• The Return of In-Person (PS-Grade 2) Teaching
I can’t wait to see my friends. Coronavirus is in the world so I can’t play with my friends. I hope I can see them soon because I have got a list of things I would like to do:
go to the park
go fishing
go to the beach
go biking.
When I see my friends I will feel happy and get excited. The best thing about friends is that they can help me if I am stuck and I can have lots of fun with them. I am lucky because I have many friends. Oliver (Grade 2)
Thursday was the last day of virtual school for our youngest students from pre-school through grade 2. These children will soon be reunited with friends at school. The children won’t be going to the beach or park just yet, but in-person teaching will allow direct social interaction in our classroom bubbles as was enjoyed from August to December. While the academic learning proceeded well during our lockdown these younger children have not had many opportunities/experiences to further develop critical social skills since the pandemic began a year ago.
While it is tremendous to be able to reopen our school building for instruction, parents are asked to review the expectations for returning students outlined in Mr. Little’s recent letter. The rules are deliberately strict because they are the mandated mitigations we have for keeping everyone safe. As a reminder the list includes:
• Kindergarten to Grade 2: each day fill in the Covid-19 form before 7.30am. Do not fill it in the night before. Preschool parents will make a declaration when they drop off their children.
• DO NOT SEND AN UNWELL CHILD TO SCHOOL. Err on the side of caution.
• Do not arrive early to school. We are not able to take care of early arrivals. Arrive as close to 8.15 as possible, and certainly no earlier than 8.05.
• Wear a mask on school grounds and keep a 2-metre distance. Please don’t loiter or mingle with other parents: drop off, go home.
• Please be prompt at 3pm in picking up your child in the afternoon; again, wear a mask and pick up, go home.
All classroom instruction for K-Grade students will be in-person. Before children return on March 1st, parents are asked to spend some time reviewing with their children the importance of 2m social distancing, hand sanitising and respecting the class ‘bubbles’ that were established in August. It will be easy for children to feel too relaxed about the ‘rules’ after being at home since December.
I’m confident that by working together we will have a safe return to school.
• Virtual Teaching (Grade 3-5)
A fifth grader told me on Wednesday, “I just want to return to school!” It’s a sentiment that is echoed all around our student community. The feedback we’ve received from many of you about virtual learning has been so positive and has reassured us all that learning is continuing at home. It’s also helped to guide us in making appropriate adjustments to the ‘virtual’ day. Most heartwarming are the messages we’ve received that the children are missing their teachers and friends. I am hopeful that an announcement will be made on March 2 by Scotland’s First Minister that grades 3 -5 can also return soon. In the meantime please be assured that our teachers will continue to provide a strong virtual learning programme.
On Wednesday, February 24th parents of grade 3 students will be asked to come to school to collect a new set of teaching materials, such as reading books. (Grade 4 & 5 have all the necessary materials already.) A Group Call will be arranged to give the details for the grade 3 collection.
During the February holiday we are instructing our staff to look after themselves, move away from the countless hours of screen time virtual learning requires, see to their own families and also find ways to relax during the one-week holiday by avoiding work related activities, including responding to non essential emails.
Usually I end a message before a holiday by saying enjoy lots of family fun and create special memories. (The snow has now vanished, but spring is on its way with longer hours of daylight.) This time the message is still the same, but with a caveat that family fun and special memories are now more than ever reliant on our spirit, creativity and determination to make the most of a challenging situation. There is some comfort in that we are all in the same situation.
At ISA I feel blessed to be part of such a caring community that has always come together to support each other.
Stay well and stay safe. Tell those lovely children of yours that we all look forward to hearing, in-person and virtually their holiday stories when we return on March 1st.
Don Newbury
Elementary Principal
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