Dear Ivymount Families
We are beyond thrilled that tomorrow we will begin our phased re-introduction of students back to the Ivymount campus. As this small group of students and staff walk into the building, their arrival will represent to all of us one chapter's end and the beginning of our gradual return to our new reality, and the joy of seeing each other face to face. Some things will seem very different for students, but we know that the simple joy of seeing each other and working together in a classroom will counter the uncertainty of new experiences.
Please make sure to plan before your student's return, including COVID-19 testing, necessary paperwork, and as-needed meetings with nurses, transportation or classroom teams. Detailed instructions were emailed to all families on 2/24 and breifly highlighted below.
We've reached the end of our IvyCares and Black History Month. See below for more examples of how Ivymount staff and students recognized these important concepts. With March upon us, we will be celebrating Read Across America. This year's theme will focus on diversity, featuring books with diverse characters and topics related to diversity. We are also excited to celebrate Women’s History Month and will be honoring women’s contributions in American history.
I am so excited for you to see the video below (it's for you!). A big shout-out to Carley Sturges of the PE team for assembling the video, and to Alexis Pindell, MLN Associate Teacher, for the #IvyCares and Black History Month graphics we've posted throughout February.
Finally, a reminder that this coming Friday, March 5 is a professional day for staff and a no school day for students.
Sincerely,
Susan Holt
Executive Director
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Upcoming Events
Friday, March 5
Professional Day
No School for Students
Saturday, March 6
Outreach Educational Programs Begin
Monday, March 8
PTA Parent/Caregiver Hangout
March 29 - April 5
Spring Break
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Return to Campus Planning |
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For those students who are returning to campus, there are a number of steps we need you to take Please see the email sent on 2/24 and refer to the Parent Info. Packet Return To Campus for more information on testing, stay at home, and travel policies.
Please keep in mind that while we are returning, you will always need to have backup plans in case of individual, class or school quarantines.
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Testing- We ask that students have a PCR COVID Test within the previous 7 days prior to their return to campus and submit the negative result before their return
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Daily Screening - Ivymount will correspond with you via the Operoo platform for daily health screening and other forms. Please activate your Operoo account as soon as possible if you have not already done so.
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Medical Forms- Last fall, you should have received a notification through Operoo about medical forms. Email your completed forms to nurses@ivymount.org. Please also email nurses to arrange to drop off of daily and emergency medications. If your student has had any changes to their health this year, please update your child's Student Information form in Operoo.
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Emergency Contact Information- Email studentservices@ivymount.org to update emergency contact information, and arrange a contingency plan in the event that you are not able to pick up your student yourself.
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Throughout February, we celebrated caring as a priority by creating opportunities for our students, staff and community to:
- Reflect on the positive impact our actions can have on others
- Practice daily kindness to others
- Value our relationships
- Foster diversity
- Make positive changes in our community
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We Are Thankful for Ivymount Families
We couldn’t do what we do without the entire Ivymount team, including all our staff and also Ivymount families.
We applaud the resilience and determination of Ivymount parents and caregivers during the pandemic. Our staff got out their markers and pens and glitter to thank you for everything you continue to do to make learning possible.
Click on the Video to Watch!
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Students in classrooms 172 and 170 of the Autism program have been reading a poem by Langston Hughes about Dreams. They then wrote acrostic poems as a class about their D-R-E-A-M for a better world. They also wrote a fairytale to practice telling a narrative:)
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MLN students worked for a couple of weeks on a “poster project” on the topic of advocacy and protesting social injustices. The project consisted of several parts – students looked at examples of posters used in the Civil Rights Movement to protest injustice and shared their thoughts on these.
They then made their own posters to protest injustices and used them to record a brief “speech” to support their beliefs. Click on the image ABOVE to see the posters.
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The February Post High School Get Together focused on Black History Month. Games such as Name that Job and Jeopardy were used to test the students’ recall of the important people they learned about throughout the month. From Bessie Coleman, who in 1921 became the first African-American woman to hold a pilot’s license, to Dr. Mae Jemison, who 71 years later became the first black woman in space, the PHS learned about some of the scientists, poets, and activists whose stories went untold for too long.
The event ended with a twist on their usual dance party: students were challenged to identify different genres of music that represent some of the many cultural contributions African-Americans have made.
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Final Chance to Register for
Outreach Educational Programs
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Professional-led Programs
Flexibility, Game Skills, Friendship Skills
Register by March 1
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Outreach Spring Education Programs begin next Saturday, March 6.
Unstuck and OnTarget!, a research based intervention developed at Ivymount School to promote problem solving in students who struggle with executive function deficits.
Game Time, where students are explicitly taught the skills needed to play structured and unstructured games with peers.
Secrets of Friendship, where students are taught the key "secrets" to making and maintaining a friendship, with special emphasis on navigating friendships in a virtual environment.
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Show Your School Spirit
Order Ivymount Spirit Wear
As we get ready for in-person instruction, let's show our school spirit by wearing Ivymount spirit wear. Check out Cafe Press and choose from a large assortment of Ivymount gear while supporting the PTA, including logo'd face masks, t-shirts, long sleeve shirts, pajamas and more.
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Attend the Next Hangout
March 8
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Join us for our March Parent and Caregiver Hangout on Monday, March 8 7-8 pm. It's a great opportunity to have informal discussions and share resources with other Ivymount parents and caregivers. |
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Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 861 9327 1958
Passcode: 794979
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Ivymount
School & Programs
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