the health department and allow the health department to follow up as necessary. All students currently at home due to a school-mandated quarantine need to remain at home until their quarantine lapses.

Please note that a federal public transportation mask mandate remains in place through January 18, 2022. Therefore, masks will be required on all buses.

We will continue to notify families when a positive case occurs in your child’s classroom, and the COVID-19 Dashboard will be updated on Fridays at 2 p.m. for the remainder of the school year.

The same healthy habits that have allowed our schools to remain open not only help prevent the spread of COVID-19 but also will keep our students from spreading other viruses. Any individual sick with possible symptoms of COVID-19 must remain at home until they have proof of a negative COVID-19 test (at-home tests are not accepted), an alternate diagnosis from a physician, or complete their 10-day isolation period. We have learned a great deal from the last two years, and it has reaffirmed our commitment to good hygiene, frequent hand washing, covering coughs and sneezes, and staying home when ill.

It is imperative to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and other viruses that we keep students home when they are not well. Thank you for doing your part to reduce the spread of illness in our schools.

We understand there will still be fear and anxiety in our community, and we have all felt the isolation and challenges that the pandemic has brought. If you are uncomfortable with this change, please contact your building principal to discuss an alternate educational platform for the remainder of the semester. Together we can continue to assess the situation and be flexible and committed to making decisions that focus on our students.

Sincerely,
Blue Springs School District

November 5

October 19, 2021

Dear BSSD Families,

Today, the Blue Springs School District was informed that the Jackson County Health Department changed its school quarantine guidance. This change will impact our school district beginning tomorrow, October 20, 2021. The new policy reduces school-mandated quarantines as long as the district has a universal masking policy/mandate. Therefore, starting tomorrow, any student or staff member sent home to quarantine due to school exposure may return after ten days lapse, and the individual is symptom-free.

If your student is currently at home due to a school-mandated quarantine, their quarantine time will be reduced. Please be on the lookout for additional information from your school regarding your student’s return date.

The reduction in quarantine days is welcome news as it will help reduce the number of instructional days missed due to direct exposure. The Blue Springs School District will begin implementing this change on Wednesday. Please call your school with questions.

Sincerely,
Blue Springs School District

October 15, 2021

Dear BSSD Families,

Hand washing is an important way to avoid getting or spreading illness. We can all help by emphasizing the importance of washing your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If hand washing is not possible, hand sanitizer may be used. Our schools are well equipped with hand sanitizer, and hand washing is reinforced throughout the day.

This week, 35 cases of COVID-19 were reported. You may view the COVID-19 Dashboard for more information. Thank you for doing your part to keep our schools safe and healthy.

Sincerely,
Blue Springs School District

October 8, 2021

Dear BSSD Families,

This week, 50 cases of COVID-19 were reported in our schools. More detailed information can be found on the COVID-19 Dashboard. All individuals with COVID-19 or identified as close contacts will not return to school until their quarantine lapses.

Please keep a close eye on your student and keep them at home if they have any possible symptoms of COVID-19. Symptoms of COVID-19 include new cough, shortness of breath, loss of taste/smell, fever, chills, congestion, runny nose, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, sore throat, headache, or body aches. Thank you for doing your part to keep our schools safe and healthy.

Sincerely,
Blue Springs School District

September 24, 2021

Dear BSSD Families,

As we mark the end of the first month of school for our students, we cannot express how grateful we are to have 98% of our students back with us in person. While we were all hopeful this year would bring an end to our concerns about COVID-19, this is not the case. We continuously monitor our schools regarding COVID-19 and review updates from our local health departments, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). This pandemic has taken its toll on families, communities, and schools across our nation, and the impact we have felt has been substantial.

One of many unfortunate effects on teaching and learning due to COVID-19, in addition to illness, is quarantines. Those directly exposed were and currently are still required to quarantine for 14 days from the date of last exposure. These mandatory quarantines resulted in the loss of in-person instructional time for 4,312* students during the 2020-2021 school year. For example, one positive individual at the middle school level resulted in 56 mandatory quarantines of other students last year. The impact of these quarantines is felt not only with learning loss but also with students expressing feelings of anxiety and isolation. Our staff members feel the results in their classrooms as they continue to provide all students with high-quality educational opportunities despite intermittent absences and interruption to instruction. Contact tracing in our schools is a necessary but cumbersome and time-intensive task for our administration. This additional duty pulls our administrators away from working with our staff and students.

As the pandemic persists, students across the district continue to test positive for COVID-19. However, this school year, we can keep more students in school thanks to a quarantine exception put forth by the CDC and Jackson County Health Department. In our educational setting, if both the student that develops COVID-19 and the students in and around the ill student are wearing a mask at the time of possible exposure, quarantines are not necessary for the students exposed. Again, this is an exception put in place by our Jackson County Health Department and the CDC to keep more students in school. Requiring masks for all students and staff has allowed us to significantly reduce the number of mandatory quarantines per positive case for the 2021-22 school year, thus ensuring more students remain learning in school.

Learning loss attributed to COVID-19-related absences is a concern throughout the country. The Blue Springs School District must protect in-person instructional time for the future development of our students. After much thought and discussion, the Blue Springs School District Board of Education voted 7-0 to require masks for persons age three and older in all buildings through December 2021. By doing so, we can continue to keep more students in school learning, growing, and thriving. Changes to mandatory quarantine requirements may result in revisions to our procedures. We will continue to monitor cases and provide you information as it comes available.

Sincerely,

Blue Springs School District
*Some students were quarantined and counted multiple times throughout the year.

September 17, 2021

Dear BSSD Families,

Thank you for continuing to do your part to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in our schools and community. School-mandated quarantines have been reduced district-wide compared to last year due to the exception put forth by the CDC and health department when students are wearing a mask. Our schools continue to distance lunch seating as much as possible to reduce exposure and quarantines. Moving forward, unvaccinated members of the same household are not required to quarantine until a family member has proof of being COVID-19 positive.

This week, 82 cases of COVID-19 were reported in our schools. You may view our COVID-19 Dashboard for more information.

Sincerely,
Blue Springs School District

September 10, 2021

Dear BSSD Families,

As we wrap up our third week of school, we thank all our students and staff for following COVID-19 safety precautions to keep our schools safe and open. You can help by keeping your unvaccinated student home if they were exposed to a positive COVID-19 individual outside of school. By staying home due to direct exposure, your student and family are helping to reduce the spread of the virus in our schools.

It takes all of us to reduce the spread of COVID-19. If your child starts displaying symptoms of any kind, you may find it helpful to reference the Jackson County Health Department’s “Can my child go to school today?” flow chart from the Jackson County website at https://jacohd.org/. Our schools use this flow chart to help determine if, when, and how long an ill student needs to stay home from school.

This week, 79 cases of COVID-19 were reported. You may visit the COVID-19 Dashboard for more information.

