Hawk Headlines
Week of September 20, 2020
Notes from the Principal
The countdown to reopening is on and I know you’ve been presented with the decision to either send your kiddos back to school or keep them in distance learning. A number of you have reached out with questions and concerns and we’re working hard to ensure you have the answers you need. Please continue to contact me or the school with your questions. We’re here to help!
Just to recap: You need to complete this change form ONLY if you want to change your program from your original choice in August. There are a number of resources to help you with your decision making.
- District Road Map to Reopening in English and Spanish
- Creekside’s Roadmap to Reopening At-A-Glance is HERE
- FAQ regarding program options
The deadline to complete the change form is September 21 at 6 p.m.
I want to be honest, while we have a lot of answers, there are a lot of unknowns still. We’ve been working hard on providing a quality digital program, and now, I am asking my teachers to shift gears completely. Your questions are immensely helpful as we begin to consider the needs of the community.
Our objective with reopening is two-fold: safety and learning. Safety for our teachers, staff and students. Equally as important is providing a quality learning experience where students make a year’s growth regardless of if they are engaging in school from home or from our campus.
In both spaces, it is essential that we work together as a team - we will count on our families to support our policies and engage in their child’s education. You can count on us to use our resources to support your child and adjust our program as the situation and local guidance warrants it.
As always, please reach out with any questions you may have! We’re here to help!
Let’s do this, Hawks!
~ Ms. Dickson
IMPORTANT DATES
Sept. 21: Last day to change program choice
Sept. 21-25: Spirit Week
(click the picture to see the dress-up days!)
Sept. 24-25: Supply pickup / 8-4 p.m.
Sept. 29: ELAC Meeting 6 p.m. (virtual)
Oct 1: Teacher workday / No school for students
Oct. 1: School Site Council Meeting 4 p.m. (virtual)
Oct. 2 & 5: No School
Oct. 6: School opens
Top 5 Questions We Are Hearing ...
2. What will instruction look like for in-person learners? Our teachers are focused on helping your child make one year of growth this year. The environment will not be as traditionally collaborative as your child may be accustomed to. I do expect to see a fair amount of traditional live instruction, but there may be periods of collaborative work or independent work that is done on a device. In addition, I am committed to supporting our teachers as they maintain a 6-foot social distance from students, and their level of comfort will dictate how they engage with students. In short, the in-person learning experience will vary from classroom to classroom. Students in grades 1-3 can expect 35 minutes of independent work to be completed at home daily and students in grades 4-5 can expect 45 minutes of independent work to be completed at home daily.
3. What will instruction look like for interCONNECT learners? Our teachers are focused on helping your child make one year of growth this year. The short answer is that it depends on the teacher. Some teachers will offer 'live streaming' through Google Meet, some will offer more of an independent study approach with recorded videos, and some will offer something in between. You can expect that your child will interact with his/her teacher in a 1:1 or group format for 30 minutes daily, and typically that will happen in the afternoon. InterCONNECT learners will need to be prepared to be more independent than they were during 100% online instruction, as the teacher will be busy with in-person students from 8:15-noon and then will take their lunch. Engaging daily in distance learning is not optional for students. Attendance in live Google Meets and/or in meeting with your child's teacher will be required for students in interCONNECT and will be scheduled at the convenience of the teacher between 8am-2:40pm.
4. Can I change my plan for in-person/interCONNECT instruction? Yes. The district will offer families the opportunity to change their instructional model in December (to go into effect after Winter Break). In addition, students might be moved to the interCONNECT model if they are unwilling to comply with the expectations for in-person learning after the teacher and staff have provided support to the child and/or family. Students can always move from in-person to interCONNECT, but will not be able to move from interCONNECT to in-person except at the intervals offered.
5. What are the Hours for School? The law requires that students in kindergarten engage in 180 minutes of instructional activities daily; students in Grades 1-3 engage in 230 minutes of instructional activities daily; students in Grades 4-5 engage in 240 minutes of instructional activity daily.
Masks
ALL students (gr. K-5) are required to wear masks while on campus; including during recess. Masks can only be removed for a quick drink. During the designated snack time, the teacher will make plans to allow students to remove their masks in order to enjoy their snack in a socially distanced manner. Students may be allowed a 'mask break,' which will be supervised by a staff member, requires students to be consistently 6 feet apart, and requires students to be outside.
Some families have asked why the district's policy is more strict than the state's policy. The district has the right to be more strict than the state; we just can't be more lenient than the state requirements. Because we cannot meet the 6 feet of social distancing (we are social distancing to the most practicable level we can), our district has chosen to require masks for TK-12.
In an effort to prepare students for wearing a mask for long periods of time, we suggest practicing wearing the masks. Set a timer and have your student wear a mask for that amount of time. Increase the timer amount each day to help build up stamina.
School Supplies
If you are unable to provide the supplies, please let me know. We have some community partners who have stepped up to help.
ELAC - English Learner Advisory Committee
- Advising the principal and staff in the development of a site plan for English learners and submitting the plan to the School Site Council for consideration of inclusion in the School Plan for Student Achievement.
- Assisting in the development of the schoolwide needs assessment.
- Ways to make parents aware of the importance of regular school attendance.
Essentially, being part of ELAC gives you an opportunity to influence decision making for the school. Our first meeting will be Tuesday, September 29 at 6 p.m. Meetings will be held virtually. Please let me or our parent liaison, Rosabel Ortiz know if you’d like to join us! We’d love to have you!
School Site Council
A School Site Council (SSC) is group of teachers, parents, administrators, and interested community members who work together to develop and monitor a school's improvement plan. It is a legally required decision-making body for any school receiving federal funds.
The California Legislature believes that the individuals who are most affected by the operation of the school should have a major role in the decisions regarding how a school functions. Education should be a joint effort of parents, teachers, administrators, and other school staff. The actions of the School Site Council are the first step in a formal process for developing improvement strategies and for allocating resources to support these efforts.
The SSC decides upon the focus of the school’s academic instructional programs and all related categorical resource expenditures for a school.
Our first meeting will be on Thursday, October 1 at 4 p.m. Meetings will be held virtually. If you are interested in being part of SSC, please contact Kellie Rafferty at krafferty@wpusd.org
Hotspots
If you were not able to submit an internet access survey to get a hotspot, please contact me by calling the school or emailing me at mdickson@wpusd.org.
Need a hotspot or need to exchange a hotspot? Call the District Office (916-645-6350) & ask for Brooke.
Questions about reimbursing for purchased additional data? Call the District Office (916-645-6350) & ask for Brooke.
Need to pick up a hotspot? Stop by the District Office between 9 am and 3 pm Monday- Friday.
Have technical hotspot issues? Email helpdesk@wpusd.org or call 916-434-3737.
Meal Distribution
Campus Tidbits
- If you get stuck with iReady or need assistance, their tech support is one of the best. They can answer any question about i-Ready except for password info. That is done at the school or district level. 1-800-225-0248
- Our office is open daily from 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Creekside Oaks Elementary School
Email: Mdickson@wpusd.org
Website: http://coes.wpusd.org/
Location: 2030 1st Street, Lincoln, CA, USA
Phone: 916-645-6380