Daisy Daily for the Week of June 1, 2020

Daisy Faculty & Staff,

Hoping that everyone enjoyed the glorious weather this past weekend!

If anyone is looking for something uplifting to give you and students some motivation and inspiration through the last two weeks of school, please take a look at these cute students of ours.  One had a challenge to make an instrument out of recycled materials, and he got his whole family involved:

Family Band with Hand-made Instruments

Thanks so much to all of you for making Distance Learning motivating, inspiring, engaging, reality-based and just plan FUN!  I have enjoyed seeing you and your students engaged in making tasty cooking projects and conducting amazing Science experiments; conversing with special guests bringing history to life; involved in tantalizing math lessons and incredible read-alouds; and the list goes on and on.  I commend you all for all you have put into DL to make it work for our students.

We have two weeks to go and we need to keep up this enthusiasm because, as you know, it gets increasingly challenging for our students and families as time goes on.  If you'd like to devote the final week of school to include even more fun and engaging, challenging activities, that would be fabulous.  

As you know, our final day of school will be Thursday, June 11.

Virtual Promotion for our Fourth-Grade Students will take place on Wednesday, June 10 at 10 am.  Electronic invitations will be sent out shortly, with additional details.

We are still working out the details of pushing out student belongings during the last week of school, as well as collecting library books and school-owned instruments.  We will not be collecting Chromebooks at this time.

Here are Spirit Day & "Mrs. Rose's Challenge" for this week:

• Wednesday, June 3 will be "Come to (Virtual) School Dressed as Your Favorite Book Character" Day.
• "Flex Friday," June 5 will include a challenge for students to find a way to share their favorite book character.

Other important information about this week:

• We will meet in grade-level teams this week to finalize class placements for next school year.  Each team made amazing progress last week and this will be a chance to review the work and make any edits, if necessary.  Due to so many PPTs, 504s and other important meetings, the office will reach out to each team to schedule these meetings at mutually convenient times.  As you will notice, these meetings are not in the calendar just yet.
• Fourth-graders will participate in a Virtual Field Trip to Westbrook Middle School on Tuesday.
• Details of this week's PLC Meetings will be forthcoming.
• As always, if you have any concerns re: specific Report Cards--and if you'd like to review any with me--please let me know.  I'm asking that everyone have scores and comments into PowerSchool by next Monday, so that office staff will have time to print them for distribution by the last day of school.  Please know that teachers will not be responsible for printing final Report Cards.
• Final PTO Meeting of the school year will take place on Wed., June 3, from 6-7 pm.  We'll send out the Google Meet link to all staff, in case you'd like to join.
• I will send out a sign-up sheet for classroom teachers to come into classrooms to sort throught student belongings, just as soon as possible.
• Please note that we will NOT be writing next year's teacher's name on Report Cards this year.  Also, since we won't be doing "Step Up" at the end of this school year, we will notify families of classroom placement over the summer and will plan to do Open Houses prior to the start of the new school year, if possible.

As always, please check our Daisy Staff Google Calendar, which is updated daily:

DAISY STAFF GOOGLE CALENDAR

Again, thanks to all for the incredible work that you're doing because each one of you is providing a very important service for every one of our students.

Usually as we come to the close of the school year, we enjoy a Staff Luncheon to honor colleagues who may be retiring or taking on a new assignment.  As we all know, everything looks different right now due to COVID-19 and I trust that we will find a way to celebrate our colleagues, even at a later time.  As I've shared before, I'll letting you know again, so that everyone is informed:

• Dan Jennings will be taking on a new assignment at Westbrook Middle School in the 2020-2021 school year, but I feel confident that we all travel in the same educational circles and that we are still all connected through our students and their needs.  Dan came to us from WHS and we are so grateful for the time he spent with us at Daisy.  His energy and passion for our students is just exceptional and the middle school is very fortunate to be welcoming this extremely caring special educator.  I've already let him know that, once we are safely able to do so, that we need to do more district-wide happy gatherings.
• Madeline Illinger will be retiring on June 30 after serving as Westbrook's Director of Student Services for the past seven years.   Under her leadership, we have provided the best of the best to all of our students with special needs and she has been so visible and active at all of our schools.  I'm not so sure that she's really ready to retire (and doubt that she's old enough) and I have a feeling that we'll continue to enjoy hearing her wonderful laugh.  She's someone who loves a party and I'm thinking there will be a celebration in the future when it is safe to gather in person.
• Taylor Wrye will resign from his position as Principal of WMS, effective June 30, as he will be taking a position as middle school principal in his hometown of Granby, Conn.  We all wish him the very best.
• Finally, Pat Ciccone, our devoted Superintendent for the past eight years, will retire on June 30.  Pat brought School Climate Policy and Restorative Practices to Westbrook--as well as hiring me six years ago--and I am, personally, so grateful for all of that.  Our district has flourished and grown in countless ways during these years under Pat's leadership. Please join me in wishing her all the very best in her retirement.
• I'm sure that we will hear forthcoming news regarding interim administrators for these positions as we face such challenging times ahead.

