SCHOOL NEWS AND VIEWS
Monday, April 13, 2020
This week's update: End of Week 4 of Covid-19 Shut-down
Happy Easter Holy Cross Families,
I hope that in spite of these very difficult circumstances, you did enjoy your Easter holiday. This certainly will be an Easter to remember.
We continue to evolve and improve our remote instruction based on our experiences and observations. To that end, we will be making one change effective this week and I do hope that this is helpful to our students and their families.
Beginning with this week, teachers in K5 through 8th grade will be assigning work Monday through Thursdays only. Friday will be set aside for students to get caught up and for communication. Teachers will continue to be available during the school day via email or phone. Assignments scheduled earlier in the week may be due on Friday but there will be no new work assigned. IT IS NOT A DAY OFF OF SCHOOL. My hope is that this will give our students and parents a chance to catch up and take a breath.
Our library will be open every Wednesday from 9AM until 2PM for your child to come and check out books.
We continue to provide lunch each day to anyone who comes by between 11:30AM and 1PM.
We have installed a drop-box outside the office door for any papers that need to be dropped off during hours that the office is not open.
I hope that everyone has gotten issues with wireless internet resolved. Comcast is still offering free WI-FI. I understand that there is a wait but several of our parents have been able to take advantage of it. Our parking lot should work as a wireless hot spot. if you need to use it, come by with your device and I will give you the password.
I encourage you to take advantage of the growing list of extracurricular activities listed below. Anything to keep your children's minds and bodies active and engaged is very positive.
One of the biggest problems that our teachers are encountering is students / parents who are not staying in communication. We are spending a great deal of time tracking students down to find out why they aren't doing their work, logging in to class meetings or lessons. We do not want the 4th quarter of this year to be meaningless. For this reason we are continuing to provide new content and activities. However, students need to be engaged and parents need to be involved.
We greatly appreciate those parents who are really taking advantage of our teachers easy accessibility. Our teachers really are there ready to work with you and help in any way possible but you need to communicate your problems and needs so we can know what the problem is. There is lots of flexibility and grace built into our remote learning plan but please communicate.
Please feel free as well to reach out and communicate me about any issues that you may be having that I may be able to help you with.
STEP UP FOR STUDENT PAYMENTS
Remember that Holy Cross will have no income at all during the month of April because we waived all payments. However, we still do have to pay our teachers and staff, and we still have lots of overhead expenses. Kindly go online and approve your payment.
Check out Mrs. Oxar's Youtube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBU9IZ0En8SeqLhMB-JMC2A/videos?disable_polymer=1
Fun Family Fitness Activities
https://docs.google.com/document/d/11R0pxgLskF3iQe1GrQURorjtlea_uc_k7_dAuMPa-1s/edit?usp=sharing
Zoom on chromebooks
School Registration
Photos needed for our yearbook
8th Grade and K5 Graduation photos
We will be mailing the kindergarten graduation packets to the homes of K5 students. For 8th grade students, we have the gowns here and we will be purchasing caps and tassels that we will provide to you on the day of photos.
We will be schedule APPOINTMENTS here at Holy Cross and we will be scheduling ONE STUDENT AT A TIME for safety reasons. We will have morning and afternoon hours available. Please stay tuned for more information. If this current situation continues throughout the rest of the school year, we will be in some way acknowledging the graduation of our 8th grade and K5 students in a manner that aligns with health guidelines.
FEEDING OUR CHILDREN
Lunch will be served from 11:30AM until 1PM. Please observe the social distancing procedures that have been established.
Children must be accompanied by an adult. Only one family will be permitted into the cafeteria at a time to pick up their lunches. Please take them and leave immediately. While we are a very friendly and social place, unfortunately this is not the time for that.
If others are in line, please maintain a distance of 8 feet from any other person or family. Please keep your children with you at all times and under your control. There can be no roaming in the hallways or visits to any offices or classrooms. Our entire facility has been thoroughly disinfected in anticipation of a return to school and we must keep it that way.
Thank you to our hard working cafeteria staff for continuing to provide this valuable service to our children.
Uploading documents
Here is a link to more information and including Android and Desktop computers
https://support.google.com/edu/classroom/answer/6020285?co=GENIE.Platform%3DAndroid&hl=en
if you are struggling with this, PLEASE REACH OUT FOR HELP.
Additional materials for you to look at to keep kids busy
NEWER items added at the top
https://www.commonsensemedia.org/blog/free-online-events-activities-kids-at-home-coronavirus
https://www.livescience.com/coronavirus-kids-activities.html
https://www.travelandleisure.com/trip-ideas/national-parks/virtual-national-parks-tours
https://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/video/4500528-oakland-zoo-launches-live-interactive-virtual-tour/
https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/life/travel/a31784720/best-virtual-tours/
https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2020/03/a-virtual-tour-of-walt-disney-imagineering-part-1/
https://www.miamichildrensmuseum.org/museum-at-home/
https://classroommagazines.scholastic.com/support/learnathome.html
https://www.playbill.com/article/15-broadway-plays-and-musicals-you-can-watch-on-stage-from-home
https://characterstrong.lpages.co/educator-resources/
https://www.weareteachers.com/things-to-do-during-covid/?
utm_source=WAT_MDR&utm_medium=Enews&utm_campaign=WAT_CVEnews03182020
https://www.travelandleisure.com/attractions/museums-galleries/museums-with-virtual-tours
COMCAST IS OFFERING FREE WIFI
To assist in Internet connectivity, Comcast continues to offer free WiFi via Xfinity hotspots where Xfinity service is available for 60 days. This is in addition to the Internet Essentials Program, normally $9.95 per month, that will provide an in-home modem and 60 days of free service for eligible low-income M-DCPS families.
Online Church
Click below to follow
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNmDLPMR1WA&feature=youtu.be
WE are the church. The church is not a building, the church is not a steeple, the church is not a resting place, the church is the PEOPLE! Join us and stay connected with our Holy Cross family.
Are you following our Social Media
Facebook: @holycrossnorthmiami
Instagram @holycrossnmiami
Twitter - @holycrosslsnm
When posting photos, please hashtag #holycrossnmiami
How to Contact Us:
650 NE 135th St.
North Miami, Fl. 33161
School 305 893 0851
Church 305 893 0371
Office emails:
Sherri Mackey smackey@holycross-nm.org
Marluys Sejba msejba@holycross-nm.org
Natalia Escobar nescobar@holycross-nm.org
Soraya Trujillo strujillo@holycross-nm.org
Roslyn Noel rnoel@holycross-nm.org
Lisette Rogers lrogers@holycross-nm.org
Marie Innocent minnocent@holycross-nm.org
Follow us on Facebook:
Background check authorization
If you completed a background check last year, DO NOT complete this again UNTIL you receive an email stating that it is expiring.
http://www.holycrossnorthmiami.org/schools-background-check-authorization