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East Ward Elementary Cougar News
Principal’s Update Nicholas J. Argonish
Principal January 2021
Volume 9 * Issue 4
Contents
Principal’s News Students of the Month
Counselor’s Corner Reading Corner
Health Corner (When to Send Information)
“Everyone Matters”
Upcoming Events
2-9 NED’s Virtual Assembly 2-11 2 Hour Dismissal (Mod.K) 2-12 to 15 No School 3-11 2 Hour Dismissal (No K) 3-12 No School
When you realize you are reading the same book as
students!
Classroom Learning with Mrs. Snook
Cougar News Principal’s Update Page 2 of 8
Happy New Year Cougars! I am so happy that we were able to begin seeing our students again in person. We are all looking forward to the time we can see everyone every day, but for now, I am happy to see all of you either in person some days or on the computer. For those students who come to school, a reminder that we offer all students free breakfast and lunches this year. Meals are still available for virtual students weekly at either East or West High Schools. We are very thankful to Rack Room Shoes in Exton for their very generous gift of free children’s footwear! We have the opportunity to order “everyday” shoes, sneakers, and weather boots for any students who may need new shoes. This may sound too good to be true, but I assure you it’s not. They have very generously given us money in the form of a gift certificate to purchase footwear for students in need. If your child/ren need shoes, all we need is for you to send my administrative assistant, Mrs. Erin Ford ([email protected]) an email, or send a note to school. Just let us know what kind of shoes, sneakers or boots your child needs, and we will order them! We also have winter coats available for students who may need them. We have 36 boys and girls winter jackets in various sizes from children’s small to adult XL. If your child/ren need winter jackets, please let Mrs. Ford know! You received a survey from DASD on January 15 asking you to complete an instructional model commitment form by this Friday. This form is located in Infinite Campus, and you will see one form for each student in the “surveys” tab when you log in. Please review the written or video instructions for additional assistance. Please see the Frequently asked questions on pages 3-4 for more information. Sometimes people do not feel well. During the pandemic, it is critical for everyone to review symptoms daily before coming to school. We have been fortunate so far since returning to in-person due to families keeping children home when they are not feeling well. However, I want to share with everyone when to keep children home, as our choices have an impact on the continuity of education for all our students. Experiencing any COVID-related symptoms Recently traveled outside of PA Feeling ill or generally unwell Have been instructed to quarantine or isolate Have been around someone who is experiencing COVID symptoms
If your child is probable or confirmed positive for COVID-19, please notify me, Mrs. Caplan, and Mrs. Rogala ([email protected]). For any other of the above reasons, simply email [email protected]. Following these procedures will help to maximize the health and safety of everyone in our East Ward Community. Thank you for showing everyone matters at East Ward! We are still holding our Parent Speaker Series events in DASD. While these events are free to the public via Zoom in light of the pandemic, recordings for most are available at www.dasd.org/parentspeaker. As a parent myself, I have been able to watch a few of these speakers, and found it to be beneficial. The next in the series, Recognizing Signs of Depres-sion and Suicide, is Monday, January 25th at 7PM.
Cougar News Principal’s Update Cont. Page 3 of 8
The State Department of Health requires students receive a dental evaluation in kindergar-ten, third, and seventh grade. If you have already returned the state mandated dental exam form, please disregard this request. If you have not yet submitted the form, please have your dentist complete it, and send it to our School Nurse (Mrs. Traci Caplan: [email protected]) by February 1. The date of the current dental exam is valid from July 1, 2019 to current. (1 ½ year window). If this form is not returned to school or returned without a dentist’s signature, our certified school dental hygienist will evaluate their dental health. I am very excited to let you know that we will be holding a school-wide assembly (virtually) on Tuesday, February 9 from 10-10:45 AM. Through the assembly entitled, “NED’s Mindset Mission Virtual Program”, students will learn the Power of Yet, how to spark courage in others, and how to keep learning and growing, even when they think they already know something. Warmest regards,
Dr. Argonish Frequently Asked Questions 1. I do not know my Infinite Campus username or password. Who should I contact? Please visit assistme.dasd.org to open an IT ticket, or visit the Parent Tech FAQ. 2. Do I need to complete one form per child?
Yes, there will be a form in Infinite Campus for each child. If you make an error or change your mind over the next week, you may complete the form again which will overwrite the original entry.
3. What are the differences between the instructional models? Staggered Instruction – Students attend in-person for two or four days a week (depending on IEP qualifications) and are fully virtual on Fridays. Zoom from Home – Students participate via Zoom from home four days a week with the same schedule and teacher/classmates that they would have if they were in the classroom; Fridays are fully virtual. Downingtown Cyber Academy – Students have designated cyber teachers who provide optional live learning opportunities and/or recorded instruction along with coursework. 4. My child attends the Downingtown Cyber Academy (DCA); do I need to complete this form? Yes, even if your child is in DCA, we ask that you please complete the form. If your child attends DCA part-time and staggered part time, please select “DCA” on the form and con tact your child’s principal to confirm your plans. Please email [email protected] with any DCA-related questions.
Cougar News Principal’s Update Cont. Page 4 of 8
5. If my child is sick or quarantining for any reason but is in the staggered model,can they Zoom from home temporarily and then return to the staggered model?
