September 4, 2020

Dear Parents,

We have just completed our first full two weeks of virtual learning!  As we move forward we are looking carefully at parent concerns and we will be making a few changes that we hope will address these matters while still staying as true as possible to our Montessori principles.  

This week some class members have started to be pulled for meetings for either the EIP or GEP program. This has definitely added some strain to our schedules. We understand that attending multiple meetings a day can be stressful for both parents and students alike. Please know that all Fox and Bear meetings are recorded and that they can be viewed at your leisure if scheduling gets to be too much.  However, all children must attend the Morning meeting at 8:30 so that we know that everyone is present and ready to start the school day.  

Starting this week, Charles Ellis will be joining many other sccpss schools with asynchronous Wednesdays. The children will use Wednesday for project work and catching up on assignments.Teachers will continue to be available to help students on Wednesdays as needed or requested. 

Each Friday we send out a blog newsletter that we hope that everyone is receiving and reading. We will be inserting the student lesson schedule into this blog to better inform parents and caregivers of daily expectations. The lessons that will be listed are the "must do" works that would be on your child's classroom work plan as if they were in the building.  Please also make certain that students check their daily announcements each morning when they log into It's Learning.

Weekly Overview for September 7-11

Monday: 

No School

Tuesday:

Journal:  This weekend I…                                        Self select a work from each area: Small Group Lessons-Language                              *Math/Geometry *1st year-Nouns w/ follow up  8:45                           *Cultural *2nd year-adverbs w/ follow up  9:15                         *3rd year-prepositions w/ follow up 9:45                    *Read 20 minutes

Wednesday:

Asynchronous Learning-Children will use this day to catch up on work or to complete ongoing or special projects. Personal Timelimes (due on September 18) Topic Selection for Informational Writing Project (Topic choice only due on Friday) Astronomy presentations (choose one project to develop fully)

Thursday:

Journal: If I could travel back in time, I would.. Self select a work from each area:   Large Group Lesson-Cultural                                      *Math/Geometry Astronomy Presentations:                                           *Language/Reading/Handwriting The children have been completing amazing                             Astronomy work.   Today your child can have the       *Read 20 minutes chance to share their work with other students!

Friday:

Journal:  Free Writing                                               Self select a work from each area: Small Group Lessons-Language                              *Math/Geometry Traits Writing Lesson-Ideas                                      *Language Children will decide what that want their                  *Cultural Work audience to gain from reading their informational writing                                                 *Read 20 minutes piece.

As always, keep up informed of any questions or concerns that you may have.  We are taking this adventure together and we are here to assist on this journey!  Please remember that we are available everyday from 7:30 to 8:30 at our office hour link posted on the Its' Learning platform.  Fee free to come and have coffee with us.  

Have a great extended weekend!

Ms, Jess, Ms, Kirsten and Ms. Jelena