Willett Whaler
Week of December 6, 2020
Principal's Corner - Mr. Jeffrey Cateon
Welcome Back!
Thank you to everyone that donated to the Annual Food Drive. Helping those in need certainly is in line with the Willett Way.
Our first trimester closes this week and report cards will be published for your view on the ASPEN portal on Wednesday, December 16th.
Welcome New Staff:
Shannon Fisk - Building Paraprofessional
The next PTO meeting will take place on Wednesday, December 16th at 6 PM.
If you haven't already, please join us on Social Media (Facebook, Twitter , Instagram) and on our Website.
REMIND Information
Cohort A - https://www.remind.com/join/ab44878
Cohort B - https://www.remind.com/join/cohortbf
AVA - https://www.remind.com/join/avafam
We are unable to make changes in existing REMIND accounts. Please refer to the document below that provides directions to make any changes to your account.
From the Desk of the Assistant Principal - Mrs. Christine Brierly
Sibling Rivalry
Years ago, my younger sister, Heather, set me up and got me in trouble over a box of freeze pops. We laugh about it now but, at the time, it was tough! It was the middle of the summer and we had been fighting over a toy. She left the room and snuck several freeze pops into her room, gobbled them down and then swiftly decided to put the empty wrappers in MY bottom bureau drawer. When my mother discovered the sticky evidence, I was grounded for a week. My sister smiled sweetly through the whole incident but didn't say a word to take the blame. It was a classic case of sibling rivalry.
For those of you have more than one child, you have probably experienced sibling rivalry in your home. It can be annoying and frustrating to deal with. With COVID affecting the number of days and hours that family members are sharing the same space, sibling rivalry can become more prevalent.
Below is my read aloud of a book called "Holey, Moley", by Marcus Pfister, that tells a funny and endearing tale of two brothers rivalry. I have also included a link to an article that gives some helpful tips to parents for dealing with sibling rivalry. I hope this is something that might be helpful to some families. Stay well.
How to End Sibling Rivalry in 6 Simple Steps
Be kind. Be well. Be grateful.
A message from the Health Office - Close Contacts
Key Points on Close Contacts
Infectious Period of a person with COVID-19: 2 days before symptom onset (or positive test), through minimum 10 days after.
A Close Contact is defined:
- Close contact is defined as being within 6 feet of an infectious person (see above for infectious period) for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period. Masks reduce risk but they do not eliminate risk. We still consider mask wearers exposed.
- Contacts of Contacts would not be considered exposed and do not need to quarantine at this time.
- Only if the contact becomes a case themselves do we start to look at their infectious period and whom they may have exposed.
If an asymptomatic contact wishes to test out of quarantine prior to the traditional 14 days, the following applies:
Must stay in Quarantine at least 10 days, provided ALL of the following are satisfied:
- Have not had, and do not have, any symptoms
- Are tested ON Day 8 of quarantine period or later using a molecular diagnostic test (e.g., polymerase chain reaction (PCR)) to detect the presence of the virus
- Receive a negative test result
- Contact must continue monitor self for symptoms for the full 14 days. If they develop symptoms, they should contact health care provider and be re-tested.
- This testing method is an OPTION, but 14-Day standard quarantine still otherwise applies.
Any questions please feel free to contact Mrs. O’Malley
Sarah McCann - Our New Speech and Language Pathologist
I'd like to introduce myself to the Willett families and community. My name is Sarah McCann and I am a newly hired Speech- Language Pathologist/Therapist for the APS. I will be working with the students and staff at Willett on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I have many years of school- based experience in both city and smaller communities. My family and I are Attleboro residents and I am excited for the opportunity to work within the community that we live. Some fun facts about me....I love the color purple. We have two crazy Golden Retrievers, Nala and Daisy. I love to travel to the Outer Banks of North Carolina and my family and I have been long-time fans of the Boston Red Sox. Please do not hesitate to reach out to me! Looking forward to getting to know more students over the next few weeks.
Sarah McCann, M.S., CCC- SLP
LIfetouch
Lifetouch has provided a special offer to ensure each family at our school gets the opportunity to preserve this school years’ memories. To order school pictures and take advantage of this offer, visit mylifetouch.com.
Clever Family Information
Norms and Tips for Remote Learning.
Norms:
- Be on time for the daily morning check-in. Attendance will be taken, and your child will be marked absent if they are not present for the check-in.
- Select an appropriate learning space to allow your child to be present in the lesson and ready to learn.
- Ensure that your child's device is charged for daily use.
- During a live learning session, your child should be visible to the teacher with the camera on. Virtual backgrounds included in the Google environment can be used.
- Complete and submit work assignments on time through Google Classroom.
- Use all applications in the Google Suite appropriately.
- Adhere to all Attleboro Public Schools policies.
Google Meet Tips:
GOOGLE MEET TIPS
Before the meeting:
- Find a comfortable spot to sit. It is best to keep your device on a steady surface if possible.
- Make sure your background is school-friendly.
- Try your best to be on time.
- Enjoy a snack before the meeting begins.
When the meeting starts:
- Mute your device by clicking the microphone button.
- Be sure that your camera is on.
During the meeting:
- Be patient, this is a learning experience for everyone.
- Be engaged - looking, listening, and thinking.
- Unmute your microphone when your teacher asks you to talk. Mute your device again when you are finished speaking.
- Even though we are not in our school building, our school rules and expectations still apply.
- Families please be considerate and allow the children the opportunity to work with the teacher.