Placerita Prospector
Beginning Week 2 of Distance Learning - March 22, 2020
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Information for Families
Good Evening Placerita Families...
We hope the transition to distance learning has been as smooth as possible for you and your family. As a community, we are navigating uncharted waters right now. While there may be some feelings of uncertainty and anxiety, it will be very important in the days ahead to refocus our thoughts on what counts most, our families. As citizens, we have an incredible responsibility to take care of one another as we do our part to slow down the spread of this virus. To be graceful and humble with our neighbors and to live each day with kindness instead of fear.
Additionally, we are asking all parents to help us with impressing upon your student(s) the importance of keeping our online learning environment professional, productive, and positive. I have heard nothing but good things from our teachers so far! Our teachers have been working tirelessly to make the transition from the classroom to online as smooth as possible. Our faculty along with students are at various levels of proficiency when it comes to technology. At the same time, every family is navigating through a variety of unique stressors as we make adjustments to our “new normal.” Therefore, assuming best intentions and extending grace will be critical in keeping lines of communication open while maintaining trusting relationships with one another!
"We must be the change we wish to see in the world."
- Mahatma Gandhi
From our family to yours, wishing you the very best today and always. If you need anything, please do not hesitate to contact me! Be safe, be well, and stay healthy!
Who says you can't have Spirit Week?
Latest Message from Mike Kuhlman (in case you missed it)
Good evening Hart District families,
The Hart District has consistently followed the guidance of the Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE) with regard to responding to the Coronavirus pandemic. Today LACOE recommended that the period of the closure be extended through May 4 - with on-campus classes resuming no earlier than May 5. The decision to extend the closure was made in collaboration with the other school districts in the Santa Clarita Valley.
While we are all eager to resume normal routines – we need to be prepared for the possibility that the closure could be extended through the end of this school year. Of course, we will share additional information if another extension is called for.
Thank you for your patience and flexibility as we launched Distance Learning this past week. Despite many understandable frustrations, students, teachers and parents worked to pull off what seemed an impossibility just 5 short days ago.
Clearly many obstacles lay before us. Let’s keep communicating and collaborating on solutions together.
I wish you a safe and healthy weekend,
Mike Kuhlman
Responsible Use of Technology
This is being shared just in case we need to use it... Hopefully we will not have to work through any difficulties here...
As we transition to online learning, please be advised that all Google classrooms are academic settings. To that end, please talk with your student(s) to ensure that they are interacting and posting appropriate comments on all learning platforms, including but not limited to, Google Classroom, Google Hangouts Meet, Google Chat, online work groups, etc. Should a student violate our District's responsible use policies related to technology, we will take the following corrective action:
- Step 1: Parent contact by teacher
- Step 2: Parent contact by counselor and muting* for a period of 1 week
- Step 3: Parent contact by an administrator. Other means of correction writing assignment.
We have not had any serious violations so far and we hope we will not need to resort to any consequences.
*The online learning environment is meant to be interactive. Muted student will be able to privately submit work but will not be able to reply, post or comment. Muted students will have to privately ask their teacher questions they may have.
Additionally, during this time, we encourage all parents to closely monitor their child's social media platforms.
Placertia eBooks Access from our Library
Students and Email
All students have an official Hart District email account. In addition to logging into Google Classroom, please make sure your student is checking their Hart District email account every day. Teachers, counselors, and admin will be emailing students DIRECTLY with important information.
How to Access Google Classroom from Home
HOW to Access Google Classroom from Home
Click on the Link below to review how to access Google Classroom from home.
School Lunch Services
Many students and families rely on school meals during the school week. In an effort to provide meal access, the William S. Hart Union High School District and Santa Clarita Valley School Food Service Authority have coordinated to provide Free lunches across our community.
In order to accommodate current CDC guidance to maintain social distancing, these sites will offer grab and go meals. These sites will not provide areas for students to eat the meals.
Details:
- Meals are FREE to children and teens ages 18 and younger who come to a meal site
- Food served is healthy and follows USDA nutrition guidelines
- No application or proof of income needed. You can just bring your child to meal site in your community
- Children must be present and must claim the meals.
The Wm. S. Hart Union High School District and its partners at Sodexo School Services will provide three weeks of meal service, Monday thru Friday, beginning Monday, March 23rd and ending on Friday, April 10th. Drive-up Lunch Services will be provided from noon to 1:00 pm at the following locations during school days (Monday to Friday). One bagged/boxed lunch per child (18 years and younger) will be provided.
