Weekly WOW - September 26
East Vincent Elementary School
GREETINGS FROM EV PRINCIPAL, MS. SEELEY
Dear East Vincent Elementary School Family,
How are you doing? Really? This is a serious question. As you continue week by week in a virtual school setting, you may be feeling incompetent, exhausted, exasperated, and frustrated. Please know that you are not alone. Parents and guardians, especially ones who have younger learners in first grade and kindergarten, are feeling the strain. It is A LOT to manage your daily life AND your child's schooling. It is okay to feel this way, but how do you cope with it because it sure is uncomfortable? A few things to suggest:
1. What you are experiencing is normal. For our younger learners especially, they are exhausted in a typical school year after lunch. First grade students in the afternoon often (and I mean often) want to know when they get to go home, when it's nap time, and remind us that they miss their mommy (and sometimes daddy too). If your child is showing signs of frustration, irritability, and more, it's okay to take a break. We do that in school and you can do that at home. Just keep in communication with your child's teacher.
2. We are aiming for progress, not perfection. This is my message to our staff and this is my message to you (and your children). We are "doing school" in such an unusual way. Are we making it work? Sometimes, most times, ... maybe? But all of this is out of our control. So let's focus on what we can control. We can control our words, our actions, our understanding that we're all doing the best we can and accepting it.
3. It is okay that your child makes mistakes. It is okay that your child doesn't submit 100% correct work. Why? Because that is what we as educators encounter year after year. You just happen to be getting a glimpse into the world of education. Please support your child, but continue to partner with us so we see what your child does and does not know. It's a frequent component of learning, and it's okay.
4. Focus on your child and not another child''s virtual experience. Children have vast learning styles. One student may hear directions once and finish an assignment in five minutes, while a friend hears the same directions and does not know what to do. Yet another friend hears the same directions and takes 20, 40, even 60 minutes to complete the assignment. As educators, we adjust for this in the classroom. As parents/guardians, it is okay to adjust for this at home too. Our grade-level teachers spend many hours co-planning lessons, assessments, daily checklists and more. If your child is taking shorter or longer than peers, that may be okay. If you have questions, I encourage you to contact your child's teacher directly.
This edition of the WOW includes information about important dates, grades 4-5 supply pick-up, intent form, Skyward information update due, Go CATS with virtual etiquette and a positive behavior reinforcement idea, EV building goals, staff spotlight tips and tricks exchange, and spread the news.
The last edition of the WOW included information about important dates, thank you, EV family in need, teacher absence, student attendance reminders, supply pick-up, school-wide positive behavior, EV building goals, staff spotlight, tips and tricks exchange, and spread the news.
Be well,
Ms. Seeley
EV CALENDAR
SEPTEMBER
9/28/2020 No School for Students/Staff
9/29/2020 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM Virtual PTA General Membership Meeting
9/30/2020 12:00 PM - 6:00 PM Pick-up for grades 4-5 (see information from your child's teacher)
OCTOBER
10/12/2020 Target date for Blended Learning Plan Group A to return to school
10/15/2020 Target date for Blended Learning Plan Group B to return to school
10/19/2020 8:45 AM - 2:45 PM School Picture Day for Group A
10/19/2020 3:15 PM - 5:00 PM Cyber Academy Picture Day
10/22/2020 8:45 AM - 2:45 PM School Picture Day for Group B
10/22/2020 3:15 PM - 5:00 PM Cyber Academy Picture Day
Remember, you can check our dates on our webpage calendar, too. Click on an event and see details. Need to know more? Looking for an event but cannot find it? Contact Mrs. Shronk in the EV Main Office at evoffice@ojrsd.net or 610-469-5713.
SUPPLY PICK-UP
INTENT FORM
Sent to all elementary families on Tuesday, September 22
For full email and letter, visit the EV webpage
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Parents and Guardians,
For planning purposes, families who intend to have their child change learning models, will need to complete and submit this form.
By submitting this form, you are indicating your intent to have your child change their current learning model. This means that you desire your child to change from the OJR Cyber Academy to the Blended Plan or the Blended Plan to the OJR Cyber Academy.
To ensure proper planning for the return of students all intent forms must be completed no later than 5:00 PM on October 9, 2020. All parents will be notified of the transition and assigned new teachers contingent on enrollment numbers and available capacity due to social distancing requirements in each school per grade level. The end of the first quarter is November 10, 2020, and students would transition on November 9, 2020.
Very truly yours,
The Elementary Principal Team
SKYWARD INFORMATION UPDATE - DUE BY 9/30
We have 183 students left whose parents/guardians have not updated Skyward information. Remember, you have to do this update for each of your children. This is not done by family.
It is very important that student information and your contact information are current in our Skyward Information system and I need your help. Below are important instructions to guide you on how to update Annual Information in Skyward. Thank you for helping by completing the updates.
To complete the Annual Information Update Process:
* Login to Skyward
* Click the Annual Information Update tab on the left
* Select a child
* Fill out the forms on the page
* When finished all steps, click Submit Annual Information Update (If the submit button is greyed out, you must go back and complete all sections.)
If you have forgotten your Skyward login information, or if you are a first-time user and have not accessed the system, simply click on the “Forgot your Login/Password” link. You will be prompted to enter your preferred email address. An automated email with a generic password will then be sent to the email address associated with your login credentials. Next, follow the directions to create a unique password. If you need assistance, please reach out to Mrs. Hydutsky at evoffice@ojrsd.net or 610-469-5714.
