PRINCIPAL WALKER: Week of 3/16
The Kids are Home... Now What?
Making the most of school closure
With us taking measures to combat the threat of COVID-19, we do understand the days are long when schools are closed. We ensure you that our efforts as a unified district team are strong; however, I also wanted to put together some suggested ideas and resources for our RMS-SISD family to help the days pass more productively.
The best thing you can give your scholar for the next 3 weeks is STRUCTURE & MONITORING! It’s time to do what we call a “Whole class/school reset.” You do so by getting organized for learning. Please note that we consider minutes dedicated to instruction and transition time extremely important in our school-setting. We have this down to a science— literally. Some might feel this is too much for scholars, but do understand that our scholars are very used to tight systems, routines, and structure. This is how their school brain functions! Please note the following suggestions for creating a learning environment at home:
- Find a place you can expect your child to work daily.
- Create a schedule for at least the 4 content areas of Math, Science, Social Studies, and Reading/Writing. Other content areas are equally as important and should be embedded.
- Include breaks in the schedule. It is best that you as the parent determine the breaks in the schedule, so that they are not random.
- Require your child to show you evidence. Oh, they know how! You can ask them to post it, snap it, insta story, video it, or share it in whatever way you want. The idea is that you expect to see the end result.
- Require your scholar(s) to SHOW his/her work. Do so by asking to her/him to “work it out,” annotate as they read it, prove it, defend it, explain it, and also ask “why questions.”
- Download Google Drive or another free app that allows you to work with or see your child’s work in “real-time” as he/she works.
Please note the attachment with additional free resources for young scholars. Please be sure to reach out for help. We win as a team!
Sincerely,
Principal T. Walker
A Sample Day with Ideas to Help Fill the Time
*Disclaimer: what follows is a structured/packed day with many transitions. The purpose here is not to impose a structure but to offer ideas for how to break up the time. Think of it as a menu of options; pick and choose what works for your children and your family.
8:00 Make breakfast together
9:00 An hour of schoolwork
10:00 DIY Science project
11:00 Exercise! Here are some Indoor suggestions
12:00 Creative lunch-making
1:00 Second session of schoolwork
2:00 Round 2 of physical activity - we all need it...
3:00 Healthy snack & DIY Crafts project
4:00 Write, rehearse, and perform a play or mock commercial, or dress up time.
6:00 Prepare, eat, and clean up dinner; everyone helps.
8:00 Board Games/showers/read aloud before bed
Baking = great STEM learning
After you've done all the measuring, then you can think about the chemistry of cooking. At what temperature does butter melt? Or water boil? You and your child can generate hundreds of questions and answers about math and science by the simple act of making cookies.
Then, once those cookies are made, there are all kinds of story problems! If everyone in the family gets an equal number of cookies, how many cookies does each person get? What about the ethical dimensions of cookie-making? Who should get the most? The person who cooks? Who cleans? Who buys the groceries? Or should everyone get an equal amount?
SPRING ISD SUPPORT REMINDERS
- Closings- Spring ISD schools and offices will remain closed through April 10th in support of city and county measures to combat the spread of COVID-19
- Remote Learning - All campuses share out official SISD remote learning instruction & methods beginning March 23rd.
- Free Curbside, Take-Home Meals: Available Monday through Friday at 11 campuses from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m.
- WiFi Hotspots: Comcast and Xfinity are providing free access to their wifi hotspots across the area for the next two months. Find the nearest hotspot to you by clicking here.
- Free Home Internet: In addition, Comcast is offering free home internet access for the next two months for new income-eligible customers. Click here to learn more.
THE RMS DNA CHALLENGE WEEK
Definitely Not Average!
- Tik Tok Tuesday! Create a Tik Tok video with your family tonight!
- Wild’n Out Wednesday! Do an improv or your favorite teacher teaching a lesson!
- Throwback Thursday! Have a family member tell a story about their favorite school memory!
- Fanatic Friday! Wear your RMS/Spring School gear and have family game day/night!
Parents, to help you out, here are exemplar Tik Tok videos of how one family reminds us to, “Mop,” and King Lebron James and his family reminds us that we, “Can’t Touch This!”
MOP IT UP!
YOU CAN’T TOUCH THIS!
Principal Walker
Email: twalker@springisd.org
Website: www.springisg.org/roberson2
Phone: 281-891-7700
Twitter: @RobersonSpring