Maplewood News
Mustangs Maintaining Connection While Social Distancing
*Essential Links*
Please fill out this important Maplewood Family Check-In Survey. Your well-being and our connection to you is very important to us. Using this information, we can best meet all families' needs. Everyone's participation is highly encouraged and appreciated!
https://forms.gle/X3siUcTZ64qDy7oY6
AISD Learning at Home
https://sites.google.com/austinisd.org/aisd-learning-at-home
Meals Support
https://www.austinisd.org/covid19/meals
Food Bank Delivery
512-972-5133
City of Austin Neighborhood Centers (some are providing meal delivery)
512-972-5133
*email Ms. Kirk (kelli.kirk@austinisd.org) if you need additional information re: food, rent, or utility support
Message from Ms. Jacobson, Maplewood Principal
Hello, Marvelous Maplewood Mustangs! We hope this finds you all well and staying safe at home. Let me just say how much we all miss seeing you every day! One of my first grade friends let me know that he is leading his family in their own “Morning Assembly” before everyone starts their work each day! What a great family connection idea! He’s even teaching his family our songs, including the motions for “This Land is Your Land!”
I hope you will all remember and practice our mindfulness strategies when you are excited, stressed, sad, or feeling other emotions. Think about our 5-finger breathing, snake breaths, and bee breaths. Families can use these, too! :) Students, try teaching these to your family!
While you are at home, please know that your teachers are working hard on their own learning. They are participating in on-line classes to learn how to develop and send you distance learning in the near future. AISD will be sending our families more information on this soon. Keep reading, and practicing your math facts. We love you and miss you all!
Your very proud principal of the Mighty Maplewood Mustangs,
Vickie Jacobson
Ms. L-A, Maplewood P. E. Teacher
The goal in our Physical Education classes is to emerge competent learners and movers. Now is the time for you to practice your skills. There are some great PE activities (that I have been helping to create) coming out in the district enrichment resources next week. Remember that taking care of yourself includes being active and exercising every day for at least 60 minutes. You don't have to do it all at once; in fact, it's important to move at least a little bit every hour. If you haven’t already checked out GoNoodle at home it’s free and easy. Some of my favorite workouts are in the Fresh Start channel. But I also love the silly dances and songs in the Koo Koo Kangaroo channel. It’s important to take it easy on yourself and reduce stress so also make sure to check out some mindfulness videos on the Flow and Empower Tools channels.
Ms. Cervantes, Maplewood Art Teacher
Hello Artists! There are so many wonderful and creative resources available online! Here are a couple we’ve used, and I’ve been inspired by, for our classroom projects. K-5th graders, if you want to practice your drawing check out these step-by-step videos on this YouTube channel: Art Hub for KIDS https://www.artforkidshub.com/
If you’d like to share your drawing(s) with me, I’ve created a virtual “wall” space on https://padlet.com/karencervantes/3la4yklrm3pz where other Maplewood artists can also see your artworks!
One of my favorite inspiring art teachers is this amazing lady named Cassie Stephens. She is so fun to watch and learn from! She has hands on Visual Art Activities on her blog:
https://cassiestephens.blogspot.com/2020/03/zany-scientist-week-combination-of-art.html
Mr. Hutson, Maplewood Music Teacher
I’ve been spending a lot of my time making up songs and singing to myself at the house and in the yard. I’ve been enjoying having more time during the day to listen to songs online or on the radio. This also provides a lot of time to practice my dance moves.
-On Spotify, the user: Missbensko offers a lot of clean playlists divided into categories for your listening pleasure.
-Freddiemeter will give you a chance to test your singing along with Freddie Mercury (if you don’t know who he is, ask your parents).
https://freddiemeter.withyoutube.com/
-Chrome Songlab is a fun and easy way to make a song.
https://experiments.withgoogle.com/song-maker
-Groove Pizza uses math to teach music concepts (probably geared towards 4th and 5th grade)
Ms. Braziel, Maplewood Librarian
This is an excellent time to enjoy reading independently or with your family. Read outside, in your bed, in a homemade pillow or blanket fort, in the bathtub, wherever! Just read. Maplewood Library or Austin Public Library virtually! Portal.austinisd.org is FULL of great learning resources, including links to your students’ textbooks, DreamBox for math lessons, iStation and MyOn.com for reading, and MackinVIA for direct access to our e-books, audiobooks, and electronic resources such as online encyclopedias (World Book Online & Encyclopedia Brittanica), Tumblebooks, National Geographic, World Almanac Kids, etc.
Here’s an online tutorial in case you need some help getting onto the portal.
Need help? Ms. Braziel is available via email at: Amanda.Braziel@austinisd.org OR you can contact the AISD Technology Help Line: 512-414-9187 Monday thru Friday between 7am-5pm.
Ms. Kirk, Maplewood School Counselor
And remember, you ALWAYS have your breath https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mZbzDOpylA
For Parents: Conscious Discipline is a wonderful, research-proven program that is used by educators, families, and mental health providers. If you've ever had a conference with me, parents, I've referred you to Conscious Discipline! This link is specifically about managing family conversations around COVID-19, and has other links to helpful printable resources such as feelings charts and social stories. https://consciousdiscipline.com/covid-19-five-helpful-responses-for-families/?mc_cid=89fc7c1740&mc_eid=c51ba58c7a
Stay safe! I REALLY miss you all.
Ms. Baker, Maplewood Reading Specialist
Hi Maplewood Families-
I miss you! Hope you are spending some time outdoors and enjoying time with your families. ❤️
I am currently working on contacting my Take Flight families to say hello and touch base. I do know that AISD is developing a bank of resources and suggestions for providing remote instruction with intervention in mind. I will keep you updated as I learn more.
For now, please know I am thinking of you everyday.