LV Impact
Lakeview Staff Newsletter - April 13
Connection
We went home from school on March 13. Today is April 13. One month.
At least once a day, I wonder, "What will be different when we emerge from all this?" Will we drive and fly less? Will we cook on a more regular basis? Will we always order all of our groceries online from now on? Will my closets ever be this clean again?But when I think about school and what might be different, for me it comes back to connections again. Is there any educator out there anywhere right now who feels over-connected to students and families? I seriously doubt it. We went "cold turkey" on our 8:30-3:35 connection with students a month ago and have worked really hard to bring that back in some small, yet very meaningful fashion. This is a type of safety emergency we never practiced for or imagined could happen. Thank you for your work!
So what will be different (or perhaps reinforced) about school when some sense of normalcy finally returns? After one month, these three come to mind:
• The care and concern for everyone's well-being (students, families, and each other) that already existed should be made even more abundantly clear.
• Ensuring direct connections to families in multiple methods seems pretty important.
• Innovative instructional methods should be hard to turn our back on, even as we rejoice at the essential-ness of face-to-face contact.
Perhaps we realize even more now why a mini-lesson begins with a Connection. Awakening the connections between people and our common experience is the basis for any new learning.
Connections, Part II
1. If you have a Google Meet scheduled with your whole class this week, please invite me. I would like to jump in and chat with students. Just send me a calendar invite with the link.
2. For staff - Everyone please do this now - Use this link to sign up for an Individual check-in with me. I have created 15 minute slots every day between 2-3 p.m. (except for Thursdays, which is grade level meeting day). That means in the next 3 weeks, there are 48 slots. I would like everyone (teachers, paras, secretaries, pupil services - everyone) to sign up for a time right now. During the visit, I will ask some rounding questions, but also just have a chance to connect. Just choose a slot, and after you sign up, I will add the Google Meet link. Please do not wait to sign up because I need people to start taking slots right away (even today!) to make use of all of them.
If you want to know how to schedule appointment slots like this for yourself (it would be a great tool to schedule individual student time during Remote Learning), see the first 5 minutes of this youtube video.
These two ways of connecting right now will take the place of the 3:15-3:45 Lakeview connect sessions. We will try to build more purposeful connection time into our Wednesday staff meetings as well.
Close to our hearts
Jean Nelson has been with us this entire school year. You might remember that Jean was supposed to start the year as a building sub until Melissa went on leave. Eleanor Spangler was born on September 10 and Jean worked with Therese as a valued Interventionist until mid-February. Then, Jean moved across the hall to be Amy's long-term sub until this Friday, April 17. Jean herself is due next week. Jean, you have been a dedicated member of the Lakeview family this year and our kids are better because you were here! We can't wait to see pictures of the baby soon.
Jaime Kawczyski has been Brianne's sub since mid-January. I can't believe how fortunate we have been to have Jaime with us in Brianne's absence. Jaime's calm presence and ability to build relationships with students, parents, and staff really fast are greatly appreciated. In an elementary building, the principal and the counselor/social worker really depend on each other in the same way that you and a grade-level colleague depend on each other. I personally appreciate the work you have done at Lakeview, Jaime. Our kids are better because you were here!
Learning Packets
Structural Items
Lakeview Technology Accessibility Spreadsheet - Keep trying to connect with every family and make notes on this spreadsheet as you go. We are at about 80% at Lakeview, so 4 out of 5 students and families are connected with us in these unique times. The direct teacher-to-family connection is the very best communication we can offer right now. Keep it going consistently.
Lakeview staff meetings on Wednesday (see Google Calendar invites for Meet links):
K-2 from 9:00-9:45
3-5/Specials from 10:00-10:45
Remote Learning Quick Reference guide - includes links to Grade Level meetings for Thursdays.
Lakeview Elementary School
Email: csepersky@sdsm.k12.wi.us
Website: lakeview.sdsm.k12.wi.us
Location: 711 Marion Avenue, South Milwaukee, WI, USA
Phone: 414-766-5252
Twitter: @sepersky