The Neidig Chalkboard
Building a community of leaders who inspire greatness!
COVID School Closure Update #4 - April 6
Neidig Elementary School
Email - sgodshalk@qcsd.org
Twitter - @sgodshalk
Email: sgodshalk@qcsd.org
Website: https://nes.qcsd.org/
Location: Temporary Address - 2360 Old Bethlehem Pike North, Quakertown, PA
Phone: 215-529-2360
Twitter: @NeidigElem
Principal's Message
Last week was our third consecutive week out of school. The initial 2 week closure has passed, and Governor Wolf has closed all Pennsylvania schools indefinitely. All signs point to the fact that the school closures will last for quite some time.
Last week, we kicked off our Distance Learning work at Neidig. I am extremely proud of the entire Neidig community for embracing this new form of teaching and learning. I can provide evidence of the engagement in this work. There were approximately 4,000 new posts on SeeSaw last week, along with hundreds of new posts in Google Classrooms. Wow! Thank you Neidig! I am eternally grateful to our school community for embracing this new version of teaching and learning. The faculty and staff at Neidig has learned so much about distance learning, and they continue to demonstrate their ongoing love, care, compassion, and leadership with our students. The teaching team continues to balance their instructional roles with managing their own health and the health of their family members. As you know, this is a challenging balance, and we appreciate your participation in this process.
Parents and Guardians, I want to thank you for your work, support, and assistance with your children. We know navigating the world of Distance Learning was thrust upon you too, and many of you are also trying to find the balance of work and family. The teaching team at Neidig is working on designing and presenting online learning activities in a clear, coherent, and coordinated manner so students know exactly what is expected. We know you are answering many questions at home too. You are asking your child's teachers great questions online. Please continue to provide that feedback! It is helping us!
The teaching team is monitoring student participation with our learning activities. The first week of Distance Learning yielded positive results, and we are pleased that so many students participated in the learning. We also noticed some students have not communicated back to their teachers. If students are not engaged in learning activities and have not communicated with their teachers, we will be reaching out to those students and families. We care about all of our students, and we know the pandemic has drastically changed family's schedules and routines. Our goal with this communication is to provide support.
Last, we know this unprecedented global event has had an impact on family's physical health, mental health, and family finances. There are district, county, and state resources found below that may be helpful. Please click the links to learn more. Specifically, please take advantage of the offer for families experiencing struggles to receive free food.
Important Information from Mrs. Grube - Please Click Below
Need Some Help with SeeSaw?
Managing Parent Notifications in Seesaw (for Parents) This shows how parents can customize how and when they get notifications in the parent app.
Changing Classes in Seesaw (for Students) This shows how students can see all the activities and announcements for each class they are enrolled in.
Community Resources
Hello Quakertown families. We are aware of the challenges many of you are facing during these unprecedented times. To help those struggling with anxiety, other challenging emotions and substance abuse, we have put together a list of community-based resources.
The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services has launched a Support & Referral Helpline staffed by skilled and compassionate staff who will be available 24/7 to assist you. The toll-free, round-the-clock support line is 1-855-284-2494. For TTY, dial 724-631-5600.
Additional resources for you to consider include:
Bucks County COVID-19 Behavioral Health Helpline
Pennsylvania Recovery Organization Alliance Online and Virtual Recovery Support Resource List
Helping Homebound Children During COVID-19 Outbreak
Working Remotely During COVID-19
Support for LGBTQ Students during the shutdown
PA Department of Health’s Coronavirus webpage
The DOH also recommends these resources:
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255)
Nacional de Prevención del Suicidio: 1-888-628-9454
Crisis Text Line: Text “PA” to 741-741
Veteran Crisis Line: 1-800-273-TALK (8255)
Disaster Distress Helpline: 1-800-985-5990
Get Help Now Hotline (for substance use disorders): 1-800-662-4357
Pennsylvania Sexual Assault Helpline – 1-888-772-7227
National Domestic Violence Helpline – 1-800-799-7233
Please do not hesitate to use any of these resources for you or a loved one. Everyone is feeling the impact of this COVID-19 pandemic in some way. We hope this is helpful. Thank you for reading.
Gary Weckselblatt
Director of Communications
Twitter: @QCSDnews
Facebook: QCSD News
A Parent's Support for Distance Learning in QCSD
Neidig's Read Aloud Site
QCSD Website
FREE FOOD! PLEASE READ!
UPDATE!!!
From the QCSD website:
For a safer experience that will also save families time, starting Monday food pickup will be three days a week, Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. There will also be a slight change to the location. Effective Thursday, March 26, food pickup will be moved from the front of Quakertown Community High School to the bus loading area (off of 7th St.).On Mondays and Wednesdays, students will be provided with meals for two days. On Friday, they’ll receive food for one day. These meals are provided for free. We ask that parents bring something to carry the lunches, a bag or a box, for example.
Besides students on free and reduced lunch, QCSD families going through financial hardship may also bring their students for food pickup. If you’re physically unable to get to the high school, please contact your school’s principal.
CLICK HERE for more information.
Chromebook / iPad Work Orders
If you are having difficulty with your school issued device, please click the link below.
Technology Support Request Form: https://forms.gle/sRs2Fjp8yCYGtdVu8
Joe Kuzo
Director of Technology
Leader in Me Family Resources
The Leader in Me is not a program. It is a philosophy for school and life. There is so much we can all benefit from right now. We want to support you with Neidig routines that your children can teach you! Check out these amazing LIM FAMILY RESOURCES. You will find activities, lessons, and videos. This is a great site!
QCSD At Home Learning Opportunities - Learning For All
The QCSD Office for Teaching and Learning (OTL) organized the online resources used at each grade level. This is a wonderful resource during the school shut down. Please click the link below to access this link.