Easley Summer Update
What we know about Opening school
July 27, 2020
A Note from the principal
Hello Easley Families,
As promised I am reaching out to share some updates.
Laptop Deployment
We will be deploying laptops to each student the week of August 10th. Please be on the lookout for a sign-up platform next week. During the deployment, we will also be providing students with a learning kit containing materials and resources that will be useful during this time of remote learning.
Daily Instructional Schedule
We are still in the process of creating our daily schedule and you can expect it no later than August 10th. It is important to know that each school will be creating a schedule that works for their school community. Our schedule will have many of the components you see in the drafts that have been floating around, however it will not be exactly the same. We are taking great care to make a schedule that is thoughtful and consistent four our students, teachers, and families. The school day will start at 7:45 AM with the expectation that every student is logging in and joining a Morning Meeting Zoom. At this time, teachers will get the day started by reviewing the day's schedule and providing opportunities for students to engage with their peers as they start their instructional day.
Media Center
During the remote learning, Mrs. Hartley will be providing students with opportunities to access the media center. They will be able to reserve books online and pick them from the back of the school in a safe and socially distanced manner at least one, probably twice a week. We want to ensure we have books in the hands of our students. Please stay tuned for more details on how this will work.
Power School Updates for Returning Students
All students need to have their information updated online. This will take the place of the data sheets and paper packets usually sent out at the beginning of the school year. There will be no paper packets this year so it is especially important that you take a few moments and login to provide the update. You should have received an email or letter this past Monday with instructions on how to complete this task. This updated information will be especially important for future communication, free and reduce lunch forms, transportation and contact information. You can access the update by logging into the Parent Portal or by using the snapcode included specifically for your child. Please contact our data manager Lisa Varner, elizabeth.varner@dpsnc, if you did not receive the letter or if you have any questions.
Kindergarten Welcome
The first day of school for our kindergarten students will be Thursday, August 20th and NOT August 17th as it is for all other grades. The first three days will be a staggered start.
We would like to schedule appointments for each Easley Kindergartener to come out to the school for remote learning material distribution and initial Kindergarten assessments.
What are initial assessments?
It is the goal of Durham Public Schools to ensure all students receive quality education from the first day of Kindergarten until the last day of twelfth grade. The initial Kindergarten Assessment Tool provides key information to Kindergarten teachers, school administration, and district personnel, and ensures students are receiving appropriate, relevant experiences and instruction upon school entry. As we embark on remote learning at the start of the school year, we feel that it’s still important for Easley Kindergarten teachers to have the opportunity to meet your child in person and quickly assess some academic skills. These assessments will allow our staff to make balanced classrooms and will help guide academic instruction.
What will happen during this time?
Please know we take the current pandemic situation very seriously and will be following all the recommended CDC guidelines such as mask wearing, social distancing, and sanitizing. As an additional precaution, we will host this event outside in the back bus parking lot under shade tents, weather permitting. Only five students will be on campus at a time and they will only interact with the teachers, not other students. We feel that it is especially important to get our youngest learners off to a strong start and this is key to making that happen. Parents will sign up for a 30 minute time slot; during the allotted time, you will have the opportunity to pick up laptops and materials needed for remote learning as well as meet our school Administration. We understand that some of you may not be comfortable with an in person introduction to school. If that is the case, please contact Mrs. Farr at brooke.farr@dpsnc.net and we can make other arrangements for you to pick up your device and materials.
How do I sign up?
Please go to this link to sign up for a time:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080548ADA82BA57-easley1
Kindergarten and New Student Registration
The Kindergarten and New Student Registration online platform is open You are able to access the platform on the DPS website. If you registered at Easley prior to the school closure your information has already been entered and you do not have to register online. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to our Data Manager, Lisa Varner, at Elizabeth.Varner@dpsnc.net.