MKES Bulletin
May 2020
From the Principal's Pen
Dear MKES,
I am thinking of you all as we welcome May and continue to process this profound way of surfing wave after wave of uncertainty about what is next to come. Some of you have endured heartbreaking loss while others have welcomed new life and so much joy. What can I write when these are times beyond words? YOU matter and I am here for you in any way that I can be.
Since it is confirmed by the Governor that we are not returning to MKES this year, I am overwhelmed with sadness. I am missing the children and our community but I find comfort in knowing that we will figure this out together. Henry Ford said, “Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.”
Next week is Faculty, Staff & Coaches Appreciation Week. Thank you to the people who play an important role in the life of a child. Some of the best qualities we possess were shaped by our teachers, coaches, professors and leaders in our communities and world. I know our collective hearts are celebrating the beautiful humans who have the power to influence society one child at a time. And...now that we are finding our way, leaning further into distance learning and doing what we can, we are working on reserving a day for an MKES parade (no Google meets that day;-) that will be organized in collaboration with the Mayor's office and the WCPD. More information will follow.
In addition to the parade, let’s bring some cheer to our MKES@Home days with a Virtual Spirit Week May 11th - 15th. Please upload all photos to this link and I will post to my site.
Monday, May 11 is Pajama Day - Let’s kick off the week in our jammies all day on Monday!
Tuesday, May 12 is MKES Unite - Put on your school colors (maroon and grey or maroon and white) or wear your MKES spiritwear!
Wednesday, May 13, Wacky Wednesday - Wear your shirts backwards and your socks mismatched and your crazy hats - get wacky!
Thursday, May 14, Jersey Day - Let’s support our favorite team! Have fun with this!
Friday, May 15th - SPRINGWEEN! (in honor of my birthday!) Who says we only wear our Halloween costume once? Let’s use “SPRINGWEEN,” as an excuse to dress up or dust off our costumes and spend the day learning in disguise.
Please remember that we are here to hold each other up and to catch each other when we fall. The collective hearts of all MKES faculty and staff are with you!
Enjoy the May newsletter that is packed with timely communication for you. And please do share this sweet three minute vimeo with your children that I found!
With Kindness,
Inas
Go, MKES!
Kind Reminder about Technology Usage Expectations
Distance learning will continue until the end of the school year. Teachers and students follow these guidelines to ensure productive, respectful continuity of instruction.
Practice Social Distancing. The reason we have turned to Google Classroom is to practice social distancing, in order to prevent the spread of the virus. We suggest that you do not encourage congregations at each other’s homes to do work, socialize, etc. — we want you to stay safe and healthy.
- Focus and engage. Video and video conferences are an extension of your classroom environment. Please take great care to ensure the same standards of appropriate classroom behavior apply. These standards include what you say, how you appear on screen, and what is visible in the background.
- Respect. Respect the privacy of other participants. Do not take screenshots or pictures of your teacher or fellow students. Do not make any audio or video recordings. These behaviors violate our policies and could result in disciplinary action. Also the use of headphones when engaging in a voice/video chat, will help to ensure the privacy of others.
MKES Yearbook - Order Now!
Order your 2019-20 MKES Yearbook today!
Deadline is Sunday, May 3, 2020
The yearbook is filled with pictures of all grades and school events. It's a full color, softcover bound book and a great way to remember a wonderful and especially memorable school year!
Also popular are Tribute Ads for congratulating your student(s) &/or thanking favorite staff members! To order:
Go to www.yearbookordercenter.com
Find MKES by name or by
Order #20958
Yearbook cost: $30
Yearbook Ad costs: based on Ad size (see flyer or online with details)
Need more information? Click here for the flyer with more details.
Important Note: Each 5th Grade Student receives one FREE yearbook so no need to order one unless you want an extra. Tribute Ads can be purchased online.
And finally:
We could really use your help now to add some wonderful pictures to the yearbook since recent events have resulted in canceled school activities. For example, in place of the International Dinner, do you have a great picture of your family enjoying dinner together, well send it to us for the yearbook. Or what about a fun photo of your student distance learning or even a family dance party (in place of the Dance-a-thon)? Well those would be great additions to your students grade pages. Send those photos as soon as possible to Jessica Rappaport at jrappaport@gmail.com.