Sincerely,
Blue Springs School District

September 3, 2021

Dear BSSD Families,

Your household plays a critical role in reducing the spread of COVID-19 in our schools and community. If your student has possible symptoms of COVID-19, please keep them at home until COVID-19 has been ruled out. People with COVID-19 have reported a wide range of symptoms - from mild to severe illness. Children have similar symptoms to adults and generally have mild illness. Symptoms may include fever, chills, cough, shortness of breath, fatigue, muscle aches, headache, new loss of taste/smell, sore throat, congestion, runny nose, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Please keep your student home if you have even the slightest suspicion that they might be sick or if your student is awaiting COVID-19 test results. The Delta variant is more than twice as contagious as any other variant, and keeping sick people home is vital to reducing the spread.

Additionally, your family can help by keeping any unvaccinated students home if someone in your household is ill with possible symptoms of COVID-19. The unvaccinated student must remain at home until their 14-day quarantine ends, or COVID-19 can be ruled out.

Any child age 12 or older is eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Fully vaccinated individuals (two weeks after their last dose) are not required to quarantine due to direct exposure. You may visit the Jackson County Health Department Vaccine Clinic Calendar to sign up for vaccinations.

This week, 72 cases of COVID-19 were reported in our schools. More information may be found on our COVID-19 Dashboard.

We’ve had a great first two weeks of school, and we look forward to a wonderful school year. Let’s all work together to keep our schools safe and healthy.

Sincerely,
Blue Springs School District

September 1, 2021

Dear Families of Three and Four Year Old Students,

After much thought and discussion, the Blue Springs School District will require masks for anyone age three and over beginning Tuesday, September 7. When students wear a mask, it reduces the number of mandatory school quarantines necessary due to exposure. If a student is exposed to another student who tests positive for COVID-19, quarantines are not required if both students were wearing masks. Keeping our students in school as much as possible is critical for their development. This change will also make mask policies consistent throughout all the buildings in the district.

We appreciate your understanding and flexibility with this change. Please contact your home school with any questions.

Sincerely,
Blue Springs School District

August 27, 2021

Dear BSSD Families,

Welcome back to school! The Blue Springs School District was thrilled to see our students this week. New beginnings bring many emotions, and we hope that your children are adjusting well and enjoying school. If you have any questions or need additional support, please contact your student’s teacher. Education is a partnership, and it takes all of us working together to make sure our students thrive.

This email serves as your first of many COVID-19 Updates from the district. Every Friday at 2 p.m., be on the lookout for an email containing important reminders and positive case counts throughout the district. The COVID-19 Update will include a link to the district’s COVID-19 Dashboard. You will find more detailed information on the dashboard, including case counts broken down by each school. In addition, your child’s school will send a follow-up email every Friday containing information pertaining directly to your school.

Please take note that if someone in your child’s class becomes COVID-19 positive, you will be notified. The positive individual and anyone identified as a close contact will be required to stay home until their quarantine ends. Currently, there are a few ways in which your student may be able to avoid a mandatory quarantine

Your student is fully vaccinated
You have proof that your student tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 90 days
During the possible window of exposure to another student, both students in grades K-12 were wearing a mask

COVID-19 case reporting began Monday, August 23. All positive cases reported this week include anyone who tested positive beginning on Monday. Please keep in mind that several positive cases have not yet been to school as they were already at home isolating due to possible symptoms of COVID-19. This week, 12 cases of COVID-19 have been reported.

Please visit the COVID-19 Dashboard for more information.

It takes all of us to keep our schools safe and healthy. We look forward to a great school year, and remember we are always better together.

Sincerely,
Blue Springs School District

June 18, 2021

Dear BSSD Families,

During our third week of summer school, there was one reported case of COVID-19. The COVID-19 Dashboard will continue to be updated on Friday until summer school ends the week of June 25. Additional updates will be communicated as needed on Fridays during July and will resume weekly in August.

Sincerely,
Blue Springs School District

June 11, 2021

Dear BSSD Families,

During our second week of summer school, there were not any COVID-19 cases reported. The COVID-19 Dashboard will continue to be updated on Friday until summer school ends the week of June 25. Additional updates will be communicated as needed on Fridays during July and will resume weekly in August.

Sincerely,
Blue Springs School District

June 4, 2021

Dear BSSD Families,

During our first week of summer school, one case of COVID-19 was reported. The COVID-19 Dashboard will continue to be updated on Friday until summer school ends the week of June 25. Additional updates will be communicated as needed on Fridays during July and will resume weekly in August.

Summer meals (breakfast and lunch) are available to any student under 18, regardless of summer school registration. All meals are free and will be served at the following schools through June 24:

Moreland Ridge Middle School 816-874-3540
Blue Springs High School Freshman Campus 816-874-3440
Cordill-Mason Elementary 816-874-3610
Franklin Smith Elementary 816-874-3640
James Walker Elementary 816-874-3660
Lucy Franklin Elementary 816-874-3690
Thomas Ultican Elementary 816-874-3710
Voy Spears Jr. Elementary 816-874-3720
William Yates Elementary 816-874-3740

Please call your location for details. Curbside meals are not available this summer. All meals will be served from the cafeteria.

Additionally, we will be serving meals from three mobile sites. The mobile sites will operate until August 20.

Welcome Inn 11-11:20 a.m.
3300 NW Jefferson St
Blue Springs, MO 64015

Autumn Place 11:30-11:50 a.m.
1300 Candletree Drive
Blue Springs, MO 64015

The Ridge of Blue Springs 12:05-12:25 p.m.
414 SW Moreland School Road
Blue Springs, MO 64014

May 28, 2021

Dear BSSD Families,

Together we completed the 2020-2021 school year. It will be a school year none of us will soon forget, filled with many emotions. Our students and staff learned, grew, persevered, and flourished along the way. The kindergarten Class of 2033 began their educational journey, and we said farewell to the Class of 2021. Although this wasn’t the school year any of us envisioned, we are grateful to each of you for making the best of every situation along the way. In the end, we are always better together, and we want to thank every one of you for the significant role you played in supporting your students and keeping our school community safe and healthy.

This week we had five cases of COVID-19 in our schools. The COVID-19 Dashboard will continue to be updated on Friday until summer school ends the week of June 25. We will update you as needed on Fridays during July and will resume weekly communication in August.

As we did all year long, any student participating in activities or programs will be notified if an individual in the district-sponsored event tests positive for COVID-19. Contact tracing and school-mandated 14-day quarantines due to direct exposure will continue. Please keep in mind that COVID-19 vaccines are now available for children as young as 12 years old. At this time, any individual who is fully vaccinated (two weeks after their last dose) is not required to quarantine due to direct exposure as long as they remain symptom-free.

As we close out this school year, we cannot thank you enough for adapting along the way. Because of all of you, we were able to Stay Safe to Stay Open.

Sincerely,
Blue Springs School District

May 21, 2021

Dear BSSD Families,

This week we have the honor of celebrating the graduating Class of 2021. On Tuesday, we celebrated the most graduates in the history of Valley View High School when 105 students received their diplomas. Tomorrow morning, we celebrate the seniors at Blue Springs and Blue Springs South High School. Congratulations to all the students, families, and staff members for your hard work and perseverance.

