Mercersburg and Montgomery Update
08/25/2020
Dear Families,
I am excited to start the 2020-21 school year with all of you either virtually or in person! I promise you this, that we will all be learning this year, and we will all make mistakes. The three most important school supplies that we all need this year are Flexibility, Patience, and Grace. We are all going down a new path in education this year and guidelines are constantly changing. With things rapidly changing, we will all need to be flexible with changes in order to navigate. As we navigate a new world of education with students being virtual and in our brick and mortar setting, we will be patient as students navigate a new way of learning, and we hope that you will be patient with us as well. Lastly, we will lead with grace. We will all make mistakes, yet we will learn from them. Each day our goal is to be better than yesterday!
Sincerely,
Mr. Kaczmark
School Starts Monday, August 31st
FACE COVERINGS ARE MANDATORY
FACE COVERINGS MANDATORY IN SCHOOL
All students will be required to wear a face-covering during the school day. We will do our best to provide mask breaks to students, but at this time ALL STUDENTS will be required to wear face-coverings on the bus and once they enter school. Please see the State Department of Education's Frequently Asked Questions link below for more information.
Last week, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) released an update to their guidance in regards to face coverings being worn at all times to help mitigate the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Prior guidance we released in collaboration with The Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) stated students in schools could remove their face coverings as long as six feet of social distancing could be maintained. Given this recent change from the AAP, and consistent with the Secretary of Health’s Face Covering Order issued on July 1, 2020, DOH is requiring students to wear face coverings at all times while in school, even when six feet of social distancing can be achieved. There are limited exceptions.
All students will be required to wear a face-covering during the school day. We will make every attempt possible to provide the students with multiple mask breaks during the day, but at this time it is required by the Pennsylvania Department of Education and Department of Health that all students wear a face covering.
Dont forget! All students are permitted to bring water bottles to school this year!!!!! Drinking foutains will not be used.
Student Self Screening
USE OF PLAYGROUNDS, STADIUM TRACK and other on campus areas.
District Transportation
Face coverings will be required for all students while utilizing district
transportation (buses, vans). The siblings will be seated together.
Car Rider Drop off's
Parents are to stay in their cars when dropping off and picking up their children. Students will be required to enter the building wearing a face-covering.
2 HOUR DELAY EVERY WEDNESDAY
Reading tid bits
Did you know that twenty minutes a day spent reading with your child can be the most important time you can give them? In the children’s classic, Read to Your Bunny, by Rosemary Wells, reading is described as “twenty minutes of fun, twenty minutes of moonlight, twenty minutes of old-time favorites, and twenty minutes “brand-new.” Reading daily in your child’s early years not only builds critical reading skills, it also instills an importance for the life-long skill that encompasses every subject they will learn in school. Research has proven that the single best way to improve a child’s reading skills is to READ! So give your child twenty devoted minutes, and not only will you get lost in the magic of a book, but you will create lasting memories with your child! It costs nothing but twenty minutes of your time. As best described by author Rosemary Wells, “Reading to your little one is just like putting gold coins in the bank. It will pay you back tenfold!” (Read to Your Bunny, by Rosemary Wells)
Get the most out of reading aloud with these four easy tips:
1. Hold the book so your child can see the words or pictures while you are reading. Run your finger under the text as you read it aloud and be sure to point out interesting things in the illustrations.
2. Take your time and do not rush the story. Your child can tell if you are in a hurry. Reading slowly will help you read clearly, which your child can learn from, and it will give you and your child more time together!
3. Do not be afraid to stop reading a book if your child does not seem interested. Have your child choose a book that he or she would like to hear, or have a back-up selection ready so your read-aloud time can continue.
4. Enjoy your time spent together! I am sure these moments will become those you will “treasure” in the years to come!
(Tips from Reading Connection, Resources for Educators)
Student Forms
Tips for setting up a cyber envrionment
- Provide a suitable workspace. Try to find a well-lit area with minimal distractions. Make sure there is an outlet nearby for charging devices.
- Minimize Clutter. Too many toys, books, and supplies can create a feeling of chaos. Declutter the learning space.
- Supplies: determine what your child will need for completing work. Gather those supplies and keep them together in a bin at the workspace. Some things you may want to consider are:
✔ pencils, markers
✔ notebooks or plain white paper
✔ books
✔ clock
✔ weekly calendar and schedule
✔ list of frequently used websites and passwords
Setting up expectations for cyber learning
- Set a consistent schedule.
- Organize the materials needed before beginning. (Younger children need help with this.) Make sure you know what will be needed for the day and that it is available.
- Alternate high/low concentration tasks. Follow difficult activities with more fun, relaxed tasks.
- Encourage neat work.
- Tidy up and sort work at the end of the day.