Easley Weekly Update
Welcome to the 2020-2021 School Year
August 9th, 2020
A Note from the principal
Dear Easley Families,
Welcome to the 2020-2021 school year! I hope everyone had a wonderful summer intersession and feels rested and ready for a year that is most certainly going to be unlike any we’ve experienced! Thank you to all of you who have reached out to check-in, ask how you can help, and to offer support and words of encouragement! The best way to support our teachers and staff is to be reminded that this new and unfamiliar to everyone and to show a little extra grace and flexibility as we navigate these uncharted waters. We want all our students back at school as much as you do and would give anything to have a normal opening. Our Easley community is truly amazing and I know it will be what get's us through this unique time in history.
Staffing Updates
We are excited to welcome the following individuals to the Easley team:
Jeff Bugajski is our new Assistant Principal and I am so very excited to have him on board! I can not imagine having opened this school year without his support, technological skills, instructional expertise, and sense of humor!
Jill Bosecker is our new kindergarten teacher and we couldn’t be happier to have her move into this role!
Melody Applewhite is joining us from Mangum Elementary. She will be an IA in Becky LaRue’s kindergarten class.
Scotsia Daniels is our new first grade teacher and was actually an Easley Eagle herself many years ago!
Elizabeth Layman is our new School Counselor. She is a former classroom teacher and completed her internship at Forest View Elementary in Durham.
Kim Swiger is our new K-3 COPE teacher and is joining us from New Hanover County.
Daily Schedule
We will have a mix of live teaching sessions and independent work time on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday. We are following the district guidelines for Wellness Wednesday. Friday's will be a combination of assessment, virtual field trips, celebrations, small group instruction, asynchronous learning, and one on one sessions with students as needed. You can view the schedule by clicking on this link. Please note that minor tweaks and changes will be made by your child's classroom teacher, especially in the areas of small group instruction.
Meet the Teacher
Our Meet the Teacher event is going to look very different this year for obvious reasons. Instead of students and families coming into the building, classroom teachers will set up stations in the bus parking lot where students are able to meet them (from a distance) as they pick up a set of learning materials from the table. Since the event is outside we are scheduling them for the morning instead of the afternoon. The schedule is as follows:
Kindergarten: August 17th and 18th Please sign up here.
First Grade: Thursday, August 13th, 8:00-9:15 AM
Second Grade: Friday, August 14th, 8:00-9:15 AM
Third Grade: Thursday, August 13th, 9:15-10:30 AM
Fourth Grade: Friday, August 14th, 9:15-10:30 AM
Fifth Grade: Friday, August 14th, 10:30-11:15 AM
We will have social distancing markers in place and ask that you please abide by the signage and wear a mask at all times. To further limit the number of people we ask that only one adult accompany the student to the table to pick up the supplies and materials. Your child’s classroom teacher will be calling you on Wednesday afternoon to notify you of class placement. If you are not comfortable coming to pick up the materials, please notify them at that time. They will also confirm the date and time of laptop pick-up for those families receiving the first round of Chromebooks.
Should you have any questions about class placement please contact Principal Hauser at Jennifer.Hauser@dpsnc.net or at 919-5603913 x13225
Should you have any questions about laptop allotment please contact Assistant Principal Bugajski at Jeffrey.Bugajski@dpsnc.net or at 919-560-3913 x13224
The Parent Orientation Dates
Our parent orientation meetings will be held virtually this year during the first week of September. The specific dates and times will be sent out in next week’s update.
Communication
Over the course of the year Mr. Bugajski and I are always happy to meet with you to discuss any questions or concerns, however, I do ask that your first point of contact is your child’s classroom teacher. We have an amazing staff and our teachers work very hard at providing an excellent education to your children and should be afforded the opportunity to right a wrong before you bring it to their supervisor. If an issue is not, or cannot, be resolved then please do not hesitate to contact me and we can set up a meeting. I am always available by email and it is usually a great way to reach me. In working together I believe we can make it a great year for our children!