We had 8 cases of COVID-19 in our schools this week. Possible symptoms of COVID-19 vary from person to person. They may include new cough, difficulty breathing, loss of taste/smell, fever, congestion, runny nose, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, sore throat, headache, and muscle aches. Thanks for helping us stay safe to stay open.

Sincerely,
Blue Springs School District

May 15, 2021

Dear BSSD Families,

Our school district has continued to follow the recommendations of Jackson County and the Jackson County Health Department regarding the mask mandate. Yesterday, Jackson County announced the expiration of the public health order, including removing the mask mandate county-wide. In compliance with the expired health order and effective immediately, the Blue Springs School District will no longer mandate face coverings. Masks will be optional for students and staff, regardless of age or vaccination status. Please note, the County still strongly recommends face coverings for individuals who are not fully vaccinated. While mask restrictions have lifted, other COVID-19 preventative measures remain in effect. Individuals not fully vaccinated who are identified as a contact of a positive case will still be required to quarantine for 14 days. Fully vaccinated individuals or those who have had COVID-19 within the past 90 days will be able to avoid quarantining after exposure to COVID-19 as long as symptoms do not develop.

Please keep in mind that although the mask mandate has been lifted, masks are optional. You may decide what is best for your family. We will continue to monitor cases of COVID-19 within the district and re-evaluate our health and safety plans if necessary. As with all things related to COVID-19, this was not an easy decision. Our district has followed precautions set forth by our local officials, and we will continue to do so at this time. Thank you for your flexibility and support. We are better together.

Sincerely,
Blue Springs School District

May 7, 2021

Dear BSSD Families,

Recently the Jackson County Health Department updated its Health Order, and masks are no longer required outdoors. As a result, face coverings are optional for students and staff during recess and other outdoor events. Masks will continue to be required inside all district buildings.

This week we had 23 cases of COVID-19 in our schools. It takes all of us to continue to keep our schools safe and healthy. If anyone in your household has possible symptoms of COVID-19, please keep everyone at home until you have ruled out COVID-19. Thank you for helping us stay safe to stay open.

Sincerely,
Blue Springs School District

April 30, 2021

Dear BSSD Families,

Children’s Mercy East is hosting a Pfizer Vaccine Clinic for all individuals between the ages of 16 and 22. The clinic will be held on Saturday, May 15, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Appointments are required. More information may be found on the flyer.

This week we had 22 cases of COVID-19 reported. Your household can help keep our schools healthy by staying home when someone is sick. Please visit the COVID-19 Dashboard for more information.

Sincerely,
Blue Springs School District

April 23, 2021

Dear BSSD Families,

About 600 district staff members received their second dose of the Pfizer vaccine at Blue Springs South High School recently, thanks to a partnership with Truman Medical Center. Check out this video for a few highlights from the clinic, along with thoughts from our employees. We are incredibly grateful to the staff at Truman Medical Center and Children’s Mercy for making these vaccinations possible.

This week we had 14 cases of COVID-19 reported. Please remember to keep your student at home if they have are ill or have been knowingly exposed to COVID-19 outside of school. You may view our COVID-19 Dashboard for more information.

Sincerely,
Blue Springs School District

April 16, 2021

Dear BSSD Families,

It was another great week in the Blue Springs School District. We held Accent on Academics ceremonies at each high school for students who have achieved a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or above and will honor Blue Springs High School Freshman Campus students next week. This year has provided so many challenges for our students, and we commend our entire student body for their continued resiliency and flexibility.

This week we had 12 cases of COVID-19 reported. Please remember to keep your student at home if they have are ill or have been knowingly exposed to COVID-19 outside of school. You may view our COVID-19 Dashboard for more information.

Sincerely,
Blue Springs School District

April 9, 2021

Dear BSSD Families,

This week we had 10 cases of COVID-19. Many of these cases were already in quarantine and did not result in exposure at school. Please remember to keep your student at home if they have been knowingly exposed to COVID-19 outside of school. You may view our COVID-19 Dashboard for more information.

Sincerely,
Blue Springs School District

March 26, 2021

Dear BSSD Families,

Thanks to a partnership with Truman Medical Center, nearly 600 Blue Springs School District employees received the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine this week. The BSSD cannot thank the staff at Truman Medical Center and Children’s Mercy enough for their assistance with the clinic.

During spring break, from March 15-19, we had four reported cases of COVID-19. This week, we had two reported cases of COVID-19. Five of these cases did not require contact tracing or any school-mandated quarantines. For more information, you may view our COVID-19 Dashboard. Thank you for doing your part to keep our schools safe and open.

Sincerely,
Blue Springs School District

March 5, 2021

Dear BSSD Families,

We hope all of you enjoy your spring break next week. Make sure to take extra care when returning to school on March 22. Please do not send your student back to school if they or someone in your household are ill. And, please keep your student home if they were knowingly exposed to COVID-19.

This week, we had three cases of COVID-19. More information may be found on our COVID-19 Dashboard. Please call your school with questions regarding COVID-19.

Sincerely,
Blue Springs School District

February 26, 2021

Dear BSSD Families,
On Monday, we held our 100th day of school. This milestone did not pass us by without many difficult challenges along the way. Everyone involved in the journey to 100 days should be proud of the part you played. We successfully returned to learn in a year like no other. Thank you for doing your part to keep our schools healthy and safe.

This week, we had 8 cases of COVID-19. More information may be found on our COVID-19 Dashboard. Contact your school with any questions regarding COVID-19 procedures, and don’t forget to keep your student home if they or anyone in your household have possible symptoms of COVID-19.

Sincerely,
Blue Springs School District

February 19, 2021

Dear BSSD Families,

We were happy to welcome our students back after several days off due to weather and road conditions. As we get back to a consistent schedule, please remember to keep your student home if they have a new cough, difficulty breathing, loss of taste or smell, fever, congestion, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, sore throat, headache, or body aches. Thank you for helping to keep our students and staff healthy.

This week, we had 23 cases of COVID-19. For more information, please view our COVID-19 Dashboard. The individuals who tested positive and anyone who had close contact with the positive cases will not return to school until their quarantine ends. If you were not notified, that means your student was not in the same class as the positive case, nor was your student identified as a possible close contact. Please call your school with any questions regarding COVID-19 procedures.

Sincerely,
Blue Springs School District

February 12, 2021

Dear BSSD Families,

We’ve all been met with unique challenges this school year, and we thank each of you for doing your part to keep our school and community safe and healthy. The symptoms of COVID-19 are varied, and so is the way the virus affects people. Please continue to stay alert for possible signs of COVID-19 in your student or household. The symptoms include a new cough, shortness of breath, loss of taste/smell, fever, chills, congestion, runny nose, sore throat, headache, and body aches. If your student or anyone in your household is exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19, please stay home.

