Calling All Newly-Enrolled BHS Families: Family Connections is a parent-volunteer led group designed to support families newly enrolled in Bloomfield Hills Schools! Our first Zoom gathering is coming up on Thursday, December 3, at 7:30 p.m. Any new family for any school - including Bloomfield Virtual - is welcome! Come with your questions about the schools or area, and parent/guardian volunteers are here to help. Meet other new families from across all the schools! If you're interested, check out the flyer and register here.

Dear East Hills School Community:

A district e-mail was sent last week indicating that all K-8 students must complete second-semester registration by November 25, indicating their learning preferences for that semester (e.g. hybrid or distance learning, or [for K-5 only] Bloomfield Virtual). Please open this link for further instructions on completing second-semester registration for each of your students by the November 25 deadline.  The temperatures may be dropping, but there’s still plenty of fresh air.  Please treat yourself to some.

"The thankful receiver bears a plentiful harvest."
-William Blake

Mr. Rubel

Dear Bloomfield Hills Schools Community,

We are writing to notify you of:

• One positive COVID-19 staff case at Bloomfield Hills High School
• Two positive COVID-19 student cases at Bloomfield Hills High School
• One positive COVID-19 student case at Bloomin’ Preschool - Fox Hills
• One positive COVID-19 staff case at Bloomin’ Preschool - Fox Hills
• One positive COVID-19 student case at East Hills Middle School
• One positive COVID-19 student case at Way Elementary School
• Two positive COVID-19 student cases at West Hills Middle School
• One positive COVID-19 student case at Wing Lake Elementary School

As an important reminder: if someone in your household is waiting for the results of a COVID-19 rapid or PCR test, all members of the household must stay home until the results are known.

If you do not receive a specific quarantine notice from a district official or an Oakland County Health Division case investigator, your child can attend activities as scheduled.

While we are in distance learning, the COVID-19 Case Update emails will now be sent weekly on Fridays at 5 p.m.

Emergency Order MCL 333.2253 requires Bloomfield Hills Schools to report probable and positive case information on our website. The report can be found on the main district website. Please note, cases do not appear on the report until all forms are complete for the case, causing a lag in reporting at times. 

We greatly appreciate the partnership with our families in reporting suspected or confirmed cases of COVID-19 so we may best protect the students and staff in our schools. Please continue to connect with your school principal regarding any concerns you may have regarding your child’s symptoms or possible exposure to someone with COVID-19.

COVID-19 is a contagious viral illness that spreads in the air through coughing, sneezing, and talking. Recent information suggests COVID-19 is spread by people who are not showing symptoms. It may be possible that a person can get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it, then touching their own mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes. Symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, and diarrhea.

If your child is sick or has been exposed to a confirmed or probable case of COVID, please do not allow them to attend school activities, programs, or athletics. If you or anyone in your household has COVID-19 symptoms, please contact your health professional or Nurse on Call at 1-800-848-5533. Please continue to monitor your child for any symptoms of COVID-19. If your child does develop symptoms, we urge you to keep them home and get your child tested for COVID-19 with a send-out PCR test. Testing locations can be found using the COVID-19 Test Finder at https://www.michigan.gov/coronavirus. If your child tests positive for COVID-19 or is symptomatic and you do not wish to have them tested, keep them at home until they have been fever free for at least 24 hours and it has been more than ten days since the initial onset of symptoms. If you are waiting for the results of a COVID-19 test, please continue to keep your child home and reference this chart (on the third page) from the Oakland County Health Division for further guidance.

In accordance with our administrative guidelines and procedures, the district, in collaboration with Oakland County Health Department, will communicate confirmed cases of COVID-19 in a school building, student event/activity, or district-sponsored function. Notification of confirmed cases will be shared via email from the district. Names of those impacted (whether it is a student, employee, district approved volunteer, or guest/spectator) will not be shared. All contact tracing will be handled by the Oakland County Health Department to protect student and employee privacy rights. The district is committed to providing factual, transparent, and critical information in a timely manner.

Please continue to follow all COVID-19 health and safety recommendations from the Oakland County Health Division and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): 

• Stay home if you are sick, or have been exposed to someone who has COVID-19.
• Cover your mouth and nose with a cloth face covering when around others. 
• Put distance between yourself and other people (at least 6 feet). 
• Clean your hands often, either with soap and water for 20 seconds or a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. 
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick. 
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash. Clean your hands after throwing away the tissue. 
• Clean and disinfect frequently-touched objects and surfaces daily.

Sincerely,

Pat Watson, Superintendent

Join us for the start of the new Middle School Equestrian team, which participates in the Michigan Interscholastic Horsemanship Association program (www.miha.org). This opportunity provides excellent show ring experience and is geared towards future participation on the High School Equestrian team.

