Dear Families,
I'd like to begin on this 11th day of September, by remembering those that were lost or impacted by the events of September 11th, 2001. Our hearts go out to all of those impacted and I'm inspired by this quote I'd like to share...“If we learn nothing else from this tragedy, we learn that life is short and there is no time for hate.”
—Sandy Dahl, wife of Flight 93 pilot Jason Dahl, in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, in 2002
Can you believe we are three weeks into the school year? I continually am in awe of the wonderful ways teachers are facilitating learning and connections with students during this unusual time. This mode of learning is definitely not our preference for our learners, and we continue to be optimistic about coming back in person. In spite of these times, I'm so proud of the work all of our teachers and staff are doing, as well as your wonderful children!
Let’s hope for some sunshine this weekend. Enjoy!
Kindly,
Jenny Smith, Principal
NEW KINDERGARTEN ONLY *Material Pick-Up Info*
Don’t forget to mark your calendars for this coming Monday, September 14th, for our second round of materials pick-up. During the hours of 11:30 a.m.- 6:30 p.m., please drive into our front circle drive (one-way only). With all members inside the vehicle and wearing masks, hold a sign in the window with your child’s name and homeroom teacher written bold and large for us to read. One of our staff members (with a mask and gloves) will gather your child’s materials and bring them to your trunk.
During this pick-up, your child will be given materials for literacy, math, and PE. Once we are able to resume school in-person, you will be asked to return the materials.
As always, if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our front office!
*We will once again be collecting donated food items for the ELC! Please only bring non-perishable food items. Thank you!
NEW *Supporting our Willow Grove Family Member*
It is with the deepest concern and sadness for one of our cherished Willow Grove coaches and former Country Meadows teacher, Julie (Mete) Shaver, that I share the tragic news that her husband, James, suddenly passed away. This has rattled our school community as Julie is, quite simply, outstanding. James left this world far too young and all of our hearts are going out to Julie. I've had parents reach out who have heard of this happening and asked how they can support Julie during this time. I am sharing THIS LINK within our Willow Grove school community if anyone else is interested in how they can show support for Julie. This community never ceases to amaze me during times of difficulty in how you extend your gratitude, love, and support. Thank you to all of the families who have reached out thus far and to those of you considering a donation.
NEW *Early Release Reminder*
This is a friendly reminder that Tuesday, September 15th is an Early Release for students. AM kindergarten and blended end the day at 10:00 AM. PM kindergarten and blended end at 2:00 PM. Structured ends at 2:00 PM. Teachers will share any schedule-specific information with you that you need to be aware of.
NEW *Fall Conference Sign-Up*
Fall conferences are rapidly approaching! Families will have an opportunity to sign-up the week of September 21st for a conference in October. Be on the lookout for more information from your child’s homeroom teacher.
As a reminder, conferences will be held virtually on Thursday, October 8th from 5:00 p.m.-8:30 p.m. and Friday, October 9th from 10:00 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Conferences were moved to October (prior to this year these were towards the end of November) in order to provide teachers and families the opportunity to discuss action steps for improvement before the reporting period closes.
NEW KINDERGARTEN ONLY *UPDATED MAP Testing Information*
Remote NWEA MAP Testing will take place for kindergarten students on Monday, September 21, and Tuesday, September 22. This is a correction from last week's message, where a different date was shared. Our teachers and instructional coaches will serve as test proctors and will work to build and encourage student engagement during the test and respond to the needs of students in real-time. In addition, they will be watching student engagement closely to ensure that students are working through the test in a timely and typical manner. Students who are working too slowly or too quickly are tagged by NWEA and proctors are alerted.
If you have an older child, you are familiar with MAP testing (in-depth information provided in last week's message). Overall, the remote test-taking experience is nearly identical to its onsite counterpart, with changes mainly in proctor communication and the log-in process. However, the item bank, interface, and test management tools remain the same. From start to finish, the process is straightforward and easy to use. Again, our teachers and coaches will be closely bringing our first-time kindergarten students through this experience. Remote or not, this is always a new experience for our kindergarten students and they always do a great job showing us what they know!
Parents often inquire, what can I do to support my child? As with any school day, ensure a good night's sleep and healthy breakfast so your child is ready to go! Other than that, this is simply a data point to guide us in how we instruct your child. Children should just do their best to show us what they know.
Last week's message and THIS LINK provide further information for families.
NEW *SCHOOL HEALTH FORMS REQUIRED*
We still have a large number of students who have not turned in their health forms for this school year. SEE DETAILS OF REQUIREMENTS HERE. The date of exclusion is 10/15/2020. This means, if your required form is not in, your child will need to be excluded from attending school. Please allow Nurse P. enough time to go through the paperwork. Please call or email [email protected] if you have any questions.
REPEATING *Tech Support*
As students are home with their iPad devices to access remote learning plans, we do anticipate there may be some tech needs that arise. If you run into any difficulty with your child’s school iPad, just send us an email explaining your problem and we can support you and your device. Please email [email protected] with any tech-related support needed.
If we did not have your child’s iPad at Material Pick-Up, contact [email protected]. They will check the status of your child’s enrollment and work to provide your child’s iPad as quickly as possible. Pick-up for all tech-related items will be housed through Ivy Hall School.
REPEATING *Send Me a Picture of Your Child Learning*
I love capturing photos of kids learning in my Principal's Message each week. As currently, the very large majority are learning in your homes, I'd love it if you wouldn't mind sharing a photo or two with me to use in my Principal Message. If you are comfortable sharing, please email me a photo or two at [email protected]. Thank you!