Color of Our Worlds January 2021
Educating ALL Students for Success!
MCSD Encourages IN-PERSON Learning Option for ALL Students!
COVID-19 Prevention
PREVENTION GUIDANCE:
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds especially after you have been in a public place, or after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
- Practice social distancing and avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Cover your coughs and sneezes.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
View additional prevention information ❯
FACE COVERINGS:
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that people wear cloth face coverings in public settings and when around people who don’t live in your household, especially when other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain.
- Cloth face coverings may help prevent people who have COVID-19 from spreading the virus to others.
- Cloth face coverings are most likely to reduce the spread of COVID-19 when they are widely used by people in public settings.
- Cloth face coverings should NOT be worn by children under the age of 2 or anyone who has trouble breathing, is unconscious, incapacitated, or otherwise unable to remove the mask without assistance.
COVID-19 Vaccines in Florida
Parent University Workshop - 6:00 p.m. - Thursday, January 7, 2021
WHO: Representatives of the Martin County School District's Instructional Services Department, parents/guardians of Martin County students.
WHAT: Virtual Parent University Workshop
WHEN: 6:00 p.m. - Thursday, January 7, 2021
WHERE: Parents/guardians must register for the session by visiting bit.ly/mcsdparentu. The Zoom meeting link will be sent to all registered participants prior to the workshop.
WHY: The Martin County School District is pleased to present informational workshops via Zoom for all parents/guardians to access. A different topic will be shared in English and Spanish each month, with this month's Workshop focused on required programming - courses, topics and content the District is mandated to present to students.
To learn more about our Parent University framework, please click here.
Report Card Day is January 15, 2021
A child's report card can bring feelings of joy, excitement, and pride; it can also cause concern, frustration, and uncertainty. In either case, the reporting period marks a new beginning to set goals and reflect on past work habits, achievements, and hardships. Most important, it is a time for you to communicate with your children and determine a path for future academic enrichment and social-emotional growth.
Focus on the Positive
Regardless of the grades your child brings home, you must first focus on positive aspects of the report. This is not always an easy task. For some, this might mean highlighting a strong effort or citizenship grade, or praising an academic accomplishment or a perfect attendance record. Starting on a positive note shows your child that you truly care about the accomplishments, not only areas that need improvement.
Ask the Right Questions
Be careful not to overreact to low grades, or grades you view to be unsatisfactory. Instead, use this time to look at past performance and plan for the future. Talk to your child, asking questions to understand how a particular grade was earned:
- Was the work too difficult?
- Could the pace of the class be inappropriate (too fast, so that your child feels "lost," or too slow, causing your child to feel "bored")?
- Does your child complete all homework and ask questions when problems arise?
The answers you receive might indicate a need to review your child's study habits. Determine whether or not your child is recording all assignments and bringing home all materials necessary to complete them. Does your child have a specific nightly homework time (Sunday through Thursday) when he cannot be disturbed? If not, this would be a great time to establish one! If so, is it long enough? Does your child have a specific place to study where resources (including someone to answer questions) are available and distractions are minimized? Is your child completing all homework on a nightly basis, or are assignments being turned in late, or not at all? Once you have determined the problem, you can begin to create a solution.
The Next Step
Creating a plan to maximize future academic success is an important part of every child's education. Help your child set realistic and attainable goals for the next reporting period. Outline ways in which these goals can be met, as well as rewards and consequences if they are not. Type the "official plan" and post one copy in a prominent household location, another in your child's binder, and forward another to her teacher. Involving your child gives her ownership and importance in this process, and this makes the report card important not only to you, but also to your child.
As parents and teachers, we want the best for children, but in too many cases this is measured only by the number of A's and B's brought home. Emphasize to your child the importance of doing the very best job that he can. Encourage him to succeed, and measure his progress in realistic terms, letting him know that you care and are available to help. Break tasks into small steps, so that even the youngest child can measure her growth, and the most advanced child can monitor her progress. By reviewing the report card, and developing a plan for the future, you will help your child find the road to success.
(Retrieved from https://www.teachervision.com/report-cards-advice-parents, December 31, 2020.)
How to Read a Report Card - Reading Rockets
MLK Day of Service
Celebrate Literacy Week Contest
Flipped Classrooms and Flipped Lessons: What Does It Mean for Parents?
Your child may be at a school where they are using an approach called “flipped classroom” or “flipped lesson.” If so, keep reading to find out more about the concept, and three ways that you can support flipped learning at home.
