Dear Berkwood Hedge School Community,
What a day! On a day that could have been fraught with anxiety, our students were engaged and joyful! They excitedly chose up to 15 books each to take home, leaving the library shelves half empty. The AIR class got a Google Classroom account and as one third grader exclaimed to me, “WE EVEN GOT OUR OWN PASSWORDS!” It has been wonderful to see our learning community come together with openness and a spirit of mutual support.
As promised, below are more details about the At-Home Learning program for the next two weeks. Our program team has met daily to stay up-to-date and to plan. We will continue to check in each day to assess the program, support each other, and make adjustments as necessary.
Part of your child’s At-Home Learning program may require the use of online resources. Please complete
this short survey
regarding access to the internet at home so that we may address any needs you may have.
TODAY, MARCH 13 - Today we sent a learning packet home with each child. The packets emphasize practice and fluency-building of important skills, such as sight words, money, telling time, and cursive. Your child’s teacher has included guidelines for how much time to spend on each subject, for example:
40-60 minutes of reading, divided into 2-3 sessions of no less than 20 minutes each.
MONDAY, MARCH 16 - Monday, teachers will send a message to connect with children and parents and welcome them to At-Home Learning. They will then spend Monday continuing to plan. On Monday, you will also receive an invitation for a virtual “conference” with your child’s teacher Wednesday. We will offer early morning times, as well as late afternoon and early evening options.
TUESDAY, MARCH 17 - On Tuesday, March 17, a second packet will be available at the end of the day for week 2. Packets will be labeled with your child’s name and available for pick-up Wednesday - Friday, 8:00a - 6:00p. Beginning on Tuesday, teachers will hold virtual morning meetings each day at 9:00a, to check in with the class and set the tone for the day. Your teacher will reach out to you with more information regarding your child’s class meetings.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18 - Weekly virtual conferences will be held on Wednesday, March 18, and Wednesday March 25. They will provide an opportunity for your child (and you) to ask questions, to get support, and to connect with the teacher. In addition to conferences, teachers will schedule weekly 1:1 check-ins with individual students to support continuous learning. These check-ins will be in addition to on-going interaction and feedback over the course of completing the packet, and will either be by phone, email, and/or other online platforms. This will be determined by your available technology in partnership with the teacher.
LEARNING SPECIALISTS
Learning Specialists are also preparing packets for the students with whom they work, and will continue to provide individual support. Edie or Loxie will be in touch with you early next week.
SPECIALISTS AND ENRICHMENT
We will also be recording and sharing stories by Walker and Silver; Lead teachers and Associates will record and send read-alouds. After Care enrichment classes will be extended two weeks to make up missed classes.
Specialists are putting together special lessons as well.
PE: Jason says that he does not want the children to become “couch potatoes” (his words, not mine!). He will be sending exercise, basketball, or health and wellness videos to inspire them to keep moving every day.
Art: Kalen is preparing an art kit for each student with a special project for them to work on at home. We will send more information on Monday. Deanne will be sending a message to the SPIRITS each week. She encourages you to provide some art supplies and let their natural creativity loose.
Library: In preparation for At-Home Learning, the library was open all day today with classes rotating through so that the students could check out up to 15 books. The students were excited about the extra books they get to take home––Our shelves have never been this empty! Next week, Rebecca will share a virtual library class for K-2 classes so that the students can finish the Irma Black Award read-alouds and submit their votes.
The Center for Disease Control provides
recommended actions
for preparing your household for a more widespread outbreak in the community, including making alternative childcare arrangements in case of school closures, identifying household members who may be at risk, and speaking with your employer.
We recognize that this is unexplored territory for all of us. Thank you for your support and trust. We look forward to partnering with you in this new endeavor.
With Gratitude,
Love
