Gilmore, Faye

HEALTH AND SAFETY IS OUR FIRST PRIORITY:

The success of advancing to this stage in our reopening process requires all of us to do our part. The safety of our students and staff must come first and we must ALL remain vigilant in our health and safety protocols.

• Keep your children home if they are sick;

• Keep your children home if anyone in your household has tested positive OR is experiencing COVID-compatible symptoms;

• Keep your children home if anyone in your household is awaiting a test result for COVID;

• Remember to truthfully fill out your Daily COVID Health Screening Form for your child each day.

• Remember to contact your school nurse if anyone in your house has been exposed to COVID, has COVID-compatible symptoms, or is being tested.

CONSISTENCY OF INSTRUCTION IS IMPORTANT:

• Students will be expected to attend every day, and to not flip between in-person instruction and synchronous instruction.
• The only exception would be for in-person students who are ill or who should stay home due to quarantine. If a child is ill and able to participate, please notify your child’s teacher that your child will be learning synchronously from home, temporarily.

Monday, March 1st begins our five day per week in-person learning! One important change is that students will no longer eat lunch in school. Instead, we will be taking a 15 minute break in the IMC(location) which has been set up for a safe, socially distanced snack. The school district will be providing a “grab-and-go lunch” to students at the end of the day. PLEASE REMEMBER TO PROVIDE YOUR CHILD WITH A HEALTHY SNACK EACH DAY. Thank you!

Read Across America Week is 3/1-3/5

Please click here to the the Spirit Theme for each day!

Recess Menu

 Schedule:

Please follow this schedule during your AT HOME days.

8:55-9:20 Morning Meeting

9:25-11 Literacy

11-11:30 Math 

11:35-12:05 SPECIAL

Special will be 15 days at a time, see the schedule below

12:05-12:40 Math Cont.

12:20-12:35 Working Snack

12:40-1:10 SS/Science/ELL 

1:10-1:30 Math Cont.

Specials Schedule:

March 1-March 19: Gym

March 22-April 16:   Library

April 19-May 7: Music

May 10-May 28:  Computers

June 1-June 18:  Art

Charged Chromebooks MUST come to school EVERY day!!! 

Please make sure they are fully CHARGED. 

Leave chargers AT HOME.

 Please come to school with your PLANNER every day.    

School Supplies

• I will be providing students with all of the supplies they will need this year and everything will be labeled with their name or number.
• If you would like you may send in a pencil case for them to keep their supplies in their desk. Please just be sure to write their name on it before sending it in.
• If you would like to donate some needed items to our classroom, we are always in need of tissues, paper towels, and wipes.

Important Notes

Please label everything that comes in, including water bottles. And don't forget sweatshirts/jackets as the weather will start to get cooler!  This can be as easy as pinning a ribbon or piece of fabric inside the clothing, so you DO NOT have to write on it. 

• In the backpack, it is also encouraged to have an extra mask or 2 incase the 1st one gets misplaced or dirty.  Please be sure that the clean masks are in a labeled bag or container. Dirty masks will just be put in their backpack so you know the difference.Please remember that it is mandatory that the children wear masks all day.
• The students are also encouraged to bring in a water bottle each day. We will not have access to the water fountain due to the current situation, so I kindly ask that a water bottle be sent in everyday (it must be water, no juice in the classroom).
• Our room gets pretty chilly so I recommend the students bring a sweatshirt to keep in their backpack, especially at the start of the year when it is much warmer outside than in our classroom!
• Lunches may be purchased, but is recommended to bring a bagged lunch.
• I will be meeting the "at home" group in the afternoon each day around 2:20.  More information on this will be shared shortly. 
• Please send in a note if there will be a change in dismissal for your child. All dismissal notes are sent down to the office in the morning. It is IMPORTANT that you date these notes, include your child's full name, and my name.

*There will be no snack or food of any kind in the classroom*

Below is information and resources on instruction and how I will communicate throughout the school year. 

Class Page: My class page will be updated often with any important information that is happening in the classroom and announcements that pertain to the class, school, and community. 

Google Classroom: My google classroom is where assignments and lessons will be posted throughout the year and where students will submit their assignments.  See the above links to connect with your groups classroom

DIRECTIONS TO ACCESS TO PEARSON WEBSITE: 

Pearson Math Access!

Please use the following while you are at home:

Free Sites for Distance Learning

Wonderopolis: Every day this site shares a new wonder, submitted by kids, and the answer, in an article with a video.

National Geographic Kids: Games, articles, and videos about animals and nature.

Mystery Doug: Video science lessons and activities

Typing Club: Use your time at home to learn keyboarding skills!

Scholastic Learn at Home: Daily learning projects from Scholastic, geared for different grade levels

Explore Animal Webcams: Observe animals live on webcams from around the world

Virtual Museum Tours: Take a free virtual museum tour of a famous place, like the British Museum in London

Hour of Code: Learn coding skills with an hour of code activity.

Design Squad Global: Watch PBS Design Squad videos, to learn about science and engineering challenges

Khan Academy: Free online video lessons in math and other subjects

Crash Course Kids: Elementary school science videos

Family Activity Ideas

Indoor Activities for Kids Stuck at Home: Buzzfeed lists 27 fun activities for kids home from school

70 Educational Activities: A former homeschooler shares 70 educational activities you can do when you're stuck indoors.

Podcasts: Listen to a podcast together. Common Sense Media curated this list of best podcasts for kids.

