GEIST GAZETTE- Covid 19 Edition
March 25, 2020
GEIST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Website: https://ges.hseschools.org/
Location: 14051 East 104th Street, Fishers, IN 46037
Phone: 317-915-4260
Twitter: @Geistgators
Below are the district school days from now until May 1st.
Note from Mrs. Thomas, Mrs. Laffey and Mrs. Keller
Hello Gator Families-
We hope you are healthy and safe during this difficult time. We know the numbers in Indiana and Hamilton County continue to climb so we hope you are following the recommendations from the CDC to social distance and stay in.
We know this is difficult for everyone! This is hard and scary. The typical routines have gone by the way side and Stuck-In-The-House Routines are being created. Our staff members are very challenged at this time to balance the health of their family, teaching, caring for elderly and managing their own child's activities all at the same time. Just like everyone has their own in class styles of teaching we also have our own styles of elearning and we appreciate your understanding. We do meet virtually with the staff weekly, however, we too are not trying to overwhelm our staff because of the challenging times. Thank you for your patience and flexibility.
Please focus on your family during this difficult time. Covid-19 is impacting the entire world and all children who were starting their fourth quarter content. We are blessed to be able to have some contact with our families via our 1-1 system. Educators are already trying to navigate how we will address missed content and assure understanding from fourth quarter at the start of next year. More details will be forthcoming. We really believe our focus at this time needs to be on our families, health and mental health. We know during this time we can get stir crazy, so we encourage you and your child(ren) to check out your child's Canvas dashboard. There is a Counseling, Resources and School Supports page. On our page, you will find consistently added read alouds and other activities to additionally engage your child. There is also information under the announcements on that page!
Below are specific sensory regulatory strategies or practices students can implement at home when they are feeling anxious, irritated or fearful.
- Three deep breaths creating a longer exhale
- Draw a design to music
- Run your hands under warm water and with a little soap, give yourself one-minute hand massage
- Hold a push-up pose or use a wall for a seated pose for 30 seconds and then stretch for one minute.
- Chew gum or eat a crunchy snack
- Find three objects from outside that remind you of spring
- Practice writing your name with your eyes closed or with your opposite hand and watch your skills improve with practice!
- Create a poem or picture and add a little bit to your creation every day that you are home!
- Wrap yourself up in a warm blanket and read a book or draw a picture!
- Practice the alphabet backwards or replacing each letter with a word as you can share your new talents when school resumes!
DRESS-IN Days at your house for this week 3/25,26:
Wednesday we will wear your brightest colored shirt
Thursday Gator Shirt/Colors day
We have attached a document we feel is very helpful for all to hang in our houses. What Can you Control and what Can't You? This is a good reminder for all us! We were planning to conduct a drive by the neighborhoods but with the ONLY essential travel mandate for Fishers, as well as yesterday's Governors mandate, we were instructed to hold.
Wishing you strong physical and mental health during this difficult time.
We are simply an email or message away!
Be Safe-
Mrs. Thomas, Mrs. Laffey and Mrs. Keller
If you click on the picture above it will take you to our Canvas- Counseling and School Resource page.
Related Arts Selections on Canvas
Indiana assessments
Due to Covid-19, all state mandated Indiana assessments- IREAD and ILEARN have been canceled for the 19-20 school year. WIDA screeners are on delay.
Supporting & Teaching ALL Students - Equity Newsletter
Equity Newsletter:
-What does an equity coach do?
-How are GES teachers and staff expanding their equity lens?
-How can you get involved at GES and the community?
2020-2021 Geist Elementary Thoughtful Placement Requests
We would like to assure parents and guardians that our school administration is working to help create a balanced classroom group of students for the coming school year based on social, academic/learning, and personality needs of each student.
There are individual situations where a thoughtful placement needs to be made for a child to create the best possible learning experience. Completing the Thoughtful Placement Request form, for special circumstances, will assist teachers and administration in determining classroom placements. Individual requests must be completed each year by using this link:
2020-2021 Geist Elementary School Thoughtful Placement Request Form
While the ultimate decision on all placement rests with the administration, after due consideration of staff recommendations and parent thoughtful placement input, we do request that parents assist in identifying the characteristics of a classroom environment that would meet their child's needs. In a building of 650+ students, it is not possible to accept specific teacher requests; please refrain from inserting specific teacher names for the following school year placement.
Please submit your request with this form instead of an email to Guidance and Administration. All parent thoughtful placement requests submitted will be reviewed.
This form will close on Friday, May 1, 2020.
Thank you for partnering with us,
The Geist Elementary School Staff
Kindergarten Enrollment is Open
Registration is now open for the 2020-21 school year. Children must be five-years-old on or before September 1, 2020. Early Entrance to Kindergarten applications are available for children who turn five-years-old between August 2, 2020 and on or before September 1, 2020.
The HSE Kindergarten Open House will be April 30 from 5-7 PM. Students who are in Kindergarten but not at Geist Elementary may enroll now for 1st grade. Current HSE/Geist students do not need to enroll for the next school year.
Just a reminder when you get frustrated with anyone in the coming days...
Friends of the Library
The last day to submit a Friends of the Library club form will be Friday, April 17th. This will allow all of our friends plenty of time to enjoy their special book selection before summer break. Thank you to all the families who participated this year.
Kelly Pidcock
School Librarian
Keller’s Clips: Growth Mindset in Action at GES #WeGotThis
As educators at GES, we focus and high-light the need for growth mindset as an integral part of educational and life-long success.
During classroom lessons, we’ve consistently taught and enforced the need for self-regulation.
- Counselor classroom lessons to learn, understand, identify and regulate our brains and thoughts.
- Three basic parts of the brain are the focused: the prefrontal cortex (listening, learning and problem-solving center); the amygdala (emotional center, fight or flight responses) and the hippocampus (memory and learning storage bank)
- During this school year, we’ve added the essential focus on self-talk. Not only in the area of calming oneself, but in the area of motivating oneself to learn and struggle through challenges
- Students have been taught how neuropathways are actually developed in their brains and what it takes to create these new pathways of knowledge.
- Growth Mindset, a love of challenging things, perseverance and ability to learn from our mistakes is key!
The district has released another #WeGotThis video on all of our social channels.
Please take a minute to watch, encourage and support your students to do the same.
In addition to this video, HSE will be posting short (:45) neuroscience-related videos throughout the end of the year. We appreciate your support with this initiative.
Lisa Piatek Keller, School Counselor
#WeGotThis
Show us How You're Spending the Time at Home!
The GES Yearbook will feature pages dedicated to this period of distance learning. Families are invited to submit a photo or two showing us what distance learning looks like at home. Are you doing something new? Drop us a line and photo (jpg or png) and it may be featured in the yearbook! Please include your student's name in the email.
Please submit your information to GeistElemPhoto@gmail.com by March 27.
Order Your Yearbook Now through April 1
The 2019-2020 GES Yearbook sale has been extended! Order before April 1. The yearbook costs $15 each and are being sold ONLINE ONLY, and only during the sale period. Late orders will not be accepted and we won't have extras; please plan accordingly.
To order your yearbook click here or visit:
www.inter-state.com/yearbook and enter code: 47540P
HSE Schools Community Insider
Check out extracurricular opportunities and activities happening at Geist Elementary and around the community! The HSE Community Insider is on updated frequently and is located on the HSE Schools webpage. You can find it here: hseschools.org/happenings/community-insider.