Cordata Newsletter
October 2020
Hello, Bobcat Families!
Welcome to October!
I'd like to begin this month's newsletter with a big "Thank you!" to Cordata families for supporting your Bobcats as we began the school year learning at home. Your partnership is greatly appreciated by our staff; we couldn't do it without you!
As we head into October, please check out the updates we have provided in this month's newsletter! We continue to have meal distribution and library book pick up every Wednesday from 4:00 to 5:30 PM, and it is so wonderful to see you (physically distanced, of course!) on Wednesdays.
Also, If you have time to "zoom in," I would love to see you at our "Coffee with Cordata Admin" next Wednesday, October 7, at 9:00 AM. Your voice and feedback matter! Hope to see you there! Here's the Zoom link: https://bellinghamschools.zoom.us/j/84909347069?pwd=NmJkajc1WEZOS2NZS1hoUmJZeXI5dz09.
As we move into the fall months, please reach out if you have questions or need additional information from us here at Cordata. We are here to support you and your family! You can call the school at 360.676.6461, call or text me directly at 360.325.3295, or send me an email at julie.vanwijk@bellinghamschools.org.
As always, I send my best to you and your family, and appreciate each day the opportunity to serve you as the principal of Cordata Elementary :)
Julie van Wijk
PS: If you didn't catch our first-ever virtual assembly, you can check it out below!
Update on iPad delivery and live learning plans for preschool, kindergarten and first grade 09/29/2020
A Message from the Department of Teaching and Learning
Dear families,
We have some updates to share with all preschool, kindergarten and first grade families. Your students will begin live learning with teachers next week using the computers families already have, and we will begin distributing iPads and using them for remote learning within a few weeks. Please read on for more details.
Synchronous (“live”) connection opportunities are beginning soon
Teachers, families and students have been engaging in conferences along with our fall learning calendars. During these family conferences, we have been focused on building a strong relationship that will build over time. We know that the deepest learning is built on a positive and trusting relationship.
Teachers and families have recently begun developing co-created learning plans with individualized goals for each student, and this week we are collecting data so both teachers and families have more information to support the development of each child’s learning goals. As we head into October, here is what families can expect:
- For preschool, families can expect to continue with the monthly learning calendar and their specially designed instruction.
- For kindergarten and first grade, students will continue to engage daily with learning calendar activities and begin more synchronous (“live”) connection time.
- At all levels, family conferences, co-created learning plans and individualized goals will continue.
Starting now and into the week of October 5, teachers will invite families to frequent Zoom meetings. During these meetings, families and students can practice logging in to our online platforms and students will see/meet their teacher and classmates. The meetings may include:
- books and breakfast
- show and tell
- ice-breaker games
- Zoom luncheon where the teacher invites groups of students to join for conversation, etc.
Socializing and building the classroom community is vital to student success, and we hope that students will be able to join in and connect with their teacher and classmates.
iPad delivery and next steps
We are pleased to share our timeline to get devices into the hands of our preschool, kindergarten and first grade students. Our goal is to provide all of our youngest learners with an iPad to support their continued learning the week of Oct. 12. Apple has been under a lot of pressure to deliver to school systems all over the country, and we anticipate receiving devices for our preschool, kindergarten and first grade students this week, barring any shipping delays.
Here are next steps:
- Tech staff process each device and get them into protective cases, then our team will install and test software geared for our youngest students.
- Our teachers will receive additional training on using these devices with students in a remote environment.
- Synchronous learning with the iPads will begin as soon as students receive the devices and staff are ready to teach. Until iPads are deployed, teachers and student will continue to practice connections through available devices already in homes (i.e. desktop, laptop, cell phone, etc.). If your family needs a device to use for classroom connection meetings prior to the distribution of iPads, please contact the tech help form here.
We hope this update helps all families anticipate what is coming with regard to synchronous learning for our youngest students, and the associated new device roll-out plan through the mid-October.
If you have any questions, you can contact Deputy Superintendent Mike Copland at michael.copland@bellinghamschools.org or Assistant Director of Teaching and Learning Nina Ballew at nina.ballew@bellinghamschools.org. Thank you!
Stop by for your Wednesday meal box, free for all kids
We encourage all families to pick up a free box of 14 meals and support our food service program.
For more information and pick up locations, please click here.
Curbside Book Pick-up
Curbside Library Book Pickup is available for students in grades 2-5. (Kindergarten and 1st grade coming soon!) Check the Library folder in SeeSaw for directions on how to save a book, then we’ll notify your family in SeeSaw when your books are ready to pickup. Pickup time is every Wednesday, 4:00-5:30pm at Cordata. Hope to see you there!
United States 2020 Census
Census closes soon
It's important for all residents in Washington state to be counted. Go to 2020census.gov today!
Daily Attendance
Thank you so much families for the hard work you are putting in every day to help your child log in to on-line learning. Attendance is critical for keeping up with the routine for school. If you have a planned absence or your child is sick please call the school to report the absence ( 360 676 6461). You can also message your child’s teacher on Seesaw or send an email. Regular attendance at school is expected. If you are struggling to connect please reach out to Sarah Walker, our Assistant Principal ( sarah.walker@bellinghamschools.org) or our counseling team.
Coffee with Cordata Admin
Please join your Cordata Admin team by using the following zoom link:
https://bellinghamschools.zoom.us/j/84909347069?pwd=NmJkajc1WEZOS2NZS1hoUmJZeXI5dz09
Wednesday, Oct 7, 2020, 09:00 AM
Zoom
RSVPs are enabled for this event.
Cordata Elementary
Website: https://cordata.bellinghamschools.org/
Location: 4420 Aldrich Road, Bellingham, WA, USA
Phone: 360-676-6461