The Weekly Bulldog
March 26, 2020
From Tim: New sources of entertainment
Next week is our official spring break, which for most of us will feel an awful lot like the previous couple of weeks. I have been thinking a lot about family recently, and I know you have as well. I’ve written recently about my two daughters in these pieces, and I thought I’d offer a reflection on our family MVP. No, not my wife, Ingrid – she’s too valuable to be fairly considered for the award. I’m talking about our dog, Maisy.
It seems that another sliver of a silver lining in all this is that America’s pets, perhaps pets around the world, are having the time of their lives. Maisy certainly is. She’s getting about nine walks a day and is seeing more of her friends than ever out there. (As an aside, isn’t it a blessing that we live in a place where we can almost always be outside? I’ve never appreciated that as much as recently.)
Back in the house, Maisy’s never more than an arm’s length away from a belly scratch or head rub. Mind you, her typical days at home are not exactly action-packed. Her greatest accomplishment is relocating her frequent naps to ensure she’s constantly in a patch of sunshine coming through the window. She’s now conditioned to come to the kitchen anytime the refrigerator opens, looking for a quick morsel of cheese. She usually gets it. At night, she transitions between our bed and her favorite sleeping chair. As much as she’s enjoying these days, however, I can imagine at some point she’ll long for her old routines, just like the rest of us. You can almost see in her expression sometimes as we’re sitting on the sofa, “You know, that’s where I usually sleep at 11 a.m. in the morning..”
It does seem to be a good time to have a pet or be a pet. I hope that you’re finding new sources of entertainment and distraction during these days, four-legged or otherwise. My best to you and your family for the spring break week. Our teachers and I look forward to reconnecting after spring break.
All the best,
Tim
Top Five Things
1. Celebrate Earth Hour
Every year millions of people, businesses and landmarks set aside an hour to host events, switch off their lights and make noise for the Earth Hour movement. This year, says social-emotional teacher Allison, while we will not be physically together, Stanley wants to celebrate our connection to the Earth, and we want to invite your friends and family to celebrate with us. >>read who, what, where and when in the Learning Report
2. Trouble with internet connectivity?
These days, internet access is important to staying connected with school and faraway family and friends. If you don’t have a home Wi-Fi service, you can use a friend or family member’s cell phone hotspot. Or, use a free internet connection near you on Xfinity’s free local Wi-Fi Hotspot map. (Follow instructions at xfinity.com/wifi to join a hotspot.)
3. British Primary education carries on
While our teachers and staff are disappointed to be missing out on the daily interactions and joyous traditions here at Stanley, we are also inspired by the way our community has dived in wholeheartedly together during this uncertain time. You can read all our phase-two home-learning plans on the stanleybps.org/covid19 page, as well as see updates and communications on health and wellbeing measures. Thank you for all of your support.
4. Supports for coping parents
Tough times can bring out the best in people, and the Denver mental health community is here for us. You can feel better by participating in any one of these interventions designed for parents on the front lines:
- "I’m Still Standing: Parent Support through the Coronavirus" - Zoom meeting tonight: CU’s Johnson Depression Center is hosting an interactive, virtual workshop for parents
- "Surviving the Coronavirus at Home," from family therapist Craig Knippenberg
- "Coping in the Face of Uncertainty" from CU's department of psychiatry
- "30-day guide to feeling healthier and happier" recommended by one of our community’s mental health professionals
5. Bright idea in home learning: commonsensemedia.org
Common Sense Media’s mission is to ensure digital well-being for kids everywhere. Especially now, their hand-picked, age-appropriate media suggestions can help you find engaging diversions without having to dive deeply into the murky waters of commercial media reviews before handing off a book or device to your child:
On the Stanley Calendar
Stanley British Primary School
Email: admin@stanleybps.org
Website: www.stanleybps.org
Location: 350 Quebec St., Denver
Phone: (303) 360-0803
Facebook: facebook.com/stanley.british/
Twitter: @stanleybps