The Parsons Happenings
Friday, April 10, 2020
Message from Mrs. Clark
Parsons' Parents, Guardians, and Community,
The district office shared a Digital Learning Update yesterday that provided information on a variety of topics including assessments, additional student support, grading, promotion, and graduation. I wanted to follow that communication up with what Parsons Elementary School is doing to support your child during these challenging times.
As you’re aware, digital learning will continue through the remainder of the school year. At Parsons, we are a school that practices continuous quality improvement; we’re always looking at getting better. Over the past couple of weeks, we have redefined what instruction looks like. Our teachers are using a variety of programs, technology, and practices to engage our students as they teach the AKS and continue to follow the district's instructional pacing guide. Needless to say, I have been amazed at what our teachers have done in the last 3 weeks.
As communicated previously, we will have "Flex Friday" where students will have the opportunity to review previously taught material, make up work/redo assignments, or participate in student and family activities.
As teachers continue to teach our curriculum, Academic Knowledge and Skills (AKS), they will continue to assess student performance while providing grades on submitted assignments. Teachers will begin entering digital learning grades the week of April 13th. Teachers have been asked to show flexibility, grace, and understanding when assigning grades. Teachers will take one grade each week in Reading, Writing, Math, and Science or Social Studies. Weekly grades will be posted by Monday each week. In the event your student is having difficulty completing assignments, please reach out directly to their teacher. Our teachers are willing and ready to work with all of our students during these challenging times.
As assessment is an integral part of the teaching and learning process, we will not be entering summative assessment grades. Prior to our school closure, our students had begun taking the Interim District Assessments for the 9 weeks. If your child took one the assessments and a grade was entered, teachers will be deleting those grades since not all students had access to these assessments prior to the pandemic.
We have been working diligently to ensure that all of our students have access to a device and can participate in Digital Learning. To date, we have distributed 10 Chromebooks to our students. There is a select number of Chromebooks available for check out for students who have limited or no access to a device to access digital content. If your student has a need for a Chromebook, please call 678-957-3050.
As an administrator, parent, and community member of Gwinnett County, I am in awww of our community. We have faced historical adversity and we are rising above to ensure the BEST for our students, school, school system, community, state, nation, and world. I am one PROUD principal to be part of such an amazing PRIDE!
Have a great weekend!
If you have any questions, you can always email or call me directly:
- laura.j.clark@gcpsk12.org
- 678-957-3050
Proud to be Your Principal,
Mrs. Clark
Parsons Spring Spirit Week
Parsons will be holding a virtual Spring Spirit Week for students and staff starting Monday of next week. Each day, students and staff can post a message, picture or video of themselves celebrating Spring Spirit Week on the Parsons eClass page. Separate grade level specific Padlet links will be posted on the eClass page each day for students to access. A new link will be added each day for that day's specific theme. Make sure you watch the video to know what each day's theme will be. We can't wait to see your Spring Spirit!
Need Help with Schoolwork? Tutor.Com is available!
Tutor.com is now available to help your child with schoolwork. Tutor.com provides a live tutor and allows students to submit work such as papers and math problems for assistance and guidance.
Students must have a Gwinnett County Public Library Branch Out account (GCPS-GCPL partnership). Students will sign in with their student number and Branch Out password (4 digit birthday, ex. March 6 is 0306). Most of our students already have a Branch Out account. If your child does not have an account, you can request one HERE.
To access Tutor.com please visit the eClass Landing page and click on the Tutor.com image. On the eClass Landing Page you will find a direct link to log in, directions for how to access, and a how-to-use video.
Clinic Corner-Health Bulletin from Ms. King
Counselor Corner with Ms. Vosough
I hope you all had a restful and joyful Spring Break and have made a smooth transition back to our Digital Learning Days!
Don't forget that GCPS is continuing to provide breakfast and lunch for our students! The North Gwinnett Co-Op (https://northgwinnettcoop.org/) is available to help families in Suwanee and the Duluth Co-Op (https://duluthco-op.org/) is available to help families in Duluth.
While this extended digital learning is going on, if you need any assistance with finding an internet service provider, please check out EveryoneOn (https://www.everyoneon.org/find-offers) for the current offers in our area.
