Parent Support Blog Post

Dear Parents,
Thank you so much for taking the time to fill out our survey last Friday with your feedback on how our first week of online learning went.  We appreciated the overwhelming gratitude that you showed in your posts.  This is new for us so we are figuring it out right along with you, and appreciate your partnership.  Some things to know regarding last week and this coming week:

• These first few weeks will not be new learning for any students in DCSD, meaning all activities should be review and be able to be completed independently.  We are working on connecting with kids and learning how to work within a remote learning platform. 
• Grade K-1 will continue to have an email sent to the parents by 9 am (our usual start time) with daily activities.
• Please communicate with your specials teachers if you are finding it difficult to scan/send etc.  They will work with you!
• Grades 2-6 are conducting learning through google classroom, a platform that your children are familiar with and will continue to learn within.
• Most teachers have already reached out and connected with the class via google hangouts or zoom.  Our K-1 teachers are taking this slow as it can be more difficult for them to do this independently.
• Please reach out should you have any questions!

The most important thing I want all families to know is your health and well being are our very most important priority right now.  We know that there are many of you that are working remotely, may have lost income, or are working with extended families to help support child care.    If you are struggling please reach out to me, we can help connect you with resources if you need them.  School is important, however, our students' and families' well-being is more important and we are a community ready to help.  Again, please reach out and don't stress, these are unprecedented times that we will get through together. #oneflagstone

Kelli Smith, FSE Principal

Are you feeling overwhelmed with the added responsibility of supporting your child with their learning?  Please check out this parent/teacher blog titled: Homeschooling is NOT the Same as Crisis Schooling.  I thought it was a great article for me to read as a mom as I am working from home and managing remote learning for my two daughters.  Remember these are very uncertain times and your best is good enough!  Hang in there and please reach out if you need support.
--Kelli Smith

FSE Community Tackles Remote Learning Head On

I am so proud of this entire community!  Our staff, students and parents jumped right into our first week with an open mind and a positive attitude.  There were some hiccups but overall students were able to connect with their teachers and classes and get a feel for our online platforms.  Way to go!! #oneflagstone

David, a 6th Grader on Zoom with Mr. Blechar

Our First Virtual Staff Meeting

Check Out Mrs. Jaimes on the Screen Doing a Hangout with Julie in her Class.

Check Our Logan's Contributed to One of our Daily Challenges

6th Graders on Zoom for Book and Breakfast Chat

March Principal's Blog

Dear FSE Parents,
I hope you are all keeping safe and healthy during this crazy crazy time.  What a difference a few weeks has had on all of our lives, it really has brought into focus the really important things: family, health and community.  I am grateful to serve this community and the wonderful group of teachers that work daily to educate your children. I miss the children already!!!

I held our first staff meeting this morning on Zoom, realizing that this is the way it is going to be for a while.  I was humbled by the hard work that our staff has already done to ensure that your children feel supported and connected in this really crazy time.  My message and our district's message is first and foremost, to ensure that you and your families are supported by the DCSD community.  We are taking it week by week as we roll out online learning.  This first week you can expect the following:

• Daily communication from your child's teacher (many have communicated their classroom plans today), learning tasks will start tomorrow
• Communication on how to contact your child's teacher
• Learn how to do school online so assignments will be review, practice or enrichment
• If you are struggling on a particular day, close down and start new the next day
• Support staff (SPED, Counselors, etc) will also be reaching out to families that they currently work with to see how they can support.
• Mrs. Jacques and I are letting the teachers get this up and running this week so as not to overwhelm you or your kids, but after that, we are working on some virtual 'fun' for our FSE community as well.

In summary, please don't hesitate to reach out to me if you have questions and concerns.  I will be working as an online principal and homeschool teacher to my two girls as well so I get the struggle and we are in this together!  I will end with the below quote that I shared with my staff this morning.

Be well and let's support one another,

Kelli Smith, FSE Principal

"And the people stayed home. And read books, and listened, and rested, and exercised, and made art, and played games, and learned new ways of being, and were still. And listened more deeply.

Some meditated, some prayed, some danced. Some met their shadows. And the people began to think differently. And the people healed. And, in the absence of people living in ignorant, dangerous, mindless, and heartless ways, the earth began to heal.

And when the danger passed, and the people joined together again, they grieved their losses, and made new choices, and dreamed new images, and created new ways to live and heal the earth fully, as they had been healed."

----Kitty O'Meara.