For the past few weeks, we have phased in our students in special education and grades PreK through fourth grade. Our fifth grade students will be transition back to school on Monday, October 19. Thank you for joining the grade level parent meetings. We wanted to ensure that you were knowledgeable of our new school procedures for in-person learning. This year is full of challenges posed by COVID19, however we are committed at E.R. Dickson to providing your child with a safe learning environment. In short, our transitions are very limited this year and we are adhering to the social distancing guidelines in the classroom, during PE and at dismissal. We understand that our dismissal process is longer this year. Please know that because we cannot collectively gather our students in large dismissal pods, we are calling bus numbers and car numbers and students are released individually from their respective classrooms. This is a matter of ensuring that we do not have a COVID spread at the school. It also eliminates areas where we would have to conduct contact tracing if there was a reported case. Parents, I am asking for your patience and flexibility as we continue to navigate this unchartered territory.

In addition, it is crucial that our students who are remote continue to participate in the live instruction from the teachers on a daily basis. Our superstar teachers are doing a phenomenal job providing dual instruction in-person and for the remote learners. Please remind your child about appropriate decorum and behavior as a remote learner. These are very challenging times for everyone and we need your assistance. If you are having any issues with Schoology, please contact your child's teacher and Mr. Jason Petro at (251)525-4146.

Thank you for cooperation during this time.

Respectfully,

Katryna L. Kinn, Principal

Please make sure that your child is coming to school regularly or logging into Schoology and completing the assignments. Attendance is checked daily by classroom teachers. Failure of a student to log in consistently or come to school regularly will be reported to the school's attendance office for further action. Attendance is taken for in-person and remote learners.

With Schoology, students can digitally submit homework assignments, review grades, participate in interactive discussions, receive announcements and feedback, take tests, write academic blogs, and more.

As a parent, you will be able to view your child’s activity within the platform. Every Friday, you should be receiving a Friday report of your child's academic performance for the week. Today, teachers are emailing you cumulative YTD progress reports by subject so that you can see your child's progress. Please notify your child's teacher, school counselor and administration if there are concerns with your child's academic performance. We want to provide all of the assistance that we can to help you and your child navigate through this new learning platform.

October Friday Spirit Days:

10/16--Wear a pink shirt for Breast Cancer Awareness Month

10/23--Wear an orange shirt for Bullying Prevention Week

10/30--Wear a red shirt for Red Ribbon Week

November Friday Spirit Days:

11/6 -- House Shirt

11/13 -- ERD Spirit Shirt

11/20 -- Favorite Team Shirt (Iron Bowl is 11/28)

Calendar of Events

10/15 - Progress Reports in Schoology/Dickson Dateline

10/19 - 5th Grade students return

10/19 -10/23 - Bullying Prevention Week

10/23-Last day for completion of iReady Diagnostic

10/26 -10/30 - Red Ribbon Week

10/29 - Read for the Record

11/2 –1st Quarter Ends

11/3 – No School Election Day

11/4 – 2nd Quarter Begins

11/11 – Veterans Day Holiday

11/23 – 11/27 - Thanksgiving Holidays

12/21 - 1/1/21 – Christmas Holidays

1/4 – Return to School

1/18 – Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday

1/22 – 2nd Quarter Ends

· Monday, October 26, 2020 – Theme = From Head to Toe, We are DRUG FREE! Wear your favorite hat and socks to school.

· Tuesday, October 27, 2020 – Theme = Life is a Journey! Travel DRUG FREE! Dress like a tacky tourist! If you don’t have any tacky tourist clothing, you can wear: a shirt you got on vacation – or a sunhat and sunglasses – or wear a fanny pack, etc.

· Wednesday, October 28, 2020 – Theme = Give Drugs the Boot! Wear your favorite cowboy, winter, or rain boots to school.

· Thursday, October 29, 2020 – Theme = Hooked on Books, Not Drugs!

Dress like your favorite book character. This is also Read for the Record Day

· Friday, October 30, 2020 – Theme = RED RALLY!

Wear a RED shirt and accessories to school.

E. R. Dickson will celebrate Jumpstart’s 15th annual Read for the Record Day on October 29th. Each year, Jumpstart selects a campaign book that fosters language and social-emotional development, honors the diversity in our world, has a strong narrative, and appeals to young children. This year, students will read the spotlight book, Evelyn Del Day is Moving Away.