Pine Bend Family Newsletter
April 2020
Greetings!
Thank you Pine Bend Families for participating in our 30th anniversary for Jump Rope for Heart! Our theme was Harry Potter and it was a lot of fun. In this email you will find information on access to technology, food distribution for students, and some helpful information on coping with the stress of COVID-19. To stay updated please follow the district website: https://www.isd199.org/.
Construction of the 6 new classrooms is moving along, even while school is closed to staff and students. You can see the progress being made in the photos below. We are excited about all the changes to come!
For updates and to stay connected to what is happening at Pine Bend or the district, follow me:
Twitter- @mrcooperpb
Twitter- @isd199
Instagram- pinebendelementary
Instagram- isd199
Teacher Office Hours
WILD! Board Links for Kindergarten & 1st-grade Students April 6-9 ONLY/Enlaces de la tablera de WILD! para estudiantes de kindergarten y primer grado SOLO del 6 al 9 de abril
Haga clic en el enlace de arriba para el WILD! tablero de su maestra de kindergarten o primer grado! pensión del 6 al 9 de abril.
Kindergarten
1st Grade
Free Meals For Kids/Comida Gratis Para Los Ninos
Las escuelas de Inver Grove Heights ofrecen comidas y desayunos Grab and Go gratuitos a todos los niños de 2 a 18 años de edad. No se requiere identificación ni documentación. Los niños deben estar presentes para recibir una comida debido a las regulaciones federales. Para obtener más información, haga clic aquí.
Access to Technology Devices
Students in grades 2-8 will be issued a school district iPad, and students in grades 9-12 will be issued a Chromebook. Students in grades 2-12 will need a device for the majority of learning activities and to communicate with teachers. If your 2nd- through 12th-grade student does not have a school-issued device or another device at home to use, please click here to complete a Device Request Form.
Families with students in grades K-1 who do not have a device at home to communicate with their teacher via Seesaw may check out an iPad from ISD 199’s Instructional Technology Department. Please click here to complete a Device Request Form.
Internet Access for Families
ISD 199 is committed to providing high quality Internet access to all students. The Instructional Technology Department has multiple options for families to get internet access to support learning.
In-home Internet Options
Comcast’s Internet Essentials program will provide free in-home wifi for two months to new customers and then for $9.95 per month.
Xfinity WiFi hotspots across the country will be available to anyone who needs them for free – including non-Xfinity Internet subscribers. For a map of Xfinity WiFi hotspots, visit www.xfinity.com/wifi. Once at a hotspot, students should select the “xfinitywifi” network name in the list of available hotspots, and then open an Internet browser.
Access from AT&T also offers in-home wifi for free for 2 months, and then it will be available to qualifying families for as low as $10.00 per month.
Internet Access provided by ISD 199
If families cannot get Internet access using the services above, the Instructional Technology Department will provide Internet access from the parking lots of all school buildings starting Monday, April 6. Families and students will be able to walk or drive to their nearest ISD 199 school for Internet access. Please keep social distancing in mind, staying at least six feet away from others.
If families cannot get Internet access using the services above and cannot get to an ISD 199 building, our district has a very limited number of Internet hotspots available for families to check out. If your students(s) need access for Distance Learning and are not able to obtain in-home wifi or get to an ISD 199 building for free wifi, please contact Caroline Little, Director of Instructional Technology at LittleC@isd199.org or 651-306-7100.
Technology Support for Families and Students
ISD 199 will also provide technology support services to students and families who require it during this unprecedented time. Please use the following resources to request technology support if you are experiencing an issue with a technology tool.
Distance Learning Technology Support Request Form
Email: elearningsupport@isd199.org
Please allow 12-24 hours for a reply
Phone: 651-306-7600
Please leave a message and someone from the Instructional Technology Department will return your call as soon as possible.
Though not all activities will require devices and Internet access, we want to make sure that every student has the tools they need for a full education and the ability to connect with their teacher during this unstable time. Thank you for helping to provide students with every opportunity to succeed, whether learning at school or at home.
Coping with the Stress of COVID-19 as a Family
We know this is a stressful time for families and want to share some ideas that mental health organizations have recommended.
Some things to talk about with your children :
- What is going on using factual information about COVID-19 using age appropriate language and also being honest that there are some things you don't know. Remember to limit your own intake of news for your own mental health!
- Their feelings and validate these - helping them express their feelings through drawing or writing could be helpful. Feelings of sadness, boredom, anxiety, stress and panic are normal reactions during this time. You can model by talking about your own feelings.
- Coping strategies you use when you are stressed - exercise, dancing, yoga, doodling, writing letters or journaling, relaxation activities like meditation - and now would be a great time to try some new strategies together to see what helps you. You are a role model for your children, so as adults how we handle stressful situations affects how our children handle stressful situations.
Keep up the hard work! Although we are apart, we are all doing our best.
Nora Bedard, School Social Worker
Please feel free to reach out to me through email bedardn@isd199.org if you have questions about resources for your family or children. Some local resources are compiled at the following link: https://sites.google.com/isd199.org/district-resource-website/home. You will also find helpful coping information at the links below:
Upcoming Events
April 6-May 1- Distance Learning
April 10 - NO SCHOOL
April 13-17 - Virtual Spirit Week
Monday April 13: Pajama Day
Tuesday April 14: Family Day
Wednesday April 15: Crazy Sock Day
Thursday April 16: Hat Day
Friday April 17: Spartan Pride Day