WildCat News
April 15, 2020
Dear Woodin Community,
I hope you and your family enjoyed a relaxing, sunny Spring Break safe at home. Since Governor Inslee’s announcement last Monday that school buildings will not reopen this school year, I have been thinking of you, our families. In addition to the profound sadness I feel about missing our students and staff and grieving the loss of all that our community will miss out on this spring, you have been at the top of my heart and mind. Not only are you juggling your household, living through an unprecedented health crisis, dealing with the impacts on your own workplace, and so many other losses your family may be experiencing during this difficult time, now your home has also become a learning site. This is a lot to take on. I want you to know that we get it. We understand what you are going through, and we will get through this next phase together, as one community.
As you can imagine, our staff is also heartbroken that they will not be able to return to school this year. They miss the students they care about so much, they worry about them, and they are deeply disappointed that they will not be able to finish the year as planned. Despite the extreme let down we feel, we are also heartened by the fact that, although our delivery model has drastically changed, school is not canceled. Learning will continue, connection with our students will go on, and although we are apart physically, we are in this together.
Our Woodin team is deeply committed to partnering with our families and supporting you and your student(s) with grace and compassion. Please know that our District and school are working on plans for the rest of the year. Although many questions still remain, we will be working to get answers and develop plans, and I will share details with you as soon as possible. In the meantime, this is our path until we have further guidance:
The Northshore Learns 2.0 weekly schedule started prior to Spring Break will continue.
Teachers will focus on the key learning objectives in reading, math, and writing for the remainder of the school year. The lessons they're giving students are built upon this. Students are strongly advised to fully participate to the greatest extent possible so they can maximize their understanding of these essential concepts.
While our goal is to keep learning moving forward, we recognize that some families may be in crisis right now. Your student’s well being is the top priority. The goal is not to add stress, but rather engage students in learning. If your student is struggling with the lessons or your family is dealing with circumstances that impact your student’s ability to participate, please let our staff know so we can support you and your student. The last thing we want is to make this harder.
As opposed to trying to replicate what would happen in a brick-and-mortar setting, students will be working on the big ideas and main concepts in reading, math, and writing. Teachers have been asked to think about engaging projects, interesting explorations, and independent learning tasks to guide student’s independent learning, as students will only be receiving lessons on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. (or… as students will only be receiving lessons in each subject area once a week…)
Office hours are available for teachers to support students in small group zoom sessions or 1:1 by phone, as well as for staff to provide special services. This is a great time for kids to connect with their teachers if they have questions or just want to check in with a trusted adult.
We recognize that some students and families may want to engage in additional learning opportunities this spring. To meet this desire, our district has compiled the Northshore Learns website as a resource and Woodin also has a website: Woodin Learns. These resources are offered for the joy of learning and personal growth, and not as a curricular expectation (unless assigned by a teacher).
We are working on a plan for students to safely retrieve items left at school. Once the details are ironed out, we will share the plan with our community. Stay tuned.
We’ve received some questions asking how to best support students as we continue with Northshore Learns 2.0. We recognize that you have already been supporting your student in this new learning environment and may already have a routine that works. I know for my family, this has been an on-going process as we try to find a system that works for all of us. These are just a few suggestions in case you are interested.
Structuring the Day - Routine is essential for young learners. Having the same time each week-day to get up, engage in activities, and go to bed will support your child in being ready for learning. Consider working with your student to create a daily calendar for activities that includes the daily school schedule, and don’t forget recess. For the joy of learning and engagement, discuss with your student adding time to their calendar for independent creative, athletic/movement, musical and reading pursuits.
Managing Online Learning - Organization of online materials and navigation of the Internet are key skills for online learning. Just as you might help your student organize their materials for school, consider helping them learn to develop a system for storing and managing their online work so that it is easily accessible, especially for students in higher grades.
Reach Out If You Have Questions or Are in Need of Resources - Our team is here to support you and your student. Don't hesitate to email our teachers, librarian, admin team, office staff, or Mr. Taylor, our school counselor, with any questions you may have. If we don't have the answer, we will do our best to get you to someone who can help you or your student. We are happy to help families locate essential resources in our community. If your family has a need, we are here to help.
Our team is looking forward to connecting with your student(s)! We became educators because of the joy and satisfaction that working with children brings. We do it because we love it and each student is a wonderful gift. Thank you for sharing your amazing child with us. Together, we will carve the very best out of this new reality to pave their way into the future.
Thinking of each of you, every day!
Fondly,
Dawn Bowers
Megan Lenz
Kindergarten Registration for 2020-21 School Year
The approved 2020/21 School Calendar
Woodin Elementary
Email: tcussac@nsd.org
Website: www.woodin.nsd.org
Location: 12950 Northeast 195th Street, Bothell, WA, USA
Phone: (425)-408-5400