Westwood Intermediate/Middle School
November 18, 2020 - Newsletter
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Westwood Families
On Friday, due to the escalating COVID-19 impacts in our community, we made the difficult decision to begin the transition of grades K-6 to SLP Extended Flexible Learning (distance). Please refer to the message all families received on Friday.
This week, we have specific updates and need to know information for families of students in grades 5-6 and grades 7-8. Please refer to the updates most relevant to your family below.
Key dates for all families coming up:
- November 26-27: No school for ALL students. This is a previously scheduled break.
- November 30: School resumes and all students will be in Extended Flexible Learning (distance) model.
- December 4: End of Tri 1 - School is in session this day for students.
- December 7: No school for students. Teachers use this day for end of trimester reporting.
There will not be a formal newsletter next Wednesday in advance of our scheduled break. We will be in touch as needed next week to help ensure a seamless transition for families of our students in grades 5-6 and encourage you to continue to reach out with questions.
For those who celebrate Thanksgiving, all of us at Westwood extend our best wishes for a safe and fun holiday and break. After the break, school will resume online Monday, November 30. Please continue to reach out to teachers or our office with your questions.
Tom Larson
Principal
Grades 5 and 6: Information for all families for the coming days
This week, we continue to follow our current learning models and schedules. Students are following their Modified Campus (hybrid) schedule for at-school learning days and students in Extended Flexible Learning are following their normal schedules.
Next week, November 23-27, there is no school for all grade 5-6 students, including students already learning in Extended Flexible Learning. This also includes our center-based students.
- All of our teachers will be working together in the three days before the scheduled break to transition everything for Extended Flexible Learning. Teachers currently teaching in the Extended Flexible Learning model will be helping support their colleagues.
- Teachers will contact individual students and parents if there is work assigned next week. (This is very limited to our accelerated courses.)
By December 1, we will contact families whose students may meet specific criteria for at-school support based on identified interventions to meet their learning needs. We will begin bringing identified students in for at-school learning opportunities as determined by their individual plan and family communication on December 3.
If your family has submitted a request for a change in learning model – to or from Modified Campus (hybrid) or Extended Flexible Learning (distance), we are maintaining a list of those requests. As we are able to return to a Modified Campus (hybrid) model, we’ll work to honor requests.
Grades 7 and 8: Update on transition to Extended Flexible Learning and status
We’ve made the transition to SLP Extended Flexible Learning for grades 7-12. I have been able to join some of the live sessions and see students interacting with each other as they engage in discussions and collaborative learning. In math, we are working out some bugs with EdPuzzle and the iOS update and hope to have this resolved soon.
We continue to have students at school each day for targeted services and support as well as hands on learning opportunities for specific courses by invitation. We plan to continue this for now, and we will communicate any changes if it becomes necessary in the coming days and weeks.
We are seeking additional clarity from Minnesota Departments of Health and Education on the criteria to follow in order to be able to safely return to a Modified Campus (hybrid) model. We expect to see more information on this in the coming days and will share that with families.
In the meantime, given the current public health context, we can expect to remain in Extended Flexible Learning (distance) through at least winter break. Any action we take to stay safe and follow public health guidance will help us consider a return to at-school learning more quickly.
Meal distribution moving to Tuesdays and Thursdays, community sites coming next week
As all students grades K-12 transition to Extended Flexible Learning (distance), Spring Lake Park Schools will continue to support students’ nutritional needs at no cost.
Beginning tomorrow, Thursday, November 19, meal distribution will now occur on Tuesdays and Thursdays. On Tuesdays families will receive two-days' worth of meals. On Thursdays, families will receive three-days' worth of meals.
Because there is no school on Thursday, November 26, families will receive five-days' worth of meals on Tuesday, November 24.
Meals can be picked up at Spring Lake Park High School from 10 a.m.-2 p.m., 1100 81st Avenue Northeast; Door #32. Beginning Tuesday, November 24, we also will be adding community distribution sites. Locations are being finalized. More information about community distribution will be available before Tuesday.
Questions? Please contact the Nutrition Services Department at 763-600-5041.
Continue to report COVID-19 positive cases to school
Free COVID-19 Saliva Testing Site
There is free COVID-19 saliva testing available to our community offered by the state of Minnesota. See below for more information for this specific site:
- Location: Anoka Armory, 408 East Main St., Anoka, MN 55303
- Dates: November 16-20, 23-24, December 1-4, 8-11, 15-19, 21-22, 28-30
- Time: 12-6 p.m.
- Pre-Register: Schedule Appointment with Vault Health
- Video: What to expect visiting a testing site
Tips for Successful Learning at Home
Here's our SLP Top Tips for Successful Learning at Home:
- Establish a routine to be ready to learn.
- Designate a quiet learning space for students where they can be productive, preferably not where they sleep.
- Make WebEx, Seesaw, Schoology and other tech resources easy to access. Write down codes and passwords for the work area.
- Take a break. Build exercise or refueling into the break.
- Use a bucket or a box to store daily learning supplies.
- Limit distractions by turning off cell phone and notifications.
- Keep iPads charged.
- Move items containing personal info or things you wouldn’t want others to see out of the camera range.
- Complete school work during the week; not on weekends.
- Check in with the student, academically and emotionally.
- Communicate with teachers. Connect on any questions.
- Join an online study group for students to work together.
- Remind student that schedules might occasionally change, same as how we remain flexible when at school.
Technology Support
The SLP Tech Department is here to support students and families.
If you need technology support, please email techsupport@district16.org. Make sure to include your name, contact information and a brief description of your request. If you are unable to email, call 763-600-5555.
Remember to also utilize our Technology Tools, Resources and Log Ins page, a one-stop-shop for all SLP technology tools. Whether you are paying fees or learning on your school-issued iPad, find technology information you need here.
Preparing students for career and college despite a pandemic
For many of our SLP students, career explorations start long before they enter high school. Between Learner Maps, Learner Profiles, community visits to talk about various occupations and more, students at all ages are exposed to different areas that will help them prepare for career and college.
Follow SLPHS students Sanober, Tossy and Eleanor on their journey through the SLP career and college process and discover how even in an unusual year, students are given the supports, tools and resources to be successful in any option they choose after graduation. Read the full story: https://bit.ly/2ILoRrA
Baking on Fridays!
The next Westwood PTO Meeting is scheduled for Monday, December 14 at 9:30 a.m. via Zoom.
We are looking forward to working with all of our parents and families this year to support the staff and students at Westwood.
Visit the PTO Facebook page: Westwood Intermediate and Middle School PTO
- Click here to receive email notifications about Westwood PTO.
November 26-27 – No School, Thanksgiving Break
- December 4 – School Day and End of Trimester 1
- This is the end of the trimester. We adjusted the academic calendar at the beginning of the year to move two additional days up to the front of the year for planning. This means Dec. 4 – which was originally a day off school – is now a school day. See the updated 2020-2021 academic calendar.
In case you missed important information from last week's newsletter, check out the topics below and click to learn more.
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