 The Amity Weekly Minute:
September 6, 2020
What's New?
From the Desk of Mr. Drouhard
Amity Families,
I hope everyone enjoys the extra day with family and maybe a little grilling out to celebrate Labor Day tomorrow. We are starting to get into the groove after two weeks of school and will be picking up steam as we start asking students to work during their hybrid days they are at home. Please help us motivate our children to do this work, as it helps speed our progress when we are together. Chromebooks will not be deployed until after MAP testing, so I’ve asked teachers not to assign digital work until we can assure students have a device.
Please enjoy your Labor Day!
Take Care,
Josh
Weekly Photo Gallery
Back by popular demand: We're bring back the Amity Weekly Minute Photo Gallery! Click the link below to access photos from all around Amity Elementary during the week!
Hybrid Schedule Reminder
With school being off for Labor Day on Monday, “A” day students will report on Tuesday and Wednesday. “B” day students will report on Thursday and Friday as normal.
Virtual Curriculum Night
We have created a virtual curriculum night since we can’t meet in person this year. Every homeroom teacher has created a folder within their Schoology page that is titled, “Amity Special Events.” Within that folder they have created a folder titled curriculum night. If you have multiple children at Amity, you will need to visit each child’s schoology page to view that teacher's information. We hope you enjoy hearing about what your child will learn this year and how hybrid learning from home will work.
MAP Testing
We will be conducting MAP testing for “A” and “B” students this week. MAP (Measure of Academic Progress) testing allows us to measure academic growth in our students. It will be very important information for us to view after having to go remote this previous year. 4th through 6th grade will take one test a day in the area of reading or math. 1st-3rd grade will take the math assessment next week, and the reading assessment the week of September 28th. These tests don’t affect a students grade, but we want them to do their very best.
Chromebook Deployment
Chromebooks for 1st through 6th grades will be deployed by homeroom teachers upon completion of their MAP testing next week. “A” day students will receive their chromebooks on Wednesday, September 9th and “B” day students on Friday, September 11th. Please work to build routines with your child to have a common place that they are stored each night, and then plugged in to charge prior to coming back to Amity. It is important to send them back in their book bags when they return to Amity so that we can use them in our classrooms.
Amity Fall Pictures
This year, Executive Studio will be taking all pictures for Amity Elementary. Order information in the form of flyers and emails will be sent home as soon as they are ready.
Students attending in-school classes on our Thursday/Friday schedule will have their picture taken on Friday, October 9, starting at 8:00 a.m. This includes morning Kindergarten.
Students attending in-school classes on our Monday/Tuesday schedule, along with afternoon Kindergarten and morning and afternoon Preschool classes, will have their picture taken on Tuesday, October 13, starting at 8:00 a.m.
Retakes will be taken from 9 a.m.-12:15 p.m. on Monday, November 9 for Monday/Tuesday students, as well as morning and afternoon Kindergarten and Preschool.
Retakes for Thursday/Friday students will be taken starting at 9 a.m. Thursday, November 12.
Wednesday, November 11 - Fall pictures will be taken for interested Virtual students in the Amity Gym from 9 a.m.-12 p.m.
Tuesday, February 23 - Spring pictures - hopefully, all of our students will be back in the building! Details TBD.
2019-20 Yearbooks
The Amity 2019-20 Yearbooks have arrived and will be sent home with your students the week of September 7th. Virtual students will be given their yearbooks when they come to Amity for Map Testing on September 16th.
Students who ordered a yearbook and have since moved up to the 7th grade, can now expect to receive their yearbook from their 7th grade homeroom teacher. Virtual 7th grade students may contact Mrs. Jung at Amity (513) 936-7024 to make arrangements to pick up their copy.
Free Lunch for All Students
Great news! A nationwide waiver has been published offering free breakfast and lunch to ALL students, regardless of income. This will apply to both in-person and virtual learners and includes both cafeteria lunches and the weekend lunch pass out! The waiver will be in effect from now until December 2020.
***Note: Free and Reduced documentation still must be submitted in order for students to qualify for school fee waivers.***
Student Pick-Up Cards For Car Riders
Just a reminder that we have created student pick-up cards to help speed the process to pick up students in the afternoon. Please fill out your child’s name as well as their grade and post it so it can be seen by our teachers when you pull in. We appreciate your help! Here is a link to the Student Pick-Up Cards.
Some Notes From the Nurse
- Please remember to wash your child’s mask regularly.
- Please have your child try on their mask to make sure it fits appropriately. Masks that don’t fit can become distracting to the student in the class as they are constantly being pulled up over the mouth and nose.
- Please remember to send your child with a water bottle daily as drinking fountains have been disabled. Water bottles can be filled at bottle filling stations above the water fountains.
In Case You Missed It
Information For Parents Regarding Hybrid Work Days From Home
When will our students start getting work for hybrid learning at home?
We will start our hybrid learning model, where we expect students to work at home as well as at school, the week of September 8th.
What type of work should I expect for my student to complete?
Our hybrid model of work at home will look differently than the completely remote model we used in the spring. The in class time allows teachers to set the groundwork for students to work at home and then check in on this work the following week. Students will complete paper worksheets as well as online work using Schoology as the hub of academic tasks.
How much work should I expect for my student?
Our goal, even with going on a hybrid plan, is to provide the appropriate amount of work for students to progress through their grade level academic curriculum. This could cause an increase in work from our remote learning experience in the Spring, as students are expected to progress following state guidelines. I understand that hearing an increase of work may increase anxiety in parents, but we will be able to better support our students in setting up lessons and executing them through our time in the classroom each week.
What will Wednesday’s look like for my student since the teachers don’t have students at Amity?
Wednesday morning affords us the opportunity for our teachers to meet with students digitally. Teachers will publish a schedule that has time in the morning for individual, small group, or whole class Googlemeets. In the afternoon students will continue working on their assigned work at home. Teachers will spend the afternoon uploading lessons onto Schoology for the rest of the blended days that students are learning from home.
Tips for parents and students:
- Build your own three day routine. Set up your Wednesday schedule with virtual meeting times or teacher office hours built in. Set up your blended learning days with academic times, breaks, and lunch.
- Check into Schoology first thing in the morning to refresh your mind on the work you have to complete for the day.
- Establish a common place where work will be done. Work to find a place away from the TV or other electronic devices to eliminate distractions.
Below is the link to the Updated Hybrid Calendar for when students will be reporting to school in person. Please note some adjustments around holidays, conferences, and election days.
6th Grade Remote Learning Academy Students
Students taking courses in Apex, please consult the following document for fun activities that count as class time and for important links:
Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) Information Page
A page on the Deer Park website has been created which is dedicated to bringing you the most up-to-date information on all things affecting Deer Park Schools. It includes several quick links to local, state, and national health organizations, along with a frequently asked questions section. Please visit the page to stay up to date with all COVID-19 information.
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