Hi families,

Yesterday (Wednesday the 8th) you should have received an email from me with zoom invites for one on one meeting times for your child and I.  I am very much looking forward to chatting with your child.  I will be sending out group invites the morning of and on your child's 1:1 day I will send reminder login info emails.  I posted my schedule here for your access. 

Here is today's video!


Keep up the great work with your awesome children!

Here is the link to the latest video

Good Morning,

I was excited to get more work for students to families.  In today's video, I discuss the items that you picked up and what the kids can work on today.  This is a long video and it is definitely taking a long time to upload.  Hopefully you will find it helpful.  Here is the link to the video

I am working on a schedule where I communicate with the kids individually and as a group.  I was waiting on some guidance and I now have the ok to start working on this.  I know that some of you have started this on your own.  What I am thinking is an individual time with me and one student once a week and one to two times where we meet as a class using a password protected zoom meeting.  I would only be passing out zoom passwords through email so that it stays secure.  I am also considering doing this on the phone if that works better for you and your child.  I am only able to do this if parents have completed the online permission form that the school sent out at the end of last week.  If you need more information, please let me know!  I have been heavily researching the best ways to do this for first graders.  I know that some of your older children are using a variety of platforms, but I have told the kids all year first grade does things differently!  This is because this is such an essential age and has unique needs.

Hi families,

I know that shortly a number of you will be picking up work from school soon.  I just want to make clear that you shouldn't plan on lingering.  I have received a lot of input about how to do this will everyone's well being in mind.  I will have gloves and disinfectant on me!  Here is a link to today's video

Just a note that I plan to describe the paperwork you are piking up in Monday's video. 

Hi Families,

I have been busy figuring out next steps.  I will be making copies for each of your children so that you can pickup tomorrow from 9-10.  I was grateful to hear from so many of you!  You do not have to bring in any work that your child has completed.  Please stay in your cars when you get there.  Let me know if you have any questions.  Today's video can be found here

Hi families, 

Link to today's video is here

This Friday, April 3^rd I plan to host a schoolwork pickup from 9-10 for first grade only.  If you can’t make it during those hours let me know and I can either leave it at school for you to pickup outside or I can deliver it to your driveway. 

What will be available to pick up:

A daily task completion sheet which goes through the middle of June

Math workbooks

A set of copies for daily practice of word work and high frequency words

Narrative writing graphic organizers

Narrative writing papers

Writing editing checklist

Shoes that your child left in the classroom

Please do:

Check out the attached pictures to see if you recognize these shoes.

Let me know through email if on Friday you plan to come to SME from 9-10, would like me to leave things outside the main entrance, or would like me to drop off at your driveway.

I plan to call all first graders on Thursday so please let me know what number is best to reach them at.

Please note:

This is a situation that is continuously evolving and my plans may be forced to change.  There could be forthcoming guidelines from the state or national level which may force me to rethink instructional materials, communicating with students, or how to assess learning.  If that occurs you will hear from me, but in the meantime I wanted to make sure that I provided students with something provides some sort of normalcy for them.  I am also going to start utilizing flipgrid.com for students to share their completed work with myself and other students.   On the daily task completion sheet, you will notice that some items are bold.  I am asking that on Friday’s for students to share what they have been working on over that week.  From there, children will be able to comment through a video on other children’s work.  Flipgrid is able to be used on a variety of devices and it doesn't require using an app, but one does exist.  It is also my hope that flipgrid is something that families can use to motivate their child to complete their work.  As I mentioned earlier, this situation is continuously evolving and I recognize that I will likely have to evolve further.  I wanted families to hopefully feel a bit at ease knowing that the work initially sent home is set to run out on April 3^rd and that a tentative plan for more things to do does exist. Link to intro to flipgrid video is here.

This situation has made me stop and think about how appreciative that I am to be this group’s teacher.

Thanks!

Pictures of shoes:

The link to today's video can be found here.

It is my hope that tomorrow (Wednesday) that I will be able to share my plan for the rest of the school year with you.  Stay tuned!  I am amazed at what families are doing to help their child and other first graders out!  Keep up the good work!