The Cougar Pounce
staying connected @ShuksanMS
March 24, 2020
Hello families,
We hope this finds you safe and discovering new ways to connect with loved ones and neighbors. We also want to connect and be curious with our students and families.
To promote equality and access, the Bellingham School District has developed the following focus points to guide our distance learning.
- provide connections
- reinforce learning
- give extensions from previously learned material
- give ongoing feedback.
During this extended school closure, Shuksan Teachers will provide some options for self-directed learning.
How will this work? Gratefully, with the use of district-issued technology, our students can use laptops to engage in this new type of learning.
· Students will use a Microsoft program called “Teams” to find weekly learning activities. Each teacher will post a Weekly Learning Plan. It will clearly show students what to do and how to do it. These posts will come on out Monday (LA, SS, Art, Music, Spanish & Tech) and Tuesday (Math, Science & PE).
· Families will receive a weekly email from classroom teachers on Tuesdays. These will come via Skyward and provide an overview of each week’s learning.
· Students and families will receive The Cougar Pounce on Sunday mornings. This is a way to connect with the larger Shuksan Family (as is Facebook and Instagram).
Students are not expected to turn in the posted activities nor will the receive a grade for completing them. These are ways to maintain their current learning and stay connected to the classroom community.
When will this start? This week, we want to connect with each student. You can expect to hear from one of your Shuksan teachers. Then, on Monday 3/30, we will begin posting Weekly Learning Plans in Teams. We will teach your students how to use Teams and teachers are eager to answer your questions.
As always, we are here for you. Please continue to let us know how we can best support your student during this time.
Take care,
Matt Whitten
Principal
Grab a lunch at Shuksan!
Monday - Friday
There are specific pick-up times
G-P 11:30-noon
Q-Z noon - 12:30
Have more questions?
apParent Online
apParent Online is a free service available to families
to help monitor your student’s school computer.
Using an app on your cell phone, families can lock student screens (on the fly or schedule times students can’t use their device), send messages to their student remotely,
filter websites your student is visiting,
screen record your students device (this creates a time lapse video of student screen).
An email invitation was sent to families via the email account we have in Skyward in September. Invitations will be sent out again soon. If you don’t see an invitation, please contact Lynnelle Larson with your name and students name.
New Shuksan Library Website
You can find weekly student contests, creative ways to spend your time, images to boost your brain power and find out what we're reading.
This is just another way for us to connect with you and inspire your curiosity.
Shuksan Middle School
Vice-Principal, Allison Hancock
Dean of Students, Dave Kish
Email: matthew.whitten@bellinghamschools.org
Website: https://shuksan.bellinghamschools.org/
Location: 2717 Alderwood Avenue, Bellingham, WA, USA
Phone: (360) 676-5454
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shuksanmiddleschool/