Welcome Back, Brown School Families!
While your spring break undoubtably varied from your original plans, our hope is that you were able to relax together and embrace the gifts that mother nature provided.
Thank you for continuing to partner with your child's teacher in providing opportunities for learning and enrichment. As you learned from both Dr. Bruce's and my emails earlier this week, our instructional staff members have been busy learning about virtual connections and have created plans to best meet the needs of our students & families during this time of emergency remote learning.
Thank you for continuing to partner with your child's teacher in providing opportunities for learning and enrichment. As you learned from both Dr. Bruce's and my emails earlier this week, our instructional staff members have been busy learning about virtual connections and have created plans to best meet the needs of our students & families during this time of emergency remote learning.
Emergency Remote Learning Plan Update
As afore mentioned, teachers have been very busy this week working collaboratively to plan, create, and record lessons for your child. These learning opportunities will be available to you each Monday afternoon beginning April 20th. The lessons, in combination with assignments, should provide one and a half to five hours of on-task assignments for your learner, depending on grade level. Additionally, teachers will be offering opportunities to virtually connect with learners in weekly whole classroom settings and will facilitate individual connections with each learner. Please note, as our District grade level staff works collaboratively, learners may receive lessons from a grade level teacher who is not their own classroom teacher. However, virtual connections will be with their own classmates and teacher.
Our expectations for learning are:
Y5-3rd Grade
- Families will check established communication channels with their child’s teacher weekly. Recorded lessons will be posted weekly on Monday.
- Families will help learners complete assignments by the following Monday, unless a later date is indicated by the teacher.
- Families will schedule and attend individual connections with classroom teachers once per week. This is an opportunity for the teacher to check for understanding and provide feedback on your learner’s progress toward essential learning goals.
- Classroom teachers will schedule a class meeting once per week. We hope that your child will be able to attend these live connections. The recorded session will be available for those not able to attend or prefer their child not be recorded.
4th - 5th Grade
- Families will check Google Classroom for weekly lessons.
- Learners will log in and check Google Classroom or SeeSaw for recorded lessons which will be posted weekly.
- Learners will complete assignments by Monday of the following week, unless a later date is indicated by the teacher.
- Families will schedule and attend individual connections with classroom teachers once per week. This is an opportunity for the teacher to check for understanding and provide feedback on your learner’s progress toward essential learning goals.
- Classroom teachers will schedule a class meeting once per week. We hope that your child will be able to attend these live connections. The recorded session will be available for those not able to attend or prefer their child not be recorded.
We understand that this is a time of great uncertainty and rapidly changing situations. Our plan is for emergency remote teaching and learning in a time of crisis, it is not distance learning or online learning in the truest sense. Our priority is to support our learners and their families emotionally and socially during these stressful months of "Shelter in Place" and to provide some joy for our learners.
Feeding Our Bears
“Feeding Our Bears” is back this week with a new pick-up location! We will be handing out free breakfast & lunches to any student 18 and under on Mondays and Thursdays from 11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. until June 4th at St. Joseph High School (back entrance off of Lakeview Avenue).
Social Emotional Connections
In the video below, our elementary school social workers, Colette Jasiak and Bri VanHekken, share ten tips for managing your stress. While these tips are always important, they are essential during this time of crisis, as your stress is contagious.
Here is the article that our social workers referenced in the video above: You Are Not Your Child's Teacher.
Crisis Support for Our Families
We realize your family may be facing medical or financial anxiety, and we encourage you to look to St. Joseph Public Schools as a resource to help you meet your needs. Two way communication between our school and your family is essential to provide support. Please remember the email: guidance@sjschools.org and visit our website sjschools.org updated information, including this google site with social/emotional resources provided by our social workers. If you need help navigating the site, please watch this short screencast.
In addition, 211 is a free, confidential service that helps people find the local resources they need. Dial 211 (or 844-875-9211) to speak with a community resource advisor who can provide info and referrals for everyday needs in times of crisis. For more, visit uwsm.org/2-1-1.
Learning Enrichment Opportunities
Rosetta Stone is offering three months of FREE world language lessons for students who are remotely learning. Click here for more information.
LaSata Drawing Contest
With kids unable to be in school because of the stay at home order, it may be challenging to keep them engaged in educational enrichment activities. Therefore, I am happy to announce a new drawing contest for students in grades K-12. I hope this drawing contest will inspire students to exhibit their talents and learn more about our great state and its landmarks.
The contest will run April 6 – 24. Only electronic submissions will be accepted, and the drawings should be emailed to SenKLaSata@senate.michigan.gov. All submissions should include the name, grade and hometown of the participant, as well as a parent’s or guardian’s name and phone number.
Any questions about the contest should be directed by email to senklasata@senate.michigan.gov or by phone at 517-373-6960.
Fifth Grade Class Gift to the School
Please see the message below from our Fifth Grade Farewell Committee.
Please see the message below from our Fifth Grade Farewell Committee.
Hello Brown Families!
This is the time of year when, traditionally, the 5th Grade class holds fundraisers to raise money for a gift to the school. (A few gifts from previous classes have been the water bottle drinking fountains, playground equipment, and the Gaga Ball Pit.)
Among other fundraisers, the most popular has been popsicle sales at recess. Sadly, this year's 5th grade class will not be able to hold any of these fundraisers. But we would still like for them to be able to leave their legacy and buy a gift for Brown Elementary School.
Our hope is that we are able to continue this tradition with the help of your donation.
We understand the struggles that most, if not all of us are going through right now, and greatly appreciate any amount that you are able to give.
Thank you so much, from the 5th Graders!
For any questions, please contact:
Lydia Woosley - lydiawoosley@gmail.com
or Robin Lawrence - Rel3414@gmail.com
Calling All Fifth Grade Families!
As soon as it is safe to be together again, we will make a plan to celebrate the many accomplishments of our amazing fifth grade students. Until then, there are a few things that we would love to ask families to help with from the safety of your home.
Fifth Grade Slideshow
Chelsey Fonua is putting together a slideshow for the 5th graders and in order to gather photos from every family, she has created a Cluster group. Please add your photos to the link below, fifth grade families.
Guess Who Baby Pictures Now/Then
Hello All,
My name is Christin Haunhorst, mother of Alice in Mr Lignell's class. Delana Langmeyer and myself were on the committee for the Guess Who Baby Pictures Now/Then display. We would like to move forward with the project despite the school shutdown. We feel it is vitally important to have some form of normalcy even if it is virtually/digitally. I will send a link to view the slideshow when completed.
With that being said I need your help. I need you to send me your students' baby picture. Preferably under a year old. (If this is not possible the earliest picture you have will be fine)
I will also need their current school picture or current candid picture. Either of these can be portrait or landscape in orientation. Please select photos that clearly show their face and preferably alone in the picture.
Please send all pictures to my secure photography email:
mommabearpridesjhs@gmail.com
Please label your email with student name and teacher name so that I can assure we include everyone.
Thank you so much,
Christin Haunhorst
Stay safe. Stay well.
To all of our families and friends who are first responders, healthcare workers, store employees, truck drivers, and other essential workers - thank you from the bottom of our hearts. #BetterTogether
It is the policy of the St. Joseph Public School District that no person shall, on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, sex, disability, height, weight, or marital status be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to, discrimination during any program, activity, service or in employment.
