Family Newsletter
9/20/20
#RobinsonStrong
We are loving learning together!
Thank you to everyone who shared their feedback in the KSD Survey. To view the data, please click the link below. To view the message from the eSpotlight click here.
KSD Family Survey
https://www.surveymonkey.com/results/SM-D7VXGFJH7/
KSD Staff Survey
https://www.surveymonkey.com/results/SM-36X3S3JH7/
Robinson Staff
https://www.surveymonkey.com/results/SM-N8Z752TH7/
Families
https://www.surveymonkey.com/results/SM-BPFWKCTH7/
You should have received the KSD eSpotlight last night, which provided an update regarding Friday's Schedule. Please click here to see the updated schedules.
1. We will no longer have Friday as an A,B,C,D,E day since our specials courses will all be asynchronous that day. Our updated A,B,C,D,E Calendar can be found by clicking on it.
2. Since all specials are asynchronous that day, your child can choose which one or all of the specials lessons they want to complete on Friday afternoons.
3. This change in specials directly affected 4th and 5th grade schedules. Please look at the updated schedule for your child's grade level.
Please reach out if you have any questions, concerns, or if we can provide your family any support.
Take Care-
Angeline
20-21 Buzz Book
If you want to connect your child with their classmates- the 20-21 Buzz Book can help you do that! This is an opportunity for families to connect to set up zoom Friday afternoon play dates, in person get togethers, or share invitations to modified birthday celebrations. Thank you to PTO for putting this resource together to help our families connect!
Theme Days for Wacky Wednesday
Announcements are starting Monday
Robinson Equity Group
We'd like to welcome all new Robinson families, and invite all new Robinson parents and caretakers to participate in the Robinson Equity Group. We advocate for inclusion and acceptance by establishing a brave space that produces authentic conversations about race, equity, privilege, and oppression. We strive to build meaningful relationships that connect families and work to create equity in our schools and communities.
We've had some discussion about how to move forward when we can't all meet in person, and we are all consumed with navigating online learning. We had a great online book club session this summer on Ibram X. Kendi's book How to Be An Anti-Racist, but we realize reading a book and investing in several sessions of discussion might be more capacity than some of us have given the circumstances. At the same time, now is not the time to take our foot of the pedal in our equity work. We want to keep moving forward!
So . . . this fall we're going to try a PODCAST discussion group instead. One podcast episode, once a month. All you need to do is listen to the podcast episode, and join us on Zoom to dig in to the issues and ideas in the episode.
We are VERY excited about this month's podcast, which is an interview with anti-racist author, educator and media producer Austin Channing Brown from Brene Brown's podcast, Unlocking Us. It is a GREAT dialogue, and we can't wait to dive in.
Please join our first podcast discussion on Thursday, October 1 from 6:30-8:00 on Zoom. We'll make an event post with the link to join before the date. All Robinson parents and caretakers, old and new, are invited!
https://open.spotify.com/episode/524Kg4l5UyP8nQB1Qh6sGV?si=pjnS7YHlTZeB_SQExHiE8Q
Join our discussion via zoom:
https://kirkwoodschools.zoom.us/j/98060595971
New parents and caretakers can request to join our REG Facebook page, @RobinsonEquity or email questions or thoughts to co-chairs Alicia Stowers and Emily Kohring at robinsonequity@gmail.com
PTO Robinson Spirit Wear
Here is the info for our Robinson PTO apparel orders. Please feel free to share, post and promote as PTO will make a few dollars on each piece purchased which benefits all students! Our spirit wear sales have been extended-
Store - https://stlouistees.com/robinsonelementary/shop/home
As I shared in last week's newsletter, our PTO does a lot to support our staff and students to ensure that everyone has what they need and that they are also giving back to our community. Your spirit wear purchase will support these efforts that make our school community so special. Thank you to PTO for all you do!
Library Updates
Robinson Curbside Library Check-Out
We will continue to offer curbside check out of library books during our virtual learning time. Please use either Destiny Discover to place holds on specific titles or the Google Form to request books by Wednesday each week. Mrs. Davis will email on Thursdays if you have books ready for pick up. Pick up will be in the OLC from 8AM-7PM every Friday.
Virtual Author Visit
Author Sherri Rinker will meet with all K-1 students in the Kirkwood School District on October 2nd at 8:30 over Zoom. This visit is being provided through the Novel Neighbor bookstore in Webster Groves. Mrs. Davis will be teaching K-1 students about Sherri Rinker and reading her books in upcoming library lessons. If you would like to know more about Sherri Rinker and her books, you can visit www.sherririnker.com.
All Robinson students are able to order books by Ms. Rinker. After her visit, you will be able to pick up the books at Robinson during our Friday curbside pick up, or pay to have the books shipped to your home. Here are links to order the books. If you would like to pay with cash or check you will need to bring payment to The Novel Neighbor.
cash/check: https://forms.gle/eqeNjAcG4ZGgNxnr6
credit card: https://thenovelneighbor.com/srinker/
The Distance Learning Playbook for Parents: How to Support Your Child's Academic, Social, and Emotional Development in Any Setting
Our staff members have been reading the teacher version of this book as part of their staff development. I'm inviting staff and families to join me in learning more about how to support our kids while they are learning at home.
