Team Meadow Update
Week of September 7, 2020
Team Meadow,
Thank you for staying on point with the mission this week. As we settle into September, so many of the changes for the year are now becoming routines, relationships are established and thriving, and we press toward our priority of student growth. Thank you for your strong steady lean for supporting our students and families.
A few items:
- District-wide Team Meetings - Thank you for your participation and positivity evidenced in our district team meetings this past Tuesday. Although it was a toe-dip into the water, all indications point toward it being meaningful and worthwhile.
- Body Safety Presentations: Information is beginning to flow to families about the upcoming presentations. I've included it in our Friday Flyer, and details are located below. Mark your calendars for September 22nd & 23rd (Info below)
- ALICE presentations: (See below)
PLCs: We are ready to dive into the work of PLCs! This team collaboration is incredibly supportive of our students and a component of professionalism that has opportunity for huge impact in our curriculum, instruction, assessment cycle. This year, teams will meet 2x per month for one hour each after school on either Wednesday or Thursday afternoon. Dates are forthcoming.
Hoping you are able to relax and play this weekend.
With much respect,
Tom
Important Dates: District Mtgs & Staff Mtgs
Sept. 1; Oct. 6; Nov. 10; Dec. 1; Jan. 5; Feb. 2; March 2; April 13; May 4
BME Staff Meetings:
Sept. 15; Oct. 20; Nov 17; Dec 8; Jan 12; Feb 16; March 16; April 20; May 11
Inclement Weather E-Days:
By now you know that any inclement weather will result in an E-Day for our students. Please be sure to take steps now to be prepared for this need should it arise. Weather-related E-Days will function much like they have in the past on snow days. That means students will have one week to complete the work, and you are not expected or required to provide synchronous learning. Teams may consider collaborating to provide lessons/activities for these instructional days.
When we moved to multiple days of virtual/remote learning last spring, many of you shared that it became cumbersome and confusing to keep track of assignments via the EDay button. Guidance from the tech team indicates the need for using the "calendar" feature in Canvas as an access for assignments which should help organize the assignments and minimize confusion. Kyle's message a couple days ago indicated the need to build familiarity with the calendar features and begin utilizing with students.
Please be sure to reach out to Kyle to coordinate times for assistance as needed.
ALICE Safety Lessons
ALICE Safety Lessons: I included a message in the Friday Flyer for upcoming lessons, and I will also send a message via School Messenger when we return next Tuesday.
Please see Lauren's email about completing the safety lessons about ALICE protocols. This instruction must be completed prior to Friday, September 18th. Be sure to sign the sheet in the workroom to verify your completion of this important component of our school-wide safety plan.
Lauren's email:
Good morning and Happy Friday, Team Meadow. You have made it to Labor Day! There is always a positive feeling about reaching this point in the year, but I think this year more than ever it is a landmark of accomplishment. I hope you feel good and proud about the work you've been doing so far. You truly are remarkable, and I continue to be amazed by you.
Below is a link to a pre-recorded lesson I made to review our school's safety protocols and the ALICE framework. I can't say it's my best lesson (virtual instruction is a whole new ball game!) but it does key in on the two main points we try to make with kids in relation to safety: 1) We always go away from danger/threats and 2) We always have choices to keep ourselves safe.
https://www.loom.com/share/2c84c556793d473589d7c1951a8515f0
Check out a video I made via Loom
Below are additional suggestions/guidelines to support students in this learning, and help them feel comfortable and prepared:
- Watch the video before you play it for your class and consider where you might pause this to answer questions or further elaborate for your students. (In the past, I've told students I can't answer "what if" questions to discourage conversations detouring too far.)
- After you have completed the lesson, spend time allowing your students to practice the various lockdown procedures in preparation for an upcoming drill.
- It would also be beneficial to consider other locations of the campus your class frequents and think through choices they can make from anywhere. (i.e. What do we do if we are at lunch? At recess? The gym?)
- Related Arts Team: Please take time to watch the lesson so you can utilize the same language with kids when they are in your spaces as well
A date for the drill is not yet set, and will be communicated soon by Tom/Deb. For now, please complete this classroom instruction portion no later than Friday, September 18th. There will be a sign-off sheet in the workroom for you to verify you have completed this instruction.
