Dolphin Tales
In-Person Learning Update, The Week of September 21st
Heads Up!
Below is a list of the articles in order within this newsletter...
Headlines
Video Demo for Accessing Wednesday, Sept 23 On-Demand Specials Content: iCenter
Wednesday, Sept 23 Specials Focus: iCenter
Live Virtual Yoga Every Wednesday at 11 AM
Seeking Support with Art Supplies for Virtual Learning?
West Bloomfield High School Fundraiser: Buy Your Mums
In the Know with the PTO
PTO Board
Get Your Doherty Spirit Wear Now
PTO Contribution: Class Diversity Libraries
Other PTO Contributions
Gratitude
Huge Thanks to Dr. Hersh for T-Shirts!
Doherty Family Photo Album
The 1 Big Thing
Building A Social Contract
Operations
Technology Help
Meal Distribution Procedures
Hours of Operation
Absences & Reporting Absences
COVID Safety Protocols Link
Parking Lot Procedures Link
Canvas Details Link
Questions should be emailed to your child's teacher OR the following group of office staff members:
To-Do List
To-Do List
- Wednesday, September 23rd: Virtual Learning (Specials Focus is iCenter)
- Doherty Spirit Wear: Now is the time to order :) See link in newsletter
- No School: Monday, September 28th
Video Demo Below for Accessing Wednesday, September 23rd iCenter On-Demand Content
Wednesday, September 23rd Specials Focus: iCenter
Each week, our children can engage in one on-demand specials activity that is loaded in Canvas for them. The specials focus will rotate each week. This week, the focus will be iCenter. If you need help accessing the iCenter materials, you can see the video above or you can please contact Mrs. Carson at cindy.carson@wbsd.org.
September 23rd: iCenter
September 30th: Music
October 7th: Art
October 14th: Physical Education
October 21st: iCenter
Video Demo Below: For Accessing Wednesday Live Virtual Yoga
Video Introduction Below: Meet Taylor Beardsall, Virtual Live Yoga Instructor
Wednesday Live Virtual Yoga Continues This Wednesday: Every Wednesday at 11 AM
Once again, thanks to the Greater West Bloomfield Community Coalition, Taylor will be leading her live virtual yoga session this Wednesday and every Wednesday at 11 AM.
Your child can access the Zoom link for Taylor's yoga on his/her teacher's Canvas page OR the specials Canvas pages.
Seeking Support With Art Supplies
West Bloomfield High School Boys Basketball Fundraiser
West Bloomfield Boys Basketball Annual Mum Sale
September 25-26 While Quantities Last
(Sale starts at 2:30pm on Sept 25)
Pre-orders will be accepted until Wednesday Sept 23rd or you can just buy pots from the WBHS Parking lot.
Larger 12 inch Pots for $20
Medium 8 inch pots for $8
All proceeds go to West Bloomfield Boys Basketball
Please see the attached order form at the end of the newsletter to complete your order.
In the Know with the PTO
Our PTO Board
Thank you to everyone that attended our Fall PTO Kick-Off Meeting. We had great attendance, and, once again, our PTO demonstrated why they are truly an amazing support for the Doherty Family.
Our PTO Board is truly amazing. They embody what we are all about in the Doherty Family, and they always do what is best for our kids and staff. The PTO board includes:
Nicole Calvin, Vice-President
Sesilee Langs, Secretary
Renai Mayle, VP Of Fundraising
Joann Manetta, VP Of Committees
In the Know with the PTO: Get Your Spirit Wear
One of the biggest pieces of news from the PTO is the opening of our Doherty PTO Spirit Wear store. You can order your Doherty Spirit Gear online now by clicking on the link below. Please note that there are child and adult sizes. There are some amazing new styles. But, the window to order is only three weeks long, so be sure to order soon.
PTO Contribution: Classroom Diversity Libraries
At Doherty and in the entire West Bloomfield School District, we take great pride in our diversity, and we are constantly seeking out ways to celebrate, highlight, and educate each other about this diversity.
We also celebrate literacy. We love books, we love growing passionate readers, and we love to support literacy growth.
That is why we were so excited when our PTO stepped up and purchased Classroom Diversity Libraries for each one of our teachers. Below is a list of titles included in these Classroom Diversity Libraries:
One Family
Happy In Our Skin
Strictly No Elephants
I Am Enough
Ruby's Chinese New Year
Last Stop on Market Street
A Boy Called Slow
Ruby Bridges
A Birthday Basket for Tia
When We Were Alone
Other PTO Contributions
- Schoolwide subscription to Scholastic News
- Schoolwide subscription to RAZ Kids
- Funding for Teacher Supplies
We are extremely grateful for the suppport!
Huge Thanks to Dr. Hersh
Kindergarten received red shirts, 1st grade received blue shirts, and 2nd grade received green shirts.
These shirts would not be possible without Dr. Hersh. Dr. Hersh, West Bloomfield School Board of Education Trustee and leader of Hersh-Beattie Orthodontics, generously donated every single t-shirt. Thank you, Dr. Hersh!
DOherty FAMILY Photo Album
Building Social Contracts
Throughout the past few weeks, our classrooms have worked on building their class Social Contract. Your child will be able to tell you all about it.
We encourage you to build a Social Contract at home. I have one that is hanging in our kitchen, and it is something that we go over all of the time as a reminder of how my family agreed to treat each other.
