Pack Post
October 5, 2020
Dear Lowrie Families
I have been listening to Brené Brown’s podcast Unlocking Us this weekend and the one on Day 2’s resonated with me. It made me think about us as a school community and how we are all doing our best to adjust to CDL and how hard, messy and frustrating it can be! In the segment she describes that Day 2’s of intense work can be the most challenging - the messy middle. She also shares ways in which we can keep moving forward, stumbling through the newness together and finding our way. I encourage you to take a listen!
I wanted to take a moment to acknowledge the steep learning curve we are on with orienting ourselves with our digital curriculums. During these times, it's easy to question the use of these tools, it’s effectiveness and its purpose. Many of us are probably in the learning pit or perhaps in what Brené Brown refers to as day 2! Here are a few things I thought would be helpful to keep in mind:
ODE provided clear and comprehensive guidance, which provided the foundation for our district plan.
Last spring we received much feedback from teachers and families. Hard working teachers said it was overwhelming to develop and teach lessons for all subject areas. Families indicated they needed more structure and lessons that could be facilitated by caregivers.
We are still hoping to transition into hybrid, in-person learning this year. When we shift to a hybrid schedule, teachers will work with half their class each day and the other half will need a digital resource to engage independently with. Teachers will be leaning heavily on FLVS as they focus on implementing new safety practices and build strong classroom communities.
We reviewed a number of digital curriculums and landed on Florida Virtual, one of the most widely used digital curriculums in the nation.
Families and teachers are under incredible strain due to all the traumatizing life changes due to COVID and the fires. It is understandable that a new primary day schedule will raise questions and concerns as families live into it.
Now we are in our first few weeks of teaching and learning with these digital curriculum resources. We are still learning and orienting ourselves with the resources. Teachers have been working hard to make sense of the digital platforms, identify the essential understandings and assignments that have the greatest impact on student learning. From experience, I know we'll learn much more over the next couple weeks about how to use FLVS and children/families will grow in their independence. Things are going to be better and smoother each day. Hang in there!
Remember, your child’s classroom teacher can work with you to offer ideas for flexibly engaging in the primary day. We highly encourage all to participate in the daily morning meeting if you are able. This counts as school attendance. In collaboration with your child’s classroom teacher, you can make a plan to build stamina for the remainder of the day and how your child engages in the learning blocks in ways that best match family needs and student learning styles. Please contact your child’s teacher if you’re interested in having a conversation about this.
We are committed to working with each and every family to creatively problem-solve and to find ways to make distance learning work for our school community. In every challenge there is possibility!
Sincerely,
Sarita
Important Information
Distance Learning Kits
Thank you so much for picking up distance learning kits last week! We have almost all of them distributed. Please call the main office if you would like to schedule a time to pick your child’s kit up if you still need to do so!
Reopening of Schools
The health metrics of reopening with in-person learning are determined by considering the case rate and test positivity rate of COVID-19 in Clackamas County as well as statewide. In order for West Linn-Wilsonville schools to reopen, we need to meet the following health metrics: Clackamas County needs to be at-or-below 10 cases per 100,000 people for three consecutive weeks, the test positivity in Clackamas County needs to be at-or-below 5% for three consecutive weeks and the test positivity in the State of Oregon needs to be at-or-below 5% for three consecutive weeks.
At this time, Clackamas County does not meet the health metrics outlined above for in-person learning. In discussions with the Clackamas County Health Department, we do not expect to meet the metrics in the immediate or near future. Clackamas County Health Department will be closely monitoring these metrics across our county and will help us prepare for our transition to the hybrid model when it is safe to do so.
Governor Brown and the Oregon Department of Education also announced an exception for grades K-3 to return to in-person school sooner using a different set of metrics. For grades K-3 to transition to the hybrid model, the following metrics must be met in Clackamas County: Clackamas County needs to be at-or-below 30 cases per 100,000 people for three consecutive weeks, the test positivity in Clackamas County needs to be at-or-below 5% for three consecutive weeks, COVID-19 cannot be actively spreading in the school community. This would be determined by the Clackamas County Health Department.
Currently, Clackamas County does not meet this set of metrics. If Clackamas County is able to meet these metrics before Nov. 6, the district would consider bringing students back to school for in-person learning prior to the end of the first term.
However, we want to be clear that the transition to the hybrid model would not occur immediately. We will prioritize getting students into the classroom as soon as it is safe to do so and when our school is prepared for this important transition. When we get closer to meeting these metrics, we will begin to prepare our staff and students for a return to the classroom.
New Conference Dates
Last week, our school board approved a change to the school year calendar that impacts our previously scheduled conference days in October. Conference days will now take place on October 22 and October 23.This means that October 7 and October 8 are now Comprehensive Distance Learning school days.
We hope that by making this change, it will allow more time for teachers to get to know each of their students as a learner and share more comprehensive information about student academic progress during the first few months of school. This time will also give teachers an opportunity to complete assessments, confer with students and support them with goal setting in preparation for the upcoming conferences. We appreciate your flexibility and understanding!
Measure of Academic Progress (MAP) Assessments for Grade 2-5
Zoom Meeting Norms
Please take some time to review these norms with your family as you continue to adjust to distance learning!
Tech Support Zoom Session for Families
Schedule for this week: Monday-Friday from 10:00-12:00
Use this link to join
Meeting ID: 988 0561 9532
Passcode: 603587
Meal Information
Every school day, WLWV school buses will deliver meals to 60 locations all across the school district. If you see a bus, take a break and grab a meal! Meals will also be available at designated school campuses including Lowrie!
Upcoming Events
October 22nd-23rd • Parent, Teacher Student Conferences
Lowrie Primary
Email: amayas@wlwv.k12.or.us
Website: https://www.wlwv.k12.or.us/Domain/14
Location: 28995 SW Brown Rd, Wilsonville, OR, USA
Phone: 503-673-7700
Twitter: @LowrieWLWV