Questions? Contact Ann MacDonald at (917) 376-0652 or amacd@mac.com.
Spring Thoughts in Kindergarten
Can you believe it is already May? We hope the warm weather, flowers, and chirping birds are bringing you happiness and joy every day! We know that things can get hectic at home and we want to share how much we appreciate your support with your child’s distance learning. Please remember that the most important thing you can do is to read with your child each day. Though we are not there, we hope your child is enjoying the instructional videos we have made. We miss you all very much and hope to see you soon!
Math Fun in First Grade!
First graders began a new unit in mathematics to learn, understand, and apply the concepts of place value. We introduced counting and comparing numbers to 40 and then all the way up to 100! Students are using Google Classroom to view our mini lessons on videos. They are learning that if they have five tens and seven ones, that equals 57. We have been focusing on concepts like, “What does the number 6 in the tens place mean in the number 67?” In addition to the math lessons, we have incorporated some online resources like IXL Math, YouTube videos and Think Central for some fun practices!
Second Grade Students are Going STRONG!
The second grade students are more determined than ever. While no one could have expected that learning would be taking place at home, we’ve now become more adjusted and are pushing on full steam ahead.
Teacher Tips for Second Graders:
- Stay safe and Practice Social Distancing: Now, more than ever, let’s all continue our practice of staying safe and keeping proper distance from those not living in our home.
- You can do this. We repeat…YOU CAN DO THIS! You already are…keep going strong. The second grade team is here to support you in any way you need. Please reach out for ANY reason at all!
- Keep calm and go strong! Stay consistent with your school work, but make time to keep your body moving and active.
We continue to all be in this together. Should you have any questions or needs, do not hesitate to reach out to us! We are here for you.
Adjusting to Distance Learning in Third Grade
As we now begin to enter our second month at home with distance learning, we want to thank you for helping your children feel a sense of routine. It is so helpful to have a consistent schedule, including bed and wake up time, as well as “school” and play time. We thank you for working to establish that with your children while you adjust to school from a distance.
We notice that students are gaining independence in their ability to use the computer to complete their work. Many students are showing up for google meetings without needing reminders. Each day we are excited to see your children, to read their work and to feel connected to them. Thank you for all you are doing at home to ensure they come to school.
Greetings from Fourth Grade
Greetings, Fourth Grade families! We hope that this newsletter finds you safe, healthy, and enjoying all this extra family time! Fourth graders have been doing an amazing job getting used to their distance learning. They are busy on Google Meets in both languages, listening to read-alouds posted by their teachers, watching video lessons, submitting their work online, and learning how to effectively reach out to their teachers when they have questions. One new thing that fourth graders are learning about right now is decimals. We began by using money to make a real-life connection. Then students connected to what they previously learned in our fraction unit to make connections to tenths and hundredths. This month we will take it further by converting mixed numbers with fractions to mixed numbers with decimals. The students will understand that 4 ½ is the same thing as 4.5.
What are some ways you can help your child at home?
- Please make sure that your fourth grader knows their Google Meet schedule and that they are in their meetings whenever possible.
- Pick a book to read to your child. Enjoy some quiet bonding time over a good book. They aren’t too old to be read too!
- Encourage your child to go onto the Art, PE, and Music classrooms to do the activities posted there.
We miss all of you and can’t wait to see you as soon as we can!
Mr. Jason Wein
Ms. Kelly Ramos
Ms. Jessica Ureña
Ms. Grace Kolba
Mrs. Chris Goodrow
What’s New in 5th Grade?
While distance learning has taken center stage, we want to remind everyone to please find the time to appreciate the beauty that is around us. Leaves are growing and flowers are blooming.
Spring/Primavera
by Jane Lichtenberger Patton
At last… it has passed!
Se acabaron (They finished)
las tormentas invernales. (Winter Storms)
Warm breezes blow,
(thanks to the sun)
and the birds fly home to nest their young.
La tierra está brotando (The earth is sprouting)
y (and)
nueva vida empezando. (new life starting)
Spring’s finally sprung/ ¡Por fin floreció la primavera!
