Dear PreK-5 Educators,

Yes, Spring Break is coming next week and we are all stuck at home, but we can make the best of it. These unsettling times, give us the opportunity to take a deep breath and reflect on what truly matters, your family, your health and well-being.

As we transition to a new home learning plan, I want to express my sincere appreciation for all of the amazing educators who worked tirelessly to develop learning menus for grades PreK-5.

The learning menus provide 5 weeks of instruction (review) for home learning. In addition, families will receive a set of activities for special areas and social-emotional learning. Learning menus will be available in the HS lobby and online. We believe that families will feel less stress in having to only pick up one packet for the remainder of the school year. Please select the link to view learning menus: PreK-5 Learning Menus.

Vooks, an online platform with interactive books, are offering a free first year subscription exclusively to all school teachers. Simply fill out the form using the link: https://www.vooks.com/teacher-appreciation

We miss seeing you all and please reach out to me if you need any support!! Please remember self-care during these challenging times.

Kind Regards,

Taryn Miley

We are set up with free remote access to PebbleGo, PebbleGo Next and Capstone Interactive eBooks.

Student Access Instructions

• PebbleGo (English & Spanish):
  • Visit www.pebblego.com and click "Sign In"
  • Username: engaged
  • Password: learning
• PebbleGo Next:
  • Visit www.pebblegonext.com and click "Log In"
  • Username: engaged
  • Password: learning
• Capstone Interactive eBooks:
  • Visit www.mycapstonelibrary.com and click "Log In"
  • Username: continue
  • Password: reading

We are excited to spread the word about the expansion of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to all Wood and Lucas County zip codes! If you have a child, ages zero to five, and live in Lucas or Wood County, you are eligible for the program. Simply visit UnitedWayToledo.org/ImaginationLibrary to sign up!

Angie Rechtine and Andy Evans, SEL Coaches, developed Virtual Learning student expectations aligned to PBIS. Please feel free to share with families.

Relationships come first, always have and always will. As you continue to reach out to families, here are some wonderful tips:

Show Empathy:
We understand this is a challenging time. Many of you are now unexpectedly full-time caregivers on top of your role at work. We value you, and we are prepared to support you in this unprecedented time.

Listen:

How can we support your family at this time? How is it going so far? What could we do differently or better?

Balance Academic Communications and Social-emotional Check-ins:
We’re still here for you, and your child is able to continue learning and preparing for their future. Thank you. We’re grateful for your support, dedication, and perseverance.

We are all less able to handle the stresses that come our way when we're already depleted by physical and emotional exhaustion. Or, put in a more positive way, we are more resilient and more able to handle life's stress when we are feeling our best both physically and emotionally.

• Self care prevents “overload burnout”: We’ve all been there: you push yourself to the point that you can’t take anymore so you just give up. Self care helps you avoid getting to that point.
  
• Self care reduces the negative effects of stress: A small amount of stress can serve a purpose, but after a while, it just breaks down your mind and body. Taking care of yourself means keeping your stress from taking over so you can function at full capacity.
  
• Self-care helps you refocus: When I was stuck on a complicated math problem in school, my teacher would suggest walking away and coming back—taking a break, basically. Breaks are the epitome of self care, and studies show they are great for helping you perform better.