Elsie Rogers Express
August 14, 2020
T-Minus 5 Days
We are hustling and bustling to prepare for next week's start of the 2020-21 school year! We've been partaking in some professional development, compliments of Miss Givens, to ensure our teachers are well versed in the programs that we will be using to begin the school year. Teachers have been in preparing student materials as well as their teaching and learning spaces and the office crew has been behind the scenes making sure our transition back to school goes smoothly! We are the small, but mighty Elsie Rogers' team. Often I remind myself of these words from Helen Keller " Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much." We personally invite each of you to Team Elsie Rogers. Together, by all of us working together, we will accomplish great things for our kids this school year.
Below, I tried my hand at a welcome video! To say the least I need some practice! My videographer (Mrs. Lane) and I had some good laughs working through this process. I promise I will get better. One thing I forgot to mention in the video is that we will provide a Kindergarten Orientation via video recording for all of our K families. Stay tuned for more information on that.
Have a great weekend and we look forward to seeing you at pick up early next week.
Christy Campbell
Virtual Meet & Greet
What Will a Virtual Day Look like for Elsie Rogers Students?
After the morning meeting students will work through a reading, math, and writing block that will be a combination of synchronous (LIVE) and asynchronous (recorded lessons & independent work) learning. Your child's individual teacher will send home a more detailed schedule with specific times in the very near future.
A 45 minute lunch period will be scheduled into the day. This is uniform across the grade levels.
Music, PE and LIbrary will be woven in the day for periodic breaks.
Finally, the learning day will end with a LIVE closing class meeting which will incorporate a review of the daily goals and objectives, questions/answers, Social and Emotional Learning lessons and celebrations.
* All teachers will be using Google Classroom. Within this newsletter are directions on how to log in and there will be a hard copy with student materials at pick up next week.
Homework Helpdesk
In order to provide students with after hours academic support during virtual learning, we are piloting a P-H-M homework helpdesk. We have assembled a team of elementary, exceptional education, and content specific secondary teachers who will be available via email from 7:00-9:00pm, Monday-Thursday. These helpdesk teachers will be responsive to student and/or parent emails, providing specific academic support as needed. This might include responding to an email or even an interactive Google Video Hangout to provide academic guidance. Additionally, the helpdesk teachers will communicate back to the student's regular teacher related to what supports were provided so we can work collaboratively, creating the best possible virtual learning environment for our students.
Students and/or parents can contact the after-hours homework helpdesk by emailing homeworkhelp@phm.k12.in.us starting on Monday, August 24th.
Student Material Pick Up
Please mark your calendar! Elsie Rogers will pass out student materials (curriculum materials, technology & school supplies) necessary to assist your child in making the virtual learning experience successful. Please know that the materials we are sending home will need to come back to the school once we are back to face to face instruction. We are asking you to select any day and time below to swing by the school to pick up the materials.
Monday, August 17th: 4:00pm - 6:30pm
Tuesday, August 18th: 8:00am - 2:30pm
When you come to school, the following procedure will be utilized:
- Enter the front driveway of the school.
- Place a sign in the window with your child(ren)'s name & grade written on the sign.
- Remain in your car while in line, staff will greet you and radio staff inside the building to bring your child(ren)'s belongings to you in line. The items will be placed in a tote for convenience.
- If you have any library books or curriculum materials from last year, please let staff know and follow their directions.
Thank you for following these guidelines to help this process be efficient and safe for everyone! Should you have any questions or concerns, you can call the front office as Mrs. Donat, Mrs Lane, and myself are receiving calls (574-259-5231)
How Does My Child Sign into Google Classroom on Wednesday (grades 1-5) & Thursday (Kindergarten)?
Attendance
During virtual learning please work with your child's teacher on completing assigned work in a timely manner. If your student is unable to interact with their teacher on a consistent basis, or complete the work, please reach out to the teacher to communicate your challenges so that a plan can be developed. IF your child is ill and can not partake in the daily lessons please use the above link to report the absence. This information will help the classroom teacher.
How to Set up Family Access in Skyward
Penn-Harris-Madison uses Skyward student management software. Skyward features a parent portal called Family Access. Please use this information to create an account for family access to your child(ren)’s information.
Sample:
Parent Information for Walter Payton
Your username for Canvas and Skyward will be wpayton (first initial followed by last name)
Skyward:
Hopefully you have already received your Skyward email and have access. But if not, you can follow these steps
Open the Skyward Family Access url at https://skyward.phmschools.org
Click the link "Forgot your Username Password?"
In the following page put in your username (ex. wpayton) and press submit.
You will receive an email with a link to set your password.
You are in! You now have access to your student's profile information.
Having trouble and needing help?
For help logging in to Canvas or Skyward please email familyaccess@phm.k12.in.us and the technology dept will assist you.
If you see some of your students in Canvas and Skyward but not all of them, please email familyaccess@phm.k12.in.us and we can fix that for you.
If you need to update your address and contact information please contact the main office of your student's school and they will update your information.
If other parents or guardians also need access to Canvas or Skyward and did not receive this email or their email address is missing or inaccurate then your student's front office can also assist you with that.
Virtual Learning Meals
Starting Wednesday, August 19, 2020, until in-person learning begins, meals will still be available for pick up. The meals will be charged to your student(s) lunch account as per your meal status for the school year. USDA regulations require that only parent/guardian may pick up meals for their student(s).
You may go to www.schoolcafe.com to complete a Free and Reduced Lunch Application and to make on-line payments to your student(s) lunch account.
Meal Locations: Prairie Vista Elementary School, Grissom Middle School & Penn High School
Lunch Times (Same for all 3 locations): Breakfast is 8:00 AM - 9:00 PM, Lunch is 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Meal Prices: Breakfast - $.30/$1.10/$1.25 Lunch - $.40/$1.90/$2.10
* Reduced Price, Elementary Price, & Middle/High School Price
Dates to Remember:
August 18 - Student Material Pick Up - 8:00 AM - 2:30 PM
August 18 - Virtual Meet and Greet - Check your email for a Smore Newsletter with link
August 19 - First Day of School for grades 1-5
August 19 - Kindergarten Orientation
August 20 - First Day of School for Kindergarten
Christy Campbell
Email: ccampbell@phm.k12.in.us
Website: elsierogers.phmschools.org
Location: Currant Road, Mishawaka, IN, USA
Phone: 574-259-5231
Twitter: @ElsieRogersES