Longfellow Newsletter
Week of: May 30-June 6
Every Student Counts, Every Moment Matters! #ICCSDtogether
Message From Principal Webb
Dear families,
The school 2019-2020 school year has wrapped up and we are heading into the summer break. What a crazy year this has been.
I want thank each of our families, parents, grandparents, and others that have helped step in and mentor, teach and guide our Longhorns during this closure. We appreciate your partnership.
To the 6th graders and those moving over summer, I wish you all well and encourage you to stop in and see us if you are able. We will miss you!
Many students still have items at school. If you missed the pickup sessions, we will hold the items until the fall. If you have library books or school-owned instruments please email Ms. Webb to arrange a time for drop off.
Thank you all for your support this year. I will be sending one newsletter a month through the summer. Stay safe and well Longhorns!
Sincerely,
Kelli Webb
Attention parents of 6th graders!
All incoming 7th grade students are REQUIRED to have 2
immunizations to start 7th grade - a Tdap booster and their first meningitis vaccine. If your student has not received these vaccines after their 10th birthday, they will need to get them before they will be allowed to start school in August.
Also, if your student would like to participate on a sports team in junior high, they will need a physical and form on file before the start of their sport. This exam and corresponding form will need to be completed yearly. Plan ahead so your student will not miss
out!
Summer Grab & Go Meal Program:
As we shared with families earlier this week, we are excited to be able to continue providing free meals to students beyond the end of the school year. While the meal program will continue, the sites and schedule will change slightly. You can find the full schedule of summer Grab & Go meal sites here. The new times and locations will begin on Monday, June 1, 2020.
News from Ms. Morey
Lastly, I want to thank you all for being so patient and understanding during this very difficult spring. It has been hard for us as teachers to be seperated from "our" kids and to know that we would not be able to say goodbye properly at the end of the school year. If you or your Longhorn need reading suggestions or answers to other questions over the summer feel free to email me. I may take a little longer to answer, but I will get back to you! Please stay safe and KEEP READING! I will be thinking of you.
Cedar Rapids Kernels Summer Reading Program Links:
A link to our website where folks can get more information about the reading program: https://www.milb.com/cedar-rapids/community/reading-program
Here is the link for the video of Mr. Shucks and I explaining how to participate in the program in substitute of an in-school assembly: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbvv5Op3rQU&feature=youtu.be
Latest Communication from the District:
Good Afternoon,
The following message was sent to all families this afternoon. Thank you.
Dear Families,
Today, we have officially reached the unconventional end to this history-making school year. The circumstances over the last two and a half months were something we never could have predicted, and were certainly less than ideal; however, the incredible strength and resiliency of our community have become more apparent than ever. For this, we could not be more proud.
Continuous Learning:
As we begin summer break, please know that the at-home learning resources will remain available to students and families while school is not in session. We are so appreciative of our teachers’ efforts over the last 10 weeks and their flexibility and ingenuity in moving learning to a virtual platform. While educational resources do remain available during the summer, teachers will no longer be conducting weekly zoom meetings or posting other instructional materials each week. We encourage you to continue to explore the enrichment opportunities on the ICCSD Learning at Home website. In addition, elementary families will continue to have access to the Lexia, Dreambox, and Newsela learning sites for use over the summer. We would like to encourage the use of these products, along with the Wonders reading and enVisions math workbooks, throughout the entire summer. If you encounter problems with either Lexia or DreamBox please feel free to reach out to the District’s Help Desk (see hours and contact information below). In addition, feel free to check out the annual summer reading Smore developed by our teacher librarians.
Technology Devices and Internet Access:
To ensure that there are no barriers to access, we will continue to provide technology devices and internet access to families without this access in their homes throughout the summer. For technology-related questions, beginning June 1, 2020, through July 31, 2020, the District’s Technology Help Desk will be available from 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday through Thursday, and can be contacted via email at helpdesk@iowacityschools.org, by phone at (319) 688-1950, or via chat by visiting this contact page.
