PH & SB News!
District Wide Information for the Week of 9/14
COVID Family Impact Survey
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
Distance Learning
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 at least 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:
4-6th graders will be online in their Zoom classroom from 8:20-11:30 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 11:30-12:20.
South Bay 7/8th Grade Information:
7/8th graders will be online in their Zoom classroom from 8:20-11:45 this week. In order to meet the 4-hour state minimum for schooling, students will be expected to complete individual daily assignments from 11:45-12:20.
Return School Forms
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 during device pickup)
Office Hours
Food Distribution for 20-21 ***Read for UPDATES***
From the Family Resource Center:
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
Tips for Success During Distance Learning
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.
EXPLORE 20-21
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.
Summer Reading Challenge!
I know there are many students that participated in our Summer Reading challenge and I can't wait to receive reading logs and reports so that I can plan for rewards. With our current status of distance learning, students' documentation of their minutes read over the Summer can be submitted in the following ways:
- Students can give their login and password for the scholastic Home Base site to their teacher. I will then access their report for minutes read in their account.
- If minutes are tracked on the paper/pencil reading log, students can show their teacher on the computer and the teacher can record how many minutes total are recorded on the reading log and then send that information to me.
- Parents or students can take a picture of the reading log with total minutes read recorded and text or email the picture to their teacher.
- Parents can turn in the student's paper/pencil reading log to the office.
Please let me know if you have any questions. I can be reached at (707) 356-8147.
Thank You, Shawna Storts
Check out this exciting Library news!
First library book curbside pickup will be this week!
You or your student may now reserve books online using their Chromebook! There is a short video with easy instructions on how to do this posted below. South Bay Library book curbside pickups will be on Tuesdays from 11:00-1:00 & Pine Hill pickups will be on Friday from 11-1:00. I will be outside near the curb with a cart of the reserved library books.
I can also email you written instructions if that is more helpful to you. Just send me an email at abronkall@southbayusd.org and I will send them to you. We are so excited that students can now check out library books again and read what they choose! Please let me know if you have any questions.
--Mrs. Bronkall, Librarian
Box Tops for PH & SB
Hello,
My name is Allison Bronkall, the Librarian at both Pine Hill and South Bay Libraries this school year. Besides working in the libraries, I'm also the parent of two school-age daughters so I understand that every family has so much going on right now! However, if your family would like to help out the schools with the Box Tops for Education Program, I am still running the programs. In the last school year, the program transitioned to an electronic one where grocery receipts need to be scanned for Box Tops credits with a free app you can download for your smartphone on the Apple Store or Google Play. The program is also still accepting any paper Box Tops clips so if you have any of those, please drop them off at either of the school offices or mail them in to the schools, attention: Library. Each Box Top is worth 10 cents so every little bit counts. Thank you for your time and support of this program that earns money for new library books!
Cultural Workshops Available for Youth
HC Black Music and Arts Association is opening registration on September 4, 2020, for the Harambee Youth Connections that start September 8, 2020. Space is limited in person, although the online classes can hold up to 20 individuals. If you or someone you know is interested in one of the Cultural Educational Workshops or the Harambee Youth Connections email hcblackmusicnarts@gmail.com either Andrea or Lorenza will assist you. See the fliers below for information.