JC Daily Update
March 19, 2020
Morning Announcements
What's Your Favorite Rainy Day Activity?
Parents,
I received this information from the Rye Youth Council yesterday and thought it might be helpful to share here.
Mrs. McGuire
Talking to Young Kids About COVID-19
It is not recommended to shelter our children from information about Coronavirus, but it is best to keep the facts simple and age-appropriate when our children come to us with concern. Here are excellent articles and guidance from the Child Mind Institute and PBS.
Quarantine and Social Distancing
A simple way to talk to our young kids about social distancing is that we want to keep ourselves and others safe and healthy. Our community is taking precaution to do its part -- here in Greenwich, we are being cautious and responsible by staying home, temporarily closing our schools and stores, and keeping away from others as much as possible. Our local, state and national governments are helping to keep everyone else safe and healthy, too.
Control the Flow of Info
As much as possible, keep the television news off in front of younger children. News channels tend to repeat the same stories over and over. Young children won't necessarily understand the repetitive cycle and can interpret this information as "new news". It can become overwhelming, confusing and scary to them. Parents working from home whose jobs require a constant news feed should consider keeping "news" television in a home office or bedroom with the door closed. Parents, we should first gauge what our kids already know so that we can build on that knowledge to fill in gaps or dispel information that's inaccurate. Choose what information needs to be shared for your particular child and what might make sense to hold off.
This can be challenging, so it is important to remember that questions asked don't have to be answered right away. For example: "That is an excellent question. Let me finish loading the dishwasher and we can talk about it." This gives parents time to give a thoughtful moment on how best to answer the question.
Things to consider for productive “School from Home” days:
News of COVID-19 is ever evolving and often unsettling. Students of all ages are dealing with sudden changes to daily routines, disappointments, stress, and anxiety. These tips can help establish a feeling of normalcy.
Get dressed for the day!
Although it might be tempting to stay in sweatpants and PJs, let your child see you "dressed and ready" for the day. It's not business as usual but it's kind of "business as usual." It can be comforting for kids to experience the usual morning routine . . . and to have their home feeling upbeat for productivity. If you are working from home you may want to choose "dress down casual". Have the kids get dressed as well, as if they are heading to their school.
Establish a Framework for the Day
Given the schedule that your family has chosen, serve breakfast and lunch at set times to give a framework of the day. And keep regular bedtimes -- we may be working from home but school is still in session!
Ask your child what their "normal" day is like at school. Mimicking this schedule can provide some consistency and structure. For example: if science time is every day from 2:20-2:50, have them do their science schoolwork at that time. If they have gym class in the morning, take them out for an early walk. Kids can get a kick out of sharing how their day typically goes and working with you to try to replicate it at home. It can be bonding and a great self-esteem booster.
Model Calmness
The most impactful form of communication to your child is your own behavior. If parents and other adults in the house are behaving calmly, you are sending a clear message to your child that there is no need to panic or worry.
Keep Communicating as a Family
Consider having a family conversation at night to talk about how everyone is feeling with being home so much, learning from home, not seeing their friends, etc. Have a family discussion to solicit kids' input on improving their day. Ask them questions like, "What worked for you today? What might you like to do differently?" Share ideas for downtime and talk about their concerns if they come up.
Practice Compassion
Practice being kind, gentle and compassionate to yourself and your children. Let’s remember to give to ourselves and our children that which we would so readily give to another. Most of all give yourself as a parent the gift of patience and forgiveness as we all navigate this new normal. You and your children will find your groove. As you discover things that do work give yourself a bit of self-praise -- and keep free of judgment on what hasn’t. This "being home" comes with a big learning curve!
Food Service Update
This is a reminder that we have a free breakfast and lunch service for ALL students 18 years and younger.
The Route Schedule for Drop-off is included in this link. We hope you take advantage of this service, if you are interested in receiving free breakfast and/or lunch. Please encourage your student to bring a reusable bag or backpack with them to pick-up lunch should they need to bring home additional bagged lunches for their siblings.
For those families who participate in the Filling in the Blanks program, bags will be available at JC on Friday morning at 11:15.
If your family needs additional assistance during this time, please reach out to Neighbor to Neighbor at (203) 622-9208.
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Mrs. Trish McGuire - Principal
Email: trish_mcguire@greenwich.k12.ct.us
Website: www.greenwichschools.org/jcs
Location: 180 East Elm Street, Greenwich, CT, USA
Phone: (203) 869-1896
Twitter: @jcsprincipal