Spring Street Link

April 27, 2020

 

Usually school cancelations (mostly in the winter) evoke a few emotions for me...like most students, gratitude for an unplanned break from our usual routines, appreciation for a day to catch up on needed rest, time with family, or being outdoors, and an opportunity to admire and enjoy the beauty that winter sometimes brings.  Unfortunately, the closing of our schools last week for the remainder of the school year brings none of these.  Rather it brings disappointment, sadness, and uncertainty around what could have been but will not be, all appropriate responses for our situation.  Most  of these emotions come as a result of loss for connections and relationships we all  have with the people in our school that we see most every day.

 

With our school closing, the Department of Education has provided additional/refined guidance on remote teaching and learning for the remainder of the year.  The guidance provided by the Department specifically highlights two primary areas of focus; focus on teaching the content standards most critical for student success in the next grade level and moving all students towards successful engagement in remote learning, with a focus on addressing fundamental needs including connectedness with teachers and peers and providing opportunities for exercise and play.  Many of the priorities we’ve incorporated into our Remote Learning Plans the past few weeks.

 

In the coming days, we as a school district will continue to reflect on our work to this point, analyze the Departments updated guidance, and determine if refinement or modifications should be made to the goals and plans we have for our students each week.  As part of this work, later this week a survey will be sent to families with an opportunity to provide feedback to us so that we can also consider your perspective as we work to refine our Remote Learning Plans.  I anticipate the survey will be sent to families mid week, please look for the email with more information and link to the survey.  We’d be most grateful for your participation.

 

Sensations of Feelings and Strategies

With the recent announcement of school closures for the remainder of the year, we understand that students and their families may be experiencing a range of emotions and reactions. Our bodies give us physical signals related to different emotions and we can use those signals as a sign that we need to use a strategy to feel more calm and grounded. Now more than ever, we may be feeling these sensations, and we hope some of these strategies are helpful. 

These signals will vary between people. However, many people describe a knot in their stomach, their head pounding, chest tightening, sweaty palms, feeling easily upset, or irritated. It can help us to first identify the physical sensation, name the feeling, and then use a strategy. 

Some of the strategies we teach children at school that can be helpful for all of us: 

Get a drink of water or put some cool water gently on your face

Take three deep breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth 

Squeeze and release an item like playdough, putty, or a squishy ball 

Take a mindful moment ( there are many guided mindfulness activities online) 

Color or do a break that requires your brain to be active (suduko, word search, maze)

This will allow for less focus on the “worry,” “frustration,” or uncomfortable feeling. 

Here is a way to help talk through this: 

What is your body feeling like? 

Can you name the feeling you are having?  

Worried, sad, mad, confused, scared, frustrated, happy, etc. 

Children can also point to pictures of feeling faces to identify if words are challenging. 

What strategy do you want to try?

Remember, it is important to practice strategies when your child is calm, he/she can access these tools when mad/scared/sad. 

Resources: 

Lynn Lyons podcast = https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-moms-retreat-with-lynn-lyons-licsw/id1506503059

Parent Support Groups = BRYT

https://drive.google.com/file/d/15AW5vnAlZAJaH1c0alhpmmzSefhYxXd6/view

 

“You cannot always control what goes on outside. But you can always control what goes on inside.” – Wayne Dyer

 

From previous links:

Logging Into Zoom Using Your Child’s SPS Google Account

To verify that you can log into Zoom using your child's SPS Google account, starting on Wednesday, April 22, please visit https://www.google.com and click the "Sign In" button in the top right corner. (If you are already logged in to a different Google account, click on your account picture, select "Add another account" and log in using your child's SPS Google account information.) 

Once you have successfully logged into Google, visit https://shrewsburyps.zoom.us and click the “Sign In” button to be sure you can sign in successfully using your child's SPS Google account. If you have difficulty, please email parenttechsupport@shrewsbury.k12.ma.us for help. 

If you do not know your child's SPS Google login information, please follow these instructions to find this information:

Finding Your Child’s SPS Google Login Information

Parents can see their child’s SPS Google login information in the PowerSchool Parent Portal by clicking on the Shrewsbury Accounts/Account Information link on their Parent Portal page.

