2020/21 Elementary Principal Update
December 13, 2020
Dear Families,
Have yourself a merry little Christmas
Let your heart be light
Next year all our troubles will be out of sight
Have yourself a merry little Christmas
Make the yuletide gay
Next year all our troubles will be miles away
Once again as in olden days
Happy golden days of yore
Faithful friends who are dear to us
Will be near to us once more
Someday soon we all will be together
If the fates allow
Until then we'll have to muddle through somehow
So have yourself a merry little Christmas now
If you are unable to see your loved ones this December, think about how special it will be when you do get to be with them again! We wish you all a restful break, and we hope that you find joy in this season and in the days ahead.
In this newsletter, you will see two parts. The first part is specifically for our families whose children have returned to campus. The second part is for all families and includes some digital resources that we hope you will find helpful.
With Gratitude,
Emily Blaney, LCE Principal
Cory Pak, PCR Principal
Carrie Hetzel, PCY Principal
PART ONE
Information for TK - 2nd Grade Hybrid Families
If you are a hybrid family who was not ready to return to campus and remained Virtual, there are two dates available for a return: January 11 and March 1. Please make note of these dates!
Reminder 1: TK - 2nd Grade Hybrid Families: Travel
Important Reminders:
1. If you travel outside of the country, your child must quarantine for 14 days upon your return to the United States. Please monitor symptoms closely. If this quarantine interferes with school, teachers will provide daily updates, and materials will be sent home or shared digitally.
2. If you travel out of state or if you travel within the state but attend a large gathering, we recommend that those children also quarantine for 14 days upon return or after the event and that symptoms are monitored closely. If this quarantine interferes with school, teachers will provide daily updates, and materials will be sent home or shared digitally.
Photo by Mick Haupt on Unsplash
Reminder 2: TK - 2nd Hybrid Families: Illness
Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash
Reminder 3: TK - 2nd Hybrid Families: Exposure
Please report any COVID exposure immediately to the school office as this may affect the cohort and teacher. For example, if exposure was discovered after am AM student was sent to school, then the teacher would be sent home and a substitute brought in to teach the PM cohort out of precaution. The student would be sent home to get COVID tested and to quarantine, and the teacher would provide asynchronous assignments during the quarantine period.
Communication will be sent to families in the event of potential COVID or confirmed exposure. We will close the class if the cohort is exposed, and both the AM and PM cohort may need to quarantine, depending on the circumstances.
Photo by Mufid Majnun on Unsplash
Easy Access to Pre-Screener App
By the way, if you are having a hard time finding the email confirmation to show staff, check your junk mail. Some parents found it hiding there. Here's how to fix that.
PART TWO
Survey for Students
GoGuardian Parent App: Manage Your Child's Internet Activity
The LCUSD Tech Team is currently piloting this tool, and they wish to partner with families who would like to opt-in to using this feature.
The Parent App allows you to monitor which sites your child visits, how they spend their online time, and also allows you to set time limits, block certain sites, and pause internet activity for your child.
If you're interested in piloting this app in your home, please click here to learn more about the program.
The Smart Talk
Podcast: WHO SMARTED?
New episodes of WHO SMARTED? are released every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. From science & history, to the ocean and deep space, every fun-filled episode takes kids on a journey of discovery and inspiration with STEM-based educational content.
We all know ANXIETY isn't just for grownups -- so one of the episodes of Who Smarted? helps kids understand where 'Anxiety' comes from, how it affects them and some fun tips to help chase away the 'Worry Monsters' lurking inside them!
2 things your Smartypants Kid(s) will discover in today's Anxiety Episode:
Your BRAIN focuses on what you tell it to focus on, so learning to focus on something CALM (real or imagined) in times of STRESS or ANXIETY is a good way to calm down your anxious thoughts.
WORRIES are just things you imagine in your brain and they are no more or less likely to come true than good stuff you imagine. But because worry activates FEAR, a very powerful emotion, worries seem more REAL... even though they're not.
Here's something we left out, for you to share:
Nearly 10% of kids will experience chronic anxiety before the age of 13. This can be anxiety about school, fitting in, a particular place or thing, or the future. Encouraging your kids to be comfortable talking to a Parent or trusted grownup about fears or concerns is the first step to helping them manage their anxiety.
Follow These Steps to be a YouTube Sleuth:
December 8, 2020 LCUSD Parent Tech Newsletter
Students: 5 Ways to Show Teachers You Care - attachments are included at the end of this newsletter.