As the fifth graders continue to learn online, please review these helpful tips shared last month:
- Eating balanced meals and exercising regularly to stay healthy.
- Getting a good night’s sleep each night.
- Accessing the updated daily learning and activity lists on the Google Classroom each day.
- Watching all videos posted, as these are designed to help with the assignments.
- Completing online activities and assignments each day.
- Reaching out to us via email or Google Meet with questions or concerns.
- Trying not to stress - we know these times are challenging.
- Relaxing and trying his or her best.
As always, please reach out to us with any questions or concerns. We wish you and your family health and peacefulness in these unprecedented times.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Ms. Desiree Beriguete - dberiguete3717@bcsdny.org
Ms. Elizabeth Condon-Kim – econdonkim1772@bcsdny.org
Ms. Michele Nigro – mscarpellinigro1998@bcsdny.org
Ms. Madelyn Ortiz - mortiz1728@bcsdny.org
Nurse Ronan’s Notes
I am writing this on Earth Day 2020, we have been working together by staying home to help our global health response to the COVID-19 virus for just over a month. I miss everyone at MKES, but our efforts are worth it!
Thank you to all of our Essential Workers on the frontlines!
Link to Updated PAUSE and Essential Services guidelines:
https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/home
HEALTHY HYGIENE!
We have been staying home while social distancing, practicing frequent hand cleaning and other recommended everyday preventive actions.
NYS has determined that CLOTH FACE MASKS/COVERINGS need to be worn when in public settings (grocery stores, pharmacies) to slow the virus spread. Link for how to make & wear cloth face coverings.
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/diy-cloth-face-coverings.html
“Children 2 years and older should wear a cloth face covering their nose and mouth when in the community setting. A cloth face covering is not intended to protect the wearer but may prevent the spread of virus from the wearer to others. This would be especially important in the event that someone is infected but does not have symptoms. Medical masks and N-95 respirators are still reserved for healthcare workers and other first responders, as recommended by current CDC guidance.”
HOUSEHOLD HYGIENE!
The CDC has shared guidelines on how to keep our homes sanitized.
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/disinfecting-your-home.html
Practice Routine Cleaning of High Touch Surfaces (cell phones, computers, doorknobs, light switches, remote controls, tables, countertops, faucets, toilets, sinks, refrigerator, oven and microwave handles, food preparation surfaces, etc).
Remember to follow the manufacturer's directions for surface cleansing! Disinfectants may need to stay on the surface and left to dry for a specific time.
Hard Surfaces:
- Clean with soap and water.
- Disinfect with solutions that include:
- Diluted Bleach= 4 tsp Bleach In 1 Quart of water
- Rubbing Alcohol (Isopropyl) 70% or higher
- Hydrogen Peroxide
- EPA registered store-bought cleanser
Soft Surfaces and Laundry:
- Clean with soap and warm water whenever possible.
- Launder items in warmest water appropriate and dry completely on a regular basis.
- Clean and disinfect clothes hampers/laundry bags.
Food Utensils, Plates, Cups, storage containers etc. should not be shared.
- Clean with soap & hot water or in the dishwasher and dry completely between use.
If you have someone in your household that is sick, the CDC link offers more specific tips on keeping healthy while caring for an ill family member.
EXERCISE!
The CDC recommends physical activity, and the PAUSE/stay at home policy allows for outdoor exercise as long as we STAY ACTIVE WHILE MAINTAINING SOCIAL DISTANCE.
Activities such as walking, biking and hiking are encouraged if you are not at high risk**. When outdoors, avoid groups & if you see them, back away to control social distancing.
NPR has a helpful link, “Yes, You Can Take Your Kids for a Walk”:
https://www.npr.org/2020/03/19/817423237/yes-you-can-take-your-kids-for-a-walk
When you do go out, wash your hands before you leave home and as soon as you return.
**If you are high risk or unable to get outdoors there are online resources to help with indoor exercise that our PE teachers have been sharing. Have a home Dance Party or family Yoga time!
NUTRITION!
