As we gear up for Distance Learning to begin the 2020-21 school year, I like to ask that you take this 5-10 minute survey to help me get a clear picture of the impacts that Coronavirus/COVID-19 have had on you and your family.

The collective Pine Hill and South Bay specific information you provide will be used to help me bring awareness to various non-profit, educational, and philanthropic foundations/organizations. My aim is to make sure you get the resources you need to meet this challenging moment. Please note, this is not an application for medical or financial assistance.

Thank you in advance for taking the time to help our non-profit, educational, and philanthropic partners learn about the impacts the Coronavirus/COVID-19 have had on our school community.

Please take good care.

Gary Storts

Superintendent, South Bay Union Elementary

CLICK FOR THE SURVEY

Distance Learning this year will be very different from the spring's distance learning model. Teachers will be teaching live using Zoom for a portion of each day (synchronous), and they will assign additional work to be completed to ensure that the state's mandated daily instructional time is met.

The first week of school will focus on activities that help students and teachers get to know one another. Lots of time will be dedicated to training students on procedures and expectations over the first couple of weeks as well. See the tips for distance learning success below to make the online learning experience effective for your student and your family.

Pine Hill Information:

In all grades, including kindergarten, class will begin at 8:20. Live class will be for about an hour in TK and Kindergarten, and two hours in first, second, and third grades. We will be gradually increasing live instruction over the next few weeks. In Kindergarten, the minimum amount of expected daily instruction is 3 hours. In grades 1-3, the minimum is 3 hours, 50 minutes. This required time will be a combination of live synchronous instruction and asynchronous (not live) learning activities.

At Pine Hill, if you haven't connected on ClassDojo with your child's teacher please do so as soon as possible. Dojo is used for communication with families frequently. Please contact your child's teacher if you have trouble connecting.

South Bay Elementary Information:

School will start at 8:20 for all students in 4-8th grade. We will be slowly rolling out academics and online learning to establish relationships and get everyone back into the swing of things. 4-6th graders will be online in their Zoom classroom from 8:20-10:30 this week. Each week we will add on 30 minutes of online work and increase academic instruction. In order to meet the 4-hour state minimum for schooling, students will be expected to complete individual daily assignments from 10:30-12:20.

South Bay 7/8th Grade Information:

School will start at 8:20 for all students in 4-8th grade. We will be slowly rolling out academics and online learning to establish relationships and get everyone back into the swing of things. 7/8th graders will be online in their Zoom classroom from 8:20-11:00 this week. Each week we will add on 30 minutes of online work and increase academic instruction. In order to meet the 4-hour state minimum for schooling, students will be expected to complete individual daily assignments from 11-12:20.

• Remind your children this is temporary and for their safety.

• Speak in a positive way with your children about distance learning.

• Validate feelings of disappointment at not returning to physical school.

• Establish a daily schedule, including an appropriate bedtime routine.

• Create a distraction-free workspace if possible. Consider making it a fun project to do with your child.

• Make time for outdoor exercise and play. Movement and fun are an important part of learning!

• Stay patient, and take breaks as often as needed.

• Reach out to the teacher or family resource center if you or your children are feeling overwhelmed.

• Expect bumps in the road and remember challenges are an important part of the learning process.

• Give yourself and your children grace.

If you are in need of a student desk and chair to create a place for your student to complete their schooling please contact the office (PH or SB) by Friday 9/4. Desks and chairs will be available for pick-up at South Bay on Tuesday 9/8 during meal distribution from 11-1 pm. You must be able to pick-up the desk and chair. We are not able to deliver. When we return to the classroom we will set-up times to return the desk and chair.

Please be sure we have updated family contact information as this is our main source of communication. We will send out weekly newsletters, text messages, emails, and phone calls to alert families of important school information. You can also check out our website and download our new App through all App Stores by searching "PH/SB Schools".

Please return school forms this week to the office. Use the self-addressed stamped envelope or feel free to drop off.

Return:

Acknowledgment of Handbook (blue @ SB, white @ PH)

Emergency Contact updates (white)

Turnaround Arts Form (teal)

Last page of Parent Annual Rights (white booklet)

Housing Survey (purple)

Meal Application (pink)

Device Contract (if not signed last week)

During the 2020-2021 school year, Pine Hill/South Bay will be providing food twice a week for our students. Pick up will be at South Bay School from 11:00-1:00 Tuesday and Friday. To see if you qualify for free/reduced lunch, please complete this online application or contact the office at South Bay or Pine Hill to get a paper form or have your questions answered. If you would like to purchase lunch the daily cost is $3.50 for lunch and breakfast is free. We look forward to serving you!

Dear South Bay Union School District Families,

We want to let you know that the Family Resource Center is open and working hard to support families during this unprecedented time. We know that Distance Learning may bring up some new challenges for families, and we are here for you.

While we can help with a wide array of things, some of the services I’d like to highlight are FOOD SECURITY, MENTAL HEALTH REFERRALS, HOUSING SUPPORT, INCLUDING EVICTION PREVENTION, UTILITY ASSISTANCE, SCHOOL SUPPLIES, DIAPERS / HYGIENE SUPPLIES, UNEMPLOYMENT, RESOURCE REFERRALS, and much much more! To access any of these services you can call us at 445-5933 or text me directly at 296-0083. We are looking forward to serving you this year! -Cassi Le-Hue

We are happy to let you know that the Explore After School program will be up and running for our after school families. The program will look a little different virtually. We will have Zoom meetings that the students will log into and attendance will be taken. Weekly crafts, workbooks, reading, and other fun activities for the students will be provided. The supper and activity bags will go out with food pick up. Stay well and hopefully we will get back to normal soon.

Responding to the concerns of our Spanish-speaking community members regarding COVID-19. Monday, Aug. 31, 6 p.m.-7:30 p.m.

Main topics:

• Staying informed with accurate information
• Staying healthy
• Questions regarding schools and re-openings

Dr. Teresa L. Frankovich, MD, MPH, Humboldt County Health Officer

Brenda Pérez, Centro del pueblo

Representatives from the Humboldt County Office of Education

PARTICIPATE IN THIS MEETING VIA:

Zoom Video Conference Platform (Translation provided via Zoom). Also presented simultaneously via Centro del pueblo’s Facebook page

https://zoom.us/join

Meeting ID: 929 8138 0067

Passcode: 096154

Click the flyer below for more information...

Our Summer Reading Challenge is coming to a close! Be sure to login your reading on Scholastic Summer Read-A-Palooza or turn-in a page with all of your minutes documented. There will be a prize for students that have read over 1000 minutes during the summer break! We hope you read some great books over the summer!

Hello, it's me...Mrs. Bronkall from the library. The exciting news is that this school year I will be working at both the Pine Hill and South Bay Libraries to make sure that all students who want to check out library books will have many opportunities to do so.

During distance learning, this will be done by parents and students using the Chromebooks to place holds on books through Alexandria, the library database. An email will be sent out soon to all parents and students with a link to Alexandria's website, clear instructions on how to search for books, and easy directions for how to place a hold on the books you would like to check out! A video will be emailed out to everyone on how to place holds to make it even easier to understand...it is really very easy once you know how!

I will receive a list of those books that students placed on hold, check them out to the students, and have them waiting for curbside pickup by parents on certain days when the library will be open. Per Covid-19 safety guidelines, all returned books will be quarantined on a cart for 4 days before being able to be checked out again by another student. I am really glad that very soon students will have access to all of our wonderful library books in both the Pine Hill and South Bay Libraries so that they can "Keep on Reading!"