Betsy's Bits
March 29, 2020
Week in Review:
- SanLee continues to be a food hub for any child in Lee County ages 1-18 on MWF's from 11-1. There are food hubs also at East Lee Middle School, Greenwood Elementary School, Warren Williams Elementary Alternative School, W.B. Wicker Elementary School. Beginning Monday Broadway Elementary and J Glenn Edwards Elementary will also have meals. These are for drive up/walk up only. There is no eating onsite. In addition to these pick up sites, LCS will be offering Lunch Box on Wheels at Dreamland MHP, East Sanford Baptist, Oakhill MHP, Pine Village MHP, and Thornwood Village MHP from 12-12:30.
- CUOC also continues to provide neighborhood drop-offs on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Our PTSO asked how they could help our families during this and I asked them to to donate to CUOC. SLMS PTSO donated $1000 to help purchase needed food and supplies.
- Our bookkeeper, Tina Cameron, has permission to enter the building on Monday to get payroll completed. All payroll must be completed by noon on Friday. She and Roush will be speaking directly to and working with to all TA's and office staff at SanLee to complete timesheets. Pam Bass will be working with cafeteria assistants to complete their timesheets. Bus drivers will be paid for the days they drove and are eligible for the driving bonus if they drove all the possible days. As I shared earlier, there is no way at this time to earn driving time during these days. The only time that could be documented as time worked during the past two weeks we have been closed is through the meal hubs, volunteering with CUOC, answering the phones remotely, and completing the online professional development offered by our district. We have been instructed that annual leave days or leave without pay is to be used for time not earned doing professional development or assigned work from home tasks. Please refer all questions to Roush, Tina, or Pam.
- The NC State Board of Education met on Friday and gave some guidelines for grading while online and grades for 3rd Q, etc. Lee County is reviewing the guidance and will let us know specifically what this will mean and look like for us and our children. I will pass on this information as soon as it is received.
- Lee County Schools has adopted a Continuous Learning Framework which we have already adopted in our own master schedule for virtual learning.
- Our counselors will begin calling all 8th grade families to check on them. If they are unable to reach using the contacts and emails in PS, they will reach out to teachers to see if you have seen/heard from the students and may ask you to assist them in making contact. We will begin moving to 7th and then 6th grade families after 8th is completed.
- We received direction on students receiving EC services and 504 accommodations/modifications. I am meeting with counselors and EC teachers Monday morning to discuss and ensure we are on the same page. Regular education teachers must be mindful of and provide accommodations and modifications to students with these services even in the virtual world. More clarification will be shared after our meeting Monday. They also will be scheduling virtual meetings which will not be during the traditional "planning times". PLEASE discuss with teammates and make sure someone on team accepts the invite when it is sent. It is also imperative to log on 2-3 minutes before the meeting so we know everyone is there that has to be in the meeting. I will doing all EC and 504 meetings
- LCS had expanded the wifi well into the parking lots at several sites; B.T. Bullock Elementary, Deep River Elementary, Greenwood Elementary, Bragg Street Academy, and Warren Williams Elementary Alternative School. Alison Poole reported speaking to a student about the free wifi for 2 month deal through Spectrum and two days later the student had wifi.
- A technology hotline called Lee County Tech Support Line is being opened tomorrow. You or families may call for support on LCS hardware. It will patch you to Shannon :). As you are finding a student that doesn't have access to a computer but has internet and sharing with me, I am having teachers call to set up a specific day/time to pick one up. Right now M, W, F's at 9 or 10 are all that we can do. The person must be at the front of the school at the specific time with a pen. It MUST to be PLANNED and done according to these guidelines. The form I'm putting the information you send to me in our SLM Chromebook check out at the bottom of the form with the date and time. Roush is coming in that morning and getting the laptops set up and ready with the necessary forms and then goes out front at the specific time to check out. The person checking out is signing that they are responsible for making sure the computer is used appropriately and will return it in the same condition as given. If they do not sign the form, they may not have the laptop. We have had one parent refuse to take responsibility.
- Next week will remain our Spring Break!
Items being discussed and worked on at the district level:
- 8th graders needing CPR
- Registration for classes for next year
- Reaching out to families that do not speak English
- Transfers and withdrawals while we are virtual
- Another mass laptop distribution for families
- EC teachers and counselors having access to folders
- Food hubs remaining open during Spring Break
*I'm sure there is much, much more they are working on, but these are areas I have shared that are concerns for us at the middle school level and know they are working to give us direction.
We are continuing to more forward and push on during this time. We had some excellent virtual interviews last week. I have submitted one name for hire (more information as soon as it is officially offered and accepted), am checking references on two more we really liked next week, and already have one interview scheduled on Tuesday. #stayinguponthatRISE
Times like this magnify what is most important and valued by people and organizations. I am so proud to work in Lee County Schools where the safety of everyone is put first.
Coming UP:
Mark Your Calendars:
Middle School Virtual Spirit Week!!!
Monday: SLMS Leadership Team Meeting @2Wednesday: SLMS Virtual Staff Meeting @2 - just checking in and saying high - nothing big and will not last long ;)