Ponderosa Elementary


april 2020

April is here and the weather lately has even had some faint smells of summer. In my neighborhood people are starting to cut grass and yard work is being done a a feverish pace. As you know by now we are not in school for the foreseeable future. There will be some criteria that the state puts forth for a district to qualify to return to school in the coming days that we will use as a district to determine if we are able to re-open. Personally, I hope we do!! I miss our students and staff a great deal and even if it were just for a day to have the family bbq, if we are able, I would love to do be open.

It's a parade!!

As of today we are working on planning a parade for our staff! We are working on planning a route through the neighborhoods surrounding the school and will have our staff in their cars practicing appropriate social distancing and we would love it if you could make it outside to wave. More details will come, but we are planning on April 17th as the day. Stay tuned for the route information, and time we will begin the "drive" by early next week. I Hope you are all staying safe.

Paper work packets

If you are a family that has come to grab a packet of work then that is a great way to keep your students active with their academics. I know many of our teachers are doing things on their google classroom but that is the online version of learning at this time. Do not feel obligated to try to participate in both areas. If you have a packet then that is great!! Just continue to work on that and please don't worry about the online activities as well. One or the other is fine.

Teacher office hours


Teachers are working very hard during this time to plan learning opportunities for students, and stay as connected as possible to their students with phone calls, zoom meetings and packet deliveries. Each teacher will have a set amount of office hours that you can get a quick/immediate response during this time. Here are their office hours.

Kindergarten

Mrs. Byxbie M: 10-1, T-Fr.:8-8:30, and 2-3 pm

Mrs. Davis M-F: 9:30-11am

Mrs. Kramer M, W-F: 9-10:30 am, Tues 8:30-10 am

First Grade

Mrs. Burns 12:30-3 pm

Mr. Miley 9-12 am

Mrs. Butler 9-12 am

Mrs. Power 1-3 pm

Second Grade

Mrs. Bennett 9am - 3 pm

Mrs. Seib 8-9:30 am

Ms. Keane 1-3 pm

Ms. Ferguson 10am-12

Counselor Diaz

Ms. Diaz is available all day, via appointment, please see Counselor's corner below for more details.

Challenge

Mrs. Ellis 1-2:30pm (M-Th)

Office Hours COntinued

3rd Grade

Ms. Reed 10-11:30 am

Ms. Chatburn 9-10:30 am and 2-3:30 pm

Ms. Semko 8-10 am

4th Grade

Mrs. Owens 1-2:30 pm

Mrs. Stauning 1-3 pm

Mrs. Lozier 11:30-1 pm

5th Grade

Mr. Smulkowski 10:30am-12

Mrs. Young 1:30-3 pm

Mrs. Tancredi 1:30-3 pm

Specialists

Coach Loveall 12-2 pm

Mrs. Olp 9-10:30 am

Special Ed

Mrs. McMillan M-Th: 4:30-6pm, F: 8-10 am

Mrs. Rader 10am-12

Ms. Villines 10-11:30

Title

Mrs. Lohmiller 9am-12

Counselor's Corner

Ms. Diaz

This is a hard time for a lot of us, especially for our kids. With the unknown comes a lot of stress and worry. Since many of our kids are feeling this uncertainty as well it is important for them to hear from people they know and trust. Your child's teacher will continue to check in weekly. Thank you for letting your child's teacher know that support is needed.

If you need help setting a routine, finding solutions to new behaviors you are seeing, or need your child to talk with someone please reach out.

Resources for building a routine:

Second Step has put a few lessons for each grade level taught by teachers/counselors to help kids understand how to express their feelings and much more. Check out all the topics using this link:

Resources for Educators and Families

The best way to reach me is through email. rdiaz@sd273.com. Through email can arrange a video chat through a platform of your choice (google meet, google duo, google hangout, zoom, skype, etc.) or just a phone call. I have also created a google classroom if students need resources and extra support. The class code is djgyz5c I will create individual assignments once they have joined the class.

Stay well! We will get through this together.

Rebekah

Ponderosa Parent Advisory

This month we will be meeting on the last Monday in all months but December and May in the library at 3:30 pm. If you have any input on how we can get attendance, please email me at scott.ross@sd273.com. I am open to any and all suggestions. With that being said I would like to point you in the direction of our Parent Advisory Facebook Page. The name of the page is: Ponderosa Parent Advisory Committee and the link to the page can be found at: Ponderosa Parent Advisory please give it a look and give it a like to see updates of what is happening at Ponderosa.

504 Information:

A 504 Plan ensures a child who has a disability identified under the law receives accommodations to ensure access to the learning environment. As we offer remote learning opportunities, 504 Plan accommodations will be followed as is reasonable under these unusual conditions. Strategies such as providing extended time and shortened assignments would still apply. Remote learning will create a lot of space for students to take advantage of their accommodations. Three-year evaluations can wait until school buildings reopen. Expired 504s will still be valid during this time. If you have any questions, please reach out to your child's teacher or school counselor.

For Your Information:

Parents,

In order to make certain all our students receive appropriate educational supports, Post Falls School District 273 conducts a mid-year residency verification. Residency is defined as where your family sleeps at night. Has your residency changed since September 3, 2019? If yes AND if any of the following statements are true for your family, please contact your school counselor or the Post Falls School District McKinney-Vento Liaison, Dawn Mackesy at 208-773-3541 or dmackesy@sd273.com for more information about educational services that may be available to your student(s) and family.

· We are doubled up with friends, grandparents, or other family due to economic condition.

· We are living at a motel / hotel because other housing is unattainable.

· We are living in a domestic violence shelter.

· We are living in transitional housing.

· We are sleeping in public places or abandoned buildings.

· We are living in a car, trailer or campground.

· We are living in a home for pregnant or unwed mothers without another place in which to live.

· I am a student not in the physical custody of my parents or guardian.