Bobcat Broadcast
April 17, 2020
A Message from Mrs. Caudill
This week, I want to share with you what Beth Solensky, Principal at Ridgewood wrote in her weekly communication to parents last week. I hope you find it as comforting and relatable as I did. It helped me remember we are all in the together, we are not alone and everything will be okay.
"As each week passes, I keep waiting for things to feel "normal" again, or at least as normal as they can feel while we're all at home. I'm desperate to hit my stride, get into a routine, feel like I have this figured out.
But I don't. I don't have this figured out. Every day brings new questions, new fears, new uncertainties.
What I do know, though, is that the message of continued grace, patience, and forgiveness of ourselves remains at the core of what we do. To illustrate just how forgiving I need to be of myself as a parent right now, I am sharing a picture (below) of an assignment my first grader recently had to submit to her teacher. After reading an article about polar bears, she was given the prompt, "Where do polar bears go in the winter?" She proudly completed (and submitted) the assignment without me because (like many of you) I was working at the time. When she showed me what she'd submitted, my initial (inner) response was disappointment. I mean, did she even read the article? I asked myself. Normally, I would have sat with her, helped her go back into the passage, and guided her as she crafted a detailed response. In this moment, though, as I looked into her eager and proud eyes, all I could do was smile and say, "Good job, honey. You're right. Polar bears do not fly south for the winter."
I share this with you because, like me, you will encounter many instances of non-flying polar bears in the coming weeks. Forgive your kiddos. Forgive yourself. We are all doing the best we can."
This week, I have encountered a number of things that had the possibility to send me down a road of thinking I probably shouldn't go. But, I didn't. I just remembered that polar bears don't fly south. That thought alone let me know everything is going to be okay.
Stay Home. Stay Safe. Stay Hopeful.
Devon Caudill
Mark Your Calendars
April 21 - Report Cards Viewable in MiStar
April 22- Virtual STEAM Fair Projects Due
April 24 - 5th Grade student deadline to submit Middle School Course Selection
April 24 - Amerman Adventure Raffle - 8AM Live on Amerman PTA Facebook Page
May 13 - Virtual PTA Meeting - 6:30 pm
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Introducing the Bobcat Pride Press
I am excited to announce a new publication that will be coming out of Amerman weekly called the Bobcat Pride Press. It is a newsletter made by Amerman kids, for Amerman kids! Every week, this newsletter will be emailed to all K-5 students and the first edition was emailed today!
We cannot thank our student leaders for working on the content for this new publication. Also, a huge thank you to Ms. LaManna, Mrs. Parnin and Mrs. Vertrees for all their work to make this new newsletter possible. Our hope is this newsletter will continue long after virtual learning is done. I hope you enjoy this first edition!
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Humanities Schedule Update
If you are anything like our wonderfully talented Humanities teachers, you have been thinking about how nice it would be to have everything in one place with fewer passcodes. With this in mind, beginning on Monday, April 20th, the Humanities weekly distance learning lessons will be available on each teacher's Google Classroom and will have 1 consistent link and passcode for each of our humanities. Please click on the following CLASSROOM CODES for more information and to join your child’s Amerman Humanities Google Classrooms. New lessons for the week will be available each Monday of that week.
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Zoom Expectations
I hope each family has been enjoying the interactive Zoom sessions with your child(ren)’s classroom teacher(s) and their classmates. Each of our teachers has been planning and preparing for them and may have been just as excited as you to get started!
Second grade teacher, Mrs. Willerer and her daughter, Ms. Willerer, kindergarten teacher at Winchester created a cute and creative video about zooming to send to their families. I thought you and your children would enjoy it too!
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First Aid for Feelings: A Workbook to Help Kids Cope During the Coronavirus Pandemic
Parenting Has Changed! Now What?
A FREE online conference offering practical advice, interviews, and videos from leading experts on digital safety, mental health, education, parenting and more!