This week, we had 14 cases of COVID-19 in our schools. For more information, please view our COVID-19 Dashboard. As always, this number includes positive students or staff members who were already at home and in quarantine due to known direct exposure. Please contact your school with any questions.

Sincerely,
Blue Springs School District

February 5, 2021

Dear BSSD Families,
Thank you for doing your part to keep our schools safe and healthy. Please remember to stay home when you are sick and quarantine for any known exposure outside of school. Let’s all work together so that we may Stay Safe to Stay Open.
This week, we had 30 cases of COVID-19 in our schools. Currently, the district’s website is down because our host company is experiencing server issues. When it is back up and running, we will update the COVID-19 Dashboard.

Total Cases 30
Total Cases Related to School Spread for the Week 0
Weekly Quarantines due to Exposure at School 164
Total COVID-19 Cases Year to Date 587
BSHS 3
BSSHS 4
BSHSFC 3
VVHS 1

BHMS 1
DWMS 2
MRMS 3
PKMS 2

CLE 1
CME 1
DYE 0
FSE 3
JLE 2
JWE 0
JNE 0
LFE 0
SPE 1
TUE 1
VSE 0
WBE 0
WYE 1

LTEC 0
Transportation 1

Go Chiefs!!!
Sincerely,
Blue Springs School District

January 29, 2021

Dear BSSD Families,

As a reminder, COVID-19 presents differently in everyone. Please keep your student home if they have a new cough, difficulty breathing, loss of taste or smell, fever over 100.4 degrees, congestion/runny nose, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, sore throat, headache, and muscle or body aches. If anyone in your household is experiencing any of these symptoms, please keep all BSSD students at home until you have ruled out COVID-19. We know that the majority of our COVID-19 cases come from exposure at home. Please help us reduce the spread and the number of school-mandated quarantines by doing your part and staying home when necessary.

This week, we had 35 cases of COVID-19 in our schools. For additional details, you may view our COVID-19 Dashboard, a link under the Coronavirus Information. The individuals who tested positive and anyone who had close contact with the positive cases will not return to school until their quarantine ends. If you were not notified, that means your student was not in the same class as the positive case, nor was your student identified as a possible close contact.

Sincerely,
Blue Springs School District

March 21, 2021

January 22, 2021

Dear BSSD Families,

We must all do our part to help prevent COVID-19 from spreading in our schools and community. First and foremost, keep your student home if they or anyone in your household are experiencing possible symptoms of COVID-19. All of us are responsible for stopping the spread. Let’s all stay safe to stay open.

This week, we had 39 cases of COVID-19 in our schools. For additional details, you may view our COVID-19 Dashboard. The individuals who tested positive and anyone who had close contact with the positive cases will not return to school until their quarantine ends. If you were not notified, that means your student was not in the same class as the positive case, nor was your student identified as a possible close contact.

Sincerely,

Blue Springs School District

December 4

Dear BSSD Families,

We want to thank all of you for doing your part to keep our schools healthy and safe. This week, 34 cases of COVID-19 were reported in our schools. This number includes all staff members at our middle and high schools and any student attending an on-site activity or program. For additional details, you may view our COVID-19 Dashboard.

You play the most critical role in preventing the spread of COVID-19 in our schools. The vast majority of all our positive cases have come from exposure outside of school. Please do not send students with symptoms to school and fulfill any necessary quarantines related to ill household members or exposure outside of school. Let’s all stay safe to stay open.

Don’t forget to follow @BSSDNews on Facebook and Twitter for the most up to date information.

Sincerely,
Blue Springs School District

November 20

Dear BSSD Families,

This week we have 64 reported cases of COVID-19. Just like in week’s past, many of our cases did not result in school mandated quarantines because the positive individual was already in quarantine related to exposure outside of school. Please check out our COVID-19 Dashboard for more information.

As cases rise in our area, we need your help so that our schools can stay open. The vast majority of all our positive cases have come from exposure outside of school. Please do not send students with symptoms to school and fulfill any necessary quarantines related to ill household members or exposure outside of school. Your household plays the most critical role in reducing the spread.

Don’t forget to follow @BSSDNews on Facebook and Twitter for the most up to date information.
Sincerely,

Blue Springs School District

November 13

Dear BSSD Families,

As we anticipated, the impact of Halloween is reflected in our case numbers this week. It is important to note that for the 10th week in a row, the overwhelming majority of our positive cases were from exposure outside of school. This week, our data shows that none of the positive cases were due to school exposure. As always, please help us by doing your part and staying home when you are sick or have been knowingly exposed to someone who has tested positive.

This week, we had ¬¬65 reported cases of COVID-19 in our schools. You may view our district’s COVID-19 Dashboard for more information. The individuals who tested positive and anyone who had close contact with the positive cases will not return to school until their quarantine ends. If you were not notified, that means your student was not in the same class as the positive case, nor was your student identified as a possible close contact. Please call your school with any questions regarding COVID-19 procedures.
Don’t forget to follow @BSSDNews on Facebook and Twitter for the most up to date information.

Sincerely, Blue Springs School District

November 6

Dear BSSD Families,

Don’t forget to choose your student’s educational option in PowerSchool for the second semester by Sunday, November 8, at 5 p.m., if you have not already done so. If you have decided and wish to change it, you need to call your student’s school during school hours today. Thank you for giving us ample planning time to provide the best possible education for all our students.

This week, we had ¬¬¬37 reported cases of COVID-19 in our schools. You may view our district’s COVID-19 Dashboard for more information. The individuals who tested positive and anyone who had close contact with the positive individuals will not return to school until their quarantine ends. If you were not notified, that means your student was not in the same class as the positive case, nor was your student identified as a possible close contact. Please call your school with any questions regarding COVID-19 procedures.

It is important to note that the majority of our COVID-19 cases have been contracted outside of school. We cannot stress enough the importance of staying home when you are sick and quarantining for 14 days with known exposure outside of school. These two relatively simple precautions have helped reduce the number of school-issued quarantines and the spread of COVID-19 in our schools.

Don’t forget to follow @BSSDNews on Facebook and Twitter for the most up to date information.

Sincerely,
Blue Springs School District

October 30

Dear BSSD Families,
Last Friday, you received an email regarding your student’s educational option for the second semester. Every student needs to select either in-person school or BSSD distance learning in PowerSchool by 5 p.m., Sunday, November 1. Please note that all second semester decisions are final. More information and instructions on selecting your student’s educational option in PowerSchool may be found here.

This week, we had 20 reported cases of COVID-19 in our schools. You may view our district’s COVID-19 Dashboard for more information. The individuals who tested positive and anyone who had close contact with those individuals will not return to school until their quarantine ends. If you were not notified, that means your student was not in the same class as the positive case, nor was your student identified as a possible close contact. Please call your school with any questions regarding COVID-19 procedures.
Don’t forget to follow @BSSDNews on Facebook and Twitter for the most up to date information.