We are excited to announce that the District’s Board of Directors approved the purchase of 3,000 Chromebooks during their May 27, 2020 Board Meeting which will allow us to provide a computer for every elementary student. With this move, every elementary and secondary student in our District will have access to their own device for the 2020-21 school year.
Summer Grab & Go Meal Program:
As we shared with families earlier this week, we are excited to be able to continue providing free meals to students beyond the end of the school year. While the meal program will continue, the sites and schedule will change slightly. You can find the full schedule of summer Grab & Go meal sites here. The new times and locations will begin on Monday, June 1, 2020.
Summer Building and Grounds Access:
As was communicated this week, the District will be participating in high school baseball and softball this summer. In addition, District playgrounds will reopen for public use beginning Monday, June 1, 2020. Everyone should continue to follow CDC and IDPH guidance regarding social distancing if choosing to use District playgrounds. At this time, all other District buildings, facilities, and grounds remain closed (this includes baseball and softball fields which are only available for official District program use).
We are currently in the process of developing a phased partial reopening of District buildings and grounds for summer use. This is a tentative plan and will be adjusted as the District receives more guidance. While we do not anticipate a full reopening of all spaces at any point during the summer, we will publish a draft plan during the week of June 1, 2020.
Returning to School in the Fall:
We understand that there are many questions about returning to school in the fall. While there are many unknowns at this time, we do know that school will look different for the start of the 2020-21 school year. Classes are scheduled to resume on August 24, 2020, and we are actively evaluating the necessary measures to safely welcome students back into our buildings. Iowa schools will potentially reopen in stages rather than all at once in the fall. We are currently developing our Return-to-Learn Plan that will prepare us for the stages of reopening that schools may experience. While we develop our Return-to-Learn Plan, we will be reaching out to our students, families, staff, and community partners for feedback that will help inform our planning process. This work will put us in a position to be prepared for multiple scenarios for the start of the 2020-21 school year. We will be ready to help our students succeed academically, while ensuring their health and safety is not compromised.
We want to assure families and staff that we continue to follow the COVID-19 situation closely and will continue to provide updates throughout the summer as new information becomes available and as our plans for the fall take shape. We are in this together and we will make sure that our planning is transparent, mindful, and informed. Our families have graced us with flexibility, trust, and patience as learning shifted beyond the classroom this spring, and for this, we will always be grateful. We hope that you and your family have an enjoyable and safe summer. Stay well and take care. #ICCSDtogether
Sincerely,
Kristin Pedersen
Director of Community Relations
Iowa City Community School District
community food resources
Community Crisis Services and Food Bank; 1121 South Gilbert Street, Iowa City, IA, 52240. Food Pantry open: Mon, Wed, Fri 12pm-4:30pm, Tuesday, 12pm-7pm, and Thursday 9:30am-4:30pm, and Saturday, 9:30am-2pm.
IC Compassion Food Pantry; 1035 Wade St, Iowa City, IA, 52240. Food Pantry Open: Wednesday, 12pm-4pm and Thursday, 5:30pm-7:00pm.
During this time make sure you get outside, drink lots of water, and take care of yourselves.
follow us on Twitter- @LongfellowScho1
Longfellow Elementary School
Every student counts. Every moment matters.
ADDRESS: 1130 Seymour Ave., Iowa City, IA 52240
PHONE: 319-688-1135
FAX: 319-688-1136
Kelli Webb, Principal
Amanda Mosley, SFA
Stacia Nkumu, Principal Secretary
Non-Discrimination Policy:
It is the policy of the Iowa City Community School District not to discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, religion, creed, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity and socioeconomic status in its educational programs, activities, or employment practices. There is a grievance procedure for processing complaints of discrimination. If you have questions or a grievance related to this policy, please contact the Director of Equity, 1725 N. Dodge St., Iowa City, IA 52245, (319) 688-1000.