VPS Home-School Connection
A Resource for Families, Week of April 6th
Dear Families,
It is hard to believe we are beginning week 4 of distance learning. This week was supposed to be our spring break, but we are happy to be providing resources so your child can continue with the routines you have put into place.
Accessing the Smore: If you want to get this Smore to a child's device, all of VCSD's distance learning links are on the main page at victorschools.org for your convenience. Just go there, open the link, and bookmark it each week on the device your child is using.
Printing and Packets: When we first started distance learning, we had one day to pull everything together and I am so proud of our team for how they worked together to create something child-friendly and comprehensive through our Smore format for the first four weeks. If our school closure extends beyond April 15th, we will be making some necessary adjustments.
We realize how difficult it is to expect families to print so many materials and it is not sustainable. Given our campus is closed, we are also no longer able to sustain making packets each week and sending them to families without printers. Therefore, we will be working to provide instructional resources that only require access to online materials through the Smore, blank paper or notebook paper, and a writing utensil.
New This Week - Chapter Book Read-Alouds: In addition to our daily picture book read-alouds, we will be linking a chapter book read-aloud each Monday for your child to listen to throughout the week. Our first chapter book read aloud is "Og the Frog." Be sure to check it out!
Child Care Survey: The Victor Central School District in partnership with Wayne-Finger Lakes BOCES is working with The Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) in order to find appropriate childcare during mandated closures due to COVID-19. If you are a parent or caregiver who needs child care, please complete the survey linked below. Based on the information you provide about your job, employer, number of children, and financial need, OCFS may be able to help you find the child program you need. It may be a challenge to find child care due to COVID-19 related program closures, however the staff at OCFS are trying their best to support families to find the high-quality child care they need.
Child care direct request link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/3HSNNYJ
A list of regional childcare facilities can be found here: https://bit.ly/2Wqu3FQ
Final Thoughts: I have been thinking a lot about comparison over the past three weeks. Perhaps our current situation is just magnifying what has always been there but I have seen it over and over again: comparison between countries, states, counties, school districts, neighborhoods, schools, classrooms, and now between how families approach distance learning.
I have heard from many parents who feel they are not doing enough, not present enough, not calm enough, not structured enough. And I find myself doing it as well. On days when I have hardly interacted with my own children because I am working throughout the day, it is easy to criticize and compare myself to what I hear other families are doing at home. This feels defeating and deprives us of happiness. Theodore Roosevelt was right when he said, "Comparison is the thief of joy."
So I want you to know you have our permission to take the pressure off yourself. What you are doing is recognized, valued, and enough. If you are working all day and cannot get to all the learning activities, we completely understand and it is okay. If you decide that instead of working through word work one day, your child is going to look for words around your home, that is okay. If there is a day when there is a lot going on for your family and you are not able to sit down and work through the Smore, that is okay. We know every family has different circumstances and your family's health - physical, mental, and emotional - is what is most important. We fully understand as we are working to manage these unique circumstances with our own families as well.
While we know nothing can fully replace the instruction that happens within the classroom, we do know our kids are going to be fine. They are smart and kind and resilient. By listening and talking with your child everyday, you are supporting their learning. Please continue to blend the learning from the Smore into your days however you can. We know you are doing your best. We appreciate you. We value you. We are here for you.
With Sincere Gratitude,
Jen Check
Principal, Victor Primary School