Sincerely,

Blue Springs School District

October 23

Dear BSSD Families,

Thanks for your support throughout the pandemic. We can’t stress enough the importance of keeping your child home from school if someone in your household is experiencing possible symptoms of COVID-19. For instance, if a parent is ill or awaiting COVID-19 test results, all BSSD students/staff in the family must stay home. By doing so, you reduce the spread of COVID-19 and reduce or negate the number of individuals required to quarantine due to direct exposure. Please help us keep our schools safe and healthy.

This week, we had 22 reported cases of COVID-19 in our schools. You may view our district’s COVID-19 Dashboard for more information. The individuals who tested positive and anyone who had close contact with the positive cases will not return to school until their quarantine ends. If you were not notified, that means your student was not in the same class as the positive case, nor was your student identified as a possible close contact. Please call your school with any questions regarding COVID-19 procedures.

Later today, you can expect two more emails from the district. One is regarding finalizing your educational option for the second semester, and the other is an announcement about plans for snow days.

Don’t forget to follow @BSSDNews on Facebook and Twitter for the most up to date information.

Sincerely,
Blue Springs School District

October 16

Dear BSSD Families,

We have completed our sixth week of school, thanks to all of you! Your households are critical in stopping the spread of COVID-19 in our schools. If your student has been knowingly exposed to a positive case outside of school, you can help reduce the spread of COVID-19 by quarantining for 14 days. Direct exposure is defined as being less than six feet from a positive case for more than 15 minutes. This includes the 48 hours before a positive individual becomes symptomatic or 48 hours before a positive test for someone who is asymptomatic.

This week, we had 15 reported cases of COVID-19 in our schools. You may view our district’s COVID-19 Dashboard for more information. The individuals who tested positive and anyone who had close contact with the positive cases will not return to school until their quarantine ends. If you were not notified, that means your student was not in the same class as the positive case, nor was your student identified as a possible close contact. Please call your school with any questions regarding COVID-19 procedures.

Don’t forget to follow @BSSDNews on Facebook and Twitter for the most up to date information.

Sincerely,
Blue Springs School District

October 9

Dear BSSD Families,

Each of us plays a crucial role in reducing the spread of COVID-19. As we start to welcome the cooler temperatures of fall and winter, it is not uncommon to see an uptick in reported illnesses and absences. This year, more than ever, it is critical that we all stay home when we are sick. A new cough, difficulty breathing, or loss of taste/smell are high-risk symptoms for COVID-19. If you or anyone in your family are experiencing any high-risk symptoms, please keep your entire family home until you have proof of a negative COVID-19 test, or the family members have completed their 14-day quarantine. The same rule applies if anyone has two or more moderate-risk symptoms. Moderate-risk symptoms are fever over 100.2 degrees, congestion/runny nose, nausea/diarrhea/vomiting, sore throat, headache, or muscle/body aches. By doing your part and staying home, you and your family will be reducing the spread of disease.

This week, we had 18 reported cases of COVID-19 in our schools. It is important to note that five of the 18 positive individuals were already quarantined for various reasons when they became symptomatic or tested positive resulting in no direct exposure at school or additional quarantines. You may view our district’s COVID-19 Dashboard for more information, a link on the left side of the page. The individuals who tested positive and anyone who had close contact with the positive cases will not return to school until their quarantine ends. If you were not notified, that means your student was not in the same class as the positive case, nor was your student identified as a possible close contact. Please call your school with any questions regarding COVID-19 procedures.

Don’t forget to follow @BSSDNews on Facebook and Twitter for the most up to date information.

Sincerely,

Blue Springs School District

October 2

Dear BSSD Families,

It takes all of us to reduce the spread of COVID-19. If your child starts displaying symptoms of any kind, you may find it helpful to reference the Jackson County Health Department’s “Can my child to to school today?” flow chart. This flow chart is used by our schools to help determine if, when, and how long an ill student needs to stay home from school.

This week, we had six reported cases of COVID-19 in our schools. You may view our district’s COVID-19 Dashboard for more information. If someone in your student’s class tests positive for COVID-19, you will be notified. If your student is directly exposed to a positive case, you will be notified, and given a date your student may return to school following their quarantine. If you have questions regarding COVID-19 procedures, please call your school.

Don’t forget to follow @BSSDNews on Facebook and Twitter for the most up to date information.

Sincerely,
Blue Springs School District

September 25

Dear BSSD Families,

As we wrap up our third week of school, we want to commend all our students and staff for following COVID-19 safety precautions to keep our schools safe and open. You can help by keeping your student home if they were exposed to a positive COVID-19 individual outside of school. By staying home due to direct exposure, your student and family are helping to reduce the spread of the virus in our schools.

This week, we had eight reported cases of COVID-19 in our schools. You may view our district’s COVID-19 Dashboard for more information. If someone in your student’s class tests positive for COVID-19, you will be notified. If your student is directly exposed to a positive case, you will be notified, and given a date your student may return to school following their quarantine. If you have questions regarding COVID-19 procedures, please call your school.

If you have unresolved technology questions, please call the help desk at 816-874-3242 from 7:45 a.m.-3 p.m.

Don’t forget to follow @BSSDNews on Facebook and Twitter for the most up to date information.

Sincerely,
Blue Springs School District

September 17

Dear BSSD Families,
Thank you for your partnership as we work to keep our students and staff safe and healthy. One of the many precautions we have in place to mitigate the spread of disease is by asking all of you to keep your children home if someone in your household has possible symptoms of COVID-19. As a reminder, that would be one high-risk symptom: new cough, difficulty breathing, or loss of taste or smell or two or more moderate-risk symptoms: fever over 100.2 degrees, congestion/runny nose, nausea/vomiting/diarrhea, sore throat, headache, and muscle or body aches. COVID-19 symptoms vary in every person, and keeping well students home when someone in the household is sick is a critical part of preventing the spread of the disease. Please call your school office with questions about quarantine timelines.

This week, we have seven reported cases of COVID-19 in our schools. You may view our district dashboard for more information. If someone in your student’s class tests positive for COVID-19, you will be notified. If your student is directly exposed to a positive case, you will be notified, and given a date your student may return to school following their quarantine. If you have questions regarding COVID-19 procedures, please call your school.

Students who have district-issued devices and need technical support may email the help desk at [email protected]. Emails need to include your school abbreviation (BSHS, VSE, MRMS, etc.) in the subject line. Visit our student technology webpage for more information.

Don’t forget to follow @BSSDNews on Facebook and Twitter for the most up to date information.

Sincerely,
Blue Springs School District

September 11

Dear BSSD Families,

Welcome back to school! Thanks for your partnership as we all work through arrival, dismissal, and technical issues the first few days of school. Our students have been doing a great job of following the COVID-19 precautions of wearing masks, sanitizing/washing their hands, and social distancing. Thank you for reinforcing these important precautions at home.

Every Friday, you will continue to receive a COVID-19 update from the district. Every week, usually on Fridays, you will receive an email from your child’s school with the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases at the school. If someone in your student’s class tests positive for COVID-19, you will be notified. If your student is directly exposed to a positive case, you will be notified, and given a date your student may return to school following their quarantine. Since September 7, we have had six reported cases of COVID-19 in our schools. A dashboard tracking COVID-19 cases throughout the district will be available on our website soon.