One final note - a School Messenger email will be sent to families notifying them of the upcoming lesson so they are aware. Feel free to follow up with your classroom communications as well.
Questions? Send them my way!
-Lauren
Body Safety Presentations - September 22nd & 23rd
Body Safety presentations are coming up! Once again, ZCS has partnered with ICYPAS for instruction to students on how to keep themselves safe through the lens of child abuse prevention.
Below is additional information for your reference:
This year, lessons will be provided virtually at the following dates and times:
September 22nd - 2nd grade @ 9:00am; 3rd grade @ 10:00am; 4th grade @ 11:00am
September 23rd - 1st grade @ 9:00am; Kindergarten @ 10:00am
- More information about how to access the virtual lessons yet to come from ICYPAS.
- BME teachers of remote learners (MacKenzie, Becky, Kelly, Lindsay): Your classes will follow the schedule listed above, and all your students (regardless of their home school) will participate in the BME lessons. Please help communicate with your families after our School Messenger communication g oes out on Monday, August 31st.
- Each grade level will have "Talk Time", which will be facilitated by Kristi and a member of ICYPAS in-person. Teachers will be provided with slips for students to complete in class following the virtual presentation, and then Kristi will follow up with students as needed.
- Teachers will be provided with a Tool Kit containing grade-specific information to reinforce the lessons as well as potential warning signs and reporting guidelines. Also, all Kindergarten families and families new to BME will receive a supplemental guide to go home the day of their class' presentation.
Mark Your Calendars
September 7 - Labor Day (no school)
September 9 - Dine for Dollars - Smoothie King (Order from Smoothie King between 4-8PM & BME PTO receives a percentage of your check)
Sept 15 - Staff Mtg
Sept 18 - Rosh Hashanah begins at sundown
Sept 22 & 23 - Body Safety Presentations
September 23 - Dine for Dollars - Panera Bread (4-8PM)
September 27 - Yom Kippur
October 6 - End of 1st Qtr; District Team Mtgs
October 12-16 - Fall Break
October 20 - Staff Mtg
October 23 - Picture Retake Day
November 2 - Student Conferences
November 10 - District Team Mtgs
November 11 - Veterans Day
November 17 - Staff Mtg
November 25-27- Thanksgiving Break
December 1 - District Team Mtgs
December 8 - Staff Mtgs
December 10 - Hannakah begins
December 18 - End of Qtr 2
December 21 - January 1 - Winter Break
January 5- District Team Mtg
January 12 - Staff mtg
January 18 - MLK Jr. Day (no school)
January 19 - No School
February 2 - Groundhog Day; District Team Mtgs
February 12 - Chinese New Year
February 14 - Valentine's Day
February 15 - Presidents Day - No School
February 16 - Staff Mtg
February 17 - Ash Wednesday
February 25 - 4th Grade to ZWest
March 2 - District Team Mtg
March 12 - End of Quarter 3
March 14 - Daylight Savings Time
March 16 - Staff Meeting
March 17 - St. Patrick's Day
March 28 - Palm Sunday/Passover
April 2 - April 9 - Spring Break
April 2 - Good Friday
April 4 - Easter
April 13 - Ramadan Starts; District starts
April 15 - ZWest Music
April 20 - Staff Mtg
May 4 - District Team Mtg
May 5 - Cinco de Mayo
May 11 - Staff Mtg
May 13 - Eid
May 26 - Last day of school
May 27 - Teacher work day
May 31 - Memorial Day
Fox Reports
K-4 Year-At-A-Glance Curriculum Guides
As you may already know, this year will require alignment with instruction across the district. As students could potentially move in or out of remote learning, it is imperative that students receive an equitable opportunity to learn. Anticipated need for many students to receive remote instruction from teachers of different ZCS campuses requires that students receive content instruction along a similar timeline. With the help of teachers and administrators across the district, we developed a curriculum overview assist all K-4 teachers with content pacing throughout the district.
CLICK HERE TO ACCES THE K-4 YEAR-AT-A-GLANCE CURRICULUM GUIDES. It may assist supporting teachers (Related Arts, SpEd, etc…) the opportunity to see what students are learning in order to make connections and integrate.
