Principal's Update
November 13, 2020
Dear Families,
Teacher and Staff wanted to send a big "THANK YOU" to our amazingly thoughtful PTA. Their very talented volunteer force helped put together a very Pinterest-worthy treat Monday morning. Delicious AND beautiful- such a wonderful gesture.
And, for those looking to to do a little early holiday shopping, Palo Verde PTA has once again partnered with BooksInc for a virtual online Book Faire. Simply go to www.booksinc.net to check out their available reading selections (coupon code: PALOVERDE2020). The event runs until November 18th.
Please read on for additional information regarding the latest at school and PAUSD.
Best,
Annora
A NOTE ABOUT STUDENT MEDICATIONS- If your child has a health need that requires medication on campus, you should have received an email and/or call from our office. Please reply to any email you receive from us with the proper documentation or information. This is to ensure that we can properly assist you child in the case of an emergency.
Counselor's Corner- From Laura Clark Post, School Psychologist
Resources from Unicef.org: 5 ways you can help keep your children safe online
1. Keep them safe with open communication
Have an honest dialogue with your children about who they communicate with and how. Make sure they understand the value of kind and supportive interactions and that mean, discriminatory or inappropriate contact is never acceptable. If your children experience any of these, encourage them to tell you or a trusted adult immediately. Be alert if your child appears to be upset or secretive with online activities or if they are experiencing cyberbullying.
Work with your child to establish rules on how, when and where devices can be used.
2. Use technology to protect them
Check that your child’s device is running the latest software and antivirus programs, and that privacy settings are on. Keep webcams covered when not in use. For younger children, tools such as parental controls, including safe search, can help keep online experiences positive.
Be cautious of free online educational resources. Your child should never have to provide a photo or their full name to use these resources. Remember to check the privacy settings to minimize data collection. Help your child learn to keep personal information private, especially from strangers.
3. Spend time with them online
Create opportunities for your child to have safe and positive online interactions with friends, family and you. Connecting with others is more important than ever at the moment and this can be an excellent opportunity for you to model kindness and empathy in your “virtual interactions”.
Help your child recognize and avoid misinformation and age-inappropriate content that may increase anxiety about the COVID-19 virus. Many digital resources from credible organizations like UNICEF and the World Health Organization are available for you and your child to learn about the virus together.
Spend time with your child to identify age appropriate apps, games and other online entertainment.
4. Encourage healthy online habits
Promote and monitor good behavior online and on video calls. Encourage your children to be kind and respectful to classmates, to be mindful of what clothes they wear and to avoid joining video calls from a bedroom.
Familiarize yourself with school policies and helplines to report cyberbullying or inappropriate online content.
As children spend more time online, they can be exposed to more advertising that may promote unhealthy foods, gender stereotypes or age-inappropriate material. Help them recognize online ads and use the opportunity to explore together what is wrong with some of the negative messaging you see.
5. Let them have fun and encourage movement breaks
Encourage your child to get up and moving, with resources like online exercise videos for kids and video games that require physical movement.
Remember to balance online recreation with offline activities, including time outside.
Supporting Learning at Home
Earlier this fall a short-term Parent Education/Advisory Committee engaged in dialogue around what would be helpful to parents for supporting learning and wellness at home. The committee, which included parents and teachers on special assignment (TOSAs), discussed the following guiding questions:
What support is needed for families to use Schoology, Seesaw, and Zoom?
What support is needed to help your student in distance learning?
What support is needed to help students become independent learners?
The parent group provided feedback and recommendations that informed the development of a new resource for parents, the Supporting Learning at Home website. The website houses videos, articles and information related to educational technology “how-tos”; instruction; affective impacts of learning; social and emotional resources; and strategies for fostering independence. Resources on the website are aligned with the professional learning provided to teachers, the SEL summer course for students, and ongoing work to support parents with educational technology. Feel free to explore the website and watch for information about each section in future newsletters!
Support PiE
Palo Alto Partners in Education (PiE) is an incredible partner of our school. Funding from PiE allows me to provide many more staff than our budget would otherwise allow. Because of donations to PiE, we can have our vital classroom aides and counseling program. PiE’s funding provides specialized art and music programs that enhance the academics for each student. The difference in the school with PiE’s support is remarkable. It would be a very different place without this additional funding.
If you have already donated to PiE this year, I appreciate your support. If you have not, I ask you to please consider making a donation now. A donation, in any amount that is meaningful for your family, makes a difference to our community and our school.
If you donate or pledge by November 16th, your donation may be matched by a Challenge Grant. You can find out all the ways to make a contribution on PiE's website at:
Santa Clara County Mandatory Directive (Item 3)
As we welcome more students back to campus, please be sure to limit the number of outside, extracurricular activities that your child participates in if you chose to return to the Hybrid learning plan. Not only is this safety measure for your family, but also for all of our returning Palo Verde students, staff, and their families. It is part of the Santa Clara County Mandatory Directive (Item 3):
Children/youth may participate in only one program at a time and may not move from one program to another more than once every three weeks.
This means:
- Children/youth cannot attend more than one childcare program, after-school program, or other child/youth activity within the same three-week period.
- For children/youth enrolled in K-12 school, this means they can attend school and one additional before- or after-school program or activity.
- Programs are responsible for maintaining enrollment and attendance records, and should verify families’ compliance with these restrictions to the extent feasible.
We depend on families to follow all of the county and school safety guidelines, limiting the number of outside, extracurricular activities in which your child participates.
TRAVEL GUIDANCE FOR FAMILIES
The long awaited guidance regarding holiday travel is finally here. On Monday November 9, Health Officers from 10 Bay Area counties issued joint recommendations for staying safe during the holidays. Their recommendations cover gatherings and travel, with recommended steps to reduce risk including:
- Keeping gatherings small, short, stable, and outdoors
- Choosing not to travel if Nonessential
- For those who are traveling outside the Bay Area, tips are provided to help avoid catching COVID-19 or spreading it to fellow travelers
- A 14 day self-quarantine is strongly recommended after a return from traveling, if your activities while traveling put you at higher risk of COVID-19
Check Out the November Roll Call Newsletter
Annora Lee, Principal
Email: alee@pausd.org
Website: paloverde.pausd.org
Location: 3450 Louis Road, Palo Alto, CA, USA
Phone: 650-856-1672
Twitter: @paloverdeelem