Whittier News
August 17, 2020
What's Next?
Week of August 17th
Monday, August 17th: If you missed the Monday 17th and did not complete the Student Planning Profile, please call the front office at 240 236 3100 and we will help you.
Friday, August 21st 7:00am-4:00pm
If possible, please plan to come by as follows to prevent delays:
Student Last Names A-L, please come by between 7:00-11:00
Student Last Names M-Z, please come by between 11:00-4:00
What's happening?
Pick-up teacher assignment, learning schedule, Schoology login information for students and parents, Chromebooks if you requested in the Student Planning Profile, school year calendar, and learning materials that your student will need at home. The intent is to provide all that you will need in one visit to the school.
Where?
Car-riders: Drive in the front loop of the school. You will remain in your vehicle and staff will assist in bringing you all of your materials. The area will have signage to and families will be supported by several staff members. If you are picking up a Chromebook, there are some documents that will need your signature.
Walkers: Please walk to the front entrance of the building where staff will assist you with the materials that you need. We will maintain safety protocols: social distancing and mask wearing.
Questions and Answers:
Q. Should I come early in the day in case there are not enough Chromebooks?
A. No. Completing the Student Planning Profile allows us to plan effectively and make sure we have what is needed for each family. Come by the school any time between 7:00-4:00.
Q. We are not in town on Friday. What can we do?
A. Please let us know here: Alternate Pick-up Time. It will be during the week of August 24-28.
Q. May I ask another family to pick up materials for me?
A. Yes to all except the Chromebook. Because each family is responsible to the care of FCPS issued devices, only the family signing it out may receive it. If you are coordinating pick-up of materials with another family, please let us know by emailing lauren.black@fcps.org or calling 240 236 3100.
Week of August 24th
First week back for all staff. Teacher and support staff will be engaged in planning instruction, outreach to families, and getting ready for the first day of school.
Family Orientation events will happen this week. This will include opportunities to:
- get acquainted with our staff (introduction videos will be posted Wednesday so that you can see who we all are)
- individual family GoogleMeets with classroom teachers (your child's teacher will schedule these with you)
- access parent training opportunities on Schoology platform
The specific dates and times will be communicated in the Whittier Newsletter on Friday, August 21st.
Week of August 31st
August 31st is the first day of school for students. We are beyond excited to begin our year with students. Expect that the first weeks of school will have a heavy focus on engagement, building routines, developing common practices, and most importantly, creating a sense of belonging and community.
Students will have a blend of live instruction in GoogleMeet, as well as offline learning. In your orientation, teachers will provide specific information pertaining to their classroom, including:
- when small groups will meet together
- when students will work offline or independently
-when and how to access Art, Music, PE, and Library Media
-Social Emotional Learning instruction through our PATHS program
- access to our school counselors
- how to obtain additional support for a student that may need it, including teacher office hours and learning support after regular school hours
- how to access recorded live instruction for families whose schedules make it difficult to access at the scheduled times.
Whittier Elementary School - Believe, Achieve, Succeed
We will also communicate through our school website
Follow me on Twitter @fcpsOhEithir where I will communicate school news and happenings
Email: lorcan.oheithir@fcps.org
Website: https://education.fcps.org/whes/home
Location: 2400 Whittier Drive, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
Phone: (240) 236 3100
Twitter: @fcpsOhEithir