Dear Parents and Guardians,
Thank you for another productive week of digital learning. I feel confident that our students are continuing to learn, and I am indebted to the leadership of our administrators, teachers and parents.
I know that many of our families are facing difficult times right now as unemployment creeps up. Please take advantage of our food distribution every Wednesday. It was our privilege to serve 47,230 meals to children on March 25. At the bottom of the
School Closure
web page on the
dcssga.org
website, you will find contact information for many agencies in our area that can help families in need. In addition, feel free to reach out to our school social workers, who are listed under the resource section on the School Closure page.
I am finding that one of the most difficult aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic is the uncertainty of when the social distancing guidelines will be relaxed and when life will return to normal. As you know, on March 26 Governor Kemp ordered school buildings to remain closed through April 24. We will continue with digital learning through that time with a tentative return date of April 27.
The changing nature of the guidance surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic means that the return date is our best estimate but could be revised as needed. We will observe spring break as scheduled, April 6-10, with no digital learning or meal distribution during that week.
I would like to end with a post that has been circulating on social media. I'm not sure who deserves the credit for writing it, but it beautifully expresses the message I would like to give to you, our parents, who are feeling the stress of teaching your children at home in addition to handling all of your other responsibilities.
"Don't worry about them regressing in school. Every single kid is in this boat and they all will be okay. When we are back in the classroom, we will all course correct and meet them where they are. Teachers are experts at this! Don't pick fights with your kids because they don't want to do math. Don't scream at your kids for not following the schedule. Don't mandate two hours of learning time if they are resisting it.
"If I can leave you with one thing, it's this: at the end of all this, your kids' mental health will be more important than their academic skills. And how they felt during this time will stay with them long after the memory of what they did during those four or more weeks is long gone. So keep that in mind, every single day."
Parents, thank you for your grace and your understanding as we navigate this unfamiliar territory together.
Sincerely,
Trent North, Superintendent
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South Douglas Elementary Teachers and Staff Show Their Love with a Parade
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Students and parents waved from their yards as teachers and staff from South Douglas Elementary rolled through their neighborhoods in a caravan on Wednesday. One parent said, "I haven't seen my little girl smile so much in a couple of weeks! This is why I love SDES!"
Students and parents were ready with homemade signs and even squirt guns! Holly Springs Elementary followed suit on Thursday morning with a parade through their neighborhoods. "It was one of the coolest things I've ever been a part of," according to one teacher.
Enjoy these videos. One was filmed by a parent from her yard, and the other is from the perspective of a teacher who participated in the parade.
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Setting a Routine for Online Lessons
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Students in Brooke Jaye’s math class at Alexander High School are familiar with the components of digital learning like the video lessons and digital assignments they access regularly on her school website. But, in order to meet the challenge and create structure for her new fully remote learning environment, Ms. Jaye begins the school day by sending a Remind text to her students every morning at 10:00. This message outlines the learning objectives and assignment for the day. In addition, she sends a video that is designed to help them review the skills necessary to complete the assignment. While working independently, the students are encouraged to message her with questions and feedback.
After students are given an appropriate amount of time to complete their task, Ms. Jaye sends a follow-up video of herself going through the problems step-by-step and answering specific questions.
“I don’t have to worry that they do not know what the expectation is that day,” said Ms. Jaye. “Even if they don’t take the time to check my website, I know for sure they will get the Remind message on their phone. I am able to check and see which students read (or did not read) the message and I can contact those who may need a little more motivation.”
Ms. Jaye's students appear to be engaged and adapting well to the routine of her digital classroom. “So far, all of the digital learning assignments have been review of concepts I have already taught this year,” she explained. “I send out a review video over the unit and they have a notes page to fill in as they watch. The next day they practice problems independently and they are able to message me and ask questions about those problems. The following day, I send a video of me going over those problems so they are able to check their work and get an explanation of the problems they did not understand.”
Ms. Jaye plans to start tutoring sessions on Google Meet. Students who need extra assistance after watching the video lesson and attempting the practice problems will be able to meet with her a couple of times a week for a scheduled appointment.
Brooke Jaye has been teaching for 15 years, all at Alexander High School.
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Beulah Elementary Teachers Send a Message of Love
Maintaining strong relationships with students and families is essential during this time of social distancing and online learning.
Beulah Elementary sent messages of love and encouragement to their students this week via a sweet video.
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Staying in Touch through Social Media
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Students at Holly Springs Elementary School are showing they are #TogetherinSpirit with a different theme each day. Parents are encouraged to share pictures on the school's Facebook or Instagram page with the hashtags #HawksVirtualSpiritWeek and #TogetherinSpirit.
Monday was National Pet Day and many students shared their selfies. It's a great way for students and families to stay connected during this time of social distancing.
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Teachers Are Learning, Too!
