State Road Eagle Newsletter
MAY 2020
Dear Parents and Primary Caregivers,
Ask yourself these three questions right now:
- Did I tell and show my children that I love them today?
- Did I help them name their own emotions or at least ask them how they are feeling?
- Did I acknowledge where my own emotions came from at least once today?
If you can answer a full-hearted YES to these…
YOU ARE DOING EVERYTHING RIGHT!
Over the past week, here’s what I have heard from parents:
- One woman broke down crying as she talked about her son who has Tourettes, OCD, and anxiety. She said the lack of structure is making it hard for him to cope. And she talked about how frustrated and tired and angry she is that she has to deal with this and how guilty she feels for having those emotions. And then the desire for someone to take care of her. And then the exhaustion. And then finally the release that she finally got to admit what she was feeling.
- Another person wrote “My peeve at the moment is all the mums who are posting art projects they’re all doing together as a family etc. At first the positivity was encouraging but now it’s just making me feel inadequate!!!”
- A mother of a two and five-year old, whose husband is an essential worker, asked apologetically if we could do meetings in the morning because “even screens don’t entertain my kids by afternoon.”
- One dad talked about his kids wandering in and looking for hugs and snacks whenever he was on Zoom calls.
- A nurse and single mom talked about the anxiety and impossible choice of having to go to work and also having that mean she had to leave her children at her parents’ house exposing them, exposing her children, in order to help others.
- One woman talked about how she had to file for unemployment for the first time, lay off her entire staff, and was worried her business wouldn’t survive these closings. Then she noted that she felt guilty that she hadn’t gotten her parents Easter flowers, saying “I haven’t done one nice thing for anyone in the past month.”
The overwhelming emotion and common theme I hear in all of these experiences and in numerous other conversations with parents and caregivers over the past few weeks is guilt. Am I doing the right thing? Are my kids doing enough schoolwork? Are they on screens too much? What is realistic right now? Am I functioning in my job? Am I productive enough? How can I meet my kids needs when I am such a mess? Why do I have to deal with this? It isn’t fair. I am not prepared. I don’t want to be doing this. I want someone to take care of me. Does that make me a bad person or a terrible parent?
The message I want to give to all parents and caregivers is that the only thing you really need to do right now is tell your children you love them. Hold them if they will let you. Rub their back. Tuck them in. Ask them what they need. Let them take their anger at the situation out on you without reacting too much. And if you do any of this, you are doing everything right. Sure, there is lots of good advice out there right now about what kids need – structure and routine, play based learning – and a million and one online resources to take advantage of – STEM activities and on-line art classes, virtual read alouds and free audio books, yoga and mindfulness exercises to keep even the most dedicated yogi busy. A lot of this is really good stuff and if you have energy and ability to make use of the advice and the resources that’s great too. But I guess what I am saying is for those who can’t right now (maybe you are an essential worker and you aren’t physically in the home as much as you want to be. Maybe you are coping with anxiety or depression or job loss or conflict with a partner. Maybe you are a single parent doing this all by yourself. Or maybe you simply don’t have it in you to organize that family Olympics game as recommended by your kids PE teacher), at a time like this what your kids need most is your love and connection and your help to identify their own feelings. In fact, helping your children develop emotional literacy – the ability to identify, name, and interpret their emotions – is arguably the most important skill they need to get them through this crisis. In other words, if you start with heart and connection, you’ve got this. Sending you a virtual hug.
-Elizabeth Devaney
Director, Whole Child Connection
State Road Learning Menu
To our State Road Families
Below is the link for our learning menu.
This includes:
- Grade level menus
- Ideas for Art, Gym, Music
- Math, ELA & Science menus
- Even Virtual Field Trips!
State Road Morning Show!
Check out what our Eagles are doing this month!
The Pre~K friends have been reading stories, singing songs, dancing, and making projects! Many are enjoying walks with their families, playing outside, planting flowers, and going on scavenger hunts!
Hugs to all!
Kindergarten will be starting their ABC Countdown. Fun and interactive activities will be posted on Seesaw! Kinderfriends are making a special “surprise” treat for Mother’s Day!
Answers are at the end of the newsletter!
