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Dragon News
Findley Elementary School
August 28, 2020
WELCOME BACK!!!
Message from the Principal
Findley Families,
Happy Friday! I hope this newsletter finds you in health and safety, and enjoying the last few days of summer. It’s hard to believe that in a couple of short weeks, we will be back at teaching and learning. Albeit a little different than in the past.
Over the summer, district teachers and leaders have been working hard to create guidelines and supports in order for our teaching staff to provide a comprehensive, robust on-line learning experience for your children. Next week, I am excited to welcome back our teaching staff. Over the next two weeks they will be engaging in professional development that will support them in providing quality learning opportunities for our kids. In addition to our teachers’ professional learning, preparing and planning, there will be opportunities for parents and caregivers to learn tips and tools that will help them support their young learners at home. BSD is currently creating a Family Tool Kit that will be available on-line to support families with a variety of needs, including using our Learning Management Systems, setting up the learning environment and study tips for at-home learning. Included in this newsletter are two of these graphics you may find helpful.
For your planning purposes I wanted to share some daily schedule information with you. First the teacher work day will be 8:00 AM-4:00 PM. The student learning day will be 8:30 AM-2:30 PM, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Wednesdays will look a little different for students, but there will be at least 2 hours of student family connections scheduled on this day. More on Wednesdays later. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, students will have a 30 minute block for specials, either PE or Music, the time for this will be determined by their grade levels. In addition, all students will have an hour, 11:00-12:00, for lunch and movement breaks daily. Teachers will be communicating their individual daily schedules sometime the week before school starts (Spet.8-11).
Next Tuesday, Sept. 1 at 9:00 AM, families will find out their teacher assignments via email. Please keep an eye on your inboxes for connections from your teachers. Kindergarten families, don’t forget, we have a virtual orientation scheduled for Sept. 3 at 3:00 PM. If you are unable to make it, don’t worry, we will record it and get it out to you ASAP.
The week of the Labor Day holiday, we will be hosting socially distant meet and greets. At that time, if you pre-ordered supplies from EPI, you will be able to pick up your box. You will find the dates and times for individual grade levels later in this newsletter. Please note, teachers will be assigning you to a time slot within those two hours, in order to minimize the gathering size. Please help us with this, by attending during your designated times. This week will also include opportunities for parents to connect with their students’ teachers, either one-on-one or in small groups. Teachers will send out invitations for these connections sometime next week.
Also the week after Labor Day we will be deploying iPads for K, 1st and 2nd Grade families. Our distribution is scheduled for Tuesday, September 8, from 10am to 12:30pm. We will be doing this driveby style in our south parking lot. There are no designated times within the window, but please know we have plenty, so there is no need to arrive at the start. In order to check out a device we will need this form filled out to ease the process and allow for social distancing. If you need to know your child’s ID number, please give us a call. We can help you out. If you don't need a device, you do not have to check one out. Additionally, if you borrowed a Chromebook last spring for K, 1st or 2nd grade students, please bring them back. Students in 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade will use their current Chromebook at this time. In late October, they will receive a new Chromebook and we will trade out their old ones.
We will be hosting virtual Back to School Nights, but, at press time we are awaiting direction from BSD on which weeks are designated for elementary schools. Stay tuned!
OK, phew. That was a lot. I apologize for sharing it all at once. If you have any questions, do not ever hesitate to reach out to me.
Here we go…Fall 2020. We got this!
Sherry Marsh, Ed.D.
Findley Staff 2020
Kindergarten
Amber McLandrich
Iris McNamara*
Jennifer Falkowski
Shauna Westra*
*Team teachers1st Grade
Candice Stroeve
Kristin Antich
Miranda Johnson** **Audrey Hood until Oct.
2nd Grade
Carissa Bricker
Elizabeth Dow
Lisa Arcangel
Joyce Kim
3rd Grade
Colleen O’Mara
Ed Rodriguez
Terri Buckley
4th Grade
Bobbi Janssen*
Emily Pogue*
Kari Ray
Lucy Potocki
Sara Mesler
*Team teachers5th Grade
Amy Clay
Kristine Sikba
Michelle Lockhart
Zach Potocki
Specialists
Tammy Enghusen-Music
Paul Swardstrom-Music
Ryan Herd-PE
Ryan Lindell-PE
Shannon Bauck-Intervention, TAG Coordinator
Behavioral Health and Wellness Team
Emily Gotfried-Counselor
Sara Healy-Social Worker
Susan Hargrave-Student Success Coach
Zandi Wesenberg-Nurse
English Language Development
Todd Hoodenpyle
Special Education Team
Kristine Gilbert-Resource Rm Teacher
Brittnee DeTavis-School Psychologist
Christianne Osborn-Speech & Language Pathologist
Kimberly Schrope-Paraprofessional
Paraprofessional Team
Jenny Hagerup
Jennifer Cole
Marlene Baines
Tiffany Hamilton
Librarians
Liz Etter
Rita Vennes
Technology
Christopher Temple-Morris
Mandy Wood
Office Staff
Crystal Goldammer
Debbie Bishop
Cafeteria Staff
Yvette Mahaffey
Tam Ngo
Student Help Desk for IT Issues
EPI Supply kits
**Free School Supplies
In conjunction with the Beaverton Education Foundation (BEF) and other community partners, we are attempting to raise funds to buy supplies for 16,000 Success Kits. If successful, these kits will be distributed to every student in our district who qualifies for free or reduced lunch during the first week of September. Distribution will occur at your home school; we’re working out the details of how to distribute to FLEX Online students. If you qualify, hold off on buying your school supplies.