All students/staff members must stay home when they are ill to reduce the spread of disease. COVID-19 symptoms include a new cough, difficulty breathing, loss of taste/smell, fever over 100.4 degrees, congestion, runny nose, sore throat, headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and muscle or body aches. Your family can help reduce the spread of disease by keeping all your students home if anyone in your household is experiencing COVID-19 symptoms. Each case is unique, and your administrator will determine school quarantine policies. Please view our daily health assessment, found on facebook, and symptoms guidelines for more information.

Students who have district-issued devices and need technical support may email the help desk at [email protected]. Monday-Friday from 7:30 a.m.-3 p.m until September 14. Emails need to include your school abbreviation (BSHS, VSE, MRMS, etc.) in the subject line. Visit our student technology webpage for more information.

Don’t forget to follow @BSSDNews on Facebook and Twitter for the most up to date information.

Sincerely,
Blue Springs School District

September 4

Dear BSSD Families,

This unconventional school year brings many changes necessary to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in our schools. All in-person students and families need to allow more time to pick up and drop off daily. Parents/guardians will not be permitted to leave their car. Please plan ahead by taking photos at home or visiting your school on a non-school day to allow plenty of room and time for back-to-school photos.

As a reminder, every in-person student is required to wear a cloth or disposable face covering. Please consider sending two or more with your student, so they have backups if necessary. Water fountains are closed at every school, and students are encouraged to bring a prefilled water bottle. Water bottle refilling stations will remain open across the district. A or B line school meals are free until further notice for all students, including our distance learners.

If your student is returning to in-person school, please help us reinforce the necessary precautions to reduce the spread of disease. Students need to wear their mask at all times. Exceptions may occur during breakfast, lunch, recess, and P.E. Students should sanitize/wash their hands throughout the day, including when they enter school, use the restroom, before they eat, after they eat, before recess, and after recess. Hand sanitizer will be available in every classroom and throughout the school. Students need to practice social distancing whenever possible.

It is critical for all students/staff members to stay home when they are ill. COVID-19 symptoms include a new cough, difficulty breathing, loss of taste/smell, fever over 100.4, congestion, runny nose, sore throat, headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and muscle or body aches. Each case is unique, and your school administrator will determine school exclusion policies. Please view our daily health assessment and symptoms guidelines for more information.

Students who have district-issued devices and need technical support may email the help desk at [email protected] or call 816-874-3242. Emails need to include your school abbreviation (BSHS, VSE, MRMS, etc.) in the subject line. Visit our student technology webpage for more information.

We look forward to welcoming all our students back to school in just a few short days. We appreciate your compliance, understanding, and flexibility as we work together to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in our schools and community. And, as always, don’t forget to follow @BSSDNews on Facebook and Twitter for the most up to date information.

Sincerely,
Blue Springs School District

August 28

Dear BSSD Families,

Our School and Nutritional Services team is hard at work planning to feed our students breakfast and lunch safely. Each student will receive a lunch badge to be used for touchless payment. You may add money to your student’s lunch account now through School Café. School Café is also where you will find applications for free and reduced meal benefits or where you will find any negative meal balances. Please visit our Food and Nutritional Services webpage for more information. To-go meals will be available for daily pre-order for our distance learning students. Contactless meal pickup will take place at every middle school. More information regarding student meals will be available next week.

As a reminder, we encourage those of you who can transport your child to and from school daily to do so. We know that taking your child to school is inconvenient, but doing so will reserve bus transportation only for those families that have no other choice. Parents who are working from home might consider a carpool system with neighbors. For those families utilizing bus transportation, we need your help in mitigating the spread of disease on the bus by not sending your student to school sick and following our transportation policies for 2020-2021.

High school athletics/activities have been approved to continue with fall programming as scheduled. Due to the pandemic, spectator attendance will be limited. More information may be found by visiting the webpage.

Be on the lookout for an email later today containing more information and links for the upcoming Schoology trainings. And, as always, don’t forget to follow @BSSDNews on Facebook and Twitter for the most up to date information.

Sincerely,

Blue Springs School District

August 14

Dear BSSD Families,

School supply lists are available for students in grades K-8. New to the supply lists this year are cloth or disposable face coverings, hand sanitizer, and disinfecting wipes to help reduce the spread of COVID-19. EPIC Foundation is once again providing nearly all of the supplies for in-person kindergarten students. Students in grades K-8 participating in BSSD Distance Learning will find asterisks next to recommended BSSD Distance Learning Supplies. Students in grades 9-12 should be prepared with basic supplies such as pencils, pens, paper, and folders. Once school begins, each teacher in grades 9-12 will communicate any additional supplies necessary.

Thanks to those of you who completed returning student enrollment. If you have not already done so, please contact your school for more information or assistance. Enrollment information is critical as we continue to plan for the upcoming school year.

In order to provide a seamless classroom experience for in-person school and BSSD Distance Learning, the district has adopted Schoology as our new Learning Management System. Starting September 1, parents/guardians have the opportunity to participate in virtual informational/training meetings. Visit the webpage on Schoology for more information.

Next week, you will be receiving an email from Peachjar, the district’s new online community flyer distribution system. To ensure you receive the emails, you may want to consider adding [email protected] to your approved email list.

Summer meal dropoff sites at Autumn Place, The Ridge, and Welcome Inn will continue through September 4. School lunch pickup sites will be closed through at least August 24.

The Return to Learn guide, along with all the reopening information we’ve shared over the summer, may be found on our website. All school offices are open and available to receive phone calls. You may also want to consider following @BSSDNews on Facebook and Twitter for the most up to date information.

Sincerely,
Blue Springs School District

August 6

Dear BSSD Families,

Over the last couple of months, we’ve released a lot of important information to you about reopening our schools this fall. All the information may be found on the main page of our website under the heading, Recent News. This includes the Return to Learn guide and the new 2020-2021 school calendar. You may also want to consider following @BSSDNews on Facebook and Twitter for the most up to date information.

Please don’t forget to complete returning student enrollment before it closes on Sunday, August 9, at 5 p.m. Enrollment instructions for students returning to the district and new students may be found on our website. Incoming kindergartners who have already completed enrollment and screening are considered returning students and will need to complete online enrollment. Enrollment is complete once all forms have been filled out, and all obligations and lunch debt have been paid.

Summer meal dropoff sites at Autumn Place, The Ridge, and Welcome Inn will continue through August 21. School lunch pickup sites will be closed through September 8.

All school offices are open and available to receive phone calls. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to your school with questions.

Thank you for your partnership in education.
Sincerely,

Blue Springs School District

July 31

Dear BSSD Families,

District enrollment and residency verification (which includes uploading a current utility bill) will take place online this year. Enrollment opens for returning students today, Friday, July 31, at 5 p.m. and new students on Monday, August 3, at 10 a.m. Enrollment and residency verification for returning students will close on Sunday, August 9, at 5 p.m. You may find these instructions and video tutorial to be helpful. Incoming kindergartners who have already completed enrollment and screening are considered returning students and will need to complete online enrollment.

