A Few 2020 Year-End Notes for our Elementary School Families
Final class gatherings.
As the school year comes to an end, our desire was, to the best of our ability, be able to facilitate an opportunity for our students to say goodbye to their teachers and classmates for this year. It would have been a natural function of the classes during a normal year, but this is anything but that. We know that families have been selective in the manner in which they have phased in social and school interactions, and we continue to recognize that, but we would like to provide a further option. We are organizing a one-hour, outdoor class gathering on Thursday, June 18th, for each grade. If your child has not been in attendance, they are invited to join their classmates in order to visit, reflect, and together bring closure to what has been a very different school year.
In order to have these gatherings meet our social distancing requirements, the following guidelines will be in place:
- Classes will meet outdoors on the backfield in distanced circles or groups.
- Classes will have a designated section of the field, and will not be mixing with other classes.
- Individually wrapped treats will be provided to students. We ask that you not bring food for sharing.
- In order to minimize our numbers, parents may drop off and pick up students, or wait inside vehicles in the parking lot. But we do ask that you not gather to visit with other groups of parents.
- Students will be bringing home all of their personal belongings on this day. This will also be the time for you to return borrowed Chromebooks and library books. A designated drop off for Chromebooks will be near the front entrance of the school.
- If students are not currently registered for June classes, we ask that they be on-site only during their designated grade meeting time.
- Closing Circles will take place on the backfield during the following times:
- 9:30 – 10:30: 3/4, 4A, 4B
- 10:30 – 11:30: 1A & 1B
- 11:30 – 12:30: 2A & 2B
- 12:30 – 1:30: 6A, 6B, 6C
- 1:30 -2:30: 5A, 5B, 5C
- 2:00 – 3:00: 3A & 3B
- KA, KB, K/1 will be gathering on Wednesday, June 17th from 1:00-2:00 pm. They will be contacting those families separately.
We hope that this time together will be a fun but meaningful way for the students to connect with their friends and teachers before heading into the summer. As there is added significance to the year end, the grade 7 teachers will be connecting with families separately to schedule dates and times.
Grade 7 Recognition ceremony
Grade 7 teachers will be sending out a request to indicate your child’s attendance, as well as the number of family members who will be on site to view from the mezzanine. Your reply is important as we finalize details. Please watch for further specific details to come.
Chromebook return and personal material pick up
All personal belongings, learning materials, and earthquake kits will be going home with students on Thursday the 18th. If your child is not registered for June onsite learning, and will not be attending the final class gathering, we ask that you arrange with the homeroom teacher to collect those items before the 18th.
As learning will continue until the 19th, we are asking families to return borrowed Chromebooks on Monday the 22nd and Tuesday the 23rd. There will be a designated drop off at the front entrance of the school.
Music Instrument Purchases and Rentals (for current gr. 2, 3, 5, and 6 families)
Usually by this point in the year we’ve asked gr. 2 families to order a recorder for gr. 3, and asked gr. 3 families to order an ukulele for gr. 4. We’d also usually introduce the gr. 5 students to the instrument options for Band 6 during June so that they can make an informed decision when submitting their preferences for which instrument they’ll play in Band 6.
Because our learning has looked so different this Spring, and in light of the many uncertainties about September, we’ve decided to delay ordering recorders and ukuleles until August or September. Please look for further information in the late Summer or September.
We’ve also decided to delay Band 6 instrument rentals until the end of September, so that students can be introduced to the options in the first weeks of school, while focussing on foundational musical skills before they get their instruments. We are exploring online instrument rentals rather than an in-person rental event at the school.
Students in gr. 6 planning to enroll in Band 7 can choose to extend their current rental over the summer into next year, or return their instrument at the end of this month and then rent another instrument for September. Details about method books, supplies, and instrument maintenance will be forthcoming. Families of students with school-owned instruments can connect with Mr. L-Q directly.
Additionally, as we plan for next year, many options for music instruction are on the table. We are looking at the possibility of using recorders again in gr. 4 and ukuleles again in grade 5, so we’d ask that you hold on to your instruments from this year until plans are finalized. If you have further questions or concerns, please contact Mr. L-Q at sean.quicke@pacificchristian.ca