Post date: Jun 5, 2020 10:01:46 PM
Hello, Ravens! It's hard to believe that the year is almost over and that such a huge part of it has been spent apart with our building closed. I've loved every minute working with my kids this year and I hope they've felt the same. I started the school year with a goal to build our classroom community and to make my classroom, be it real or virtual, a place my kids felt welcomed, protected, and loved. In light of everything happening in this country and right here in RVA, I have to reiterate that I hear you, I see you, I stand with you, and I love you. Feel free to reach out (email, Canvas, Instagram, Twitter, Google Voice) if you need me in anyway, even if (perhaps especially if) you need an ear to listen or someone to uplift you and support.
In regards to regular school information, we're officially one week out from the year ending. As previously mentioned, I'm continuing with my "Monday Math" time in the 7th grade Canvas math group (6:45-8PM) and our regular class time on Tuesday and Thursday (9:30-10:30AM) through our class page, so that leaves us with three more opportunities to meet virtually. Again, the county has provided the learning materials for this week and next, but there wasn't much provided in the way of math, so I included a list of my own suggestions in our #ECCLmath document (Update #14 on pg. 3) and will happily help fine-tune those around specific topics or provide additional options for anyone interested, both now and throughout the summer. Again, feel free to reach out anytime if there's anything I can do to help. I'll be slightly less connected over the summer (and completely "off the grid" at the beginning of August if we're able to visit our WV family as we have pretty much zero signal when visiting there), but I promise to get back to you as soon as possible. I've called everyone from assigned portion of 7th graders (though there are still a few I haven't been able to catch up with directly; those folks who received voicemails from me this week, I'll try again next week, but please let me know if there's a specific time you'd prefer), but if there are folks who WANT to hear from me directly, please let me know and I'll happily call. I've heard from some folks that they've felt overwhelmed with all the calls, emails, messages, etc. on top of everything going on, so I didn't want to add to that feeling if I could help it.
Finally, you should be receiving Mr. Strittmatter's latest update Sunday evening with the following information:
Elizabeth Scott Elementary School and Elizabeth Davis Middle School are excited to announce a combined effort parade through both of our schools! We will have many of our teachers outside waving to our students to close the 2019-2020 school year! This event will take place on Wednesday, June 10th. We will have signs set up to let you all know which direction you should drive. Regardless of whether or not you are a Scorpion or a Raven, you will be able to see teachers from both schools and wave goodbye! Here are the logistics:
We are asking parents to come based on alphabetical order of last names.
9:00 - A-D
9:30 - E-H
10:00 - I-L
10:30 - M-P
11:00 - Q-S
11:30 - T-Z
I plan to be there (appropriately masked and socially distanced) to wave goodbye and I hope to see you there! If you can't make it between 9AM-12NOON next Wednesday, please come find me next year (whenever that ends up being)! My classroom has been moved for next year, so I'll be super close to the 8th grade locker pod and I'll continue to head out to the bus loop in the afternoons. Oh! And don't get rid of your Lambie Points! Assuming we still have a need for face masks in the fall, I've gotten my mom to agree to make custom masks to add as an option (who ever would have thought there would be a need for that kind of thing?!). You'll still be able to "buy" candy, scrunchies, etc. as well, so try to hang onto them over the summer and then come see me in the fall.
That should about do it for this week's update. As always, I send you all my love and of course hope that you are all staying safe, happy, and healthy!