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Mrs. Caudill's Read Alouds
This week Mrs. Caudill finished reading Sideways Stories from Wayside School. Here is the entire book for your listening pleasure.
- Sideways Stories from Wayside School By: Louis Sachar (Chapter One)
- Sideways Stories from Wayside School By: Louis Sachar (Chapters Two and Three)
- Sideways Stories from Wayside School By: Louis Sachar (Chapters Four and Five)
- Sideways Stories from Wayside School By: Louis Sachar (Chapters Six and Seven)
- Sideways Stories from Wayside School By: Louis Sachar (Chapters Eight and Nine)
- Sideways Stories from Wayside School By: Louis Sachar (Chapters Ten and Eleven)
- Sideways Stories from Wayside School By: Louis Sachar (Chapters Twelve and Thirteen)
- Sideways Stories from Wayside School By: Louis Sachar (Chapters Fourteen and Fifteen)
- Sideways Stories from Wayside School By: Louis Sachar (Chapters Sixteen and Seventeen)
- Sideways Stories from Wayside School By: Louis Sachar (Chapters Eighteen - Twenty)
- Sideways Stories from Wayside School By: Louis Sachar (Chapter Twenty One and Two)
- Sideways Stories from Wayside School By: Louis Sachar (Chapter Twenty Two and Three)
- Sideways Stories from Wayside School By: Louis Sachar (Chapter Twenty Five and Six)
- Sideways Stories from Wayside School By: Louis Sachar (Chapter Twenty Seven and Eight)
- Sideways Stories from Wayside School By: Louis Sachar (Chapter Twenty Nine and Thirty)
Virtual STEAM FAIR 2020
The Northville STEAM Fair 2020 has been cancelled for the safety of our school communities.
We know that students have been working hard on their projects so the Northville Educational Foundation and Northville Public Schools would love to offer an opportunity to "virtually" showcase students' completed STEAM Fair projects.
To submit your STEAM Fair Project please fill out the Northville STEAM Fair 2020 form.
Project submissions will be taken now until April 22nd and will be posted on the Northville STEAM Fair Website (http://www.northvillesteamfair.com) and the Northville Educational Foundation Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/NorthvilleEducationFoundation.)
Please email nef@northvilleedfoundation.org with any questions!
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Parent Learning Portal
With the help of many NPS teachers, we have developed a parent learning portal that provides you with a variety of useful resources designed to support and assist you during this remote learning period. If you have any questions, or would like to submit a request for resource support, please navigate to the submit a question under the FAQ button found on the parent learning portal. We hope you find this helpful as you partner with us in this new learning process.
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NPS COVID-19 Grading Procedures
As we continue to move forward with new learning under the Continuity of Learning Plan, the following information will bring clarity around the question of grading during this time as well as the available technology and parent supports we have and will continue to put in place.
The NPS COVID-19 Grading Procedures, as published on April 15, 2020, are based on guidance provided in the Executive Order. We believe these grading practices provide students with the most flexibility while still ensuring that no child will be academically harmed as a result of the traditional model school closing required by law. Please contact your teacher or Mrs. Caudill if you have any questions about this grading procedure or need further information.
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Yearbook Update! New Deadline
Given school closures and stay at home orders, the 2019-20 yearbook will be distributed in the fall as students return to school. The new deadline to purchase yearbooks is June 30th.
Yearbook ID: 9994420
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SCREEN FREE ACTIVITIES
Homemade Gifts
Encourage your child to make a gift for someone or a homemade greeting card.
Get Baking
Bake some cakes, biscuits, or cookies. Have children help prepare meals.
Reminisce
Sort through old photos and make a scrapbook of memories or discuss memories verbally.
Organize
Get your child to sort through their belongings and identify some clothes that may not fit, books that have been read, or items no longer needed.
Draw/Create a Family Tree
Expand this to include creating an Art gallery with artistic creations on display.
Treasure Hunt
Using items already in your house, create clues for your child to read and follow as they discover hidden objects.