Let's finish strong in these last two weeks of school and let's help each other.  As soon as I have any news about advisements and further guidance for the future, I will communicate these with you.

My very best, 
Ruth   

Daisy Daily for the Week of May 25, 2020

Daisy Faculty & Staff,

Hoping that everyone enjoyed a wonderful, long holiday weekend!

As we enter Week # 9 of Distance Learning, please know that:

• We will meet in Grade-Level Meetings this week (as scheduled in calendar) to work on placement for next year's classes as well as to talk about physical spaces.
• We have less than three weeks of school left, with our last day of school on Thursday, June 11.
• PowerSchool will be open to teachers to work on Report Cards.  (Hoping that last week's PLCs were helpful in discussing Report Cards and assessment.)  We can continue this discussion in this week's team meetings, if necessary.
• Wednesday after-school meeting this week is: PDEC from 2-3 pm.
• Wednesday is also "Crazy Hair" Spirit Day (a natural these days, right?)
• Friday "Flex" Day; Mrs. Rose's Challenge to Students: "Tell about something you like about Distance Learning and something that is a real challenge." (Write letter, email, draw picture, etc.)
• Please know that we will roll out a schedule for staff members to come in (by appointment and following specific protocols) to empty out desks to get ready to push out supplies to students and to organize classrooms, starting the week of June 1.

Please remember to continue to check our Daisy Staff Google Calendar for updates at:

DAISY STAFF GOOGLE CALENDAR

Thanks and let's make this week count to the fullest!

Ruth

Daisy Daily for the Week of May 18, 2020

Daisy Faculty & Staff,

Welcome to Week #8 of Distance Learning!

Sure hope that everyone got outside over the weekend to soak up some of the amazing sunshine!

Thanks to Kim Godfrey and our fourth-grade students for keeping the tradition of Kids' News alive and well, even while working remotely.  Click on the link below for the show from last week and check Kim's classroom web page for future Kids' News productions:

https://www.wevideo.com/view/1700246459

As we plan for the week ahead, please know:

• Please use grade-level meeting time this week to prepare student data to begin classroom groupings for next school year. Office staff will send out pre-populated Google sheets for this purpose. We'll meet in grade-level teams next week (Week of May 25) to start placement of students for next year. 
• Grade 3 & 4 Students: Please remember to discuss the Student Survey re: Distance Learning with your students this week, if you haven't already.  I sent the link in an email to these teams and it is also available on our Daisy main web page.  This survey should be completed by third- and fourth-grade students ASAP. 
• We have Department-Based PLCs on Wednesday afternoon.  You'll receive invitations from PLC leaders with specifics (agenda, time, etc.).  The ELA/Math PLCs will discuss preparing for upcoming Report Cards.
• Spirit Days seem to help motivate our students to be actively engaged in live meetings.  For this week:
• Wednesday will be "Backwards" Spirit Day
• Friday will be "Red, White and Blue" Spirit Day, as well as "Flex Day."  I'll send out a challenge/extension activity to students (and adults) in a separate email.
• Monday, May 25 is the Memorial Day Holiday.  Probably a bit different, sans parades.
• Report Cards will be open in Power School by May 26.
• We are making virtual promotion plans for fourth-grade, working closely with teachers, students, families and our local Health Dept.  We are also coordinating with the middle and high schools and will finalize the date in conjunction with the district soon.  Right now, we're looking at the morning of June 10 or June 11.
• The last day of school is June 11 and Report Cards will be mailed home on that day.
• Less than four weeks of school to go; let's make every day count!!!

In other news, our high school students from Teen Leadership have been working virtually with students in grades 1 and 2 on the theme of kindness.  Our students have been working on Acts of Kindness at home and here is an example of one of their posters:

Nicely done, Elizabeth!

Our students also enjoyed dressing up as their teachers last week.  Any guesses who is depicted by these mini-teachers? (Of course, one is a give-away!)

Thanks so much for all you're doing to keep our students motivated and engaged, as well as in helping to build the stamina of students and adults alike in our DL platform.  

Each one of you is so appreciated!

