StepUP
Family Newsletter January 15, 2021
Dear StepUP Families,
We have been so happy to see our students in our halls and classrooms again. We can feel their smiles behind their masks and we hear the excitement in their voices to be back at school. As we continue through January, we are feverishly planning for our reopening in February. More information will be coming as we get closer to the dates, but for now, please know that all students will return the week of February 2nd in a hybrid format. This means that students will attend on alternating days (your classroom teacher will be able to tell you which days your student will attend, and bussing will be provided). This allows all classes to come in smaller groups to practice being in school for longer periods of time.
For our Transition students, that means they will get to be here all day!
For our students in our SEL programs (K-3, 4-7, 7UP) this means they will be able to attend according to their original placement as determined by the team from their school campus and you, their family.
If you have not heard from your StepUP teacher regarding schedules, please reach out to us, we have been trying to reach you to confirm schedules. Students that attend both their home campus and StepUP will be able to do so and will have bussing in place.
Due to students coming to our school from other campuses, our cohorts at StepUP will not mix. This means that the older students will not be able to mentor students in other classrooms as we have in the past, and we will not be mixing groups during recess. This is in an effort to best keep all of our students and staff safe. Please continue to monitor our weekly newsletters as we will be sharing a lot more important information in the next two weeks as we continue to prepare to have students on campus all day.
Next week we will continue to provide on-campus Limited In Person classes from 8:40-10:40 during their regularly scheduled days. Thank you again for your continued partnership in ensuring that you notify us and keep your students home if they have possibly had a COVID exposure, or if they are experiencing any symptoms, as well as ensuring that they come to school prepared with a facial covering.
Please reach out if you have any questions and concerns, we are happy to help navigate all of the information with you, we know that it can be overwhelming and confusing at times.
Thank you,
Karen Mitchell
IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER:
- No School - Martin Luther King Jr Day - January 18
- Semester 1 Ends (Elementary only) - January 28
- No School - Elementary only - Teacher Preparation Day - January 29
- No School- Curriculum Day - February 1st
- Tentative all grades begin to Hybrid - February 2
- Tentative K-5 and Transition Full Time start date - February 8
REDMOND SCHOOL DISTRICT EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY:
If you’re looking for a rewarding career, the Redmond School District might have the right fit for you. In particular, we are seeking bus drivers and bus monitors to join our team. No experience is necessary, and we offer paid training and a $500 bonus when you complete your first 90 days! Join our team: https://redmond.tedk12.com/hire/ViewJob.aspx?JobID=8077 TRANSITION NEWS:
For the remainder of the month of January, Transition is grateful to offer Limited In Person Instruction (LIPI) from 8:40 -10:40 Monday/Thursday and Tuesday/Friday. Some online courses continue as is, while others have ended, along with new ones being designed to be presented in a model for both in person and online in the Google Classroom. Congratulations to all Transition students who participated in the Oregon Food Handlers online class as everyone has earned their certification. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Kate or Liz. Should the scheduled plan change for any reason, the Transition staff will contact parents and students. Thank you for your continued support and flexibility.
4-7 NEWS:
Classroom 4-7 enjoyed their first LIPI group back from hiatus, on Tuesday. They played a few games and started a new SEL section, Self Awareness. They also learned how to make peanut butter cereal bars. This is an easy snack with few ingredients that they can easily make at home. Here are some pictures of our students being silly and enjoying their time with their classmates.
How do I sign up for text updates from Redmond School District?
You can receive text alerts about upcoming school events, attendance notifications, inclement weather delays and emergency notifications. To opt in, text “Y” or “Yes” to the number 67587 using the mobile phone number on file at your student’s school. You can opt out of these messages at any time by replying to one of our messages with “Stop”
MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES
We know that children who form secure attachments with the adults in their lives lead happier, more fulfilling lives. In these unpredictable times, it’s especially important to help our students feel the Four S’s: Safe, Seen, Soothed, and Secure
Safe: Adults have two primary jobs when keeping kids safe and helping them feel safe: protect them from harm, and avoid becoming a source of fear and threat.
Seen: Truly seeing kids is about three things: (1) attuning to their internal mental state by being present; (2) coming to understand their internal state; and (3) responding to what we see in a timely and effective manner. This process helps them “feel felt.”
Soothed: When a child is in a state of internal distress, that negative experience can be shifted by an interaction with a trusted adult who attunes to and cares for them. They might still suffer, but your presence lets them know they are not alone in their pain. This co-regulating process allows kids to learn how to “inner sooth” themselves.
Secure: Give kids a secure base by showing them they are safe, that there’s someone who sees them and cares for them, and that we soothe them in times of distress. They then learn to keep themselves safe, to see themselves as worthy, and to soothe themselves when things go wrong.
At StepUP, our team is dedicated to helping your student feel safe, seen, soothed, and secure when they're with us. What are some ways you can help your child "feel felt" at home? For a deeper explanation of the Four S’s and strategies on implementing them, feel free to check out Tina Payne Bryson and Dan Siegel’s book,
The Power of Showing Up.
INFORMATION FROM OUR SCHOOL NURSE
TEN THINGS YOU CAN DO TO PREPARE FOR SCHOOL REOPENING:
