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Month: April 2020
Head of School COVID-19 Update
“The job of an online teacher is the job of an offline teacher is the job of a teacher. Connect to people and help them to feel connected to you and to the dimension of the world you are leading them to experience. Connect your students to one another in a way that enables them not only to learn content from one another but also to catch life experiences from one another—to shape one another in the way that only peers can. It’s that simple… and it’s that complex.”
A Letter to Educators Teaching Online for the Very First Time – Ed Surge
Dear Saklan Community,
As we work through week three of our distance learning at Saklan, the quote above struck me. At Saklan, we brag about the importance placed on being connected with students and families. Yet making those connections work through online learning has its challenges. In the first two weeks, we tried to nail down the academics. This week we have incorporated live sessions with the specialist teachers. By next week, we will begin incorporating more ways for kids to connect with teachers as well as each other.
Teaching through a pandemic has had its challenges. We appreciate your support and patience as we have built up (and continue to improve) our program. While we have had feedback from parents, I would like to take this opportunity to collect it in one place. Please take a moment to share with us your thoughts on how things have gone so far, what we have done well, what we could do better and how we can better support your family. Email me at feedback@saklan.org.
In other news:
- We will be holding our first Virtual Friday Flag on Friday, April 17th, at 9 am. Please have the whole family join, it will be fun. We will be sending a Zoom invite early next week.
- The 50th anniversary of Earth Day is around the corner on April 22nd and Ms. O. has lots of plans! Keep your eye out for more information to come.
- Our first Virtual Family Groups is planned for May 1st at 1:30 pm. Family Groups is for students in 1st – 8th grades. This month’s theme is Compassion. Parents are welcome to join. More information to come.
- Most of you must be aware of the Zoombombing issues that are happening within Zoom. We have instituted the correct protocols, and Zoom has updated its software. We are continuing to monitor this situation.
- Our hot lunch vendor, Food for Thought, is offering meal delivery on Tuesday and Friday afternoons. The menu is more “adult” than their student meals. As a bonus, they are selling toilet paper and rice in bulk! Using them is a great way to support local businesses in this time of need. Pick up will be at Perpetua School. Click here for more information.
- Do you have a favorite local business that could use our community’s support? If so, share with me a few details, and we will promote them within our community.
- Saklan will be hosting a Virtual Town Hall towards the end of next week. Details will follow in the next couple of days regarding time and date.
- Next week, the Business Office will begin processing credit memos for unused bus and extracurricular fees.
Lastly (and sadly), on Tuesday, the Contra Costa Office of Education announced that school campuses must remain closed until the end of the school year. Although this announcement was expected, it is not the news we were all hoping for. While I had wished they would have waited to make the decision, I understand why they wanted to make the decision earlier than later. That said, it is starting to look like the sacrifice of social distancing may be paying off. While I would never claim to be a math guy (or a doctor), the curve does seem to be flattening. As a community, we have accomplished much over the past few weeks, but it has been a heavy lift. While it has been hard, I hope that it may begin to feel that we are finding our way out (as in out of the house).
Stay well,
David
#SaklanDistanceLearning
A Common Struggle
Today, we had about 15 parents show up at our Parents Association Virtual Coffee centered around the topic of ‘Sharing Our Home Solutions to Distance Learning.’ You know how these things can go sometimes, the session was more an opportunity for people to share what they were struggling with when it comes to distance learning. And while there were many positives that came out of the conversation, reading the struggles brought a weird sense of comfort. We are not in this alone.
Here are a few of the more common things our families are grappling with:
- It’s been hard to keep the kids focused, sometimes bribing the kids with treats or whatnot is what parents have resorted to.
- Parents are having guilt regarding large amounts of screen time (not necessarily regarding school work but in general, i.e. video games etc.)
- Having to keep in mind that some kids love distance learning and do well at it, and others are having more of a challenge and strive on the physical connection/physical learning.
- Some parents find themselves losing temper and finding it hard to not have “me time” in which they can take a deep breath and gather their thoughts. They are in survival mode and some kids are feeling the stress they are under.
- Each week is very different. Each load of stress (whether on parents or students, whether from life in general or from classes) is different throughout the weeks.
- This whole world event is taking a toll on mental health. People are really struggling with not being able to go to coffee with a friend or have hangouts. Virtual ones just aren’t the same.
