William O. Schaefer Elementary School

Dear WOS families,

As we head into this first week of Distance Learning we want to thank you for your ongoing support and reassure you of a few important things that are in keeping with the spirit of William o. Schaefer and SOCSD!

• We are in uncharted territory. All of this is as new to us as it is to you but we want to assure you that we are committed to working together to make it feel as good as it can for our students and for you all. Our teachers are eager to make connections with their students and are working hard to make plans that feel manageable for students, families as well as for themselves and their families.
• The March Word of the Month was “Flexibility” and boy are we practicing it now and as we roll out this next stage of Distance Learning. If your family is having difficulty or is experiencing an extenuating circumstance, we are here to listen and help if we can. No student will be penalized for hardships that are outside the family’s control. This is with regard to attendance, wifi access, devices or any area of Distance Learning.
• We are committed to providing students with high quality learning experiences. Our beliefs about the importance of fostering play, creativity, and students’ social emotional wellbeing continue to be at the forefront of our thinking as teachers plan learning experiences for your children.
  • Screentime: We don’t expect or want kids to be plopped in front of screens for 2 hours every day. Teachers are planning mindfully and respectfully to accommodate the range of family situations and preferences with regard to technology. They will offer options for tasks and flexibility in how to complete assignments and they will encourage play, outdoor time and choice activities whenever feasible. Please be patient and kind with them as this is no small task.

If you haven’t already, please review the Distance Learning Parent Guide in its entirety.

Here are some important highlights and reminders:

• Photo Restrictions: Do not take or post photos/screenshots of Zoom or any other video conferences with photos of kids. It is essential that we protect students’ and teachers’ privacy.
• Questions? Please reach out to your child’s teachers via email first with any questions, whether related to curriculum, Google Classroom/Zoom login troubleshooting, your child’s progress, etc. While our teachers pride themselves on being available to families and will always be responsive to your needs, please remember that teachers have official office hours for 2.5 hours every Friday. They will let you know the times.
  • For technology/device requests please email socsdcares@socsd.org directly.
• Technology supports:
  • Google Classroom:
    • Please watch this video on accessing Google Classroom
    • Students will NOT be able to log in successfully if they do not include @stu.socsd.org in their username and/or their initials AND the dash (-) before the pin number for the password.
  • Please visit our homepage and Mrs. Nerkizian’s Blog for updated tips and important reminders during this time.
• WOS Curriculum Plan:
  • For March 31st – April 3rd (4 instructional days) students should continue to use the overview and packets that were sent home on Friday, March 13th. Teachers may weave in additional checks-ins or assignments as they see appropriate. A new plan and your teacher’s class schedule will be posted on Google Classroom for the following week on Friday, April 3rd.
  • You can expect your child to continue instruction and receive resources in all relevant subject areas– Reading, Writing, Phonics, Math, Social Studies and Science, as well as in Physical Education, Art, Music,Technology, Enrichment.
  • Teachers are working together in grade level teams to ensure equity and cohesion of instruction across the grade levels.
  • If your child receives RTI Reading/Math support or related services, this instruction will continue as well. Teachers will reach out by email to share their schedules with you.
• Attendance: Please remember to mark your child “present” using Google Classroom each day before 3 pm. If you have an extenuating circumstance and are unable to log in before 3 pm, please reach out to Ellen at ehennessy@socsd.org and Tricia at tpsychas@socsd.org to let them know.

Finally,

• Report Cards: Expect an email from your child’s classroom teacher on Friday, April 3rd. If you have not received the email by Monday, April 5th, please reach out to your child’s teacher(s).

We miss the children so much, but have been overjoyed to see what they have been up to via instagram and teacher anecdotes of emails and photos. Please follow us on instagram @wosnews, @wosprincipalbeglin, @mwhitewos and tag us so we can continue to see how you are all doing these days!

Warmly,

Ms. Beglin and Ms. White