As we get closer to starting the hybrid model, we will have teachers let you know about additional items that would be helpful in the hybrid setting.
Free Internet Access
Free Internet Access
All students will need internet access this fall. BSD has partnered with Comcast to provide six months of free internet access through the Sponsored Comcast Internet Essentials program to students who qualify for free or reduced lunches. Applications are available online and must be submitted by August 31. Applications are available in Spanish. If you’re unable to access the application online, call 503-356-4300.
If you’re a high school student who doesn’t qualify for free internet through Comcast, you can apply online for a free hotspot through our partnership with Sprint’s 1Million Project. If you are unable to access the application online, call 503-356-4300. If you are an elementary or middle school student who doesn’t qualify for free internet through Comcast, schools will be working with you to distribute additional hotspots during the first week of September.
Can you help support students who need internet connectivity? If so, please consider donating to BEF’s Back-to-School Connect Campaign.
Community Resources
Free & Reduced Breakfast & Lunch
We’re extending the summer meal program through August 27. In addition, we’ll continue to provide grab-and-go breakfast and lunch meals this fall. Nutrition Services will be communicating the locations for curbside pick-ups. Any student can access meals; students will be charged according to their meal-benefit eligibility. Know that BSD-enrolled students who qualify for free or reduced lunches will not be charged for meals, including students enrolled in FLEX Online School.
Could your child qualify for free meals? Fill out an application online. Applications are available in Spanish. If you’re unable to access the application online, call 503-356-3957.
Free Food Boxes
Since March, in conjunction with our community partnerships, BSD has facilitated the distribution of 17,300 food boxes to Beaverton families. We plan to support those efforts for as long as possible.
Our partner Pacific Coast Fruit Company will continue to distribute food boxes at Aloha High School on Wednesdays from 12 p.m. - 1 p.m. The company has two additional distribution locations within our district: St. Cecilia Church (Tuesdays at 2 p.m.) and Beaverton Foursquare Church (Thursdays at 9 a.m.).
In addition, our community partner Urban Gleaners will continue to distribute food boxes at Vose Elementary (Mondays at 11 a.m.).
If you’d like to support our efforts to address food and economic insecurities in our community, please consider a donation to the BSD Community Resource Fund.
Free Kid's Clothing
Whether they’re in school physically or not, we know that kids keep growing and growing out of their clothes. The district-run Clothes Closet will be reopening on August 24 to provide new or gently used clothing to any student who qualifies for free or reduced lunch.
Because of COVID-19, we’re moving to an appointment-only scheduling system. If you and your student(s) would like to select clothes for the upcoming school year, please sign up online. If you’re unable to access our online calendar, call 503-356-4322 to schedule an appointment. Please note: all Clothes Closet visitors will need to wear masks and gloves. If you don’t have your own, we’ll provide them.
Volunteering
Pantries
Clothes Closet
District Student supply & Assembly
Nutrition Services
Community Involvement
You are welcome to contact those programs directly to volunteer your services.
Please note, Volunteers are not allowed to bring their children or pets to district events.
Volunteers must follow safety protocols including wearing PPE and Face Masks
Findley PTO
Findley PTO: Supporting our students by connecting parents, staff, and the community!
Visit our website at www.findleypto.com or email president@findleypto.com.
Up Coming Events
September
3rd - Kindy Virtual Orientation 3-4pm
7th - Labor Day
8th - 8am - 10 am 3rd grade Meet your Teacher - supply pickup
8th - 10am - 12:30 pm iPad handout K-2 only
9th - 8:30 - 10:30 2nd grade Meet your Teacher - supply pickup
9th - 11- 1pm 5th Grade Meet your Teacher - supply pickup
10th - 11am - 1pm 4th grade Meet your Teacher - supply pickup
11th - 11:30-1:30pm 1st grade Meet your Teacher - supply pickup
11th - 1:45 - 3:45pm Kindergarten Meet your Teacher - supply pickup
14th - 1st day of Comprehensive Learning 1-5