Learning and Fun - Still Priorities

The 2022 Covid Surge has certainly affected us at Chet, and we will continue to implement and to update you on changes to Covid protocols and procedures as we navigate the challenge. However, there is SO much more going on at school than just santizing procedures and contact tracing.

Chet remains a beacon of learning. We are a stable, predictable place for children to spend their time engaged in thinking and being challenged. As much as we are dedicated to having our students safely on campus, we are dedicated to providing them the education that the past year and a half fractured.

Walking around campus, you will see children engaged in reading for learning (and fun!) You can spot classes taking advantage of outdoor learning spaces to allow for breaks from the four walls of a classroom. Mathematics is a focus, with children not just learning basic math facts, but how to grapple with more complex problems and showing more than one way to get to the right answer. You can spy higher level discourse such as Socratic Seminar in upper grades, as children verbally communicate their thinking and opinions with both facts and passion.

You will see learning.

The Great Kindness Challenge

This week, Chet will participate in The Great Kindness Challenge. This is a international event is organized by Kids for Peace. It is a week designed to promote not just kindness but an awareness of the power of kind acts.

Monday, classes will take a look at kindness checklists, and decide on ways they can make a difference by participating in kind acts across campus throughout the week. If you are interested in trying out the family checklist, click on the image below.

We know kindness is an important act all year long. The Great Kindness Challenge lets us see it action together and watch the change it can make!

Goals, not Resolutions

Traditionally, beginning the New Year includes setting resolutions for making the changes we want for ourselves and our lives. As we have kicked off this year, we find ourselves facing challenges reminiscent of the beginning of the pandemic, with a Covid surge that is expected to last for a few more weeks. It's hard to set large resolutions when some of us are shifting into "survival mode."

Personally, I've never been much for big resolutions at the New Year. However, I do know the power of setting a few small, measurable goals and the way that can effect change. This year when it comes to our children successfully growing and achieving, I believe the way forward is with a few goals that we might celebrate quickly rather than massive resolutions that may not come to fruition for a long time.

Student goals can be aligned to the learning taking place like increasing a reading level or maybe increasing accuracy in math practice. For some it may be better to set goals for attendance or work completion. Again, I'm not talking about resolutions. I am talking about something small and measurable that can be celebrated next week or at least before the end of the month.

Try it. Set a small goal with an easy way to measure it. Pay attention to the goal and set a time to celebrate it (or change it.) Then watch the growth and positive mindset take over. Here's to 2022 being a powerful year of achieving!

Report student attendance online (there's an app for that!)

Beginning January 2022 parents can report and manage their child(ren)'s absences by using the SafeArrival platform. SafeArrival is an add-on app within the SchoolMesenger app (mobile and website) that makes attendance management faster and easier. We are already using the system to make automated calls and email when children are absent without a reason. The app will give parents more options for responding, and even getting that information to us in advance.

With SafeArrival, parents can respond quickly to a student's absence or notify the school in advance about any upcoming absence, all with just a few taps inside the SchoolMessenger app or from the SchoolMessenger app web portal.

What do you need to do to use the app?

Download the SchoolMessenger App from the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store. The link to download the app is available HERE. The first time you use the app, select Sign Up to create your account using your email that is on file with the school. You will need to have access to the email for verification during account creation.

Opt-In to SMS

Opt-In to SMS will allow the school to delivery information to you via SMS Text Messaging. The district will only use this service to provide absence information and other information that is timely and relevant.

The SMS Opt-In process is very simple and only takes a few seconds to complete. Simply text any one of the following words SUBSCRIBE, OPTIN, or YES to the number 67587.

You will know you were successful if you receive the following reply message:

“You’re registered 4 SchoolMessenger notifications. Reply STOP to cancel, HELP for help, Msg&Data rates may apply. Msg freq varies,”.

You will want to repeat the opt-in process for every wireless number that you wish to include.

In addition to performing the opt-in process above, please ensure that the district has your wireless number(s) in our PowerSchool Student Information System. If you have not already provided the information to us, please contact the school office, and provide us with that information.

Please note, although the district does not charge you for this service, it does not pay for text message charges that may be incurred by you for sending or receiving text messages. Check with your wireless carrier for possible charges.

Remember, the Santee School District has two apps for you to connect -

SchoolMessenger (including SafeArrival) click HERE for download information and user guides.

Santee School District Custom Mobile App click HERE for download information.

Covid+ Courtesy Notices have ended

The District SAFE AT SCHOOL ReOpening Plan has been updated. We will no longer be sending home Covid Courtesy Notices to the entire campus when a Covid+ individual is identified on campus.

Rest assured, we are still communicating with all close contacts and carefully tracking cases. Keeping families that could be affected informed is our priority.

Even though these notices won't be coming home, please remember to continue personal safety practices, watch for symptoms, and resist sending children to school who may be ill. Working together, we can keep our learning moving and more students on campus safely.

If you are interested in case numbers on campus, they can be tracked at the District Covid Dashboard. If there's a problem with the link, go the district website and click on the link there. www.santeesd.net