Addams Family Newsletter
November 23, 2020
Principal's Message
Addams Families,
I wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving! We are grateful and thankful for all of you especially during these difficult times. Thank you for your continued support and positivity while we work together as partners in your children's education. We are looking forward to the day when we can gather together again in person.
Sincerely,
Mr. Youanes
PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCES
Please do not forget to schedule a conference with your child's teacher if you haven't done so already. This is a great way to find out how your child is doing and to answer any questions you may have.
Thanksgiving Break
CALENDAR
Wednesday 11/25: 1/2 Day
Thursday and Friday 11/26-11/27: Happy Thanksgiving! No School
REPORT CARDS
Report cards are available to view using Parent Portal. Please make sure to look over your child's report card to see the progress that is being made. If you have any questions, please contact your child's teacher. Parent Teacher Conferences are also a great opportunity to see how your child is progressing on the grade level standards. If you have not scheduled a time to meet with your child's teacher, please do so as soon as possible.
WEEKLY MATERIAL PICKUP
Pick up procedures:
Hours are 9:00-5:00 on Fridays. You may send a friend, neighbor, babysitter etc. to pick up materials during this time. If you absolutely can not make this time please contact your child's teacher to make arrangements.
All items that will need to be picked up or dropped off will take place in the parent lobby. Please refer to teacher email updates regarding weekly material pick up.
MATERIAL PICK UP IS ONLY NECESSARY IF YOUR TEACHER HAS INDICATED YOU NEED TO PICK UP MATERIALS.
Virtual Academy News
As of Friday, Nov. 13, all Marking Period 1 assignments are done. Marking period 2 started Monday, November 9th and everyone has a new slate to start from. Thank you for all your patience, support, and feedback to help make the VA successful.
To mainstream our work, the VA teachers will be reviewing the weekly modules and turning off some assignments that are repetitive, or not vital to the lesson objectives. Other practice assignments will also be marked as “complete” or “Incomplete” rather than providing feedback or grading for every assignment. You will no longer find percentages in Accelerate. As we use a standards based approach to monitor progress against standards, we made the decision to turn this feature off.
To help students and families keep track of progress, there can be a mid marking period deadline for marking period 2 submissions. This deadline is 8pm Thursday, December 17th. Any work submitted after this date will not be assessed, UNLESS you have a special arrangement with your VA teacher. Teachers are providing a pacing guide with dates that can help you keep track of when modules are “due” and how you can stay on track. Please look out for that document to come from your teacher.
As a reminder, there are 2 ways to submit your work ; 1) Using Canvas 2) Using Class Dojo. Upper Elementary teachers may allow students to submit work through Google Classroom. Please review the videos provided by your teachers to download material on Canvas. If an assignment is failing to submit, please seek the alternate way or contact your teacher. We definitely do not want this to be a source of frustration.
Parent teacher conferences are upon us. We are excited to meet with our families and discuss our student(s). If you haven’t signed up for a time yet, you will soon be receiving a sign up link from your teacher.
NEW TEACHER INFO
Return to School Health Screening Agreement
For the health and safety of our students, Oakland County Health Division (OCHD) requires students be screened for symptoms of COVID-19 before entering school. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) do not recommend screenings be done by the schools in consideration of time and interruption to education.
Please complete the information in the survey below prior to sending your child to school. By doing so, you indicate your understanding and agreement to perform daily symptom screenings on your child.
By completing this form, you are committing to screening your child daily for the 2020-2021 school year, unless otherwise directed. You also understand that it is your responsibility to call the school immediately if your child is not going to school for potential COVID-19 symptoms.
Food Service Meal Pickup
There will be a change in our meal service over the holidays. Currently, meals are picked up Monday through Friday at Royal Oak High School and Royal Oak Middle School between 11:00 - 12:30 PM.
Over the Thanksgiving holiday, we will be handing out food on November 24, for 6 days. Daily food distribution will pick back up on November 30.
Bagged meals are FREE for everyone 18 years and younger and for people with special needs that are 26 years and younger.
Fewer Applications Equal Fewer Federal Dollars
While all Royal Oak Schools students are currently receiving free breakfast and lunch, a benefit which is now approved to continue through the 2020-21 school year, a decline in applications for free and reduced-price lunches could lead to a reduction in school funding -- and ultimately in programming cuts that could affect student learning.
The district is grateful that we can provide meals for every student during these difficult times but very few new applications are coming in. Every child that qualifies for free or reduced meals helps determine federal funding. Did you know the federal government uses the number of applications to determine how much money the district receives in other grant funds? So the money isn't just for food. Fewer applications equal fewer federal dollars for our schools so apply today.
Students will continue to receive free meals through the end of the school year, however, families who may qualify for free or reduced-price meals can help support Royal Oak Schools by submitting an application. The 2020-21 free and reduced-price school meals application is available on the Royal Oak Schools website.
SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAM UPDATES
Please click on the following link to access the Special Education Website:
BLESSINGS IN A BACKPACK
In light of the tough economic times facing our area, we are attempting to help Royal Oak Schools families by making sure that all of our children have enough food. “Blessings in a Backpack” is a program designed to provide students on the free and reduced lunch program with enough food for three meals a day during the weekends. This program, sponsored by Community Foundation of Greater Rochester and the Meijer Corporation, is active in Royal Oak Schools. If you agree to take part in this program during the school year, your child will receive a bag every Friday filled with food for the weekend. While we are remote, the food will be delivered to your home by volunteers. The simple meals may include food like macaroni and cheese, beef ravioli, canned fruit, granola bars, peanut butter, soups, juice and other items.
READING & WRITING WORKSHOPS FOR PARENTS
ROYAL OAK SALVATION ARMY NEEDS YOUR HELP DURING THE HOLIDAY SEASON
- The Royal Oak Salvation Army has a Virtual Red Kettle donate.salmich.org/rescueroyaloak. Please share this link so you and those you know can, sign up to give a one-time donation, give a sustaining monthly gift to help The Salvation Army year-round, or sign up to volunteer.
- Visit registertoring.com to turn your passion into action by volunteering to ring bells.
- Donate with cash, check, or digitally with Apple Pay or Google Pay at any of our iconic red kettles around Southeast Oakland County.
- Encourage your friends and family to ring or give virtually through the listed options.
PTA MEETINGS
Addams Picture Day
A BOOKSHELF OF CHILDREN'S LITERATURE FOR NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH
November is Native American Heritage Month! Click HERE to access a bookshelf of children's literature. Thank you Kirsten Leestma, our new Literacy Coach, for bringing this fabulous resource to our Keller community.
OAKLAND TOGETHER: "SAFE FOR SCHOOL" HOTLINE
MEAL NEEDS
We Miss our #AddamsLearners!!
Joe Youanes
Email: youanesj@royaloakschools.org
Website: http://www.royaloakschools.org/profiles/Joseph_Youanes_Profile/
Location: 2222 West Webster Road, Royal Oak, MI, United States
Phone: 248-288-3100
Twitter: @jyouanes_ADDAMS