- There’s no time for parents to process emotions anymore.
I am not sure if sharing this list solves any of the issues, but I do hope that it makes us feel maybe just a touch closer to those we used to see so often.
Warm regards,
David
#SaklanDistanceLearning
Kindergarten News
In the video below, Mrs. C is teaching the Kindergarten class how to make a bunny.
Another one of the Kindergarten lessons this week was learning to draw a bunny. Although the directions were the same, every bunny was unique.
#SaklanDistanceLearning
Owlets Have Fun With Science And Springtime!
The Owlets’ theme for the month of April is ‘Science and Springtime.’ They have started doing some science experiments and spring activities at home.
Their first week has already started with some chemical reactions by mixing vinegar and baking soda together.
Another Owlet friend had fun taking the experiment in another direction. She had fun mixing colors together and seeing what colors you get when you do.
The Owlets also did a static electricity butterfly. This was where they made a butterfly from a construction paper body that was glued to a piece of cardboard, but the tissue paper wings were not glued down. Then they took a balloon and rubbed it in their hair to the static electricity which made the wings move them up and down like it was flying because the balloon got a static charge. From the static charge the negatively charged balloon was able to move the positively charged tissue paper wings to fly. One of our friends didn’t have balloons, but they still found other things to use to move the butterfly wings, like this comb to get the same results and static charge.
The weeks to come, the Owlets will have more fun with science experiments and springtime fun like this spring egg wreath.
#SaklanDistanceLearning
The Hokey Pokey
This week in PE, the students worked on their dance moves and learned the hokey pokey. Check out this instructional video created by Mr. Crabtree and start moving.
#SaklanDistanceLearning
Upcoming Webinars
Fusion Academy
Invites You to Attend Our Virtual Event
20 Minute Timeout: Executive Function Focus
Short on time and energy, but still need parenting support techniques?
The 20 Minute Timeout speaker series is the perfect solution!
Join us as we virtually host Beth Samuelson for 20 minutes of tips on how to support your child’s executive functioning and focus during the age of distance learning. She will show you how to implement new routines while putting old ones on hold and overcome the anxiety that comes with it. So parents, take a break and put yourself on timeout so that you can take the time out to learn how to make your life a little easier at home!
What To Expect:
20 Minute Presentation
10 Minute Q&A
Join Us
Tuesday April 14th
2:30 pm PST
Via Zoom
RSVP Below!
Click Here to let us know you’ll be joining us.
Attendees will receive the zoom link the day before this virtual event!
About Our Speaker, Beth Samuelson
Beth Samuelson’s work in educating and supporting teens, young adults, and parents spans more than 25 years, including the development of the unique SOS4Students model of one-to-one student coaching as well as workshops, advocacy, teacher training, parent workshops, and on-site school programs.
Beth is the founder and director of SOS4Students, and works primarily with teens. Students with ADD, learning disabilities, and executive functioning challenges are amongst those who have found academic success utilizing Beth’s techniques.
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Please join FCD Prevention Works for an upcoming two-part webinar series Healthy Adults for Healthy Kids: Self-Care and Modeling in the Time of COVID-19 |
| As a prevention organization, FCD Prevention Works understands the power of global COVID-19 prevention efforts. We also recognize that, in the face of drastically altered schedules and daily routines, this can be a difficult time to maintain healthy habits, for adults and especially for teens.
Join FCD Prevention Works’ Prevention Specialists as they discuss how your healthy adult behavior can continue to be a protective factor against risky teen choices in this upcoming webinar series. Webinar One: Adult Self-Care for Healthy Kids Topics will include: · What is self-care? · Self-care and substance use: myths and realities · Adaptable self-care for the “new normal” · Teaching age-appropriate self-care to kids that protects them from substance use · How to start healthy habits now that will apply to healthy teens later Webinar Two: Healthy Adult Role Modeling for Healthy Kids Topics will include: · How to model and encourage daily protective factors against teen substance use · Resiliency tips that teens can apply now and later · Making stress management a routine · Teachable prevention moments within a family’s “new normal” · The power of authenticity and effective parent-child communication We invite school adults to share this invitation with any parents or caretakers they think may benefit from these sessions. |
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#SaklanDistanceLearning
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