Teacher appreciation week begins TODAY! While we can’t be together in person this year, our Home & School Association has come up with some easy ideas to help spread the love all week long:

Monday: Email your child’s teacher with a favorite “Classroom Memory” that your child has shared with you this year.

Tuesday: Students dress in their homeroom teacher’s favorite color (see below).  If there is no video call on this day, email the picture to the teacher.

Wednesday: SJS Spiritwear Day!

Thursday: Have your child make a Thank You Poster or Card and email a picture to your child’s teacher.

Friday: Chalk your driveway and send a picture to the teacher (with your child in the picture).

Mrs. Page – Purple;
Mrs. St. Jean – Pink;
Mrs. Gangloff – Blue;
Mrs. Vassallo – Yellow;
Ms. Labowski – Blue;
Mrs. Alexander – Blue;
Mrs. Begey – Purple;
Mrs. LaMarche – Blue;
Mrs. Phelan – Orange;
Mrs. Moran – Blue;
Mrs. Devanney – Purple;
Mrs. Jones – Green;
Mrs. DiBenedetto – Purple;
Mrs. Piotrowski – Blue;
Mrs. McQuaid – Purple;
Mrs. Oei – Green;
Mrs. Grondin – Purple;
Mrs. Wolpert – Purple;
Mr. Adams – Purple;
Mrs. Gordon – Blue;

As we continue to progress with distance learning, there are some clarifications we would like for you to share with your child/ren, particularly the older students who are working in an area where you are not with them.  It is very important that we maximize the face-to-face time we have together, particularly where the purpose of the call is to teach a lesson and gauge the students’ understanding.

Homeroom teachers in grades 5-8 will also be sending this information to their students (see link below or click graphic above), but it would be helpful for you to review it with them too so there are no surprises. Students who fail to follow these guidelines will be given a warning by their teacher and may be removed from class if a disruptive behavior continues.

Distance Learning Reminders Document 

Just a quick reminder for parents, if you have questions regarding your child’s emotional and physical well-being during this time or if your child needs someone to talk to, you can still reach out to our social worker, Mrs. Cate Jennings, at cjennings@saintjamesschool.net and she will get back to you.

 

Some other resources that you may find of interest:

When It Builds Up, Talk it Out

The Department of Children and Families (DCF), in partnership with United Way of Connecticut 2-1-1 and community providers, recently launched their When it Builds Up, Talk it Out campaign.

Parents and caregivers who need someone to listen, to understand and to talk their feelings out with can connect with trained professionals by dialing 833-258-5011.

If additional help is needed, parents and caregivers will be referred to community-based services such as:

• Child Care
• Education
• Food
• Income
• Housing
• Domestic Violence
• Family Activities
• Substance Use
• Mental Health

The Talk It Out Line can also be accessed via cell phone by visiting www.talkitoutct.com and clicking on the linked phone number.

Support for parents and caregivers through the Talk It Out Line is available Monday through Friday from 8 am to 8 pm and on weekends from 1 pm to 8 pm and has both English and Spanish capacity.

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CHR Hero Hotline

Community Health Resources has introduced a new resource to provide immediate assistance to help you manage acute stress during the coronavirus crisis.  You can view the informational flyer HERE.

 

Music Class Notes from Mrs. Lindemann:

Kindergarten: 

It’s a Small World https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKKfntOO8cw

Learn the lyrics of this timeless song.

Verse 1:
It’s a world of laughter, a world of tears.
It’s a world of hope and a world of fears.
There’s so much that we share that it’s time we’re aware.
It’s a small world after all.

Chorus:
It’s a small world after all x3
It’s a small, small world.

Verse 2:
There is just one moon and one golden sun,
and a smile means friendship to everyone.
Though the mountains divide and the oceans are wide,
It’s a small world after all.

Chorus:

Verse 3:
It’s a world of wonder, a world of worth.
And in years to come we’ll know peace on earth.
If we open our eyes we will all realize, It’s a small world after all.

First Grade:

Toy Symphony https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1miohLVZobE
How many “Toys” do you see in this piece?

Second Grade:

Create your own music on Chrome Music Lab
https://musiclab.chromeexperiments.com/Song-Maker/

Third Grade:

Google Classroom code 4jnkyic Recorder play along. Please send a video of your student playing!

Grades 4-8:

Assignments are on Google Classroom. This week we are creating a listening log.

Here are some additional music resources.

Youtube- GoNoodle https://www.youtube.com/user/GoNoodleGames fantastic videos for dancing, moving and singing.

Chrome Music Lab https://musiclab.chromeexperiments.com/ great website to explore the science behind sound.

The Piano Guys https://www.youtube.com/user/ThePianoGuys awesome music videos.

 

I made a youtube playlist for you to look at if you have extra time! Some of my favorite videos and I’ll be adding to it while we are away. I even made some special videos for you to check out while you are home.https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLl28zwux0-ll585vxFvCHCeVRfnYxP5ni

 

Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions klindemann@saintjamesschool.net
I’d love to hear from you!
Keep being creative!

Mrs. Lindemann

Thank you to everyone who took the time to complete our distance learning survey thus far.  We appreciate your time and input.  If you have yet to complete the survey and would like to do so, please take a moment to share your feedback before 2:00pm tomorrow (Wednesday, April 29th).

 

Please complete a separate survey for EACH student in your household:  Saint James School Distance Learning Survey