K-2 Team Newsletter
Summer Updates - July
Principal's Message
Welcome Back! We've finally made it to our 2020 Summer PD! By now, you are aware that we will be reopening schools virtually until Labor Day break and as you can imagine, there are still a lot of questions to be answered. While the Executive Team and the K-2 Admin Team are working around the clock to ensure you have the resources you need for a successful start of school, we are also mindful that balancing work and your family will not be easy.
Over the next several weeks, I am asking that we all extend an extra measure of grace and patience. I am asking for your grace in understanding that as your leaders, we may not have all of the answers around remote learning, and more than likely, we will continue to refine this process as we move forward. Likewise, we, the admin team, will extend grace to those of you who are still having to balance your families and loved ones (which I personally know is difficult)! Additionally, we must also extend grace and patience to our scholars and their families as they continue to navigate being supportive parents and effective employees as well.
I want you to know that families are important whether they are 1 year-old or 99 years-old. They need us....just like our scholars need us! With that, I am asking that in everything you do, show grace!
School Wide Focus
DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion)
You have already received an email from Jim outlining our new Priority #1 - Anti-Racism. As the leader of the K-2 Team, I am beyond excited to think about how we can together live out the tenants of this priority even while engaging in remote learning with our scholars/families. This new focus area is NOT going to be easy and my hope is that we learn from each other as we take the journey together. If at any time you have questions or need someone to talk to, your K-2 Admin and Grade Level Leads are here to support you!! We may not have all the answers but are more than happy to dig into conversations to move this agenda forward. #oneteamonefamily
In preparation for understanding how this priority relates to our education goals this year, please preview the Opportunity Myth. The full document and executive summary are linked below for you to review. Take time to review the executive summary prior to reporting for All Staff PD on July 20th!
LINK: Opportunity Myth Doc
LINK: Executive Summary
Deans of Academics
Academic To-Dos
ELA pre-work (due Monday, July 13th)
If you would like a printed copy of the participant's guide for our CKLA training on Tuesday, July 21st, they are printed and stacked in the dean’s office. If you would rather have the link to the PDF, please email Ayana!
Math pre-work (due Monday, July 20th at 8 am)
To complete the pre-work you should: Read the lesson plan to gain context. Watch the video and fill out the google form as you watch the video. The google form has questions that correspond to each part of the video. Please watch each section, and then fill in your response) Lesson Plan Video Google Form
Math Manipulative- Please fill in inventory by July 15th. Text or email Molly if you have any conflicts.
Required PD Sign-Up
On Thursday, July 23rd, there is a free PD offered by an outside organization that aligns with our new Priority #1 - Anti-Racism. It is scheduled after lunch from 1 to 2 pm. Each staff member needs to sign up for the free webinar titled “Dismantling White Supremacy in the Classroom” - thank you Alicia for finding and sharing this resource with us! We are so excited to engage in this session together.
Sign up here -> LINK: https://davissquaredconsulting.com/teachers/
Content Planners
- Below you will find content planning assignments and who you should report to if you have to be late or absent from anything or have any general housekeeping questions.
Dean of Culture
DeansList has now replaced LiveSchool as our student information platform to track behavior and build positive school culture. This decision was based on that DeansList streamlines daily procedures that efficiently and effectively improve family engagement and communication, attendance and absenteeism, collaboration between teachers, and office referrals and incidents. DeansList training will be facilitated on July 28.
Dean of SEL
In light of the information that we will be virtual at the beginning of the year, I have prepared lots of resources for teachers and families to be successful. On Monday, August 10 from 6-7pm, I will hold a webinar for families K-8 to discuss how to practice SEL character skills at home. I will send a packet of SEL activities home before the school year begins so that we can ensure that scholars are getting what they need. I will hold more frequent webinars for families during this virtual time so that they can ask questions and get support. If you have a suggestion for a topic that you would like to see covered, please let me know!
Updates
Summer PD
All staff PD is one week away...wow time flies by so fast! I am so excited to get to see all of your faces again! With so many participants we will be engaging in virtual PD sessions to help keep us safe from the spread of COVID-19 by NOT conducting meetings in large groups. You will have the option to work remotely from a location of your choice off site or come to EEP and work in your classrooms following all EEP safety precautions. You will find that from July 29th-31st there is a ton of time to set up your classrooms (but you can also start today; however, you must have a mask on in all open spaces (you can take it off in your room).
The schedule is linked below! Please reach out if you have any questions. You are expected to fully engage in PD and rest assure there are many breaks embedded to help avoid Zoom fatigue. We are all trying our best to make due with the cards we have been dealt. In order to best prepare yourselves, be sure to check your wifi/internet connections prior to logging into PD each day (at least 3-5 mins in advance). See you soon! LINK: K-2 All Staff PD Schedule
Family Car Parade & Materials Pick Up
In order to prepare our families to fully engage in virtual learning with their scholars, they will need to pick up all the materials they need for their classes. This will happen on July 27th from 5-7 pm. We will do it reverse car parade-style (yay) so we can actually get to see our scholar’s faces! Your GLLs will provide more context and planning time later but we just wanted to give you all a heads up.
Virtual Kick-Off Night
Since we cannot conduct any meetings face to face our kick-off night will now be virtual and broken down by grade level teams. This will happen on July 30th from 5pm-7pm remotely. Again, your GLLs will provide context and planning time later.
Staff Sunshine Survey
Please take a moment to fill out the 20-21 sunshine survey so that we can learn a little about what you like so throughout the year you can receive happies from the team. This is especially true on your birthday! This is due July 21st! If you don’t fill it out we won’t be able show you love with all the things you like. LINK: Sunshine Survey 20-21
Congratulations
Teacher Leader Cohort
I am honored to announce our 20-21 Teacher Leader Cohort participants from the K-2 Team! These lovely teachers applied and have been accepted into our first ever leader development program at EEP. So, please give a round of applause to:
Danielle Smith (1st grade)
Macie Garrett (1st grade)
Olivia Pelletiere (2nd grade)
Stacey Neal (2nd grade)
Tiffany Johnson (2nd grade)
Upcoming Events
July 14th-17th
- New Teacher PD
July 20th-31st
All Staff PD: 8am -4pm
July 27th
Back to School Car Parade: 5pm-7pm (at EEP)
July 30th
K-2 Kick-Off Night: 5pm-7pm (by Zoom virtually)
August 3rd
First Day of School
August 10th
Rokicki’s Support PD for Families
Quick Find Docs
Class List click here
School Calendar (SY20-21) click here