Our second grade teachers and students are enjoying our Zoom meetings. Sometimes we even have special guests pop in like Mrs. Koch, Mr. Miller, the specials teachers or Ms. Kaempffe! Seeing one another's smiling faces, sharing read alouds, and taking turns with show and tell help to melt the miles between us.
With time and patience, students, families AND teachers have been honing our technology skills and usage of a variety of platforms and apps. As we forge a path to new learning in the weeks to come, we remember we are blessed to have such supportive families.
Stay well, give those kids a hug and let them know they are truly missed!
Mrs. Barrette, Mrs. Mascho, Mrs. Wyland and Mrs. Yates
Your teachers miss you all very much! Keep smiling and working hard, friends!
"Onward" inspiration from your fourth grade teachers!
State Road Library News
“Miles of Smiles” Coming Soon!
We are planning a fun, school-wide campaign to spread smiles far and wide! More information coming soon!
Many wonderful online literacy resources and eBooks are FREE right now!
Visit the Library Resource Page for more info. CLICK HERE
3rd Grade Online Reading Club!
Our 3rd grade book club will start by reading Dragon Masters book #2 aloud and sharing jokes, riddles and more. We are voting on a book to read together.
It is never too late to join us!
3rd Grade: Go to Google Classroom, ADD A NEW CLASSROOM with this code: 3uzals5
Zoom Meetings Wednesday & Friday @ 12:30
4th Grade Online Reading Club!
Our 4th grade book club voted to begin by reading The Terrible Two by Mac Barnett together!
It is never too late to join us!
4th Grade: Go to Google Classroom, ADD A NEW CLASSROOM with this code: c4nba6f
Zoom Meetings Thursday @ 11:00
YES! 5th Grade Battle of the Books is STILL ON!
We struggled to figure out how to keep the battles going, but now WE HAVE A PLAN! Kickoff Zoom Meeting @ 10:30 AM Friday, May 1st. For more information, go to the 5th grade Battle of the Books Google Classroom! Go to Google Classroom, ADD A NEW CLASSROOM with this code: 6cpc7ls
Send an email for reading suggestions, research help, if there is anything you need, or just to say hi! andrea_koch@webstercsd.org
Follow the library on social media for information and fun!
FB: StateRoadLibrary Instagram: state.road.library Twitter: StateRdLibrary
MISS YOU! KEEP READING!
Don’t worry about your checked out library books!
Read them, care for them and will keep you informed about the book return plan.
From the Board of Education, May 2020
April 25, 2020
9:00 a.m.
“I am always doing that which I cannot do in order that I may learn how to do it.”
Pablo Picasso
We hope this message finds our One Webster family well and coping with the changes wrought by COVID-19 as well as they can. We’re settling into this new reality and a few short weeks ago when we may have been shocked by lines of people wearing masks just to enter Wegmans, like so many other adjustments, we do what we have to do.
We are all doing things we don’t know how to do, and we are learning. We are inspired by the stories we hear of teachers and staff and how they have adapted to online instruction and devised creative ways to stay connected to their students. We are awed by parents who have taken on the role of educator and continue to support their children’s learning. We are proud of students who have risen to the challenge to succeed despite obstacles and disappointments. Their motivation will help them grow in ways they couldn’t have imagined. Finally, we are grateful for the leadership and collaboration of our district’s administrative team led by Carmen.
There was no preparation for the roles we find ourselves in and we sincerely hope everyone can find the strength and inspiration to continue. Sunshine calling us outdoors is an immense benefit; people are outside walking and enjoying our beautiful community.
We continue to conduct the district’s business, and along with all the other New York State school boards, we await further guidance from the governor regarding the annual budget vote and board of education elections. The latest date of early June looks increasingly unlikely.
Please take a moment to thank yourself for all you are doing, because it is making a difference. Each day gives us yet another chance to persevere, to challenge ourselves to new tasks, and to take care of each other.
Sincerely,
Tammy Gurowski
Linda Dioguardi
Mike Alt
Sue Casey
Maria Rigillo
Jan Strege
Mike Suffoletto
For additional information, please visit Webster CSD’s Coronavirus Info web page.
Need to Contact Us?
@stateroadwcsd
@staterdlibrary
@stateroadpe
Website: http://www.websterschools.org/state
Location: 1401 State Road, Webster, NY, USA
Phone: 585-872-4200
Twitter: @staterdwcsd