Mustang Minute
September 4, 2020
― Terry Pratchett, A Hat Full of Sky
No School, September 7- Labor Day
No School, September 8- Remote Learning Planning Day
Effective August 28th, PushCoin credit card fees will increase from 2.90% + $.025 per credit card transaction to 2.95% + $.26 per credit card transaction. There is no change to the eCheck funding option, which remains free to parents and the district.
Topics
- Phase 2 begins Sept. 9 (NEW)
- Remote Learning Feedback (NEW)
- Switching Between In-Person and Remote Learning (NEW)
- Yearbook Update (NEW)
- D.E.A.M.
- iPads/Battery Life
- Remote Learning Expectations for Parents and Students
- Teacher Absence
- School Supplies
- MBAC
- Face Masks
- Paraprofessional Openings at D24
- EPIC News (Updated)
- Virtual Backpack (Updated)
Phase 2 Begins Sept. 9
Yesterday, we sent information on the transition back for in-person learning. You will find a copy of this letter below. Please review this document, especially if you are driving yoru child to or from school. There have been changes in our procedures, the biggest being that all student drop-offs will now be in the back of the school and buses will now bein the front.
Also attached is the FAQ that Dr. Lind sent out earlier this week.
Parent Pick-up
Remote Learning Feedback
As we complete our 2nd week of remote learning, a couple of things to note as you work with your child:
- Students need to sign in at their assigned start time or they will be marked tardy. The teacher will open Zoom sessions five minutes before the actual start time. We will also be documenting times students are not in their Zoom sessions. This will be counted towards their attendance. If a child leaves and does not come back for over an hour, this will be marked as a half-day absence.
- Parents should refrain from asking questions or making comments during a live Zoom lesson while the teacher is teaching. This can cause disruption to the lesson. Parents should email or call the teacher if they have any questions.
- Students should not be participating in Zoom sessions if they are in a car or traveling. If your child cannot be available for the instruction, contact the teacher.
- If you have any appointments, please notify the office and the teacher of your child's absence.
Although we are remote, we need to remember that we are still in school. Do your best to treat the remote environment like they are at school.
Switching Between In-Person and Remote
Unfortunately, we will not be able to accommodate switching from remote to in-person at this time. Our class sizes have been created to allow 6ft of social distancing when in the clasroom. Homerooms have been set up based on these numbers.
We will reach out to parents later in the fall about the possibility of changing.
Yearbook Update from Lifetouch
Yes, we have yearbooks ready to be picked up in our office. Parents can come in this Saturday from 9:00-10:30 outside the main office. Ms. Maier will be there to help pass them out. Otherwise, parents can come into school anytime on weekdays from 8AM-4PM.
D.E.A.M.
In an effort to help students and their families find ways to be active and move throughout the day we are providing a movement calendar we are calling DEAM (Drop Everything and Move). These calendars provide daily exercise activities for students. There are two calendar options; the long list-type calendar is suitable for students in K-5, the other more traditional calendar format is suitable for students in grade 3-5. You may print this calendar, write it on a separate piece of paper or pick one up in the front vestibule at school with other school materials. At the end of each month students can turn in their completed calendar for a chance to win a raffle prize. The prizes will be announced in the PE lessons students will do during their Specials time each week.
Have fun and stay healthy!!!
Mrs. Michel and Ms. Hoetzer
Choose one of the calendars below to use to track yoru exercises.
iPads/ Battery Life
Teacher Absent Day
Parent Expectations for Remote Learning
- Establish a daily routine and provide an appropriate space to support student learning.
- For families that are teaming up with students in the same class, students should be separated into different rooms during live in-instruction due to microphone feedback.
- Review assigned work, discuss expectations with your child and communicate with teachers.
- Set limits on technology use for games, social media, etc.
- Emphasize the importance of learning and education
- Expect your child to read at least 30 minutes everyday
- Ensure that children are eating healthy each day including fruits, vegetables and protein in their diets.
- Daily attendance is required and parents are expected to follow our normal procedures for reporting attendance. Call the office before 9:00AM if your child cannot participate in the learning activities for the day. The teacher will be doing attendance each morning and reporting any absent students to the office.
- It is important that students get an appropriate amount of sleep each night. The following guidelines should be considered: Ages 3-5 (11-13 hours of sleep), Ages 5-10 (10-11 hours of sleep), Ages 11 up (9 to 10 hours of sleep).
- Children should be exercising at least an hour each day most of which should be moderate or vigorous aerobic activity. Please be sure to contact Mrs. Michel or Ms. Hoetzer if you need ideas.