- Rancho Pico Junior High School
- Rio Norte Junior High School
- La Mesa Junior High School
Beginning Monday, March 23rd through Friday April 3rd, the following sites will also be providing drive-up lunch service following the same guidelines as above:
- Cedarcreek Elementary - Canyon Country
- Mitchell Community Elementary - Canyon Country
- Rio Vista Elementary - Canyon Country
- McGrath Elementary - Newhall
- Newhall Elementary - Newhall
- Wiley Canyon Elementary - Newhall
- Peachland Elementary - Santa Clarita
- Canyon Springs Community Elementary - Santa Clarita
- Santa Clarita Elementary - Saugus
- Live Oak Elementary - Castaic
- Northlake Hills Elementary - Castaic
Any questions, please call 661-295-1574 ext. 0.
Counseling Support Services
Our counselors are working remotely to support all students. They are available to assist as needed. To reach your child's counselor, please have the student complete our form here...
For all existing students receiving counseling services through an IEP or school based counseling, counseling services will continue via telehealth. Your child's current counselor/therapist will be reaching out to you by phone regarding logistics.
Distance Learning Weekly Schedule
Please remember that as we venture into new territory, we are likely to encounter questions, challenges and problems to be solved. Rest assured that we are going to work hard to address each issue in order to meet the needs of our students. You can help us by remaining flexible during this period of transition.
A temporary Distance Learning class schedule has been developed to help keep students on track. Subject area teachers (English, math, science, etc.) have been asked to provide regular instruction each week during two 90-minute blocks. Please click on the link below for detailed information regarding this schedule.
Click on the link below for a clean PDF Version of the schedule below.
DISTANCE LEARNING WEBPAGE
In preparation for our transition to this online environment, we encourage you to visit our Distance Learning webpage for helpful tips on how this new process will work. We will be updating this page with new resources daily. You can access that webpage by going here:
Facts about Coronavirus
Click on link below to access PDF of How to Discuss Coronavirus with Kids
Free Educational Websites for Home
Sometimes screen time is a necessity if we have children at home and work we need to do. Here are three apps that make screen time a learning time:
- CodeMonkey: a game-based education program that teaches children to code. It comes with a membership fee, but there's a free 14-day trial that doesn't require a credit card.
- BrainPop: Online learning across subject areas for children in kindergarten through middle school and ELL learning for all age groups. Free.
- Khan Academy: Online learning in math, science, and literacy for all age groups. Standards-aligned. Free.
- BrainPop: Fun, interactive educational activities for all ages and all subject areas
- Scholastic Learn at Home: Interactive learning journeys for all ages.
It is important for us to share very important information about an event that will taking place right now: the U.S. Census. The census is a count of all people living in the U.S. and takes place every 10 years. It is simple and confidential to complete. For the first time, you can respond online. You will receive a unique identifying number in the mail, which will allow you to fill out the online form beginning in March 2020. Here are some things you should know:
Your identity remains anonymous. Any personal information you provide on the census form is protected by law and cannot be shared with anyone or any other federal agency. Regardless of your immigration status, the information cannot be used against you or to invade the privacy of you or any members of your family.
The Census is important. The Census is important because it helps to decide how much federal money our schools will get over the next ten years, and how much money our state will get for our parks, neighborhood improvements, public health, transportation, and many other programs and services.
The Census is safe. All the data collected through the census is protected under Title 13 of the U.S. Code. All U.S. Census Bureau employees swear a lifetime oath to protect respondent information. The U.S. Census will never share a respondent’s personal information with other government agencies. Data is only released in summary tables; no individual records are released.
What do you need to do? Your kids count, so make sure to count them when you fill out the census form in Spring 2020! Between March 12th – 20th, you will receive an invitation to respond online. When you receive this information, log-on and complete the census information for your family. If you need assistance, please reach out to us, we are here to help.
For more information regarding the U.S. Census, please visit the following websites:
Placerita Jr. High School
The William S. Hart Union High School District prohibits unlawful discrimination against and/or harassment of any student on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, national origin, immigration status, ancestry, religion, age, marital status, pregnancy, physical or mental disability, medical condition, veteran status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, or sexual orientation at any District site and/or activity.
Email: jturner@hartdistrict.org
Website: www.placeritajuniorhigh.org
Location: 25015 Newhall Avenue, Santa Clarita, CA, USA
Phone: 661-259-1551
Twitter: @placeritajhs