2020/21 LCUSD Elementary Update
September 20, 2020
Dear Parents,
We've had a chance to visit many classrooms in the last five weeks and have been impressed with the teaching and learning taking place! One thing that we've noticed as Principals is the amount of support parents and caregivers are providing to students during their instruction. We appreciate the support of our families and understand that our youngest learners often need extra adult support. We thank you for giving positive reinforcement to your children as they work so hard to stay on task and give their best effort to complete assignments.
We also wanted to share some thoughts as educators. Students learn best when they are in the zone of proximal development. This is the zone where there is the difference between what a learner can do without help and what he or she can achieve with guidance from an adult. In the classroom, as a student becomes more proficient in a skill, the adult gradually stops helping until the student can perform the task by themselves.
As parents, we may not wish to witness our children struggling when it comes to learning. However, struggling is how learning happens! This article does a great job of explaining the importance of struggle in the learning process, and we encourage every parent to read it. Use these next few weeks of school to practice stepping back and letting your child gain independence, develop advocacy by asking their teacher for support, and recognize their own learning. This metacognition is critical for students as learners. One of the most important jobs parents can do is being positive and recognizing your child's effort over their achievement.
This newsletter contains various ways that we can support you! From digital flyers to digital tutoring, we've got you covered.
Sincerely,
Emily Blaney, LCE Principal
Carrie Hetzel, PCY Principal
Cory Pak, PCR Principal
Three Excellent Resources for Parents
Peachjar
Independent Study Hall on Fridays
If you are a PM student, when you are finished zooming with your teacher, you can join the Independent Study Hall Zoom from 2:00 - 3:00.
Care Solace
Care Solace is an online resource with a live 24/7 concierge meant to assist individuals in finding local mental health related programs and counseling services. This is a tool for school staff and families to connect with community-based mental healthcare resources and providers. The system taps into a vast database of mental healthcare resources to find carefully vetted local therapists and programs in minutes.
Three Excellent Resources for Students
MobyMax for English Language Arts
DreamBox Learning for Math
Paper Tutoring for 4th - 12th Graders (All Subjects)
The new 24/7 tutoring service, Paper.co is now ready for students. You can learn more here. Students can ask a live tutor questions about homework, get help with other subjects of personal interest, and get writing reviewed. The tutors will not just give away answers however. Students will engage in sessions that help build up knowledge or work through the concept to make this a worthwhile learning experience.