During enrollment, you will be asked to verify your educational option of either In-Person School or BSSD Distance Learning. If you select BSSD Distance Learning, you may not switch to In-Person School until second semester. The enrollment process also includes a question about bus transportation. As a reminder, if your family is able, please plan to transport your student to and from school daily so that bus transportation is reserved for families who have no other option. All school offices have reopened for the year, so please contact your student’s school with questions.

Comprehensive guidelines for reopening school will be released on Tuesday. The guide will provide more detail regarding COVID-19 protocols, distance learning details, and safety precautions. Until that time, it is important for you to know that we’ve made a change to the safety precautions for the coming school year. For the safety of our students and staff, cloth or disposable face masks will be required at all times during In-Person school for the 2020-2021 school year. Please check out this video for more information.

Summer meal dropoff sites at Autumn Place, The Ridge, and Welcome Inn will continue through August 21. Students will have access to breakfast and lunch meal pickup at James Lewis and Thomas Ultican Elementary Schools from 11:30-12:30 until, today, Friday, July 31. School lunch pickup sites will be closed through at least August 24.

As always, don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the most up-to-date information @BSSDnews.

Stay well,
Blue Springs School District

July 24

Dear BSSD Families,

Thank you for taking the time to select In-Person School or BSSD Distance Learning for your student. At this time, about 17% of students have opted for BSSD Distance Learning. It is still our intention to open school as scheduled on August 24. District leadership, along with the various COVID-19 task forces, continue to work on plans for the 2020-2021 school year. We will continue to update you weekly, or more frequently, if and when plans change or evolve.

Bus transportation will look different this school year to reduce the spread of COVID-19. All bus riders need to commit to riding five days per week. Face masks and hand sanitizer will be required on the bus. All buses will be disinfected thoroughly every night, and high touch-point areas will be cleaned between every route. If it is feasible for your family, we encourage you to drop off and pick up your child daily. This will reserve bus transportation for those in our district with no other option to get to and from school. Please help us continue to plan for in-person school by completing this short survey. Please fill out one survey for every BSSD student.

Summer meal dropoff sites at Autumn Place, The Ridge, and the Welcome Inn will continue through August 21. Students will have access to breakfast and lunch meal pickup at James Lewis and Thomas Ultican Elementary Schools from 11:30-12:30 Monday-Friday until July 31.

As always, don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the most up-to-date information @BSSDnews.

Stay well,
Blue Springs School District

July 17

Dear BSSD Families,

The deadline to choose your student’s educational option for the 2020-2021 school year has been extended to Wednesday, July 22. If you have not done so already, please complete this form for each student in your household. The selection deadline may seem early to many of you, but it gives us the necessary time to plan for the upcoming school year.

We know there are still many questions regarding co-curricular activities, as well as protocols for when we have positive cases of COVID-19. We will communicate that information as soon as it is available. You may find these frequently asked questions to be helpful when making your decision.

Abundant Life Church is giving away free back to school items and more at their drive-thru fairs in Blue Springs and Lee’s Summit. Please click here for more information on community resources during the pandemic.

Summer meal dropoff sites at Autumn Place, The Ridge, and the Welcome Inn will continue through July. Students will have access to breakfast and lunch meal pickup at James Lewis and Thomas Ultican Elementary Schools from 11:30-12:30 Monday-Friday in July.

As always, don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the most up-to-date information @BSSDnews.

Stay well,
Blue Springs School District

July 10

Dear BSSD Families,

We are excited to welcome students back into our buildings for face-to-face summer school on Monday, July 13. Please check out our summer school and Prime Time safety guidelines. Students will need to bring a few essential supplies and a pre-filled water bottle with them daily.

On Tuesday, all of you received the educational options for August-December in the 2020-2021 school year. Please complete this form by Friday, July 17, for each student in your household. Families will need to decide if their child will attend In-Person School or learn from home through BSSD Distance Learning. We put together a list of frequently asked questions that you might find helpful as you decide which option is right for your family.

Summer meal dropoff sites at Autumn Place, The Ridge, and the Welcome Inn will continue through July. Starting on Monday, July 13, students will have access to breakfast and lunch meal pickup at James Lewis and Thomas Ultican Elementary Schools from 11:30-12:30 Monday-Friday in July.

As always, don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the most up-to-date information @BSSDnews.

Sincerely,
Blue Springs School District

July 3

Dear BSSD Families,

We look forward to welcoming your students back to school for Prime Time and face-to-face summer school. Our school day will look a bit different this summer. Please check out the Summer School and Prime Time Safety Guidelines for more information on our summer safety precautions. Please note that per the current mandate by Jackson County, all students must wear a face mask unless they have a medical exemption. The summer safety precautions are subject to change based on city, county, and state restrictions.

If your student(s) requires medication during the day, please fill out the Medication Information/Sign-In Sheet and send it with your student on the first day of the program.

You will receive more information from your student’s teacher on July 6. Have a safe and happy holiday weekend.

Sincerely,

Blue Springs School District

June 26

June 19

June 12

June 5

Dear BSSD Families,

Virtual Summer School begins today for our students in grades 6-12. Session I for high school students runs from June 5-July 2, and middle school virtual summer school runs from June 5-July 31. Students who are enrolled in virtual summer school who experience technical difficulty while using district software or a district device should email [email protected]. Please type the word summer in the subject line, describe the issue, and attach a picture of the error code if you can.

Face-to-face summer school will run from July 13-31. Registration forms are due on June 13. Due to current circumstances submitting a registration form does not guarantee enrollment. Summer school is contingent upon restrictions, enrollment, and staffing.

Task force meetings are underway as we continue planning for the 2020-2021 school year. In the next couple of weeks, you will receive COVID-19 parent surveys by way of email and text message. Your participation in these surveys is much appreciated, as the data collected will play a key role in our planning process. If you do not already receive text updates from the district, please text the word YES to 67587 to opt-in.

Don’t forget to visit one of our summer meal sites to pick up breakfast and lunch for your student. As always, please consider following us on Facebook and Twitter for the most up-to-date information @BSSDnews.

Sincerely,
Blue Springs School District

May 29

Dear BSSD Families,

There is so much we do not know about the 2020-2021 school year, yet our focus remains the same. The Blue Springs School District is always committed to providing exceptional education in a safe and nurturing environment. Plans are in place to collect data from our community and feedback from many task forces throughout June. The task forces, which include parent participation, will discuss a variety of topics concerning returning to school in the fall, and the results will help guide us in our planning process. The Blue Springs School District is prepared to serve all students during these uncertain times, whether it be the more traditional on-site schooling or online virtual education. The district has an option that will be right for you. We appreciate your patience as we continue to develop these plans, and as promised, more information will be released to you when it is available.