 

Virtual PTO Meeting/Open House, Please Join Us

The PTO Board, PTO Teacher Representatives, and I will be available for a Zoom meeting/open house on Wednesday, April 29th at 1:00.  We’d be interested in hearing how learning is going at home, brainstorm ways that we can all stay connected, and discuss other items of your interest.  Our PTO Board has access to an agenda that we’re developing.  Please reach out to any PTO board member (Kelly Sullivan, Jen Daley, Karen Axline, and Kerrie Topi) to suggest items to add to our agenda.  If you are interested in participating, you’ll need to register in advance, the link to register is here.  Hope to ‘see’ you there! 

 

Spring Street School Virtual Talent Show...The Show Must Go On!

We are moving the Spring Street Talent show ONLINE!   We know that the kids would still love to showcase their talents, and there certainly is time to practice at home right now.   The Talent Show will be hosted on the Spring Street School PTO Facebook page, but will NOT be a live event.  Members of the group can post a video directly to the page (must send a request to join), or you can send a video to one of the talent show chairs (emails below) who can post it for you.  In order to make this a smooth "event," we ask that the following guidelines be followed:

1.  Videos should be posted on May 14th and 15th (Thurs/Fri) only.  If possible, post them by 6pm on Friday 5/15.  Use the hashtag #SSSTalentShow2020 to make it easier to search for videos, in case there are lots of other posts those days.  Between those two things, it will make finding videos a bit easier on Friday night.

2.  Videos should be 3-4 minutes, max.  Shorter is fine, obviously.

3.  Max two videos per child (ie one solo, one group).  .

4.  Please have the kids introduce themselves and their performance at the beginning of the video.

5.  Grab your popcorn and watch the videos together as a family on Friday night (5/15).  The kids will love to see their friends from school, and maybe they can be watching the show (virtually) together.   

6.  Techies, feel free to video-edit kids from separate households together - get creative!  We know that many kids aren't living with their talent show buddies, but some of you out there have the skills to make that happen.  

We hope that this will bring the kids and our families together for a fun event.  For those of you not on Facebook, we will try to compile the videos in some way at a later date.  Please let one of us know if that would interest you.  Stay well, and we will see each other back in the auditorium for the 2021 Talent Show.  Meredith Boulay, miyboulay@yahoo.com, Andrea Finnegan, andrea_roderick@yahoo.com, and Leena Philips, leenaphilips@hotmail.com

 

Virtual 5K, Thank You Oak Middle School Nurses and PE/Health Teachers!

Are you ready to rock a Virtual 5K on May 2nd weekend?  We are hosting the “Rise Up Together Virtual 5K” for the entire Shrewsbury Public School community.  We all miss our students, families, and staff.  Right now, there is a need to feel connected, and completing this together while we are apart will benefit us all.  A virtual 5K means that you complete 3 miles anytime during our race weekend.  If you aren’t able to complete 3 miles, you can complete 30 minutes of any type of physical activity either inside or outside.  If you are completing 3 miles, there is no route that you must follow.  Make sure social distancing rules apply.  Get ready to walk, run, or bike virtually with your friends, teachers, and alumni anytime on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday during the May 2nd weekend.  Everyone who participates will be entered in a drawing to win a prize from Sneakerama!  As it gets closer, we will send out a Padlet link so you can upload pictures of yourself and your family completing this AWESOME virtual event together.  We look forward to seeing lots of pictures showing your SPS pride!  Let’s rise up to the challenge and support each other while we accomplish this exciting virtual event together.  Use the link below to access the “Rise Up Together Virtual 5K” flyer.  Make sure to register yourself and your family using the registration form that is located at the bottom of the flyer.  We hope that you will be able to join us as we “Rise Up Together” to complete this virtual 5K event. 

https://www.smore.com/569e8

 

 

 

I hope you and your family stay healthy and well.  Please do not hesitate to reach out to any of us here at Spring Street School for any support, we’d be happy to help in any way we can.

 

Bryan Mabie