Preparing for Week 2 of Distance Learning: 3/29/20

Dear Daisy Faculty & Staff,

As we embark on Week #2 of Distance Learning, I can't thank each one of you enough for all you've been doing to provide our students with continuity of education.  We have taken on new challenges and we have already shown success in so many ways!

It was so wonderful connecting with so many of you and our students last week.  I'm am SO impressed with everything that you're doing online and look forward to our virtual team meetings this week.

Please continue to check our Daisy Staff Calendar link as our meetings will be posted there as well.  I'm also noting Purple/Green days and updating other events.  You'll notice that I'm marking field trips as "canceled" but leaving them on the calendar because I'm thinking that we may be able to find virtual field trip events to offer near those times.

As always, please check our Daisy Staff Google Calendar for all the specifics of upcoming events and meetings at:
DAISY STAFF GOOGLE CALENDAR
Please remember:
---Do not video record meetings with students, whether full class, small groups or individually.
---It is fine to teach "live" with these groups; just not to record.
---Please feel free to video record yourself "live" introducing concepts to students, so that families can access these at convenient times.
---Scores and comments for Report Cards should be completed in PowerSchool by Wed., April 1.
---Report Cards will be printed and mailed by Office Staff by Fri., April 3.

Many, many thanks to Ben and Tiffini for their tireless work in getting Chromebooks updated, cleaned and ready for every one of our students!
It was an arduous process, but was brought to fruition last Wednesday when we were able to push these out to our families in a safe manner.

Thanks so much to Alicia and Lisa who were also integral in this process and everyone who helped with the distribution, including MaryJo and Kim.  

It was heartwarming to see our families, at a safe distance!
A few other notes:
---Don't forget this week is Daisy Spirit Week, starting out with Pajama Day on Monday, which should be a natural for many.  Please feel free to participate and talk it up with students!



---Special note to Paraprofessionals--it has been wonderful to see you in virtual meetings with our students and teachers.  If anyone needs a Chromebook and you haven't already let Madeline or me know, please do so ASAP.
---Thanks so much to Lynda and Laura of our Daisy Sunshine Team who delivered a beautiful dish garden to Ginny White, long before social distancing was necessary.  This was a lovely gift from everyone in our "Sunshine Group" to let Ginny know that we are thinking of her on the loss of her beloved husband, Ed.
---Free lunches for Children up to 18 years old have been going well, with distribution weekdays from 12:30-1:30 pm in the Daisy circle.  Many thanks to our Food Service Staff and Central Office for making this happen!
Wishing all a wonderful week ahead.  Please remember to take it one step at a time, be patient and be kind to yourself, as well as others.  Your students will always remember this time and will appreciate all that you are doing to connect with them.
Love and appreciate you all!
Ruth

Let's Do This Distance Learning!!!

Daisy Staff,

Let's use this blog as a means for us to communicate: our successes, our "ah-has," our queries, our questions, etc.  Let's help each other.

Remember this is an interactive blog.  All you have to do is post in the comment section.  No comment or question is insignificant or out of the question; this is a no judgement zone right here.

Let's help one another get through this new, exciting challenge.

At the same time, please know that I'm wishing good health for you and your family as we continue to practice social distancing.


So to get us started, please share what is the most important thing that you've learned so far about remote learning. 

Thanks,
Ruth

Daisy Ingraham School is Featured on WTNH Channel 8

Mackenzie Maynard of WTNH Channel 8 recently visited our school to hear about 100 Ways to Be Kind!

Click on this link to view the video:
100 Ways to Be Kind at Daisy Ingraham School

Daisy Daily for the Week of March 9, 2020

Daisy Staff,

Thanks to all for helping to make our celebration of reading so incredible last week!

Between our "Jungle Book Fair" brought to us by Helen Sweet and our week-long celebration of Dr. Seuss and "Read Across America," organized by Vanessa Federico, we all enjoyed so many festivities related to reading.  Thanks to the generosity of our Daisy families/donors, every child received at least one book, due to scholarship opportunities.

It was a week to remember and we so appreciate how staff members embraced the opportunities in a flexible manner, making reading so fun and special for our students.

Important News for the Week/s Ahead:

• Our third-graders will go on a day-long field trip to the State Capital on Mon., March 9.
• Mrs. Rice's class will begin their Swim Rotation at the "Y" on Mon. morning, March 9.
• Marking Period 2 closed on Fri., March 6.
• Report Cards will go home on Wed., March 18.
• Cyber Security Online Training should be completed by Fri., March 13.
• In order to give teachers ample time to work on Report Cards and Progress Reports, please feel free to use weekly grade-level meeting time this week to accomplish this.  This time could also be used to complete Cyber Security Training, if necessary.
• Our Duty Schedule has been updated to reflect a few changes to provide better supervision for students (i.e., due to the large number of students in the cafe before school) as well as to be more equitable for staff members in the distribution of duties.  Please refer to the updated Google Doc, which will be in effect Mon., March 9:     Revised Daisy Duty Schedule 2019-20, Updated 3/20