Here's how you build it:
- Discuss the following four questions with your entire family: How do you want to be treated by me (the parent)? How do you think I (the parent) want to be treated by you (the child)? How do we want to treat each other? How will we treat each other when we have a problem/conflict?
- The goal is to create a set of words/phrases that you can highlight for your social contract. For example, you might have words/phrases like "be kind," "thoughtful," "patient," and "positive" on your social contract.
- Once you have generated your words/phrases, you record them on a larger piece of paper and post it somewhere in your house.
- Everyone signs it or initials it to signal that they agree to these values.
Here's how you keep it alive:
- Take time throughout the day to review the Social Contract. Pick one or two words to be the focus for the family.
- Pick someone to rate how the family has done with those 1 or 2 words for the day.
- Take time to affirm/compliment your children for doing a great job with one of the words/phrases on the Social Contract. Make the compliment very specific.
- If someone in the family is having a hard time living up to the agreements, you can remind them of the behaviors they agreed upon.
- At dinner, in the car, or during a walk, ask your child how he/she did in school with one of the values on your Social Contract. Ask them how a staff member lived out one of the values from your Social Contract.
- Refer to the Social Contract as often as possible.
Feel free to share:
- If you get a chance to build a Social Contract with your family, feel free to email me pictures of the Social Contract with your child. We would love to include them in our next newsletter.
Technology Help
FAMILY ASSISTANCE WITH TECHNOLOGY ISSUES
If you need technical assistance, you can request help from the Oakland Schools Technology Service Desks.
- Phone: (248) 209-2060
- Email: oshelpdesk@oakland.k12.mi.us
- Online Ticket Submission- servicedesk.oakland.k12.mi.us
Updated Meal Distribution Procedures: Moving to Pick-Up at WBHS and Roosevelt
Please read below for details on how you can get free lunches for your children all the way up until December.
In Person Learners at Doherty, Gretchko & Roosevelt (classroom ½ day only)
- No cost meals are available for curbside pick-up at the front of West Bloomfield High School and Roosevelt Elementary
- All meals must be preordered online
- Curbside pick-up online order link can be found at WBSD.org under the Food Service tab https://www.wbsd.org/departments/food-service
- Pick-up day is Wednesday
- Pick-up times are: WBHS: 11:30am-12:30pm or 4:00pm-5:00pm Roosevelt 11:00am-1:00pm
- Each child will receive seven complete breakfast and lunch meals
- Students eligible for the Free and Reduced Meal benefits are also able to access six nonperishable meals each weekend from the Blessings in a Backpack program at no cost. Look for the sign up form in your school communications or contact katherinesheiko@hotmail.com. Blessings in a Backpack will distribute with meals from October through June.
In Person Learners Attending Cloud Care
- Free breakfast and hot lunch is available at each Cloud Care site--please just be sure to follow Cloud Care instructions for ordering
- Meals will be individually portioned
- Parents may order seven days of breakfast and lunch meals for Wednesday curbside pick-up at West Bloomfield HS and Roosevelt Elementary if no meals are ordered for Cloud Care
- Students eligible for the Free and Reduced Meal Program are also able to access six non perishable meals each weekend from the Blessings in a Backpack program at no cost. Look for the sign up form in your school communications or contact katherinesheiko@hotmail.com. Blessings in a Backpack will be distributed with meals from October through June.
Hours of Operation
In-Person School Days:
- Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays
- The building is closed on Wednesdays for deep cleaning and disinfecting
Virtual Learning (At-Home or In Cloud Care):
- Monday through Friday--when child is not attending face-to-face instruction
AM Cohort (In-Person)
- 8:10 AM (Updated): Arrival. Students may begin entering the building (exiting cars) at 8:05 AM.
- 8:25 AM: School Begins.
- 11:05 AM: Dismissal
PM Cohort (In-Person)
- 12:22 PM: Arrival. Students may begin entering the building (exiting cars) at 12:22 PM.
- 12:37 PM: School Begins.
- 3:17 PM: Dismissal
Absences and Reporting Absences
- fever, cough, shortness of breath/difficulty breathing
- OR, at least 2 of the following:
- chills
- muscle pain
- headache
- sore throat
- loss of taste/smell
- diarrhea
- extreme fatigue
If your child will be out, please call the Doherty Safeline to excuse your child's absence at 248-865-6002 and provide the following information:
- Child's Name
- Grade
- Teacher's Name
- Reason for Absence (be specific about illness symptoms)
If you or your child have tested positive for COVID, please be sure to indicate that when calling the Doherty Safeline. Furthermore, if your child exhibits some (or all) of the above COVID symptoms, please have your child tested before bringing him/her back to school.
Please click the link below to learn more about our COVID safety protocols.
Masks
Masks
All staff and children will be expected to wear masks throughout the day. There may be medical exceptions for this, as long as the appropriate documentation is provided. Please make sure your child brings a mask to school each day.
Masks must be a cloth face covering that fits close to the face, over the nose and mouth, fitting snugly below the chin.
Children will NOT be allowed to wear face shields without a mask. The CDC has issued guidance on shields, stating, "It is not known if face shields provide any benefit as source control to protect others from the spray of respiratory particles. CDC does not recommend use of face shields for normal everyday activities or as a substitute for cloth face coverings."
Follow the Doherty Family on Social Media
- Twitter: @Long_DohertyWB
- Facebook: facebook.com/DolphinsWB
- Instagram: @DohertyWB