Cosmic Kids Yoga: Stay active as you practice yoga together.

Distance Reading Book Bingo: Read together and complete this bingo board!

A NOTE FROM THE PRINCIPAL 

LET ‘S WORK TOGETHER:

      Student Safety is always paramount at Switlik School. We are asking for help in allowing our staff to focus on our shared goal of keeping our children safe and focused on learning. We appreciate your continued support and collaboration with us in ensuring that all students are safe.

ENTRANCE PROCEDURES:   THERE WILL BE NO UNSCHEDULED VISITS THIS YEAR.  If you do visit the school, you will be asked several COVID questions before entering the building.  Valid Photo Identification is required each time you visit the school. We ask that you wait 20 minutes after student arrival to approach the building to be signed in for your visit. (Exceptions are made for scheduled appointments approved by your child’s principal/teacher/counselor.

• All visitors will notify the receptionist using the buzzer by the visitor doors.
• At the buzzer, all visitors are required to present their valid photo identification to the camera, state the purpose of their visit and/or specify with whom they have the appointment or which student they are picking up.
• At the second set of doors, buzz again for access to reception.
• This includes drop off and pick up for morning and aftercare

Please do not hold the door open for others behind you​. We realize this feels awkward and against the rules of good manners, but it’s important that each visitor be acknowledged individually through the buzzer system.

• If the appointment and/or purpose is verified, the visitor will be buzzed in and must present themselves to the receptionists immediately upon entry.
• The visitor’s ID will be held until the visitor leaves the building and the visitor will receive a guest badge. This procedure helps us to know that the visitor has departed by ensuring they leave the same way they arrived.
• Please limit “dropped off” items to only those items your child truly needs during the school day (e.g. necessary clothing changes, important schoolwork or lunch/items that are required for that day). Using the buzzer by the visiting door, inform the receptionists these items are on the cart outside the visitor door.

ARRIVAL PROCEDURES:  Please be advised at no time should any vehicle be entering or exiting through our bus ramp during arrival or dismissal times. Please review and adhere to the following:

Arrival Time: 8:50-9:05 a.m.  We will not have staff on duty before this time.

• No child should be left off at the school without a staff member in attendance.
• Morning arrival for children is located at the back of the building (gym vestibule entrance).
• Parents who choose the “Kiss and Drop” loop should adhere to the following safety procedures:
  • Stay in the right lane along the curb, pull up to the red line:
    • Pull up to the gym vestibule entrance doors to drop off your child.
    • Parents are to remain in their vehicles at all times.
    • Students must exit from the passenger side door.
    • Parents will not be permitted to enter the building during drop off arrival time.
    • Do not pass other vehicles while children are exiting from vehicle, this can create a dangerous situation.

After 9:05 a.m., the start of the school day, parents dropping off their children must park in the main parking lot and escort them inside to the main office receptionist desk in order to sign them in.  At this time, children are considered late. Valid Photo Identification is required each time you visit the school.

No child is to be dropped off at the main entrance without a parent/ guardian signing them in.

Parent Pick Up:

• Doors at the back of the building (gym vestibule entrance) for parent pick up will open at 3:05 p.m.
• Present your valid photo identification to the receptionists prior to signing your child out.
• Follow instructions of receptionists as to where to stand while waiting for your child to arrive.
• Please do not park in the bus lane during this time.

Child Care:

• Parents wishing to pick their students up from childcare may begin to do so at 3:15 p.m. We ask that parents wait until dismissal is complete before signing out childcare students.

EARLY DISMISSAL: will conclude at 1:15 p.m.  Any parent who wishes to sign out their child after 1:15 p.m. will wait until dismissal at 3:10 p.m. Please refer to the Switlik School Handbook.

If you will be picking your child up early, we prefer you notify the school as early in advance as you can, but at least by the morning of pick up. This can be done through a note sent in with the child, or an email to the teacher and principal. In the event of a true emergency, please contact the school reception desk by phone (732) 833-4650 extension 4135, prior to arrival if possible. We realize there are often instances where early pick-up is necessary (medical or other appointments), but we respectfully ask that you limit early sign-outs to only times when they  are necessary.

If your child is absent, please send in a note. If they are sick and see a doctor, please send in a doctors note to have it be excused. Thank you! 

Dismissal Change Form

There will be NO birthday celebrations this year!

As per school district rules-- NO BIRTHDAY INVITATIONS CAN BE GIVEN OUT IN SCHOOL!

We will be dancing during our "Brain Breaks." These breaks give us a chance to move and focus our brains for the next task. We use GoNoodle which is a website with different fun videos to get us moving! You and your family can try it at home. Here is a link:  https://www.gonoodle.com

 

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In our classroom, we will work hard to be "Bucket Fillers", not "Bucket Dippers"!

But what are "Bucket Fillers" & "Bucket Dippers"?

We're going to read the book, Have You Filled a Bucket Today?

This book tells the story how everyone, all over the world, carries an invisible bucket with them. The way that we treat others can fill their buckets when we are kind, or we can dip from their buckets when we use unkind words and actions. Other people can fill or dip from our buckets too.

In the first few days of school, we will spend time learning how we can fill other peoples' buckets and learning how to avoid dipping from them! You'll be able to fill your friends' buckets in our classroom by writing positive notes to them and using kind words!

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