10/23/20
TGIF…Twin Groves it’s Friday!
Remote learning for ALL District 96 students begins Monday, October 26th.
Reminder: ALL students at all grade levels will take an “adaptive pause” and revert to full remote learning for 10 days, beginning Monday, October, 26th.
Remote learning for all District 96 students will remain in effect for at least 10 calendar days.
On or before Wednesday, November 4th, District families will receive updated information about current metrics and when in-person hybrid learning will resume.
Please see Supt. Schmidt’s Oct. 21 MESSAGE for more details.
Due to the adaptive pause, we will not be changing to a hybrid model at this time. We will stay on THIS SCHEDULE.
Meals Are Available for Drive-Up Pick-Up
Any KCSD96 family choosing to do so may pick up free breakfasts/lunches for their students weekdays from 11 AM–1 PM when District 96 students are in session. SEE DETAILS
Counseling Corner
Ms. Baker and Ms. McDevitt, School Social Workers
Ms. Koulentes, School Counselor
Ms. Leverentz, School Psychologist
While some students are thriving in the remote learning setting, we are seeing some students struggle. How can students, parents and the school work together to help our students be as successful as possible while we are in this remote environment?
We have compiled a list of strategies and suggestions that may be helpful for your student.
1. Students should wake up at least 30 minutes before school starts. Students should get in the habit of changing out of pajamas, eat, brush hair, brush teeth, and plan on being on camera for their zoom calls.
2. Students should have a designated area to do their school work- If it is possible this should not be in their bed. It is nice to be comfortable, but we don’t want students to be too comfortable.
3. Students should be active during their PE class. This is a perfect time for them to get their heart rates up and get active. If they are in Health class, they should carve out some time throughout the day to do something active. Go for a walk, jog, bike ride, etc. This will keep them fit but it can also help elevate their mood.
4. If your student does not understand something in their classes, there are several opportunities from the school to receive additional help.
-Encourage your student to stay the extra 10-20 minutes at the end of class and ask the teacher for help.
-Students can go to a teacher’s office hours from 2:30-3:00 Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.
-Students can go to Academic Support at 3:00 and 4:00 Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. This is a virtual spot where teachers from the school are available to help any students that attend.
Here are some additional resources from the Child Mind Institute to help parents and students cope with the uncertainty of these ever-evolving times:
Tips to get insight into how your kids are handling these stressful times:
https://childmind.org/article/how-to-ask-what-kids-are-feeling-during-stressful-times/
Support your student as they cope with disappointments faced during the coronavirus crisis:
https://childmind.org/article/how-to-help-your-kids-handle-disappointment/
Leverage some simple mindfulness techniques to help calm anxiety during this uncertain time:
https://childmind.org/article/how-mindfulness-can-help-during-covid-19/
Staying Engaged in your Child’s Learning
From the iCoach Team: Samantha Heinrich, Jessica Mandell, and Jessica Woods
Families are a child’s first educator and play a powerful role in their academic, social, and emotional success. We know that supporting learning at home can be both rewarding and challenging. This post offers some ideas to help stay connected and support your child’s learning at home.
Ask your child questions about what they are learning
-Try to give minimal hints to help your child recognize where they may be struggling
-Try to ask a mixture of open-ended and closed questions
-Open-ended - No single answer, often requires reasoning
-Closed - Usually a single answer
-Ask your child to explain their work when they are both correct and incorrect
Help your child identify what they do know about a concept
-Ask them to tell you about what they remember from class or from past experiences
-Try posing a similar question using a more simple example or using an example that they can connect with
-Help your child identify the content they have already learned that relates to what they are currently working on
Celebrate the process of learning
-Help your child identify what they are doing well and specific next steps they need to take to continue to make progress
-Compliment specific behaviors and actions that you know will contribute to their academic success (ex: perseverance, accessing resources, thoughtful planning, etc.)
-Help your child celebrate when you notice that they gained and applied new knowledge or a new skill
Help your child identify and access the resources they have available to help them
-Schoology calendars and due date reminders
-After school academic support opportunities (Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 3:00-3:45 and Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays 4:00-4:45)
-Notes in Notability or Schoology, in-class examples, or other items that their teachers may have made available to them for reference
Encourage self-advocacy
-Children should always feel comfortable going to their teachers if they are struggling. Help students to know the best way to contact their teacher. Often, emailing or sending a Schoology message is very effective.
-All teachers offer after-school help from 2:30-3:00 on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. On remote learning days, simply use the teacher’s regular classroom link to access their help sessions.
Help your child build time management skills
-Plan realistic schedules for both long-term and short-term assignments
-Help them find the time of day they work best to complete assignments (for some, that is right after school, others might be later in the evening)
-Help your child decide how long something might take and set timers if appropriate
For more ideas, enjoy this article from Edutopia: How Parents Can Help Their Kids With Studying.
Asking your child to share about their school experiences is another way to engage with them and spark a conversation that gives insights into their day. Often, asking questions like “how was your day” doesn’t always get children to share the way we would hope. Even when your child is learning remotely, it’s still impactful to reflect on the day. The chart below offers some examples of questions that can lead to conversations that give you a glimpse into your child’s learning.
ComEd Bill Payment Assistance Options
ComEd has provided bill payment assistance options for families experiencing financial hardship. Please find info HERE.
Halloween Participation Door Signs
School Resource Officer Essig and the Buffalo Grove Police Department have provided signs to download and print for display on your front door on Sat., Oct. 31. Choose according to the decision your family has made:
TRICK OR TREATERS ARE WELCOME HERE door sign
NOT PARTICIPATING IN TRICK OR TREAT door sign
If participating, please observe social distancing and wear a mask.
PTO
Spirit Wear Pick Up
Twin Groves will have a Spirit Wear Pickup on November 4th.
The window to pick up Spirit Wear will be from 8AM-3PM.
Please come to the front of the building by the main office at Twin Groves.
Please wear a mask.
Someone will open the door for you and ask for your name.
Please remain outside while we retrieve your spirit wear.
Your Spirit Wear will be handed to you.
Parents will not need to come into the building at all.
Daily Announcements
Please see Twin Groves website for up to date school announcements. The announcements let you know what exciting activities and clubs are going on at Twin Groves. Please click HERE to access the Daily Announcements.