Here are Helpful COVID-19 tips from the American Society of Nutrition:
¾ How to plan for your grocery shopping outing, suggestions for nutritious food staples to stock up, supermarket hygiene tips, safely eating Take Out and involving our children for fun family food experiences.
Think Positive! We will get through this pandemic together! Practice self-care so you can help those around you!
Be Safe and Be Well!
Nurse Maureen Ronan
A Silver Lining
By Caryn DaLoia, school social worker
During the past 6 weeks (that feel like 6 months to many of us) I have had the opportunity to watch some of Governor Cuomo’s daily addresses re: the state of affairs in New York State. He talked about being worried about his elderly mother and his brother who suffered serious symptoms of the coronavirus. He missed his daughters and was worried about one of them who was quarantined for 2 weeks because she came into contact with someone who had the virus.
Many of us can relate to his personal reflections. We are worried about our loved ones and anxious about when this scary virus will be behind us. These feelings are normal and need to be expressed. I hope you have or can find someone you can talk to about your feelings. And I hope you can find some time to have fun with your children during this time.
Governor Cuomo talked about the silver lining of now having his daughters together with him and having the time to have REAL conversations with his daughters. He has been talking to them about the traditions he shared with his family and those traditions that he tries to continue such as early Sunday dinners with extended family.
Can you think about your “silver linings”? Many of us have more time in our home with our families these past few weeks. Maybe we can use some of that time to talk to our children about what life was like for you when you were their age. What were some of the games you played, songs you sang etc? Perhaps you can talk to them about family members that they never really got to know. Talk about your family traditions and maybe even revive some of those traditions or make new ones. Maybe share what school was like for you (some of us never even had computers when we were in school).
As an Italian American, I miss those early Sunday dinners with my grandparents, aunts and uncles. We all gathered together on long tables under grape vines as my grandmother cooked in her outside kitchen. And I am sorry that I never got to ask my grandparents about their life in Italy. Maybe we just never had the time.
However, you have that “gift” of time right now to do some of the things at home that you never seemed to have enough time for. Make use of that time. Share stories of the past. My daughter loved hearing her father talk about her “Uncle Frank” who always was getting in trouble in school or in church as an altar boy , only to become a school principal!!! And your children will enjoy learning more about you, your family, your culture, your traditions etc.
Make use of this silver lining of the GIFT OF TIME.
Monitoring Executive Functioning Skills at Home
By Mrs. Gilbert, Ms. Smith, Ms. Calandra, Mrs. Leslie, and Ms. Viviano, MKES Learning Specialists
What is Executive Functioning? Executive function is a set of mental skills that include working memory, flexible thinking, and self-control. We use these skills every day to learn, work, and manage daily life. Trouble with executive function can make it hard to focus, follow directions, and handle emotions, among other things.
- Executive function is responsible for many skills, including:
- Paying attention
- Organizing, planning, and prioritizing
- Starting tasks and staying focused on them to completion
- Understanding different points of view
- Regulating emotions
- Self-monitoring (keeping track of what you’re doing)
Below, please find fun activities to promote Executive Function skills at home from a blog on Edementum.com titled, “Fun Activities to promote Executive Function Skills in a Time of Social Distancing,” dated March 31, 2020.
Board Games
Here are some board games that utilize Executive Functioning skills:
- Clue: teach children how to analyze data and use the information to form a hypothesis.
- Sorry!, Trouble, and Parcheesi: support impulse control and flexible thinking.
- Chess and Checkers: improving working memory, cognitive flexibility, and impulse control.
- Jenga: improve flexible thinking and impulse control.
Activities to Encourage Movement
With all the energy built up from being in a limited space, activities that get children moving are also good ways to build EF skills. Try encouraging children to learn a new dance online like one set to “Old Town Road,” the “The Git Up,” or any of the popular dances going viral on TikTok currently. These dances work on memory skills and impulse control. They are also friendly for all ages. Scavenger Hunts inside and outside your house are another great way to encourage movement while focusing on a task. Click here for a few suggested scavenger hunts.
