The CPES BobChat
March 15, 2020
How Do We Help Our Children Make Sense of the Caronavirus?
Here are some questions our kids may have asked us this week. "Why is there no toilet paper in the grocery store?" "When will there be basketball on TV?" "Why can't we see our grandparents?" "Are we going to have to stay home from school?" "I heard everyone is getting sick. Are you going to die? Am I?" This past week was a tough one. And, there may be some difficult ones ahead. How can we best coach our children (and each other) through this response to COVID-19? 1. Keep it honest and developmentally appropriate. We need to be thoughtful and truthful with our children. Yes, there will be (and have been) some people who will die from the virus. Yes, we've seldom (if ever) canceled so many public events as an effort to manage exposure to a disease. Yes, those who have a hard time fighting off any sickness will be most at risk. This is not a time for trite or misleading answers. Honestly responding "I don't know" is a great answer. 2. Keep it in perspective. There have been many times in history when we responded to disease. There was a day when measles, chicken pox, and polio struck fear in the hearts of parents and children. In recent years, there were outbreaks of SARS and Ebola. Today, we continue the fight against cancer, multiple sclerosis, ALS, birth defects, and AIDS. The caronavirus is serious but it is not the only time a disease has been managed and treated on a national scale. 3. Keep it simple. Help kids know what they can do to help themselves and others stay healthy. Be sure to wash your hands. Cough and sneeze into a tissue or your sleeve. Let us know if you don't feel well. Plan to visit older adults at a later time. (We can call them instead.) Help little ones know what simple things they can do to help make the situation better. 4. Keep listening. Listen for the emotion (fear, anxiety, anger, frustration, grief) as much as the words. For my own kids, Whitney learned she can't return to college for three weeks (and possibly more) during her senior year and Joey's winter band competition season is over. My heart goes out for our Winthrop basketball team who won't get to go to the NCAA Tournament. Those are losses (and there will probably be more.) As adults, we want to help our children acknowledge their realities and emotions and help them move to a better place. That takes time and patience on our end. 5. Keep hopeful despite difficult circumstances. In the media and in our conversations, there is plenty of "gloom and doom." Don't get stuck there. It is not helpful for ourselves nor for our children. As I've mentioned before, this is an opportunity for the big people to model for the little people how to handle adversity. There will be some good that comes from this. Maybe it will slow us down. Maybe we will appreciate our health more. Maybe we will care for others in ways we have not done before. Maybe we will have a needed change in perspective. Maybe we realize (once again) that we really aren't in control. Hope in the future of a better day can sustain us and embolden us. Our children need to know that as well. Know that we have done, are doing, and will do all we can to walk with you and our children through this season. This season will come to an end. I hope and pray we will be better people because of it and at the end of it.
Blessings to you.
Mr. Maness, Principal
Here is a great resource for talking with kids about the caronavirus from the National Association of School Psychologists: https://www.nasponline.org/resources-and-publications/resources-and-podcasts/school-climate-safety-and-crisis/health-crisis-resources/talking-to-children-about-covid-19-(coronavirus)-a-parent-resource
All Schools Are Closed Until March 31 by Order of Governor McMaster
School News
All Schools Are Closed Until Further Notice due to COVID-19!!
Free Sites to Assist with Remote Learning (Click the title to access the link.)
Sports Illustrated for Kids- Sports news, just for kids!
Wonderopolis- Reading to get kids to wonder.
Tween Tribune & TTJunior- News articles curated by the Smithsonian covering a variety of topics. It features an adjustable text difficulty.
Dogo News- Student news site with many images and videos to accompany articles. The articles can be sorted by a subject of interest. Interest levels range from 3rd through 8th grade.
Greg Tang Math- Online math games and teaching games for a variety of skills.
Caregiver Math Resources- Lesley University’s Center for Mathematics Achievement in collaboration with the Kentucky Center for Mathematics have put together this resource
guide for parents and caregivers to be able to support children’s mathematics learning at home during school closures.
SFUSD Math Elementary Lessons- In preparation for school closures, SFUSD has produced 10 days of activities to complete at home. The stand-alone activities are designed for students to do on paper without technology and are available to all under the Creative Commons Attribution License.
Yearbook Order Information--Should also have been (or soon will be) sent home. This is our first yearbook for Cherry Park. Books will be $20 (with soft covers) and $25 (with hard covers.) You can pay using the order form sent home or you can pay online at http://www.ybpay.lifetouch.com and use the Yearbook ID Code: 14088320 Checks should be made to Cherry Park Elementary. You can also click on the link below. Deadline to order is March 27.
"Welcome to the Family" Night--We will have a "Welcome to the Family" Night on Tuesday, April 21 from 5:30-7:00 PM for all new students who will be starting with us next fall. This will be a drop-in for families to come, ask questions, walk around the school, meet new friends, and complete their registration. (Slots are not secure until registration is complete.) We need your help to make this night a success. Please check your calendars and we will send a signup survey in the weeks ahead. More information is to come.
@CPESBobcat on Twitter--Want to see what's happening at CPES? Twitter is a great way for you to see our school family at work and play each day. Download the Twitter app and follow us @CPESBobcat. You might see your little one or favorite staff member.
Spring Registration Timeline--Please click on the button below so you can know deadlines for registering your child for next fall.
PTO and SIC Information
Parent Teacher Organization and School Improvement Council Update
The PTO serves to raise funds, coordinate volunteers and encourage teachers through appreciation activities. Click on the PTO Newsletter button below if you wish to receive the PTO Newsletter: PTO and SIC are tentatively planning to meet on the second Monday of each month next year. School Improvement Council meets at 5:30 (in the Fish Bowl) and our Parent Teacher Organization meets at 6:30 (in the Media Center.) Elections were held in the spring for these organizations but all parents are welcome to attend to help provide input and volunteer. Meetings will be held on March 9, April 13, and May 11 (if needed.)
Calendar of Events
All school events before, during and after school have been canceled until March 31.
March 27--Last Day to Order Yearbooks (See info above)
March 31--Bond Referendum Vote (Information about projects can be found at www.rock-hill.k12.sc.us/oneplan); 6:30 PM
April 6-13--Spring Break
May 21--Kindergarten, First and Second Grade Field Day (in AM)
June 1--9:00 AM Fifth Grade Graduation (Sullivan Auditorium)
June 2--Third, Fourth and Fifth Field Day (All Day)