Field Park Principal's Update
April 9, 2020
Hello Field Park Families,
Read on for some VERY important updates, including information about our learning expectations for Monday, 4/13!
FIELD PARK UPDATES:
Reminder about "Phase Two" of E-Learning:
As noted in Dr. Barnhart’s communication last week, we are about to undergo a shift in our instructional planning as we launch into Remote/E-Learning for the long haul. Core classroom teachers will spend all day on Monday, 4/13, engaging and collaborating with one another to plan for this next phase; they will be focused on preparing high-quality new learning for students to focus on the “core” of reading, language arts, and mathematics. The goal is to balance the need to introduce new material and keep our students moving forward through the curriculum with a realistic expectation of what is feasible for students, parents, and teachers to accomplish together in the new landscape of learning-from-home. As you heard from Dr. Barnhart, expect that this shift will look like a simplification of daily learning expectations, an increase in “live” teacher/student interactions and classroom connections, and a continuation of the fun, engaging experiences of e-learning that your child/children have grown to know and love. While the focus will hone in on reading, language arts, and math, classroom teachers will still prepare “May Do”/choice opportunities for students who wish to gain exposure in science and social studies, and our Specials Teachers will continue to provide robust engagement opportunities in Art, Music, PE, Library, Spanish, and Band/Orchestra.
Plan for Monday, 4/13: Zooapalooza Learning Day!
As our core teaching staff work hard to plan for this next phase, our team of “Specials” teachers (Art, Music, PE, Library, Band, Orchestra, Spanish, and even our Social Workers) have teamed together to create a day of fun, play, and connection with and for our kids on Monday, 4/13: Zooapalooza! The “work” of e-learning for Monday, 4/13, will simply be for your child/children to click into the Zooapalooza choice board launch sheet (more details coming tomorrow) and spend the day - largely OFF of the screen! - engaging with the experiences curated by their Specials teachers. Check out this introductory video for a quick "teaser" about the day! There will not be any assigned classwork from core classroom teachers, interventionists, resource teachers, and support staff during this day; instead, all elementary students will focus on the Zooapalooza activities and engage through play, interconnectivity (in safe, social distancing methods!), and fun. Please note that specials teachers WILL be available to check in and give support/guidance and to assist with these Zooapalooza adventures while core classroom teaching staff are not available; regular office hours, daily lessons, Seesaw/Google Classroom posts, etc. will resume on Tuesday, 4/14.
Doing Our Best, Together!
As an administrative team, we continue to remind our fantastic, hard-working staff that they are doing exactly their best through an uncharted, turbulent time; there will be plenty of challenges, frustrations, mis-steps, and immense, intense rewards within this novel experience. We know that this transition to e-learning and all that it entails is a lot to navigate for teachers, staff, students, parents, and our D101 community. We would like to invite you - as we continuously ask our staff - to keep our focus simply on doing our best and taking care of our kids. If you did not have a chance to watch the parent video in last week’s message, take a few moments to watch it now, and - hopefully - to grant yourself some permission if e-learning is messy, if your house is a hurricane, and if the siblings are at odds more than they are snuggled in. We hope that you, and our kids, can see some of the silver linings as they arise, and that we can all grow stronger as we forge forward, together.
E-Learning Time Guidelines
As we all work to grant ourselves permission to do our best and let that be enough, we know that many of us are still working to find the balance for “just right” work expectations for our students and how to support this at home.
As a general guideline, we expect that students spend about the following amount of time on their e-learning work:
Kindergarten - 1st Grade - 1 hour daily
2nd - 5th Grades - 2 hours daily
If you find that your child is struggling to accomplish the assigned work within these guidelines, you might try:
Do a quick review of your child’s routines, work habits, and work space to assist with efficiency and focus. Check out the D101 E-Learning Resource Site’s “General E-Learning Tips” for great resources on these topics!
Focus in on the use of a checklist to guide the daily work; many students benefit from co-constructing a to-do list and checking it off as they work through the day!
Try building stamina and providing structured breaks throughout the “workday” to help break the work into manageable chunks.
Reach out to your child’s teacher for suggestions and recommendations based on their knowledge of your child’s learning; they have insight that might help pare it down, work more efficiently, or adjust to meet your child’s needs.
If you find that your child is completing her/his work in far less time and needs/wants additional challenges, you might try:
Check out the Science and Social Studies “May Do” activities from your child’s classroom teacher weekly; while these are not assessed, they are great chances to engage and dig deeper!
Engage with the exciting learning opportunities found in the D101 Specials Choice Board! There are many opportunities to be found here to push kids further with movement, engagement, and collaboration!
Set up a family reading challenge and get pumped about turning those pages!
How to Stay Connected with Our Field Park Community:
Virtual Teacher Parade: We miss our students! Check our our Field Park Staff in this "virtual parade" as we wave hello and show how much we miss you!
Morning Announcements FlipGrid: Bookmark this one and click in daily to view our special staff cameos and special announcements for the day! (It will also be linked in my daily attendance reminders from here on out!)
Read-Alouds FlipGrid: If you haven't taken a peek at this collection of read-alouds by our Field Park Staff with your kiddos, give it a look - it's heartwarming, and a great chance to share some of our favorite books together.
PE Padlet Challenges: All students, parents, and staff are welcome and encouraged to add posts about your health and wellness pursuits during this challenging time -- it's great to see photos as we all keep movin'!
E-Learning PARENT Support: Resource Highlight
Resource Highlight: Socio-Emotional Wellness: Well-Being Calendar
Check out this resource to challenge yourself and your family to focus on well-being this coming week; the struggles are real in this challenging time, and a focus on wellness, positive self-talk and awareness, and cultivating healthy patterns is critical! This resource comes from our D101 E-Learning website, which is packed with similar ideas, suggestions, and resources to help families navigate this time together.
LAST CHANCE: Yearbook Request: Photos of E-Learning in Action!
Thank a Staff Member
Thank you!
REPEATED: Update - Preschool Screening
Due to COVID-19 and the closure of schools until at least April 30, the Pre-School Screening scheduled for April 20 and 21 has been cancelled.
If you have a child between the ages of three through five, and if you have concerns in any of the following areas:
Speech and language
Vision and hearing
Motor skills
Cognitive skills
Preacademic skills
Social and emotional development
Please contact Gini Sulek, Director of Special Services, at gsulek@d101.org or at (708)485-2850.
REPEATED: Update - Kindergarten Registration/Screening
Field Park School
Email: aburger@d101.org
Website: d101.org
Location: 4335 Howard Avenue, Western Springs, IL, USA
Phone: 708-246-7675
Twitter: @aklemburger