Also:

• March 13: Full Day of Regional Professional Development
• While some Special Area Staff/Specialists will be attending Regional PD, in-house PD at Daisy includes:
• STEM Planning (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math);  AM session.
• Reading (Analyzing students levels, data; "shopping" for leveled books in the Pit to increase classroom libraries); PM session.
• Note: Special education teachers are welcome to join classroom teachers in these PD activities.
• Also on March 13 at Daisy:  Paraprofessional/Teacher Training, provided by Meg Formica, LEARN Early Childhood Consultant, AM Session.
• A detailed schedule, with times, will be forthcoming.
• March 19: PM Professional Development (1:15-3:15 pm) with Student Dismissal at 1 pm.  Offerings include:
• PMT Refresher for specific staff members (hosted at Daisy)
• Science/Social Studies--Professional Development/Unit Planning
• Please consider joining in the fun, charitable festivity by attending "Light on Westbrook," a Photography Exhibition and Photo Drawing Event at The Oxford Academy on Saturday, March 21, from 6:30-8:30 pm.  This important event helps to fund The Summer Meal Project for Youths, which takes place at Daisy Ingraham over the summer.  Tickets, as well as information on exhibiting your photographic work, are available in the Daisy Office.
• "STEM" Night (Science/Technology/Engineering/Math) will take place on April 8, 2020; 5:30-7:00 pm.  Our Math Specialist, Beth Haynes, is coordinating with our teaching staff to provide a wonderful night of learning and fun for our students and families.
• An all-new "Family Wellness Night" will take place on Thurs., May 21, from 5-7 pm at Daisy.  This event is hosted by our District Wellness Committee; details to follow.
As always, please check our Daisy Staff Google Calendar for all the specifics of upcoming events and meetings at:
DAISY STAFF GOOGLE CALENDAR


Thanks and let's make it a super week!

Ruth

Daisy Daily for the Week of March 2, 2020

What an incredible celebration of READING

we have planned for this week!!!

Our "Jungle" Book Fair

and Dr. Seuss's Birthday/Read Across America

will run simultaneously this week!!!

Daisy Staff, 

Please refer to the schedules sent out by Helen Sweet and Vanessa Federico to keep up with all the Reading Festivities this week!

Also, please note:

• On Monday, students & staff are encouraged to wear red and white to celebrate Dr. Seuss's birthday.  Please see the complete, day-by-day events here:
• Schedule of Dr. Seuss Reading Events, Week of March 2
• Kim Godfrey will host the LEARN Technology Roundtable at Daisy on Wednesday morning, with visits to classrooms as previously announced.
• Our Wednesday Faculty Meeting will be devoted to updating classroom/department web pages.  We will meet in the cafe together, in order to share expertise. 
• Family Night at the Book Fair will take place on Wednesday, from 4-8 pm.
• Grade-level Meeting time this week will be devoted to the needs of each team.
• The Special Area Team will meet on Friday before school at 8 am in the office.
• March 13: Full Day of Regional Professional Development
• While some Special Area Staff/Specialists will be attending Regional PD, in-house PD at Daisy includes:
• STEM Planning (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math);  AM session.
• Reading (Analyzing students levels, data; "shopping" for leveled books in the Pit to increase classroom libraries); PM session.
• Note: Special education teachers are welcome to join classroom teachers in these PD activities.
• March 19: PM Professional Development (1:15-3:15 pm) with Student Dismissal at 1 pm.  Offerings include:
• PMT Refresher for specific staff members (hosted at Daisy)
• Science/Social Studies--Professional Development/Unit Planning
• Please consider joining in the fun, charitable festivity by attending "Light on Westbrook," a Photography Exhibition and Photo Drawing Event at The Oxford Academy on Saturday, March 21, from 6:30-8:30 pm.  This important event helps to fund The Summer Meal Project for Youths, which takes place at Daisy Ingraham over the summer.  Tickets, as well as information on exhibiting your photographic work, are available in the Daisy Office.
• "STEM" Night (Science/Technology/Engineering/Math) will take place on April 8, 2020; 5:30-7:00 pm.  Our Math Specialist, Beth Haynes, is coordinating with our teaching staff to provide a wonderful night of learning and fun for our students and families.
• An all-new "Family Wellness Night" will take place on Thurs., May 21, from 5-7 pm at Daisy.  This event is hosted by our District Wellness Committee; details to follow.
As always, please check our Daisy Staff Google Calendar for all the specifics of upcoming events and meetings at:

DAISY STAFF GOOGLE CALENDAR


Thanks and let's make it a super week!

Ruth

Our students enjoyed a very festive Sweetheart Dance 

on Friday Evening.

Thanks so much to the PTO & Staff members 

who made this possible.....

Fourth-Grade Students were offered

a fabulous opportunity for an optional field trip on Sunday

to meet Author Lauren Tarshis, who writes

the famous "I Survived" Series.

Thanks so much to our teachers for making this possible!