Uncharted Territory

Hello All,

There have been so many changes in the last few days and I know it's a lot to take in.

Take a breath.

I use this in class for mindfulness practice sometimes (not for 10 minutes, but you certainly could).

I know there are a lot of questions floating around in my head and I imagine the same is true for you and your family. We are facing major changes and although they may be temporary they are intense. I am waiting to get more information from the district about the expectations around how learning will happen over these three weeks (or longer). Free breakfast and lunch distribution spots have been set up for any child 18 and under.

Before I get to anything academic I want to share something from Character Strong, the social emotional learning curriculum we are currently using in our period 5 classes. They have put out variety of digital resources that you can sign up for here including a 30 Day Kindness Journal, Virtual Assemblies, and access to their virtual library of tools and resources. These difficult times will require more kindness and understanding from us all.

As far as learning opportunities go, I will continue to regularly use Google Classroom for announcements and links for students. I don't want to get too bogged down in details and will wait for guidance from the superintendent about academics.

For now feel free to check out the Review and Links pages on my website. I admit it's been a little while since I've added any new content but what's there should lead you somewhere interesting.

And it's spring (or just about)! There is a lot going on in the natural world and as elementary as it seems it's a perfect time to make observations. Take photos daily of a particular place or a plant that is starting to grow. What new bird songs do you hear at different times of the day? Make a pinecone and peanut butter bird feeder and watch who shows up. What plants are starting to wake up, which ones are still dormant?

Lastly, know that I am thinking about the variety of situations my students and their families are now in and I am available to help in any way I can. Email me any time.