Dear Elementary Parents,
Thank you for your ongoing support for our teachers and staff as we navigate this challenging time. We know it is a heavy time for everyone in our community. Even though we cannot be together, we have countless examples of you reaching out virtually to help us be strong and be better for our students.
We would like to offer some tips for parents. The first resource is one we have sent before. It is a resource about how to talk to children about COVID-19. It comes from the National Association of School Psychologists, out of the US.
As you know, our faculty is taking Monday as a professional learning day, so that we can plan and prepare for improvements to Virtual School. We strongly recommend an off-screen day for our ES students so they can unplug and stay balanced.
The second resource we would like to offer is a list of tips for when VIrtual School starts up again on Tuesday.
- Ensure that you have a routine for your child(ren). Have a designated spot for them to engage in online learning, free from distractions, yet not in their bedrooms. Ideally, this space would be close to the adult monitoring the learning. Schedule snack times and exercise, downtime and ways to relax; perhaps some Mindfulness.
- Keep moving. Even short 5-minute movement breaks sprinkled throughout the day can help .
- Give children choice. If children have some choice and control, they tend to feel more secure.
- Have fun times too! Schedule times for games, baking, nature walks, and other things away from screens.
- Make parenting decisions. You know your child best. If they are getting near not being able to self-manage, then stop Virtual School. Take a break or even stop for the day. Learning does not happen if children are feeling overwhelmed. Just email your child’s teacher, they will understand.
- Stay positive. This may be difficult sometimes, but we know how impactful the right mindset is.
Please know that we are here for you. Let us know if you or your child needs support. Our counselors are remarkable resources during challenging times.
Stay well,
-Kelly Armitage, Sarah Fleming, and Jeff Scott