Puppets
Using materials around the house, create finger puppets and have your child write and act out a play. Old boxes are great for puppet theaters.
Read
Read anything you can; newspapers, books, magazines, recipes, etc.
Games
Get out your family board games and enjoy spending time with each other.
Create a Vision Board
Using photos or old magazines, create a poster of goals that you would like to accomplish.
Do a Puzzle
What a perfect time to dig out those 100-500 piece puzzles and work on them until they are done!
Fashion Show
Have children try on their outfits and create new and creative ones. This is also perfect to confirm clothes that may not fit your child any longer and set them aside to donate.
Build a Furniture Fort
Some sheets and blankets will provide the perfect materials to drape them over furniture and create a fort. Bonus activity: have a camp out overnight in your fort!
Edible Playdough
Create your own edible playdough and spell words or create art.
Easy Hands-On Activities Families Can Do At Home
Awesome Hands-On Activities Website
Word Creation
How many different words can you make from the letters in this sentence:
LEARNING FROM HOME IS FUN.
Start a Nature Diary
Look out the window or go into your yard each day. Keep note of what you see; birds, flowers, changes in the weather, what else?
List Making
Write a list of all the things that make you happy, things you are grateful for, things you are good at, etc. The possibilities are endless!
Keep Moving
Do sit-ups, push-ups, jumping jacks, jog in place (or outside if you can!), or even dance to your favorite song.
Read Out Loud to Someone
Mom, dad, grandparent, aunt, uncle, sister, brother, dog, cat, stuffed animal, etc. Remember to read with lots of expression.
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Amerman Adventure 2020 tickets Now a Virtual Raffle is one week away!
We are one week away from our LIVE Amerman Adventure Raffle drawing! Please tune in to the Amerman PTA Facebook page at 8 AM on Friday 4/24 for a LIVE raffle drawing by our very own amazing Mrs. Willerer! Results will be posted and sent out if you can’t make it. If you need to join the PTA group please be sure to answer the member questions so we can let you in. Tickets can still be purchased at https://amerman.memberhub.store/ through Thursday 4/23.
Amerman 2019-2020 PTA Student Directory
Amerman Families, here is a link to the Amerman 2019-2020 PTA Student Directory. The directory is intended to be a benefit of PTA membership, however, in light of our shelter-in-place situation, we want to help everyone connect with any friends they may be missing. Be well and safe!
Directory: https://app.memberhub.com/download?r=173019;v=wsm7l4xri6y
If you would like to support the PTA, you can still become a member! Membership dues support the Amerman PTA as well as the Michigan and National PTA organizations. Both the Michigan and National PTAs are working in this unprecedented situation, as they always do, to advocate for all of our children, and they would certainly appreciate any additional support.
MemberHub Store (to purchase PTA membership and Adventure Adventure Tickets!): https://amerman.memberhub.store/shopping/categories/2943
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April's Focus: Caring! Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw!
Every month Amerman Focuses on a new theme and Leader in Me Habit of the Month. The focus for the month of April is Caring and our Habit of the Month is Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw. Just because we are not at school doesn't mean we can't practice our Leader in Me Habits and our theme of the month.
Sharpen the Saw means preserving and enhancing the greatest asset you have--you. It means having a balanced program for self-renewal in the four areas of your life: physical, social/emotional, mental, and spiritual.
Spotlight on our Amerman Bobcats - At Home!
STEM Challenge
Sight Word Practice
Positive Messages
Family Chalk Art
Virtual Learning
Virtual Field Trip
Baking with fractions
Playing Chess
Reading Partners
Butterfly Life-Cycle
Playing Pickleball
Teaching siblings
Mrs. Warum's Class mission statement - they still say this during their virtual class meetings
Amerman Elementary
Email: caudillde@northvilleschools.org
Website: amerman.northvilleschools.org
Phone: 248-465-2100
Twitter: @amermannv