Quiet, Independent Fun
Thriving together in small spaces also means strategic use of quieter activities. For those moments, mazes and puzzles are great for flexible thinking. Reading a book is one of the best ways to improve attention and memory skills. While reading, students work on focus, holding information in their mind and understanding the perspective of others. Having a book discussion afterward is also a great way to get learners talking about feelings and choices.
Mindfulness
Finally, as we all work to cope with staying indoors so much, try teaching some mindfulness through deep breathing or yoga poses. Slowing down the body, noticing whether it is revving like a racecar or purring like a kitten, not only helps build skills in impulse control, but it also lays the groundwork for the jump into the social-emotional learning skill of self-awareness. There are some excellent apps out online to help get started!
While these games may seem like just a way to pass time, there is some intentional, executive function skill building happening too. All of these activities also help your family create fun memories during these stressful times!
Home Learning: Communication is Critical
By the ESOL/Bilingual Team
This is an unprecedented time. Never before have we had to teach so far away from our students. Nor have they had to rely on Google Classrooms and other online platforms to access their lessons and assignments. What do you need to know to learn and make sure your work is good as it can be, using these new tools?
The best way to do this and get all the help that you might need is to keep in touch with your teachers. There are different ways that you can contact your teachers and ask for help if you need it.
- By phone - If you are having trouble with the internet or chromebooks, call the school (914)666-2677, and ask for help. You can ask to leave a message for your teacher or ask specifically for tech help. Please don’t hesitate to call and leave a message. We will respond as soon as we can.
- By email - If you have a question about technology related issues, such as internet connection or chromebooks you can email your teacher and they will help you themselves, or by directing you to the right person. If you have a question about school work, email your teacher(s). You can email your teacher from your GOOGLE MAIL account that you can find in your Google Drive.
- GOOGLE CLASSROOM - you can also communicate with your teacher(s) through the STREAM on Google Classroom. IF you need help with classwork, or technology, just let them know and they will contact you to help.
- GOOGLE MEET- most of the teachers have GOOGLE MEET video conferences with their students. The links to these GOOGLE MEETS, along with the meeting times are located on their GOOGLE CLASSROOMs, on Daily Schedules and some are sent in an email. Find out how and when your teachers are setting up their GOOGLE MEETS and go. You can ask questions right there and if it is necessary, your teacher can make arrangements for another meeting afterwards.
Keep up the great work and don’t forget, your teachers are here to help you in any way they can, even if they can’t be with you in the school every day. They are just with you in a different way.
Sports Section
By John DelFavero, Melissa Ponzio and Craig Henley, physical education teachers
This has definitely been quite a different month for Physical Education at MKES. We have heard from several students and families on how you are staying active at home. It is so important to stay active each day for our bodies and our minds. We hope you are enjoying the Physical Education website. The website is updated weekly with age appropriate assignments. There is also a fitness calendar for students to follow daily. In addition there are also a lot of resources to stay active at home. Here is the link for the site: https://sites.google.com/bcsdny.org/bcsdelementarype/home
We absolutely love hearing how you are staying active at home. Logan and Colin O’Connor have been working on their push-ups while counting in Spanish. Jackson Lubinsky starts his day with some stretching followed by push-ups, squats, and planks. Julia and James Spencer have been riding bikes, going for walks, and doing yoga. Ben and Sophie DuTerroil made an amazing chalk obstacle course. Emily Pizzuti has been practicing her jump roping. Megan and Mark Gomes have been riding their bikes. Zach Harwitz has been doing sit ups, squats, and lunges. Hazel Beck-Ley has been hiking and also made an awesome chalk obstacle course. Danielle Callahan rowed over 1000 meters. We are so proud of everyone!
Keep up the good work everyone! We love seeing pictures and videos of MKES students staying active at home. You can always email your pictures or videos to Coach DelFavero at jdelfavero0279@bcsdny.org, Coach Ponzio at mponzio2371@bcsdny.org, or Coach Henley at chenley3448@bcsdny.org.
Coming up the week of May 4th is National Physical Education and Sports week which we will be celebrating virtually. Here are the events for the week:
Monday May 4th – Varsity Athlete Day
Fox Lane athletes who were MKES alumni will be highlighted on this day
Tuesday, May 5th – Support Your Favorite Sport Day
We are encouraging all students and staff to wear their favorite team jersey or team colors today!
