North Street News
September 7, 2020
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Greetings
Happy end of summer! We are fortunate that Mother Nature has been so cooperative these last few weeks. It has certainly made the reality of a delayed school opening more palatable.
The pace at the end of summer for folks in education is typically hectic, and this summer has the added layer of many unknowns. As a parent, I relate to the experience you and your children are having - what will school be like when it reopens? Will my child be able to sustain wearing a mask all day? Who will my child's teacher be? What will the Remote Learning Academy be like? The coronavirus pandemic has many lessons waiting for us to learn - and being patient, and feeling comfortable in the discomfort, has been a big one! I sincerely appreciate your acceptance as we continue to navigate, plan, change, and plan again. Please be assured that when the district has solid information, it is shared immediately.
I can tell you that the administration is planning to release homeroom assignments this coming week, including information for those students enrolled in the Remote Learning Academy. Teachers have been "officially" working since the end of August, but I can attest that North Street teachers have been working and preparing far before that. I have witnessed the tremendous collaboration and collegiality of all staff in our building. They are eager to work with your children, and are dedicated to making both in-person and remote instruction meaningful, accessible, and engaging. They are also quite devoted to the socio-emotional well-being of your children, and are committed to creating positive, supportive relationships with the students. We understand that kids are also feeling anxious, worried, and excited, and we are prepared to work together to ease their transition. We are dedicated to building a partnership with you at home, while you undergo the monumental task of providing a structure and routine at home that allows your children to thrive during this structure of learning.
The best thing you can do at home is prepare your student for returning at school - as you always have, but this year we could call it preparation-COVID-style!
- Think about creating a "learning station" at home. Does your child have a quiet, structured place to complete work, away from siblings, the TV, and other distractions? Does your child have a working laptop with a charger nearby? (We have found the iPads and tablets are NOT compatible with all of the applications teachers use.) Is the space fully supplied with pencils, markers, paper, etc?
- How is your child's stamina with wearing a mask? The expectation is that all students will wear a mask from the moment they step onto a bus/van/in school until they arrive at home (minus mask breaks and snacktime). That's approximately 4 hours straight. Try wearing masks at home and time your child, building up more time each day. Remember, modeling as parents is one of the most powerful things we do! Wear your mask along with your child - those actions are incredibly meaningful.
- What if my child is scared of wearing a face covering? It’s understandable that children may be afraid of cloth face coverings at first. Here are a few ideas to help make them seem less scary: 1. Look in the mirror with the face coverings on and talk about it. 2. Put a cloth face covering on a favorite stuffed animal. 3. Decorate them so they’re more personalized and fun. 4. Show your child pictures of other children wearing them. 5. Draw one on their favorite book character. (from the American Academy of Pediatrics)
- How is that handwashing routine going? Overseeing these processes are very important to protect your child's health, as well as everyone else's. Singing the ABCs while handwashing is an easy routine to make sure the length of time (with warm, soapy water) is sufficient.
- Talk to your children about the feelings they are experiencing about the return to school. Normalizing their perspective (yes, it is worrisome to think about what school will look like, and we don't exactly know yet) is reassuring, because it communicates that you have heard their thinking and emotions. Then, together, you can go into the brainstorming session - what can we do to answer some of those questions, and how can we come up with some strategies to feel better when you get worried?
I have attached a few links below that may be helpful as you prepare for back to school. Please reach out to me with any questions, and know that I speak for the entire staff at North Street when I say we are eager to connect with you and your children!
Take care and be well,
Karen
A reminder of the proper steps for hand-washing:
Did you know there are steps for proper hand sanitizing??!
Here is a great video to watch with your kids about social distancing:
And finally, watch this fascinating experiment that proves the effectiveness of masks with your whole family! (I did!)
Don't forget about summer reading! Click the button below to learn more.
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North Street Elementary School
Email: kcronin@tewksbury.k12.ma.us
Website: https://www.tewksbury.k12.ma.us/north/
Location: 133 North Street, Tewksbury, MA, USA
Phone: 9786407875
Twitter: @NSTweets133