Science Teacher Brings Fun to Digital Learning
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“I am excited about digital learning,” says Althea Carter, Yeager Middle School physical science teacher. She says the first week was an adjustment not only for students and their families, but for teachers, as well.
“Like other teachers, I have brushed-up on previously learned skills, learned about new websites, and gained new skills in order to try and meet the needs of my students.” After she and her teammate, Nicole Kempson, had their science students using new techniques, they decided to incorporate the popular Kahoot! learning game to incorporate fun into the routine. In Kahoot!, players connect remotely and use a device to answer multiple choice quizzes real-time. Points show up on the leaderboard after each question.
“My students and I had a good time playing Kahoot!," says Ms. Carter. “The learning curve has been steep, but enjoyable. May our students continue to benefit from the learning that has been born out of our current circumstances.”
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Student Takes Pride in His School, Goes the Extra Mile
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During this time of social distancing, community member Thomas MacAlpine has been exercising outside at Lithia Springs High School. Previously he had noticed an excessive amount of trash in the bleachers, on the football field and on the track. Throughout his workout this week, he noticed a young man picking up trash in the bleachers.
“He cleaned the ENTIRE stadium by himself,” said Mr. MacAlpine. “When I stopped and asked if he needed any help, he insisted on doing it himself.” When MacAlpine asked if cleaning the stadium was a required task, the young man replied, “No, but this is my high school and it needs cleaning.”
Mr. MacAlpine felt led to post this feel good story on social media. Thank you, Mr. MacAlpine for recognizing our outstanding student!
Kudos to LSHS student
Jonas Asencio for his dedication to his school!
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New Appointments in the Douglas County School System
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In the March 20 DCSS Digest, we introduced you to the four new principals for the 2020-2021 school year. We would now like to announce the relocation of a few of our current principals along with other district appointments.
We are delighted to announce that current Lithia Springs High School Principal Albert Lindsey will move across the street as principal of Sweetwater Elementary.
Current Sweetwater Principal Dr. Emily Felton will move to Arbor Station Elementary as principal.
Current Arbor Station Elementary Principal Melissa Joe will serve as coordinator of the elementary AVID program for the district.
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Caroline Whitt, principal of the Performance Learning Center (PLC), has been appointed as principal of Chestnut Log Middle School.
Nicole Hayes, principal of Chestnut Log Middle School, will move to the central office as coordinator of the middle and high school AVID program.
Current Mirror Lake Elementary Principal Chandell Johnson has been named human resources coordinator.
In addition, Will Marchant, current principal of Lithia Springs Elementary, will move to a new position serving the district as assessment coordinator. The principal position at Lithia Springs Elementary for 2020-2021 has not yet been announced.
As a reminder, the four newly appointed principals for 2020-2021 are:
Darien Carruth, Bill Arp Elementary
Travis Joshua, Lithia Springs High School
Leigh Sheffield, Mirror Lake Elementary
Catherine Westbrook, Chapel Hill Middle School
Congratulations to everyone who is moving to a new position or to a new location!
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Report Cards and Progress Reports Available March 31
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Report cards for elementary and middle school students and progress reports for high school students, originally scheduled for March 17, will be available for parents and students to view on March 31.
Parents and students may access the report cards and progress reports through the Parent and Student Portals on Infinite Campus. If you do not already have a log in for Parent Portal, please click the link below for instructions on setting up an account.
For directions on how to view report cards and progress reports on Parent Portal, please click the second link below.
If you have any problems creating an account in Parent Portal or viewing the report cards and progress reports, please email
parent@douglas.k12.ga.us. Be sure to include the name of the parent and the child in the email.
Remember, report cards and progress reports will not be available until March 31. Thank you!
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Seniors: Time to Apply for Foundation Scholarships
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The Douglas County Education Foundation will open its online scholarship application period on March 30. By completing one online application, members of the graduating Class of 2020 will be able to apply for all scholarships for which they are eligible.
To review the available scholarships, click
here
.
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Caleigh Caston is an excellent example of a Mason Creek Elementary School Wolf Cub! She is a diligent and dedicated student who loves learning and is always asking questions! She says that all of the subjects are her favorite, but she is a whiz at all things mathematical! Along with her academic excellence, her teachers love that she has a positive disposition and truly cares about her relationships with peers and adults. She consistently demonstrates outstanding character and brings out the best in everyone around her. Her smile is contagious! Caleigh is very active when it comes to participating in activities outside of school. She loves music and dancing. She has also participated in multiple Braille reading challenges and has placed at the state and national levels. Caleigh is a role model and an all-around fantastic student!
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Many events have been canceled or postponed to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Please click below for the most up-to-date information regarding event cancellations and other important information during our time of digital learning.
Spring break WILL be observed as scheduled, April 6-10. There will be no digital learning activities or meal distribution during this week.
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Check out opportunities that are available in our area by clicking the Community Bulletin Board below!
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