March 16, 2020
Dear Parents,
Today I’m writing to you with details related specifically to Gurney Elementary School students as we prepare to begin our PreK-3 online learning community Wednesday, March 18, 2020. I am both proud and excited about what the Gurney teachers have been creating for your children! We have the youngest students but we are confident in our technology integration throughout the year and you will soon see that your children have a great level of skill and comfort for their ages. However, we do need YOU as our partners to make this a success!
First and foremost, we urge you to have your child’s Chromebook and learning materials picked up from school today during the designated window. Picking up these materials should take just a few minutes. We understand if you must have your child accompany you however, you can have a neighbor or friend sign out the materials for you so that you can stay home with your child.
For everyone’s safety, we’d like to do what we can to keep the interaction during these pick-up windows brief and with as few people as possible.
Chromebook and Learning Materials Pick Up Today:
Families with the last names between A-M: 12:30pm-1:30pm
Families with last names between N-Z: 1:30-2:30pm
*If you are unable to have your child’s items picked up today, please contact the school office to set up a day/time later this week.
Online Learning - Materials
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We hope that you - or someone you designate - can come to Gurney TODAY to pick up your child’s classroom Chromebook. Your child’s classroom Chromebook is configured specifically for him/her so that when they open it, they see the exact programs and applications they have been using all year in class. It is immediate access for them to start their learning activities as opposed to having to navigate a family computer.
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When you - or someone you designate - come to Gurney today, please take any items your child has left that you may want to have at home.
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Many teachers are sending additional support materials home along with the Chromebooks (i.e. independent reading books, specific writing paper, workbooks, etc.).
Online Learning - Starting Wednesday
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Starting Wednesday morning - Teachers are available 8:30 am - 3:30 pm via email.
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In their Google Classroom, each teacher will state the overall focus of core academics for the week. Then, activities are planned and posted for each school day.
On average, assignments and activities should total approximately two (2) hours. There will be plenty of resources provided by staff to support extending that time if you’d like. Not all activities and assignments are electronic - we are trying to be mindful of screen time. General schedules will look like this:
Kindergarten
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M & W = *ELA, Math, iReady Rdg, 1 Encore
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T & TH = *ELA, Math, iReady Math, 1 Encore, Sci/SS
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F = *ELA, Math, 1 Encore, 1 teacher provided learning game
1st Grade
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M, W, & F = *ELA, Math, iReady Rdg, 1 Encore
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T & TH = *ELA, Math, iReady Math, 1 Encore, Sci/SS
2nd and 3rd Grades
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M, W, & F = *ELA, Math, iReady Rdg, 1 Encore
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T & TH = *ELA, Math, iReady Math, Sci/SS
*ELA = English Language Arts
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Encore classes are included! Each classroom teacher’s Google Classroom will include a link to all Encore Class Sites and Classrooms - including our Guidance Counselor!
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When should you have your child complete these assignments? Teachers are available between 8:30 am - 3:30 pm for support so that is the opportune time for you to have your child working on school assignments. If it fits your family’s schedule better to have your child doing this school work after 3:30 pm, the teacher will simply respond the following morning to any questions you have and assignments your child completes. We can make it work!
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Special Services - Our intervention specialists, reading and math interventionists, and therapists will be reaching out to the parents of their students with details regarding their service plan and/or options as well as online resources they’ve gathered to support their students’ learning while schools are closed.
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Teachers will be providing
connection/social opportunities for students through activities such as - morning message questions for them to post answers, responding to subject-specific prompts, taking pictures of their work and posting, etc.
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There will be NO online learning assignments posted during the week of March 23-27 because that is our Spring Break. Teachers will begin online learning assignments and activities again on March 30th.
Online Learning - Communication and Accountability
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Each week all students will have the opportunity to see and/or hear their teacher! This may be done through a teacher recorded read aloud, recorded lesson, live Google Hangout, etc.
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We are depending on you to reinforce with your child(ren) the importance of continuing to learn and engage. All staff members are monitoring student engagement through Google Classroom prompts, iReady lessons completed, teacher-created assignments completed, etc. Please communicate with the teacher if an activity is too hard or you need assistance in supporting your child’s learning.
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Parent support for any and all technology issues is available
HERE.
The staff at Gurney Elementary have worked incredibly hard to create both an online education to support learning and a creative means of maintaining our sense of classroom and school community. The plan outlined above is our jumping-off point -- please be flexible in allowing us to evolve as we learn what works and doesn’t work. To many, our vision here may seem unlikely for a school full of children ages 10 and under. To us, it’s what we value, it’s what we do, and we are committed to making it a reality. And with YOU - the epitome of a home-school partnership - we’ll make this reality a great success!
Sincerely,
Rachel Jones, Principal
