A.W. Becker Back to School Update
September 10, 2020
Student Placement
THANK YOU for your patience and understanding!
Keep our school safe!
We can't wait to see you soon!
Wear a mask at all times!
Monday & Tuesday, Sept. 14th - 15th
UPK and Kindergarten: Teachers are excited to meet you! "In person" students should now all have appointments for welcome start on Monday or Tuesday. Students, with family, will attend during this scheduled time only.
Grades 1-4: "In person" students will not attend on these days. Students should be engaged in learning through the activities provided by the teachers at the grade level links. If you are unable to open, please contact our main office. Teachers have started placing calls to families and will continue tomorrow to make connections and address your questions.
Remote Learning: Students enrolled in complete remote learning will also be contacted by their teacher. The above grade level activities are available for all students during this transition period.
Morning Drop Off
- Student drop off is located on the side of the building (see map). Students should not be brought through the main office.
- Hours for morning drop off are 8:35-8:55. (Note that students should NOT be outside of vehicles until 8:35 am as there will not be adequate supervision.)
- Please ensure that students have everything ready in their backpack, ready to depart the car, when pulling up to the curb for drop off.
- Students should ONLY be dropped off at the curb.
- Please try to have students exit the vehicle on the passenger side of the vehicle, as cars may be moving around your parked car.
- Please drive slowly when leaving the lot and watch out for children and opening doors!
Afternoon Pick Up
- Afternoon pick up at dismissal will also be on the side of the building (see map). Families should not report to the main office to sign out students. The following procedures will be in place to temporarily replace our former system:
- For families who will not be using district transportation and will regularly picking up their child, please come into the main office Friday (9/11), Monday (9/14) or Tuesday (9/15) between the hours of 8:00 am - 4:00 pm to sign for an AWB car tag and student tag.
- After your ID has been verified in the main office, your tag (with number) matches to your child's unique tag which should be placed on his/her backpack.
- At dismissal, we will have several staff members matching your car tag to a spreadsheet/names so please have it prominently displayed and drive into our driveway slowly. :)
- Students will be called down in order of arrival of cars (by families).
- Staff will remind students of social distancing throughout the dismissal process.
What to Expect and Helping Your Child to Cope
My child is scared to go back to school. How can I help him feel at ease?
Starting school or starting a new school year can be stressful at the best of times, let alone during a global pandemic. You can make him feel at ease by having an open conversation about what it is that’s worrying him and letting him know that it’s natural to feel anxious.
Children may feel nervous or reluctant to return to school, especially if they have been learning at home for months. Be honest – for example you could go through some of the changes they may expect at school, such as needing to wear forms of protective clothing like masks. Children may also find it difficult being physically distanced from friends and teachers while at school – you could encourage them to think about other ways to bond and stay connected.
Reassure children about safety measures in place to help keep students and teachers healthy and remind children that they can also help prevent germs spreading by washing their hands with soap and coughing or sneezing into their elbow.
Remind children about the positives – that they will be able to see their friends and teachers (if they are physically returning to the classroom) and continue learning new things.
My child’s school is recommending the wearing of protective masks, which is making my child feel more nervous. What should I say to him/her?
Approach this conversation with empathy, saying that you know she is feeling anxious about Coronavirus, but that it’s healthy to talk about our worries and emotions. Children may also get upset or frustrated if they are finding it hard to wear masks, especially when running or playing. You can reassure your children that lots of adults are working hard to help keep your family safe, but emphasize that it's important we all follow the recommended measures to take care of more vulnerable members of our community.
How can I encourage my child to follow precautions (such as frequent handwashing, physical distancing, etc.) at school without alarming him/her?
One of the best ways to keep children safe from COVID-19 and other diseases is to simply encourage regular handwashing. It doesn't need to be a scary conversation. Sing along with their favourite song or do a dance together to make learning fun. Make sure to teach them about how even though germs are invisible, they could still be there. When children understand why they need to wash their hands, they’re likely to continue doing so.
You can also show children how to cover a cough or a sneeze with their elbow, and ask them to tell you if they start to feel like they have a fever, cough or are having difficulty breathing.
unicef.org