Month: August 2021

Tech Updates 💻

Camilo Machado Uncategorized

Hello Teachers,

Welcome to the 2021-2022 school year! We hope you had a restful summer and are ready to dive into some impactful work. Your Digital Learning Coaches are writing to address a few beginning of the year questions, and let you know a bit more about what you can expect from us in the upcoming days.

We are looking forward to working together this year to find ways to enable you to seamlessly integrate technology into all subject areas, as well as teach lessons that meet the digital literacy standards. With that being said, it’s really important that your technology is ready to go before the first day of school! When you get into the classroom, check that your docking station is all set up at your desk and everything is plugged in. In addition, check to make sure that you have enough chromebooks for all the students in your classroom. If you find that anything isn’t looking correct, please submit a tech ticket here.  Submitting a tech ticket to IT rather than emailing your digital learning coach ensures that your job will be handled quickly by IT experts!

We’ll be handing out classroom technology throughout this week and the first week of school, including; document cameras, projector remotes, pens, headphones, and mice. Please make sure that you keep your mice and headphones organized and in good condition throughout the school year. It could help to create a headphone system that teaches students to keep them untangled and organized.

Grades 2 and up will be logging in to their chromebooks using their username and passwords, while students in Grades 1 and Learning Centers will use Clever badges to login. Keep an eye out for your students’ login information or badges, which will be coming from us later this week.

Your ClassDojo’s have been created, and you have been added as a teacher on them. Google Classrooms will be created by the end of the week. Please do not create your own Google Classrooms and ClassDojo’s. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions at all about these two platforms.

Attached you’ll find a slideshow with an overview of EVERYTHING Digital Learning! Here you’ll find more in depth information about chromebooks, classroom technology, learning platforms, and the Digital Learning standards. It also contains helpful videos explaining how to login, and some troubleshooting slides. We strongly encourage you to use this slideshow as a resource throughout the year.

Finally, we are here for you! If you have any questions at all, or would like to book your coach to teach a lesson, feel free to set up an appointment time here.

Digital Literacy Beginning of Year 21-22

 

Sincerely,

Your Digital Learning Coaches

Summer Update 3.0

Nate Meyers Summer, Uncategorized

Personnel Updates:

  • Rachel Berluti has accepted a position in another district and will not return next year. We wish her the best of luck.
  • Mikaela Fairman will step into the classroom teacher position on the 2nd-grade team. Congratulations!
  • Jessica Dunn will not be returning to the Sokolowski School next year. The position was posted yesterday. If you know anyone that would be a good fit, please let them know to apply!
    • If you need anything from the office in the meantime, please reach out to Nate and Cam.
  • Still looking for:
    • Inclusion Specialists x 2
      • Verbal offer has been accepted (so hopefully, only one more to hire).
    • Paraprofessional
    • Building Sub/Long Term Sub

 

Logistics and Planning

  • The schedule is close to being finalized. You can expect the schedule to flow similarly to the schedule we had before last year. On track to be shared by 8/25
  • Teacher and paraprofessional specific assignments shared with staff. (Delayed) Expected date: 8/24
  • We are still waiting for specific guidance from the district on safety protocols.
    • PPE supplies will be refreshed before the beginning of the year, and you will be able to order more supplies similarly to last year using the Google Form.
    • Lunch will be distanced when students have their masks off. We will go over specifics along with all safety protocols during our first two PD days.
  • Please do not move teacher desks. They should remain where they are placed in your room.
    • All other furniture can be moved WITHIN the rooms.
    • Kids do NOT need to face the front, and CAN sit 2-4 kids around a table. Keep distance “as feasible.”
    • Please do not leave furniture in the hallway.
  • If you have any other questions or safety concerns, please reach out to Nate or Cam. We are here to help.

Summer Update 2.0

Nate Meyers Summer

Staffing Update:

Familiar Faces in new places:

  • Kathryn Andrea– Will be joining the 3rd-grade team as a classroom teacher.
  • Sue Rando– Has stepped and will be the lead teacher for the Functional Academics classroom.

Parent Liaison:

  • We have hired a parent liaison!!!!! Her name is Alexa Fernandez Mejia. Her official hiring happened only hours ago. She will be starting 8/19 and will be attending our Back to School Celebration on Friday, 8/20. Alexa comes to us with a wealth of knowledge and experience supporting families. I am very excited for you to meet her and for her to meet all of you!

Other Openings:

  • Verbal offers: Paraprofessional, inclusion specialist, building substitute
  • Still Looking: Inclusion specialist and paraprofessional. (Woohoo, only 2)
    • We will take any help encouraging people from your networks to apply.

Getting into the Building:

  • The building is open, and all rooms are available to start setting up except 101, 102, 105, 106.
    • Those rooms will be cleaned and ready on 8/23.
  • If you want to get in the building, please give Nate and/or Cam a heads up so we can be prepared for you.

Back to School Celebration 8/20 (1pm-3pm):

  • See Dojo for posting.
  • If you are interested in coming and helping please let Nate and Cam know by the end of this week!

Other Stuff you may be looking for:

  • Guidance for school opening will be shared at the school committee meeting this Wednesday, 8/11.
  • X2 has rolled over students. We are creating the schedule and class groups so homeroom teachers can see their class lists. Expected date: 8/16
  • Teacher and paraprofessional specific assignments shared with staff. Expected date: 8/19
  • Daily Schedule finalized: Expected date 8/25
  • 8/30 and 8/31 PD schedule share: Expected date: 8/23
  • Summer Mailing to go out: Expected date: 8/19

🔔🔔🔔  Thanks for reading all the way down. We have tried to give you space by minimizing the number of updates with the hope it allows you to take a break from school stuff. We will begin to provide more frequent updates but still give space to enjoy the back half of summer. If you need something or have a question, please do not hesitate to reach out! We are here to help. 🔔🔔🔔