I hope that while your students are still learning and engaging in academics with their teachers, they are also getting a chance to learn WITH you! What better opportunity for all of us to learn some new skills: playing an instrument, painting, drawing, baking, there are endless options! Or better yet, an opportunity for creating fun memories together. In the midst of all this uncertainty and social distancing, I've loved seeing the uplifting and encouraging messages people are chalking for each other! (Has your family seen any or made any? If so, please send me a picture at mona.vosough@gcpsk12.org!) I've also loved seeing all the hidden talents come out in families. From family talent shows to creating skits and movies. One of my new favorite activities is creating a "Someday Soon Jar" and filling it with all the things I'm most looking forward to doing once we get back to normalcy. For more ideas for how your family can make the best of this time together, check out the Family Activities guide!
Habit 5
Parsons' Virtual Media Center is Open
Please encourage your students to visit the 'Virtual' Media Center (eCLASS page) as though you were walking into the actual Media Center. Mrs. Ripley and Mrs. Britt will continue to have services such as helping students find just the right eBook, discussions about books, a Virtual Makerspace, Virtual Field Trip options, the eBook Library, and Lunch Bunch Live with 4th and 5th grade Lunch Bunch members. Instead of being just a few steps away, the Media Center is now just a click away!
We hope all our Parsons' Lion Cubs will visit daily.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ON COVID-19
For the most recent information on Covid-19, please visit the GCPS website at the attached link.
http://publish.gwinnett.k12.ga.us/gcps/home/public/about/content/covid-19
At Parsons ES, we want to make sure that we're doing everything possible to support our students and our community during this time. If your child (or you) need any Digital Learning Day support, the best place to start is to contact your child's teacher through eCLASS or an email. Our teachers have put a lot of thought and planning into the Digital Learning Day (DLD) tasks for students. Teachers will be uploading tasks to their eCLASS pages by 9AM, and they'll be monitoring questions and comments daily.
If you have not already received this information, GCPS will provide lunch and breakfast for pick up for anyone 18 years of age or younger between the hours of 11AM and 1PM at 68 schools within the county. A full list of the sites is available at this link. These lunches will be provided at no cost to the individual through the federal School Nutrition Program. The student or child must be present to receive the meal. A child does not have to be a student at the school site to receive a meal. Though Parsons is not a site for this, our students are certainly eligible to go to any of the schools. You may want to choose one of the schools in our cluster to visit for these lunches - Jackson ES and Northbrook MS. Some of our Parsons ES staff will be deployed to help at these schools.
PTA News
2020 Nominating Committee Report
Co-Presidents, the Parsons Elementary PTA Nominating Committee submits the following Board nominees for the 2020-2021 School year:
Co-President: Katherine Johnson
Co-President: Mabel Goldsmith
Co-Vice President: Jessica Woo
Co-Vice President: Greta Aramburu
Treasurer: Jessica Vela
Secretary: Jennifer Gore
Signed and Dated,
Jennifer Yoon 4/10/20
Qiong Ly4/10/20
Nicole Lee4/10/20
Book Mobile 5K 2020 Update
Book Mobile 5K Supporters,
Due to the current health crisis, we will not be able to gather in Peachtree Corners for the May 2, 2020 Book Mobile 5K. Our world and the way we work, live and play in it, has dramatically changed, and events like our 5K are forced to change as well.
What hasn’t changed is the need to put books in kids’ hands! So, rather than cancel or postpone the 5K, our event is going virtual!
What does this mean?
- We won’t gather at Pinckneyville Middle School on May 2nd.
- Each participant will run where and when they can do so safely, even on a treadmill.
- On May 2, registrants will receive a short form to complete. A self-reported time will be optional.
- Whether you were able to run the full 5K or complete a .5 mile fun run, you will receive a Book Mobile race day shirt in the mail.
- Everyone who completes the form will be entered in a drawing for great prizes – Stripers tickets, Fox Theater tickets, and more!
- Your school can still win a free Book Mobile visit by having the most registrations!
We encourage runners to post pictures on social media using #bookitforthebus and tagging @gcpslibraries. Let’s connect by encouraging each other to support this program.
Thank you to the sponsors, registrants and volunteers who have made our event a success in the past. Please register for this year’s virtual event at bookmobile5k.com, and we look forward to seeing you in person on May 1, 2021! Register Here!
Proud Principal Laura Clark
Email: laura.j.clark@gcpsk12.org
Website: https://www.gcpsk12.org
Location: 1615 Old Peachtree Road Northwest, Suwanee, GA, USA
Phone: 678-957-3050