Mustang Messenger
October 2020
As you saw in Dr. Thacker's letter to elementary families on Monday, September 28th, a plan was recommended to the PHM School Board for a change to the elementary in-person and virtual concurrent teaching model. (Letter is linked below.) The school board approved this plan last evening.
To summarize, our elementary teachers have been doing the near impossible (per the usual!) by teaching both in-person and virtual learners each day, and this will now be changing. Elementary teachers across the district will be responsible for either teaching virtually OR in-person, but not both. We believe that a class section devoted entirely to virtual learners best allows for their continued learning and day to day engagement with teachers. Please be reassured that all students will continue to be taught by a highly qualified PHM teacher.
There will be communication to ALL families of current virtual learners, as well as any in-person learners who will be impacted by a change in their teacher, at the beginning of next week to give further details.
We truly believe that this change will yield greater learning opportunties, and therefore greater student learning outcomes.
Your patience and flexibility are both appreciated.
In Service of Your Child,
Mrs. Heerschop
Quarantine & Isolation Guidelines
After October 12th when our virtual learners are assigned new teachers, students who are isolated or quarantined will NOT be enrolled into a virtual classroom. They will remain under the guidance and instruction of their current in-person teacher who will provide make-up work for the time the student is absent.
From Dr. Sears, Director of SEL & Mental Health
In order to share information about stress and stress management in a new way that is easily accessible to P-H-M's parents/guardians, Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation SEL & Mental Health has united with community partners from Notre Dame, Reflections Counseling, Oaklawn Psychiatric Center, and Youth Service Bureau via a virtual panel format to create a video. The video includes a brief overview of the neurobiology of stress and what may be happening in our bodies due to COVID, tips for healthy stress management, the importance of modeling stress management for our students, helping to create a sense of psychological safety, information about supports offered at the elementary and middle schools through Youth Services Bureau, and how to access supports via P-H-M's counseling offices at the middle and high school. Please find the link to the video here: https://youtu.be/ZiD2yxReqpg
A very special thank you to our own incredible experts, including our amazing counselors. Mrs. Autumn Stout from Discovery, Mrs. Nancy Block from Grissom, Mrs. Stacy Eck from Schmucker, and Mr. John Westra from Penn High who were an integral part of this panel. Thank you also to our awesome community partners, Dr. Nancy Michael from Notre Dame, Dr. Heather Holleman and Dr. Jennie Knapp both from Reflections Counseling, Ms. Kim Neff from Oaklawn Psychiatric Center, and Ms. Laurie Ellis from Youth Service Bureau.
The SEL Lessons for October will focus on the SEL Competencies of insight, regulation, collaboration, and connection. Specifically, we will teach students about concepts that fall under the umbrella of Emotional Intelligence; understand how their emotions can impact their body and touch on the concept of neuroplasticity of our brains; what empathy is and how to show it to others; and how to demonstrate care and concern for others in appropriate ways.
October Book Fair
Free shipping on book-only purchases over $25.00!
The Book Fair will run from October 12th - 25th.
Our October Lifeline: KINDNESS
Mary Frank Elementary
Email: cheerschop@phm.k12.in.us
Website: https://maryfrank.phmschools.org/
Location: 13111 Adams Road, Granger, IN, USA
Phone: 574-272-0340
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MaryFrankMustangs
Twitter: @MFESMustangs