Yes, we do not want anyone coming into the building who is not feeling well or quarantining. Therefore, schedule adjustments related to such circumstances will be permitted. Please review our To Send or Not to Send document for helpful reminders.
6. If we choose staggered now but want to switch to the Zoom-from-home modellater, may we do that?
Yes, should you begin with staggered, in-person instruction and want to shift to Zoom-from-home for any reason other than illness or quarantine, you will be per-mitted to do so one time, but that decision will be final until spring break (March 30, 2021).
7. Who should I tell if my child is in the staggered model and needs to switch to theZoom-from-home model? If your child isn’t feeling well or is quarantining, please email your school’s
attendance . If your child is a probable or confirmed positive for COVID-19, please email your
school’s principal, school nurse and attendance secretary. If you would like to have your child switch from staggered to the Zoom-from-home
model until March 30, please email your child’s principal.
In recognition for going above and beyond for the month
of December 2020 Kindergarten Sophia Rios – is always respectful, responsible, safe and kind and tries her best every day, whether it’s on zoom or in person! Vanessa Burton - Vanessa is one hard working kindergartener! No matter if she is at home or school she is responsible with all her materials and ready to go with a smile.
First Grade Jocelyn Olvera-Santos - Jocelyn comes to school (whether in person or virtually) eager and ready to learn. She is amazing at following directions. Jocelyn has been an extremely kind and helpful friend with a new student. She has a great positive attitude and makes everyone around her smile! Gavin Hauser - Gavin brings a smile and positive attitude with him everywhere he goes! He is a great role model for his peers by following directions and staying on task both in the classroom and on Zoom. Gavin is always showing kindness to others and using his manners in and out of the classroom.
Second Grade Sonnie Dawon - She is always showing respectful and responsible behavior on zoom. She is respon-sible with completing the work and assignments expected of her. She is kind and respectful to her class-mates and teachers. Aarush Vudathu - Aarush is new to East Ward this year and is a fully-virtual student but pushes him-self every day to work hard, participate, and socialize with peers. He makes wonderful connections with-in our learning and always puts his best effort into his work.
Third Grade Cooper O’Donnell - Cooper is a smart, witty and a kind student in Mrs. Dunn’s 3rd grade class. When on zoom he pays attention, submits all his work, asks great questions and contributes to discussions. He is kind to others and works well with his classmates. When in the classroom, Cooper is helpful and a hard worker. He likes to read and goes above and beyond during the day to make sure he is learning. Hailey Kilroy - Hailey is hard-working and responsible, and always shows her best effort during virtual learning. She has a positive attitude, helps others, shows whole body listening, and is a role model to her classmates.
Fourth Grade Miriam Mathew - Miriam is always ready and prepared for zoom lessons. She works hard and is a good role model for her peers. Miriam participates in class discussions and asks great questions. Billy Battista – Billy is respectful, responsible, safe and kind in everything that he does! As a virtual student, he is on time for every Zoom, and he never needs reminders to complete and submit assign-ments. He is respectful to teachers and peers, and is a great leader during breakout room activities.
Fifth Grade Anika Jain - Anika goes above and beyond with her assignments as she demonstrates a tremendous work ethic. Anika is very compassionate and always looks to assist her teachers and peer. She comes to Zooms with a smile on her face every day. Kaden Rosip - Kaden displays a positive attitude in all that he does. He is friendly and respectful to students and staff. He shows determination and persistence in all of his assignments. He is a good friend to all students. Kaden is a leader in and out of the classroom. He is a positive role model to all
Cougar News Student of the Month Page 5 of 8
Cougar News Counselor’s Corner Page 6 of 8
Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a wonderful break and, despite our unusual circumstances, was still able to relax a little and spend time with your loved ones. This time of year is always big on looking forward and starting fresh. Goals are set, resolutions made, and boundaries are pushed. What are some school-related goals that you could help your child make? Maybe they could work on staying more organized with their Zooms, or trying to stay more focused. Maybe they could work on showing kindness to others.
Our Habit of Mind this month ties in well with setting new goals or ambitions; trying something new can be hard, but by persisting through it, we’re more likely to reach our goal.
Ways to promote at home and school: Talk to your child about how it feels to try something new or challenging; it can be scary, or feel impossible at times. Using positive self-talk and thinking “I can do this” or “I can handle this” will help us to keep pushing, or keep persisting. When we think things like “this is too hard”, or “I can’t”, it often becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. Try to brainstorm examples of times that they have struggled before, but with practice and determination, they were able to accomplish something that originally seemed too hard (tying a shoe, learning multiplication, baking a cake, etc.). Then, use those memories to inspire them the next time they come up against something that seems impossible. As always, you can look for, and point out, examples of this habit when you read with your child at home. Be on the lookout for a school-wide virtual assembly in a few weeks that will talk more about persisting and having a positive mindset! Katie Rastetter, School Counselor [email protected]
January School Counseling Lessons
1st - 5th: Persistence and Growth Mindset
Habit of the Month
Persisting
Corresponding Vocabulary
Perseverance, positive self-talk, determination, grit, adversity, growth mindset
Cougar News Reading Corner Page 7 of 8