Wednesday, May 6th – ACES “All Children Exercise Simultaneously”
We would like to see if students from the BCSD could exercise around 3:00 pm at their home. Please look at the PE website for the exercise choices for ACES Day.
Thursday, May 7th – Fox Day
Students and staff are encouraged to wear Fox Lane red and white colors today!
Friday, May 8th – District-Wide 5th Grade Olympic Day
5th graders – please check the website for some special challenges to do for this day.
Home is Where the Art Is!
By: Ms. Brown
The Art Google Classrooms have been bursting this past month with shared photos of artworks and shared reflections. Creating with available materials can be a challenge that allows young artists to stretch and explore in their creative problem solving. The cardboard tube creature challenge produced a wild and energetic display of imaginary creatures. In the Spirit of Earth Day, the Nature Art challenge encouraged our artists to collect items from nature and create something with it. Please encourage your child(ren) to look for the Creative Challenges in their google classrooms each week and block out enough time in the week to create and share! In addition, if you have not already done so, check out these Original Art Gallery Slide Presentations.
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1V6gNX9CZD85kmFe0RhQlrAT6WDMmuzT1HesMLyPxuOQ/edit?usp=sharing
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1EUui_Mz1jKfdGt01HVwKPdJeT0R9werIvu9AhdSHUxk/edit?usp=sharing
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1wBrVFe0tfL7v9412xKaWbRcLYOkBh0RQ0ysh55AdS3k/edit?usp=sharing
Musical Minute
Hello Again MKES families and young musicians. I can’t tell you how much I miss making music with you all. I want to make sure that I get a similar message out as I did last month, to make sure you have access to MKES music while at home. Please see the links below:
In order to have full access to our Music Website, you must be logged in with your child’s email account. If you are logged in with your own email, much of the website will not be available to you.
Every week I am offering live Google meet check-ins:
Wednesday:
- K – 12:45 – 1:00 pm
- 1st Grade – 1:15 - 1:30 pm
- 2nd Grade – 1:45 -2:00 pm
- 3rd Grade: 11 AM Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday Recorder lessons
- 4th Grade: Wednesday 10:30 AM – Owls/Condors and Thursday 10:30 AM Eagles/Falcons
- 5th Grade: Wednesday 10 AM – Visionaries/Pioneers, and Thursday 10 AM Innovators and Adventurers.
Here is the link to those meetings:
https://sites.google.com/a/bcsdny.org/mkes-online-music-k-5/weekly-meeting-links
Every grade has a page on our music website, and it contains a lesson per week, which is dated. If you can, please do a music lesson per week. They are fun, informative, and get your child moving, singing, being rhythmic and thinking about music!
Here is the link to our Website, please go to your childs grade, and enjoy the lessons I have lovingly created for them.
https://sites.google.com/a/bcsdny.org/mkes-online-music-k-5/home
These lessons are not meant to create stress for families. If you are overwhelmed by working at home and distance learning, no worries. The music lessons are there for you but are not mandatory. They are created for our students to be independently working on them, but I completely understand how the technology piece becomes challenging. We are all in this together, and I want your children to be happy and not stressed.
We are all going through a very challenging time, and I believe that music can be a wonderful diversion from everything right now.
Please do not hesitate to email me with questions, comments or song requests at: cscimonerowan1839@bcsdny.org
Be well, be safe and happy, #music is life
Mrs. Rowan
Music website:
https://sites.google.com/a/bcsdny.org/mkes-online-music-k-5/home
Band with Ms. Di Grandi
Hello 4th and 5th Grade Band Members! I hope you are well and I miss all of you dearly!
Although we cannot have our weekly lessons in person, there are a number of resources for you to explore on my 4th Grade Band Google Classroom and 5th Grade Band Google Classroom. I post video lessons and other materials for you to watch at home so that you can continue your practice during this time. If you are overwhelmed completing assignments or accessing Google Classroom, do not worry or stress! Have fun and explore!
Please feel free to email me at adigrandi4412@bcsdny.org if you need help with anything or have any questions. Stay well! Thank you!