What is a flipped classroom? A flipped classroom flips, or reverses, traditional teaching methods. Traditionally, the teacher talks about a topic at school and assigns homework that reinforces that day’s material. In a flipped classroom, the instruction is delivered online, outside of class. Video lectures may be online or may be provided on a DVD or a thumb drive. Some flipped models include communicating with classmates and the teacher via online discussions. The recorded lecture can be paused, rewound, re-watched and forwarded through as needed. Then, class time is spent doing what ordinarily may have been assigned as homework. Class time may also be spent doing exercises, projects, discussions, or other interactive activities that illustrate the concept.
The benefit of the flipped classroom is that teachers have more one-on-one time to help students and explain difficult concepts. If problems are difficult for a student to work through, the teacher is right there to help and explain. If students have questions about the video or online presentation, they can use class time to get questions answered. Recorded lectures work well for students who miss class because of illness, sports, and family vacations. For families, the flipped lesson model provides 24/7 access to content delivered directly from the teacher. This helps pareents support their child in a way that is consistent with the way the teacher is teaching it in school.
All students eat free during the 2020-2021 school year!
While all students will receive free breakfasts and lunches this year, we are still asking all families to complete a meal application to ensure funding continues to be available to support Martin County students.
It's More than a Meal Application!
¡Es más que una solicitud de comida!
Pick 3!
Just Take 20 for Families
Why Families Matter to Literacy
As parents, it’s important to promote and establish the value of lifelong literacy. Knowing where to start, however, can be a challenge. Studies show that it only takes 20 minutes per day to vastly improve a child’s reading ability. In one year, a child who reads 20 minutes a day is exposed to 1.8 million words. For children who only read 5 minutes per day outside of school, the number of words they’re exposed to drops to 282,000. Download the materials you need to encourage your child to read outside the classroom. By utilizing the information found on this site, you’ll be equipped with the information you need to provide literacy support for your child's love of reading.
Did You Know?
“When parents are involved in their children’s education at home, they do better in school. And when parents are involved in school, children go farther in school and the schools they go to are better.”
What can I do?
Just Take 20 (JT20) minutes each day to perform one of the simple activities found on the JT20 website. There are numerous activities and strategies to choose from, each designed for a grade level cluster: K-2, 3-5, 6-8 or 9-12. You have many to choose from and you decide which ones are right for you. Just choose the topics that interest you and create a unique family plan of activities to get started. Don’t hesitate to repeat activities that were especially enjoyable. The goal is to develop a love of reading in our youth that leads to lifelong literacy.
Are the characters in the story like you and your family?
I Love Saturdays and domingos
Rice All Day
What is Your Why?
#LearnWithMe
COVID-19 has impacted the lives of millions. But despite school closures and other lockdown measures, the young people in this video series are finding new and interesting ways to stay engaged whilst coping with home-schooling and staying indoors. From dance to sport, from cooking to art, they are turning to their passions and interests to stay positive and learn new skills.
Each story is a window into the life of a young person who inspires with original tips for learning something new.
It’s time to reimagine a better world for every child. Check back for new episodes in our #LearnWithMe series.
The Six Pillars of Character
Trustworthiness
Be Honest. Don't deceive, cheat or steal. Be reliable: Do what you say you'll do. Have the courage to do the right thing. Build a good reputation. Be loyal: Stand by your family, friends and country.
Respect
Treat others with respect; follow the Golden Rule. Be tolerant of differences. Use good manners; not bad language. Be considerate of the feelings of others. Don't threaten, hit or hurt anyone. Deal peacefully with anger, insults and disagreements.
Responsibility
Do what you are supposed to do. Persevere: Keep on trying. Always do your best. Use self control; be self-disciplined. Think before you act: Consider the consequences. Be accountable for your choices.
Fairness
Play by the rules. Take turns and share. Be open-minded; listen to others. Don't take advantage of others. Don't blame others carelessly.
Caring
Be kind. Be compassionate and show you care. Express gratitude. Forgive others. Help people in need.
Citizenship
Be an active member of society. Commit to volunteering. Do your share to make your school and community better. Cooperate. Stay informed; Vote.
Be a good neighbor. Obey laws and rules. Respect authority. Protect the environment.
ClassLink SingleSignOn
Google G-Suite
Focus School Software
Community Resources
Martin County School District Title I Schools and Program Staff
Elementary Schools:
Hobe Sound Elementary
JD Parker Elementary School
Pinewood Elementary School
Port Salerno Elementary School
Seawind Elementary School
Warfield Elementary School
Secondary Schools:
David Anderson Middle School
Indiantown Middle School
Spectrum Academy
Willoughby Learning Center
Title I Program Staff
Shela Khanal, Director of Title I Programs
Debra George, Coordinator of Title I Programs
Deb Stull, Coordinator District Title Programs: ELL, Immigrant, and FIT
Casey Vasko, Federal Programs/ Equitable Services Liaison
Yvonne Blanco, Title I Department Secretary
Website: https://fl02202359.schoolwires.net/Domain/360
Phone: 772-219-1200