Learning Menu Week 9

May 29th, 2020

Well, here we are Week 9! What a crazy end to the year this has been!

For my students staying at home:

  • Here is your Learning Menu Week 9
  • Learning Menu Week 9
  • I will be emailing you on Monday to set up a time to meet online on Fridays

For my students coming back to school:

  • Please see the blog post sent out yesterday regarding the return to school
  • I will send you an email today outlining the things that need to come back to school

Information for Returning Students

May 28th, 2020

Dear parents,

Starting on June 1, classes will be reopening for students to return. In preparation for students returning, we wanted to share some information based on what we know right now. In these strange and interesting times, these plans may change as the first day back arrives and we see how things flow. However, I wanted to connect with you and provide you with some items to consider.

First of all, as the BC Government has stated, returning to school is voluntary. After reviewing the plans laid out by our school admin, you are able to decide what is best for your child and decide whether to send your child back to school.

Here is a list of changes and procedures we have developed to help follow the social distancing and safety guidelines and recommendations put forward by the BC government:

Student Health: Prior to sending your child to school each morning, we would ask that you check for signs of illness, including taking your child’s temperature. If you find signs of a fever or other signs of illness, we would ask that you keep your child at home. Whether you feel that it might be allergies or something else not Covid related, we would rather you err on the safe side. If a child shows signs of illness while at school, students will be isolated and parents informed that their child needs to be picked up immediately.

Students will be returning in smaller groups. As recommended by the BC Government, class sizes are being split in half to accommodate social distancing guidelines. At this point, the school admin have designated Mondays and Wednesdays as the days for students with last names starting from A-L. Tuesdays and Thursdays will be for students whose last names begin with the letters M-Z. Unfortunately, we can not consider placing students based on friendship groupings as that becomes too difficult logistically. 

  • Blogs will still be used to provide learning activities for all students. Students returning to school will do a combination of activities related to what has been posted online and extension/supplementary activities along with, Library and Gym. Grade 6 students will not have library periods during their time at school. Students staying at home will still be able to access the activities provided online. However, items like morning meetings, instructional videos, read alouds, etc. will not be provided as teachers work to maintain in-class learning.
  • Our school week will also look a little different. We will be starting school at the normal time. However, we will be ending school at 2:30. This allows teachers the opportunity to contact students who are at home. In school classes will also not be operating on Fridays, to allow teachers time to connect with students at home. 

For Grade 6: Students will only be in school on Mondays (Students with last names starting with A-L) and Tuesdays (Students with last names starting with M-Z) depending on their last name. The rest of the week, Grade 6 teachers will continue to be available to connect with students at home, answering questions and checking-in. 

  • School drop-off and pick-up procedures: In order to minimize the number of students congregating before and after school, we would ask that you attempt to drop your child off as close to the starting bell as possible so that students can go to class right away. Classes will be open at 8:45. At the end of the day, students will be taken outside by their teacher and lined-up. Parents can collect their child from the line-up or children will be released as their parents are spotted arriving in their vehicles. As we are trying to minimize numbers of students congregating and practice social distancing, students can not be released straight from classrooms to the playgrounds or field areas. Please collect your child as close to 2:30 as possible. 
  • Uniforms and Gym: Students are allowed to wear their Knight clothes to school instead of their school uniforms. Students will not be changing for gym classes and will not need their PE uniforms.
  • Recesses and lunch will be staggered to keep the number of students in our outdoor spaces to a minimum. Students will be encouraged to avoid physical contact with other students while inside and outside.
  • Please bring water bottles: As our water fountains will be closed to students, students should bring a refillable water bottle.
  • Supplies: For those students returning, please send all materials that were sent home so that students have items to use while at school. Glue, scissors, pencil crayons, chromebooks, etc will all be useful for students upon returning. Most items will be able to be kept in school in bags. Chromebooks will go back and forth with students.  
  • Social Distancing Considerations: While we will attempt to follow the guidelines set out by the BC Government as best as possible, students may still be in close contact with other students. However, especially during outside periods, the focus will be on limiting physical human contact between students. Students and staff will have the option of wearing masks while at school. Desks will be reduced and spaced to provide distance between students, while in class and hand washing will be done several times a day. While the Government has stated that outdoor playgrounds are safe to use, staggered recesses, closing the Ga-Ga Ball pit and specifying that there should be no physical contact will all be put into place to help with social distancing. 

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

We miss seeing all our students. Their smiles, laughter, sparkling eyes and individual personalities are all things we have missed tremendously over these last weeks. We recognize that this reopening is not school as normal. Highroad Academy is working hard to provide a safe environment for our students while also trying to provide an opportunity for students to connect with their teachers and fellow classmates before the end of the year. However, we certainly understand if the guidelines feel too onerous or scary for your child. With the information that has been provided, please feel free to make your decision based on your own family and circumstances. If you have any further questions, please email our Elementary Department Head, Ian Hancock, to get more information.

To all the amazing families we have at Highroad who have journeyed with us in these trying times, we want to say thank you. Thank you for your grace. Thank you for your patience. Thank you for your support and prayers. Whichever decision you make, please know that we are praying for you, missing you and looking forward to the day when we will be together again as a Highroad community. 

Blessings,

Miss Evans

 

Survey, please!

May 27th, 2020

As we head back to school tomorrow to prepare for our return to school, HRA is asking that all families fill in and send back the survey that was emailed to you in order to let us know if your child is returning to school on Monday! Please reply by 7am tomorrow morning!

Learning Menu – Week 8

May 22nd, 2020

Well, here we are at Week 8 of working together online. It has been quite a journey! For some of us, this will be our last week online, as we head back to school June 1.  The rest of us will continue working here online. I will be giving you more information as soon as I have it!

Learning Menu Week 8

Spelling Test

May 22nd, 2020

Don’t forget to so your Spelling Test today and send me your score!

Learning at Home Menu Week 7

May 15th, 2020

We have made it to week 7! Thank you for all you are doing to keep things up and running! I cannot tell you how much I appreciate the hard work that you are doing. I see happy and healthy kids who are working hard and thriving in a difficult time!

This week’s menu is shorter to take into account that Monday is Victoria Day and we are going to take a day off! Enjoy!

Learning Menu Week 7

Zoom Parent Meeting

May 11th, 2020

Just a reminder that there will be an HRA parent meeting via Zoom on Tuesday, May 12th at 6:30pm. Zoom works very similarly to the Google Meets online meetings that we have been having. An email with a link was sent out over the weekend.

 

Week 6

May 8th, 2020

Who would have believed that we would make it to week 6!? I am so proud of you and your children. Keep up the good work! We can do this!

Here is your Week 6 Learning Menu:

Learning Menu Week 6

Spelling Test

May 8th, 2020

Don’t forget to do your Spelling Test and send me the marks!

Brain Pop Jr.

May 6th, 2020

Each week I try to introduce a new App that can make things interesting as we work on our home learning. Brain Pop Jr. is an app that you can download onto a device or use on your computer. This app is filled with educational videos and activities that the kids can enjoy. I have registered our class, but I have not assigned homework through this app. If you are interested in signing up, there is a place on the top right hand side of the screen that says “code.” Our class code is “planet3842”

This is an optional activity that the kids may enjoy, but not connected to our daily work. Enjoy!