- Health, wellness and social-emotional needs must be a priority for all children during this time. We encourage parents to contact the office if you need the assistance of the Social Worker.
- Be sure to follow best practice hygiene including brushing teeth twice a day, bath and change clothes daily, wash hands regularly and follow CDC preventative measures recommendations. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/prevention.html
MBAC Registration
Face Masks
There are many companies that are selling masks, but which one is right for you? It really is like choosing a pair of shoes. You want them to be comfortable and still serve the purpose. The CDC recommends face make following these guidelines:
- Face masks should fit snugly and comfortably
- They must be secured with ties or ear loops
- They should comprise multiple fabric layers
- You should be able to breathe without restriction while wearing the face mask
- You should be able to wash the face masks without causing damage or losing the face mask’s shape
We do suggest families start looking for options for their child and to have them get use to wearing it for longer periods of time. Try wearing the mask around the house in relaxed environments: watching TV, playing a family game, etc.
Paraprofessional Postions Openings
SPECIAL EDUCATION PARAPROFESSIONAL
Primary Function: To provide support to one or more students with disabilities, enabling them to receive greater benefit from the district’s instructional program.
Organizational Relationships: The Special Education Paraprofessional receives guidance from the classroom teacher and reports to the Administration.
Performance Responsibilities:
- Under the supervision of the teacher, work with student or students to reinforce concepts initially introduced by the teacher.
- Assist student(s) in organizing tasks, schedules, materials or assignments.
- Establish a positive and supportive relationship with the student(s), which encourages independent functioning rather than dependency.
- Assist the teacher in devising special strategies for reinforcing the skills of individual students based on their needs, interests, or abilities.
- Help students operate and care for equipment or instructional materials assigned by the teacher.
- Distribute and collect workbooks, papers, and other materials for instruction,
- Guide independent study, enrichment work, and remedial work set up and assigned by the teacher.
- Assist with the supervision of student(s), including during emergency drills, assemblies, play periods, lunchtime, trips to the office, nurse, Media Center or field trips.
- Check notebooks, correct papers, and supervise testing and make-up work, as assigned by the teacher.
- Help student(s) with their clothing, dressing skills as needed.
- Assist with lunch, snack, and clean-up routines
- Assist with wash-up and toilet routines.
- Help student transition from one room to another.
- Alert the teacher to any problem or special information about the assigned student(s).
- Maintain the same high level of ethical behavior and confidentiality of information about students as is expected of fully licensed teachers.
- Participate in inservice training programs, as assigned.
- Support established classroom and behavior management procedures.
- Perform other duties that may be assigned by supervisor.
Terms of Employment: Must have or obtain a paraprofessional license as issued by the State of Illinois.
180 work days salary and work year established by the Board of Education.
EPIC News
Amazon Smile: Do you use Amazon? Consider making your orders through Amazon Smile –Millburn EPIC will get a percentage of every order done in our name. See the attached below for the easy instructions.
Box Tops: Don’t forget about your Box Tops! If you would like to submit any Box Tops that you have, please email us at: boxtoplabels@millburnepic.com. We will be happy to pick them up from your porch or mailbox. Any Box Tops submitted over the summer will be saved for the 2020-2021 school year and your child will get credit for their new classroom. Don’t forget to scan your grocery receipt to earn digital Box Tops for Millburn!
Jimano’s $$: Are you ordering dinner from Jimano’s? Look on your pizza box for the ‘Piece of Education’ logo and save that tab - Jimano’s will donate back to Millburn for each one of those saved! Turn these into the school with your Box Tops. Have a lot and want to give them now? Contact us at
Coca-Cola Give: Coca-Cola Give is a new destination for donating to your school. Each bottle of Coca-Cola products has a code on the inside of the bottle cap. (Not just soda – Dasani water, Powerade, Honest, etc).
2 Ways to give us the codes:
Enter the codes online
https://us.coca-cola.com/give/ Click Donate to your Local School. Enter Millburn Middle School or Millburn Elementary School (please make sure it is for the Illinois school NOT the New Jersey one). Join or sign in when you have an account.
Or
Send us the caps: contact us at boxtoplabels@millburnepic.com. We will sent up a pick up time and we will do the work for you.
Board Elections: We are going holding elections in the fall. Open positions will be: Vice President, Secretary, Community Fundraising Director, MMS Activity Director and MES Activity Director. If you are interested in a position and would like to reach out to us please contact us at president@millburnEPIC.com.
For more information visit our website at www.millburnEPIC.com
Questions or concerns contact us at millburnepic@gmail.com
Virtual Backpack
Mrs. Kari Gedville
Email: kgedville@millburn24.net
Phone: 847-245-4910
Twitter: @KariGedville