The Kids are Home... Now What?

School Counseling Supports

Making the most of school closure

Dear Families,


Although we are sending home work for your children, the days are long when school is canceled. We also wanted to put together some suggested schedules and resources for you to help the days pass more productively.


Good Luck and Stay Well.

Tricia Rudy

K-5 SEL and Counseling Support

trudy@hhschuskies.org

A Sample Day with Ideas to Build a Consistent Schedule

*Disclaimer: what follows is a pretty packed day with a lot of transitions. The purpose here is not to impose a structure but to offer ideas for how to break up the time. Think of it as a menu of options; pick and choose what works for your children and your family.


8:00 Make breakfast together

9:00 An hour of schoolwork

10:00 DIY Science project

11:00 Exercise! Here are some Indoor suggestions

12:00 Creative lunch-making

1:00 Second session of schoolwork

2:00 Round 2 of physical activity - we all need it...

3:00 Healthy snack & DIY Crafts project

4:00 Write a letter, make a yard sign, or chat with a neighbor, friend, or family member via text or video to spread some good cheer. Other ideas from the Great Kindness Challenge HERE.

5:00 Movie or TV break. See the Screen time PDF for some Social Emotional Learning with movie or TV characters.

6:00 Prepare, eat, and clean up dinner; everyone helps.

8:00 Board Games/showers/read aloud before bed

Virtual Field Trips

Here are some websites for going on a "virtual" field trip. These are great ways to learn together. Have fun!

1) Discovery Education Virtual Field Trips

2) Museum Field Trips from Education World

3) Animal Web Cams on EarthCam watch live or archives

Baking = great STEM learning

Looking for fun at-home STEM enrichment? Try a baking project (or any cooking, really). Use cooking as a way to discuss measurement and fractions. Is a quarter of a cup of oil different than a quarter of a cup of sugar? How many quarter cups are needed for one cup? What would that same measurement be in grams?


After you've done all the measuring, then you can think about the chemistry of cooking. At what temperature does butter melt? Or water boil? You and your child can generate hundreds of questions and answers about math and science by the simple act of making cookies.


Then, once those cookies are made, there are all kinds of story problems! If everyone in the family gets an equal number of cookies, how many cookies does each person get? What about the ethical dimensions of cookie-making? Who should get the most? The person who cooks? Who cleans? Who buys the groceries? Or should everyone get an equal amount?

K-5 Weekend Food Backpack Program

Our Weekend Food Backpack Program is currently running. If your child participates in this program, please see the attached info on how we are getting backpacks to kids.


If your child is NOT in the program, but needs this service, please email me at trudy@hhschuskies.org. K-5 students can be added at any time.

Mrs. Rudy is still here to support as needed!

Mrs. Rudy is still here to support as needed!

Mrs. Rudy is still here to support as needed!
Please contact me as needed. You or your child are welcome to email or message me. Give me 24 hours to respond if you don't hear from me right away. Reach out if you need any resources or suggestions. My top parenting resources are below:


Conscious Discipline: helping you to become a safe, connected, problem solving family


Child Mind Institute: transforming children's lives


Look Up Indiana: this site has mental health supports for all ages

Hamilton Heights Elementary, State Route 19, Arcadia, IN, USA trudy@hhschuskies.org (317) 984-1530 hhschuskies.org