the PENN NEWSLETTER
4/24/2020
Penn Pride: We have. We are. Together.
Together ....
Details, details, details ..... so many questions.
When will the workbooks arrive? How will I get them?
When will I be able to get my kids' stuff from school?
Am I doing enough?
Will my child be behind?
... and a million other things cross your mind everyday.
I can't answer the first couple questions YET, but I know plans are being worked on and I'll pass that info on as soon as we have it.
I can tell you though that I am not worried about students being behind in the fall. We're all in this very unique situation and I am confident about 2 things.
1. Students are having experiences and learning opportunities that they would have never had in school. Learning to get along with your siblings, entertain yourself, load the dishwasher, etc. are all great life skills. Focus on the opportunities.
2. I also have a high level of trust in our teachers. They're professionals. They care deeply about students and students' learning. I hear them saying, "We've got this." and I know they do.
So, for now, do what you can. Your child will be promoted to the next grade. (We will not be doing End of the Year Progress Reports for the third trimester since we only had two weeks of instruction in the third trimester.) We're thinking ahead to the fall, but enjoying the moments now too.
We're all in this together.
~ Mrs. Heffner
Parent Input for next year
If you have unique information to share,please complete this form
Requests must be submitted by 5:00pm on May 1. Requests received after May 1 or in any other format, will not be considered.
ICCSD INFO related to Covid-19/Corona Virus.
The most update information will be posted daily on the ICCSD web page.
This is the place to find out about free school lunches and enrichment opportunities.
Here is the link: https://www.iowacityschools.org/domain/4599
Here is the link to request technology devices and/or support for getting internet services: http://innovation.iowacityschools.org/2020/03/30/getting-tech-support-during-the-covid-19-closure/
More Enrichment Ideas from our Specials Teachers
From Ms. Fishman
from Mrs. McDonald
Hi Panthers! Here is a suggestion from Mrs. McDonald, Penn’s enrichment and ELP teacher. Puzzles are great ways to keep kids challenged and using their brains! Word puzzles, number puzzles, and jigsaw puzzles are all fantastic. One puzzle I love that comes both online and as a game with cards is, SET! Here is the SET game online, here is the board game, and here are the directions for how to play. Enjoy!!
Books, Books, and More Books
If you are looking for books to read while at home, you might want to try MackinVia. It is available on our Penn Elementary website and has over 2000 eBooks and audiobooks to choose from. The following screencast will show you how to get there and use this resource starting from our Penn Elementary website. Happy reading!
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1RxmN6iU6A_yu5NjBz_1dMu-8y3WzdcRG
Mrs. Priske
from Ms Goeken with Inspried Stop Motion
From our School Counselors, Miss Cooley and Miss Gilmore
Online Safety at Home - Affirmations for both students and parents to help with online safety e-learning.
Feelings Scavenger Hunt - A fun activity to help everyone focus on the positives.
Grounding Techniques for Kids - Ten techniques to help students manage worry and stress.
from our Student and Family Advocate, Jill Winders
Please know that I am here to continue to support you and your family during these challenging times. Please email me at winders.jill@iowacityschools.org or leave a message at 319-688-1154 so I can return your call.
School lunch/breakfast information:
Free school lunch information and locations
How-to guide to downloading district app:
Additional Community Resources:
Computer access:
Internet access:
Financial Resources to access due to COVID19 hardships:
United Way of Johnson County Disaster Assistance
https://www.unitedwayjwc.org/united-way-community-disaster-assistance
Health Well Foundation
https://www.healthwellfoundation.org/fund/covid-19-fund/?blm_aid=492762