During weekly team practices equitation skills will be polished and new disciplines are learned with the goal of competing in the MIHA district show. Team riders must own/lease a horse and have previous riding experience in order to participate. Team grooms will find this to be an excellent opportunity for observational learning and is geared towards future participation on the Middle School Equestrian Team. Previous horse experience is preferred.

During weekly team practices grooms can observe teammates riding and gain insight for future competition. Grooms will also have weekly horsemanship skill tutorials to accomplish and discuss with the group. If you have interest or questions please contact jhewitt@bloomfield.org or fill out the online registration form.

All children (up to 18 years, or under 26 for adults with disabilities) are eligible to receive meals from BHS at this time. 

Mondays and Thursdays
11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Bloomfield Hills High School

Throughout Bloomfield Hills School we have placed a great emphasis on Social Emotional Learning (SEL) for our students and staff.  The resources for our SEL curriculum development are based on CASEL’s Core Competencies which allow for design opportunities where adults can connect, heal, and build capacity to support students and each other.

Global Education Team/Wellness Meetings:
Families and staff are welcome to take part in our monthly Global Education Team/Wellness (GET - Wellness) meetings. Our next GET - Wellness meeting will be Monday, December 14, 11:15 am-12:15 pm.  Please watch for login information that will be sent the week prior if you are interested in attending!

Introducing the Green Club Fundraiser!  Don't throw away your jet ink cartridges!  Mail them for free and East Hills Green Club will get $1 for each cartridge!  We are raising money for garden projects around the school and for the Greenhouse in the 4/5 grade wing.  Thank you in advance!

Indoor Sessions Offered
November 15 and 22
December 6, 13, and 20
3 p.m.
Lahser Field
Register: bhbhlax@gmail.com

All middle school teachers (both core and UA/elective) and all support staff are using the online site PTCFast.com to schedule conferences. Conferences will be VIRTUAL, requiring you to join via a Zoom link.  Please use the PTCFast website for access and prompts to be able to register using your email address. All you need is an email address to schedule your desired time slot.  Each conference sign-up is for six minutes.

Sign up for Elementary (Fourth- and Fifth-Grade) November Virtual Progress Conferences is online. Please use the website Sign-Up Genius to select your sign-up time.

• One positive COVID-19 student case at Bloomfield Hills High School
• One positive COVID-19 staff case at Bloomin’ Preschool - Fox Hills
• One positive COVID-19 student case at Bloomin’ Preschool - Fox Hills
• One positive COVID-19 student cases at East Hills Middle School
• Three positive COVID-19 student cases at International Academy, Okma Campus
• One positive COVID-19 student case at Lone Pine Elementary School
• Two positive COVID-19 student cases at West Hills Middle School

We are writing to notify you of:

• One positive COVID-19 staff case at Bloomfield Hills High School.
• Two probable COVID-19 student cases at East Hills Middle School.

BHS families and staff are strongly encouraged to report ALL student or staff possible or positive COVID-19 cases using this form.

We are writing to notify you of two confirmed positive student COVID-19 cases: one at East Hills Middle School and one at Eastover Elementary School. The schools will be deep cleaned once again this evening and all areas will be thoroughly disinfected. Our regularly scheduled classes will continue and, if you do not receive a specific quarantine notice or a phone call from the Oakland County Health Division case investigator, your child can attend school as scheduled.

As a reminder, please be sure your child’s mask follows the Bloomfield Hills Schools mask guidelines. Face masks can be either reusable or disposable. They should fit tightly over your entire nose and mouth. Masks must have school-appropriate graphics. Masks should NOT have valves. Masks with valves are not permitted in Bloomfield Hills Schools. Students and staff are welcome to wear face shields brought from home, but they are not required. They may be worn in addition to a face mask. Neck gaiters and bandannas are not sufficient face coverings. They may be worn in addition to a face mask. Neck gaiters must have school-appropriate graphics.

Our latest guidance from the Oakland County Health Department outlines the following as symptoms:

High-risk symptoms include one of the following:

• Uncontrolled cough 
• Shortness of breath 
• Difficulty breathing 
• Loss of taste or loss of smell

Low-risk symptoms include two or more of the following: 

• Chills
• Sore throat
• Congestion or runny nose 
• Diarrhea or vomiting (2x in 24 hours) 
• Muscle aches 
• Fatigue 
• Headache 
• Temperature equal to or higher than 100.4  

lth screening before sending your child to school.  It is linked here: Daily Screener

Please remember that nuts of all kinds are restricted at East Hills because of students with severe and life-threatening allergies. The restriction is in effect in the entire building and at all times, including the school day, after school, evenings and weekends.

East Hills Middle School became a nut-restricted school in January of 2013. As a result, please carefully read and review all food packaging prior to sending food items to school. We appreciate in advance your full cooperation.

In order to properly document the medical condition that precludes wearing a facial covering, your child’s medical provider must complete the following form.

Oakland County has expanded its free drive-thru COVID-19 testing to include school-age children from 4-17 years old. Testing is available weekdays by appointment only through calling 800-848-5533.