Student schedules for the hybrid structure will be available for parents to view in Infinite Campus this evening, Friday, October 9th. An email will also be sent to parents around 4 p.m. this afternoon indicating each child’s schedule. We are looking forward to welcoming our students back into the building for in-person instruction!! Details regarding our arrival and dismissal procedures for in-person learning during our hybrid model will be sent out to parents next week. 

Primary Teacher’s Literacy Professional Development Training

Oct. 12th & 13th 

On Monday, October 12th and Tuesday, October 13th our primary teachers will be participating in professional development with a staff developer from Columbia University. This training is a part of our second year in a two-year commitment we made to learn from and work with experts in the implementation of our reading and writing curriculum.  As a result, students in kindergarten - 2nd grades will possibly have a change to their daily schedule on these two days, as there will be a portion of the day when each teacher will be working directly with the staff developer. Classroom teachers will communicate directly with parents regarding the shifts in their class schedules on those days, and they will inform the students, as well. I apologize for the inconvenience this may cause, however, this will definitely prove to be a beneficial and timely training as we shift into a hybrid model where staff will be balancing literacy instruction in-person, remotely, and providing asynchronous lessons or activities for students to complete independently. 

Fall Parent/Teacher Conferences 

The sign-up for our fall Parent/Teacher Conference is currently open and will remain open until 6 p.m. on Monday, October 12th.  Please click on the link below for directions to our sign-up platform “Meet the Teacher” in order to sign-up. When signing-up, parents will need to indicate whether they plan to attend the conference in person or would prefer a conference via Zoom. Conferences will be scheduled for 20 minutes, with 15 minutes of that time being used for the conference and 5 minutes being used for cleaning between conferences. All parents coming in for in-person conferences will be required to complete a COVID screener before being allowed to enter. Please access the document, print and complete, and bring it with you to the conferences. We are trying to limit the number of people in the building on these days so two parents will be permitted to attend per child, however, children will not be permitted to enter the building on these days. As a result, if this is not possible for your family, please sign-up for a Zoom conference.

 

Grove “Meet the Teacher” Parent Guide in English 

Grove “Meet the Teacher” Parent Guide in Spanish 

 

When parents log on to Meet the Teacher, they will be able to sign-up for conferences for multiple children and for any staff member that works with their child including our art, gym, music, and library teachers. Conferences with specials teachers are not required, but are an option we are offering to parents. In addition, all related services staff members will meet with parents separately from the conferences with classroom teachers. As a result, parents can also schedule conference times with our Social Worker, Speech and Language Pathologist, Reading Resource Teachers, English Learner Teacher, Special Education Resource Teachers, and the Extended Teacher. It is highly recommended that parents meet with any related service staff member that works with their child. 

 

Conferences are being held on Wednesday, October 14th from 4-8 p.m. and Thursday, October 15th from 12-7 p.m. Please be sure to plan accordingly in order to be able to attend conferences during the conference days that have been designated by the district for teachers to meet with parents. This is valuable time to discuss the individual growth and skills of your child, as well as, work together with the teacher to plan and set goals towards your child’s individual progress. 

Preparing for the Switch to Hybrid Learning 

As we are making plans for the return of our students in the hybrid learning model, there are several things that parents can do to help prepare for their child’s transition as well! Please check out the list below: 

• Have your child practice wearing a mask for extended periods of time, as students will be required to wear a mask for the duration of the time they are in the building. 

• Make sure your child has their I.D. and red coil with the holder for their I.D., as these will be scanned to ensure that students have a completed COVID Screener and can enter the building quickly upon arrival 

•  Bookmark the COVID-19 Symptom Screener health.barrington220.org, to easily access it each morning and certify your child prior to their arrival 

• Consider an organization system for your child’s supplies/materials to be transported back and forth from home and school, as students will need many of the supplies we sent home at the beginning of the year for learning at school on their in-person days.  

Upcoming Dates 

Monday, October 12th - Online Book Fair Opens 

Tuesday, October 13th - PTO via Zoom, 9:15 a.m.

Wednesday, October 14th -  Non-Student Attendance Day, Teacher Institute Day/Preparation for hybrid plan launch 

Wednesday, October 14th - Elementary Parent/Teacher Conferences, 4-8 p.m. 

Thursday, October 15th - Non Student Attendance Day, Parent/Teacher Conferences, 12-7 p.m. 

Friday, October 16th - Non Student Attendance Day as scheduled 

Monday, October 19th - Launch Hybrid Plan (if metrics allow)