Registration information for on-site summer school and Prime Time Summer Journey was sent earlier this week. The programs are contingent upon restrictions, enrollment, and staffing. Both programs will observe social distancing guidelines, and Prime Time Summer Journey students will not participate in field trips. Please click here for information and registration.

The summer food program begins on Monday, June 1. It will run every Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Chapel Lakes Elementary, Daniel Young Elementary, Franklin Smith Elementary, James Walker Elementary, Brittany Hill Middle School, and Blue Springs High School. Extra food will be distributed on Tuesdays and Thursdays so that our students will have meals on the off days.

As always, don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the most up-to-date information @BSSDnews.
Stay well,

Blue Springs School District

May 22

Dear BSSD Parents,

Congratulations on making it through the school year. The last couple of months were filled with parades, celebratory yard signs, and drive-thru pickup. It was not always easy, but your efforts are admirable, and your partnership is always appreciated.

As our world continues to change rapidly, we aim to provide you with relevant and consistent communication. Throughout the summer, you can count on the Blue Springs School District to deliver weekly COVID-19 updates to your inbox on Fridays at 10 a.m. We know that when it comes to the 2020-2021 school year, there is great anticipation and uncertainty, but rest assured that we remain steadfast in our commitment to providing the safest possible environment for our students and staff.

In conjunction with 27 schools in the Greater Kansas City Suburban Conference, high school activities will be re-opened in two phases. Phase I will begin on June 15. Students will be allowed on outdoor campus facilities in groups of 50 or less. Phase II will start on June 29 to include summer workouts and practices. Restrictions, precautions, and protocols will be followed during both phases.

Virtual summer school applications for students in grades 6-12 can be found here. High school registration forms are due back today, May 22, and middle school registration forms are due back on June 1. Face-to-face summer school will run from July 13-31, and Prime Time will open on July 6. Prime Time students must participate in face-to-face summer school. Registration information for Prime Time and face-to-face summer school will be available early next week.

As a reminder, the last day of meal service drop off and pick up was yesterday. Please click here to view the final BSSD Quarterly of the year, which also details the summer food program.

As always, don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the most up-to-date information @BSSDnews.

Stay well,
Blue Springs School District

May 15

Dear BSSD Families,

With one week left in the school year, hopefully everyone can find comfort in the fact that we did it! The end of this school year may have been unconventional, but we all persevered and made it together. We want to send a special shout out to the Class of 2020! We’re hopeful that our graduates will be honored in a traditional ceremony at Municipal Auditorium on July 19. Blue Springs South High School’s ceremony will be held at 1:30 p.m., followed by Blue Springs High School at 5:30 p.m. All Valley View High School graduates will participate in a traditional ceremony on July 14 at 7 p.m. at their school. Graduates from all three schools will be given six tickets to reduce the number of people in attendance.

As we look to the future, we can’t help but think about the 2020-2021 school year. Please rest assured that the district has plans in place to collect feedback from many task forces throughout June. The task forces, which include parent participation, will discuss a variety of topics relating to health and safety, face-to-face schooling, and curriculum and instruction. It is our goal to update you in mid-July with information about the next school year.

As a reminder, the last day of meal service drop off and pick up will be Thursday, May 21. Our summer food program will begin on Monday, June 1. It will run every Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Chapel Lakes Elementary, Daniel Young Elementary, Franklin Smith Elementary, James Walker Elementary, Brittany Hill Middle School, and Blue Springs High School. Extra food will be distributed on Tuesdays and Thursdays so that our students will have meals on the off days.

Virtual summer school applications for students in grades 6-12 can be found here. High school registration forms are due back on May 22, and middle school registration forms are due back on June 1. Face-to-face summer school will run from July 13-31. Prime Time will open on July 6. Prime Time students must participate in face-to-face summer school. Registration information for Prime Time and face-to-face summer school will be available in the coming weeks.

We remain steadfast in our commitment to providing education with distinction while maintaining the safest possible environment. Thank you for your partnership in education, and don’t forget to follow @BSSDNews on Facebook and Twitter for the most up-to-date information.

Stay well,
Blue Springs School District

May 8

Dear BSSD Families,

As our last day of school approaches, we are preparing to return student supplies. All elementary schools will operate supply pick up and packet collection on May 18. District middle schools are collecting district materials and distributing student supplies the week of May 18. The high schools will hand out supplies and collect materials the week of May 18 and May 25. Please be on the lookout for more information from your child’s school with the details.

Change continues to be inevitable, and your flexibility is appreciated. Virtual summer school sessions for students in grades 6-12 will run from June 5-July 2 and July 6-July 31. Face-to-face summer school has been extended and will operate from July 13-31. Summer school enrollment information will be shared with parents next week.

Don’t forget to visit our website to find weekly lunch pick up and drop off locations, along with tech tips. Check out this page for more information on community resources available during the pandemic. And, don’t forget to follow @BSSDNews on Facebook and Twitter.

Stay well,
Blue Springs School District

May 1

Dear BSSD Families,

District staff continues to prepare for the summer to the best of our ability. Virtual summer school will be offered from June 8-July 31 for students in grades 6-12. Course guides and registration information was sent via email Thursday evening. In-person summer school enrichment programming will be provided for students K-12 from July 20-31. Please check your email in the coming days for more information on summer school.

It is our goal to open Prime Time Summer Journey as soon as possible, but realistically operation may not begin until sometime in July. We know that families count on us for this critical service, and we will continue to update you as information becomes available.

Starting next week, the meal service pick up and drop off will not operate on Fridays, beginning May 8. Extra food will be distributed every Thursday to include lunch for Friday and breakfast for Saturday. Meal pick up and drop off locations will continue through Thursday, May 21. The district still plans to operate the summer food program beginning in June. More information will follow.

Don’t forget to visit our website to find weekly lunch pick up and drop off locations, along with tech tips. Check out this page for more information on community resources available during the pandemic. And, don’t forget to follow @BSSDNews on Facebook and Twitter.

Stay well,

Blue Springs School District

Posted April 24

Dear BSSD Families,

The only thing certain right now is change, but despite that, we continue to develop plans for the summer. We know that many students and families count on us for childcare and education during the summer break. You can expect more information regarding summer school and Prime Time next Friday.

The Class of 2020 has been asked to save the weekends of July 18-19 and July 25-26 for a rescheduled graduation ceremony. We hope that by the middle of July, we will be able to gather in large groups, and depending on the directives from our state and local government agencies, we will host graduation ceremonies. Additionally, the district’s Public Relations team is collecting senior photos to be used for publication in the summer BluePrint magazine. Please help us celebrate the Class of 2020 by emailing JPEG files to [email protected].

We cannot thank you enough for your commitment and patience as we all do our best to educate our students from home. Don’t forget to visit our website for more information on weekly lunch pick up and drop off, along with tech tips. Check out this page for more information on community resources available during the pandemic. And, don’t forget to follow @BSSDNews on Facebook and Twitter.

Stay well,

Blue Springs School District

Blue SpringsSchool District