SCHOOL-WIDE POSITIVE BEHAVIOR SYSTEM: GO CATS
During the first few weeks of school, all staff and students explicitly teach and model expected behavior using the school-wide positive behavior system, Go CATS! Added to the mix, we will learn and practice expectations as a digital citizen.
How can you partner with us? Discuss Go CATS expectations with your child. Model and acknowledge Go CATS behaviors at home too. Your child could even set up his/her own acknowledgement system of CAT Cash or similar. Send us your photos and stories if your child creates an at-home acknowledgement system. We'd love to see and share it!
VIRTUAL ETIQUETTE
We want every student to have a voice, but it's difficult when more than one voice happens at once. Background noise such as another student learning, TV shows, dogs barking, and caregivers talking are BIG distractions. We'll continue to explicitly teach muting etiquette, and we need your help to reinforce it. Thank you!
POSITIVE BEHAVIOR REINFORCEMENT
If your child is in need of some positive reinforcement at home, Mrs. Hastings, second grade teacher and former special education teacher, created a really quick virtual behavior chart for you to use. Change the target behaviors to match your child’s behavior goals, and think of some easy/free incentives that would motivate your child.
EV BUILDING GOALS
Each year, we draft building goals for the EV community. The building goal categories include student growth and achievement, safe and caring environment, and climate and culture. Stay tuned as we share more information about our building goals for the 2020-2021 school year.
SAFE AND CARING ENVIRONMENT: SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING
SAFE AND CARING ENVIRONMENT: DIVERSITY
Submitted by the Diversity Building Goal Team:
It is Latinx/Hispanic Heritage Month! From September 15 through October 15, fourth grade students at EV are celebrating by listening to traditional Latin music, reading books like Alma and How She Got Her Name by Juana Martinez-Neal and My Name is Celia - The Life of Celia Cruz (Queen of Salsa) by Monica Brown. Students also chose an influential Latinx/Hispanic person to research and created presentations on those people.
From Mrs. Derstine, Academically Talented Program Teacher:
In ATP we are doing a thematic research on Mexico. It involves a study of Amalia Hernandez who shared Mexican culture with the world through a famous dance company, Ballet Folklorico de Mexico.
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From Ms. Smith, Art Teacher:
Celebrating Ghana Culture in Second Grade Art Class
The students watched a read aloud of a book called The Spider Weaver: Legend of Kente Cloth. Students learned the book is about a folktale - meaning it describes how something happens. In this case how the patterns were discovered that are used in traditional kente cloth made by expert weavers. The patterns in their weavings came from seeing a beautiful spiders web in the jungle. When they came back to their village they tried to duplicate the patterns in their weavings using bright beautiful colors. Today Ghana is known for their weaving of Kente cloth.
STAFF SPOTLIGHT
MISS SHIATA UREY, SIXTH GRADE TEACHER
Hi! I attended Elementary and Middle school in the Tredyffrin-Eastown School district and graduated from Conestoga High School. I went to college at Hampton University in Virginia and received my Bachelor's in Language Arts. I returned to school for teaching at Neumann University In Aston, Pa and obtained my certifications in Elementary and Special Education. I have been teaching since 2013 and have a passion for creating a learning environment for students of all ages. I currently teach 6th grade Math, Science and Social Studies at East Vincent Elementary.
MARY BETH GIANDONATO, SCHOOL COUNSELING INTERN
My name is Mary Beth Giandonato, I am a student in West Chester University's Master of School Counseling Program, and I will be interning with Mrs. Quinn at East Vincent for my fall semester. I am super excited to have been welcomed to the EVES team, and look forward to working with our students this school year! Aside from my internship at EVES, I also work as a Community Health Worker at the Maternal and Child Health Consortium of Chester County, and have been working with families in the Spring City/Pottstown Area for years. I am excited to be working alongside Mrs. Quinn to provide individual and small group counseling for students, teach classroom Guidance lessons for grades K-3, and support our students in any way possible!
TIPS AND TRICKS EXCHANGE
My girls love playing with putty during class to get the fidgets out. We are planning on a trip to Crazy Aaron’s World of Putty in Norristown soon so the can make their own! - Katie Meacham, Maeve's and Ellie's mom, grades 4 and 2
Alexa is our new best friend! We set an alarm 3 minutes before each class as a reminder to get back to our seat and ready to learn. Also, Cecilia takes a stroll around the cul-de-sac (sometimes she walks her dolls) if a class ends early and she is finished her work. She does this at least once each school day. - Jennifer Barner, Cecilia's mom, grade 3
Have you found a way to make life easier during virtual learning? We're all in this together! Share your tip or trick with Ms. Seeley at cseeley@ojrsd.net to add to our Weekly WOW newsletters. Pictures welcome!
Maeve with some putty
Alexa reminds Cecilia to get back to class.
Cecilia takes a break outside.
SPREAD THE NEWS
Do you have exciting news to share about our EV students? Did a student participate in a service activity, competition, or sporting event? Share with Ms. Seeley at cseeley@ojrsd.net to add to our Weekly WOW newsletters. Pictures welcome!
East Vincent Elementary School
Email: evoffice@ojrsd.net
Website: www.ojrsd.com/ev
Location: 340 Ridge Rd, Spring City, PA 19475, USA
Phone: 610-469-5106
Facebook: facebook.com/EastVincentElementarySchool
Twitter: @OwenJRobertsEV