Take care and be well,

Ruth

P.S.  Don't forget to continue to check our Daisy Staff Google Calendar for updates at:

DAISY STAFF GOOGLE CALENDAR

Daisy Daily for the Week of May 11, 2020

Daisy Faculty & Staff,

Welcome to Week #7 of Distance Learning!

Hoping that everyone enjoyed a good weekend and hoping that you and your families are healthy and continuing to take all precautions recommended during this time.  Also hoping that all of our mothers--as well as those who fill the role of mother in any way-- enjoyed a very special Mother's Day in a very different time this year.

Thanks again for all who helped to support our Virtual Field Day on Friday.  From the photos and videos submitted, it looks like all enjoyed this day, students and adults, alike.

Very special appreciation to Brittany and all who helped motivate students and families by participating in a most amazing Daisy Field Day Dance!  Click here to view the video: https://www.wevideo.com/view/1692306393

Regarding the Week Ahead:

• Monday, May 11 is a "Purple" Day
• Grade Level and Special Area Team Meetings will take place this week at the designated times/days that each team requested.  Please see the Google calendar link for details:
• DAISY STAFF GOOGLE CALENDAR
•  Invitations to Google Meet will be sent out to participants.  The only grade level that we'll need to schedule for a different time is Grade 1 as several of us are involved in a PPT at the team's requested time of Tuesday at 1 pm.  I'll contact our first-grade team for an alternate time for this week.
• The monthly Board of Education Meeting will take place virtually on Tues., May 12, at 7 pm.  A presentation re: Distance Learning will be featured on the agenda and the link will be posted on the Board of Education web page for anyone who may want to attend.
• Students are responding well to Spirit Days and some have asked for more.  Therefore, Wed., May 13, with be "Sports Spirit Day," when students and adults are encouraged to wear their favorite sports jerseys, hats, etc.
• There is no scheduled Wed. afternoon meeting this week.
• We've talked in grade-level meetings about Friday as being a good day to concentrate on any unfinished work as well as a good day to spend more time with "Specials."  We'll talk more about this in grade-level meetings this week.  I will also be challenging our students to spend some time on an extension activity this Friday called "Recognizing a Special Person."  The idea is that students will make a plan to reach out to a special person who they may not be able to see in person during this time of "Staying Home and Staying Safe" such as a grandparent, other relative or special friend.  Suggestions are that they write a note to that person, send an illustration, email, video chat, etc., etc.  I'll communicate this challenge to families.

Thanks to all who jumped on board with my request to think about positives that can come out of such a life-changing time as this by contributing to a document that was shared with all.  I encourage everyone to continue to share your thoughts with colleagues and read others' ideas by accessing this document:

"Positives from Challenging Times in 2020"

Looking forward to a great week with each one of you.

Our Daisy Team is rocking Distance Learning; let's keep it up!

Warmly,

Ruth

Daisy Daily for the Week of May 4, 2020

Daisy Friends,

As we enter Week #6 of Distance Learning, you may know that it is also Staff Appreciation Week.  Please know that your hard work is more appreciated than ever as I witness your awesomeness daily and also hear compliments from families about your work as well.

There will be some surprises throughout the upcoming week for you all, but I do want you to know about a few of them, up front:

• Monday is the deadline for families to submit a special photo by email to weccwellcoordinator@gmail.com (just in case they ask).
• Wednesday will be "Dress Like Your Teacher Day," so watch for some interesting characters coming to your live meetings.
• Friday is an all school Virtual Field Day for ALL STUDENTS AND STAFF!!!  There will be lots of additional details for staff and families coming from me and Ryan, but please, for now in your planning, please know that Friday will be a day to enjoy health/wellness through physical activities, just as we would on a typical field day at school.  Social, emotional and physical wellness will be the focus for the day, so I ask you to adjust your academic schedule in this week's planning.

I fully appreciate that our current model of teaching is harder than ever and is nothing that we could have ever foreseen, but I hope that some of the uplifting events of this week will help us all continue with the stamina needed to complete our school year on a high note.

Each morning of the week ahead, you will receive an email from me with any specifics that you may need for the day ahead, as some of the events are surprises.

Also, please know that:

• There is a virtual PTO Mtg. scheduled for Tues., May 5, at 5:30, with a "Cinco de Mayo" theme.
• There is a virtual Town Budget Meeting on Tues., May 5, at 7 pm.
• We are scheduled for a Faculty Meeting on Wednesday afternoon.
• Leadership Team will meet on Thursday, May 7, at 8 am.
• As always, please check our Daisy Google Staff Calendar for all other meetings and events at:
• DAISY STAFF GOOGLE CALENDAR

Let's make it a great week for our students and for each other!!!

With gratitude,

Ruth