We will have four zoom meetings to discuss the four sections of the text. Even if you are unable to read the text, you can join us for collaborative conversations regarding the tools that are shared. You will join via the same zoom link for all of our meetings.
https://kirkwoodschools.zoom.us/j/96634940690
1. The Basics- October 6th, 9-10 am or 5:30-6:30 pm
2. The Value of ...- October 20th, 9-10 am or 5:30-6:30 pm
3. The Principles of Wellbeing- November 3rd, 9-10 am or 5:30-6:30 pm
4. The Mindframes- November 17th, 9-10 am or 5:30-6:30 pm
Staff and Families please register to participate in this book study. I will be emailing a study guide, notes, and agenda from the reading prior to our meeting. I look forward to learning with you!
Click here to order a paperback version that is ready to ship now (the Amazon version is preorder for paperback)
Click her to order a digital version from amazon
iPad Insurance
Payment for iPad insurance is no longer offered through Infinite Campus. However, you can pay for iPad insurance through your MySchoolBucks.com account:
- Log in to MySchoolBucks.com or create a free account.
- Click School Store at the top of the page and select Browse All Items.
- Choose the Store Item and add it to your cart.
- Check out!
Parents can also download the "MySchoolBucks" app to set up an account and make payments. Those who prefer to not use our online payment option can pay via cash or check, working directly with Robinson.
Digital Citizenship Curriculum
This month, we will kick off year two of our digital citizenship curriculum. This work is perhaps more important now than ever, given the online nature of schooling during the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of our district wellness initiative, we will again engage all students (K-12) in a series of digital citizenship lessons between now and December.
Lessons, organized into six strands, come from Common Sense Education and are aligned with CASEL and ISTE Standards for Students.
Lessons will be introduced to families on the dates noted below, with teachers and schools given the flexibility to teach into the lessons when it best meets the needs of their students. Links to PDFs of family activities and family tips for our first strand can be found on our Media Balance and Wellbeing digital citizenship website.
Media Balance & Well-Being (Sept 19)
Privacy & Security (Oct 10)
News & Media Literacy (Oct 24)
Digital Footprint & Identity (Nov 7)
Relationships & Communication (Nov 21
Cyberbullying, Digital Drama, & Hate Speech (Dec 5)
The first strand for all students (K-12) is Media Balance & Well-Being. We recognize the potential irony of this strand, given the amount of time our students are currently required to engage online with their devices. We also believe our situation makes it even more important to teach into balancing media time for well-being. We want students to think about how much time they are online and, more importantly, what they are doing on their devices - for school and especially in their free time. Not all screen time is created equal, as the 12th grade lesson highlights, and students should think about how time on devices may be helpful and harmful to their health. Links to PDFs of family activities and family tips for October can be found on our KSD digital citizenship website. You can also access the K-12 Digital Citizenship Curriculum Document 2020.
Digital Citizenship Contracts
Digital citizenship for students will take part during classroom time as part of digital citizenship curriculum. KSD digital citizenship resources are on our website.
Parents and guardians can sign up for insurance on MySchoolBucks application, KSD's online payment system. To set up a MySchoolBucks account, please visit our website. Please purchase insurance by October 9.
Once you are signed in to MySchoolBucks, please follow the steps shown below to sign up for insurance.
K-8 parents and guardians, please review the Parent/Guardian Agreement and sign the google form. The form will need to be completed for each child with an iPad. In order to complete, you will need your child's six-digit student ID.
Tech Support
Click Here for Parent Academy. This has help with all things KSD technology
Online Tools Status - This page serves as your go-to place to see if any of our systems, particularly Schoology and Zoom, are experiencing service issues on a national level. You can click on the invididual icons for additional information.
KSD Univeral Apps & Tech Tools - Brief information and links regarding shared tech resources available across our schools and grade levels
How-To Guides & Resources
- Viewing Your Student's Account in Schoology
- Using Your iPad Clock to Stay Organized
- Using Split Screen to Multitask on iPads
Students - General Tech Questions
Accessing Accounts & Information
Schoology Support
Meals for Families
KSD NOW is currently serving 170 students for the 20-21 school year. Since July, KSD NOW provided approximately 11,230 meals to students in the District, plus snacks, books, and gift cards.
The Grab and Go program has served 7,484 breakfasts and 8,699 lunches since July 1, 2020.
For more information about KSD NOW, please visit the KSD NOW donation website. KSD NOW would like to provide additional items for the upcoming holiday months and longer breaks for the increasing number of students in the program and would appreciate continued support of this program. For more information about Grab and Go Meals, please visit our Parent Academy website.