A note for teachers of advanced curriculum:
Under the first “other” category you can see that we added advanced curriculum for language arts grades1-4. These are spaced in where the curriculum can and should be adapted. We have many students who have chosen the remote learning option who also receive advanced curriculum in all grade levels so we will stick on a similar schedule, even with advanced students, this school year. This allows students to move back and forth between buildings and not have holes. Our hope is that these still have a lot of flexibility throughout the quarter so that you can be responsive to the students in your class. These are just place holders for now until we meet in August/Sept. as grade level Advanced Curriculum teams to talk more and plan together. We added the units with help from our Advanced Curriculum Coaches where our HA curriculum maps had them that made sense for the Units of Study, but we can always move them when we meet. Please do not hesitate to reach out to Chris Squier if you have any questions.
Assessment Dates & Information
IMPORTANT 20-21 ASSESSMENT DATES
While all of these 20-21 assessment dates may not apply to everyone, please be aware that they will impact all or some of our grade levels. Be sure to place what is applicable to you on your calendar.PLEASE PROMOTE DAILY STUDENT SCREENER
GUIDANCE ON CoVID-19 QUARANTINE AND MORE
The Indiana State Department of Health issued updated guidance at midweek. The response to COVID-19 requires us to be flexible to changing guidelines and recommendations. As new information becomes available from the ISDH, ZCS will continue to monitor and update our procedures and communicate this information to you to keep you informed.
This week’s changes are in bold. A link to all updates can be found on the ISDH website.
ISDH has updated the *COVID-19 Screening for Parents (8/27/20) Please review this information as some of the symptoms associated with COVID-19 have changed. Please be advised that ANY one of the symptoms may be related to COVID-19.
What to do if your child has symptoms?
Please keep your child home if they are having ANY of the symptoms, even just one
- Fever (100.4 F) or higher or chills
- Sore Throat
- Diarrhea, Nausea, Vomiting, or abdominal pain
- Cough or Shortness of Breath, especially new onset or uncontrolled cough
- New onset of severe headache, especially with fever
- New loss of taste or smell
*New—If you are keeping one child home due to symptoms, all children in the home are to be kept home per the ISDH guidelines. Per the guidelines, all siblings and household members should remain home in quarantine.
- Contact a healthcare provider to help determine if these symptoms are related to COVID or there is another reason for the symptoms.
- Follow the healthcare providers recommendations- this may include testing and/or isolating at home.
- Return to school will vary based upon testing results, close contact status, and physician statements regarding alternative diagnosis. Please SEE THIS LINK for information shared with us by the Indiana State Department of Health. https://documentcloud.adobe.com/link/review?uri=urn:aaid:scds:US:716c09b2-4dbd-41d6-a410-f14febf69c4d
All siblings and household members should remain home until test results have been reported AND the provider has determined if symptoms for the child require isolation and quarantine of close contacts.
*New-- If your child has been sent home with symptoms from school, the siblings will need to be picked up and stay home.
If you choose to not contact a provider your child can return to school in 10 days if fever free for at least 24 hours AND symptoms are improving. Siblings and household members will have to stay home for 14 days and quarantine. However, if a sibling in quarantine becomes sick they will have to then stay home for 10 days starting from the day after symptoms started.
Important 20-21 Links
Personal Business Day(s) Request
For Certified Team Members:
To requests "personal business days," please complete the following process.- Go to the following link, and complete the "personal business request" form. https://goo.gl/forms/CycfilABEUyILbh83
- Once the form is completed, please send a brief email to me (Tom) that includes the date(s) of your request(s). Remember, this should be completed at least 48 hours prior to the personal day.
- Enter your upcoming absence in AESOP as soon as possible. (It can always be deleted later should plans change)
- Please click link above to submit a technology work order.
- It is always extremely helpful if you can submit actual technology work orders for ANY help you need.
Above & Beyond Nomination Form
- On our ZCS website, any ZCS staff and/or community member can nominate the work of any ZCS employee that has done extraordinary work. If you've experienced professional support that is above & beyond, feel free to recognize them through this nomination!
- Click the link above for direct access to the TEACHERS/STAFF PAGE
- --> Scroll down about halfway
--> Look for: Custodial Work Orders by Building
--> Click on Boone Meadow
Contact Us
Email: thundley@zcs.k12.in.us
Website: https://bme.zcs.k12.in.us/
Location: 5555 South Main Street, Whitestown, IN, USA
Phone: 317-873-2226
Twitter: @ZCSBoone_Meadow