Preschool: Remote Learning

Greetings Preschool Families!Over Spring Break, I hope that you and your family continued to stay healthy, made time for rejuvenation and spent time emotionally connecting in the times of physical distancing.Since I know first-hand that our Greenhill preschoolers are intelligent, creative, curious, energetic and eager learners, they are eagerly waiting for the moment to open those interactive learning packets!Well, the time has just about come to break open those learning packets and begin the engagement of extended learning and reinforcement again….just uniquely different. However, we do recognize that although your preschoolers are excited to begin, you might be a little anxious since Preschool distance learning may be simultaneously paired with siblings’ learning formats in other divisions (Lower, Middle, or Upper School), your professional responsibilities, and family life challenges. We understand and we have those considerations in mind as the Preschool teachers and support teams will mindfully guide you through learning extensions and be available to support and encourage.Tomorrow – and ongoing - you will receive a more detailed newsletter and weekly information from your classroom and co-curricular teachers, but we wanted to offer some high level guidelines for how faculty members will be interacting with you and your student in the days to come.Preschool Parents and Students may expect the following from our classroom teaching, co-curricular, and counseling support faculty for remote learning beginning Wednesday, March 25, 2020:CLASSROOM TEACHERS

• Guidance in the beginning of each week with a newsletter on how to engage with the hands-on manipulatives, books, materials, and supplies (Mondays moving forward)

• A robust menu of learning opportunities to choose from each week from SEL, literacy, STEM, Fine Motor, and links

• Start of the week to explain the menu of curricular and enrichment options for the week via MyBackpack (Mondays within the 9 o’clock morning hour moving forward)

• Check-In mid-week to offer support and answer clarifying questions via email (Wednesdays moving forward)

• Follow-Up at the end of the week on how learning opportunities were enjoyed and completed via MyBackpack (Fridays)

• Students will share their favorite learning experience with teachers and teachers will respond directly to students via parents digitally (Fridays)

• Teachers will be available to respond to Parent and Student emails from 8:00 am - 6:00 pm during the work week; if emails are sent outside of those hours, please expect a next day response or 24-hour window.

CO-CURRICULAR FACULTY

• Enrichment activities that are paired with the links on the remote learning resources list and classroom extensions

• Librarians will make available pre-recorded Read-A-Louds weekly to continue the topics of exploration and discussion

• PE Coaches make available videos for large gross motor skills and games to play

• Spanish videos will make available and create for read-a-loud and interactive cultural experiences

TOUCH POINTS EACH WEEK

• Start of the week to explain the menu of co-curricular and enrichment options for the week by subject & grade level via MyBackpack (Tuesdays moving forward)

• Follow-Up at the end of the week on how learning opportunities were enjoyed and completed via pre-recorded video Check-In by subject by grade level (Fridays)

• Teachers will be available to respond to Parent and Student emails from 8:00 am - 6:00 pm; if emails are sent outside of those hours, please expect a next day response or within a 24-hour window.

SUPPORT TEAM

• Short engaging videos to help establish comfort with engaging in remote learning from home

• Information and links to families providing guidance around talking about COVID-19 with little ones, social emotional learning, and establishing routines for learning from facilitator’s perspective

• Nicole Jones (PS/LS School Counselor) and Tosha Miller (Learning Specialist for grades PreK-First Grade) are available to support, answer questions, and provide consultation.

• You can also expect informative communication from Division Heads weekly and I will provide Preschool communication on Mondays.

CONNECTING WITH PRESCHOOLERS & TEACHERS DIGITALLY
As mentioned above, our Preschool faculty and support team are leveraging some creative asynchronous digital experiences such as teacher-created video links, digital responses, YouTube channels, and Instagram to give our little ones the sense of social and emotional connecting with their amazing teachers! Over the coming weeks, we will encourage you to do the same! Teachers will offer guidance in this area in the newsletters as well.We are considering some short moments that might be available to enjoy groups of students to connect LIVE once we all get more comfortable with this new platform of distance learning and the technology to support those efforts. We have some great SEL ideas and connections in mind! If that opportunity presents, please know, it will be our practice that an adult is required to be present (in the room) during those interactions.ONE-ON-ONE INTERACTION
At our divisional level, we know connection and social and emotional well-being is key. The teachers will be reaching out to each child personally on Fridays via email through parents. Those emails might include a short video, written messages or pictures to continue those strong connections. If families find that they need to set up virtual meetings or phone calls with counselors, learning support or teachers, we will leverage technology to support those needs.FUTURE EVENTS
There are many events scheduled on the school calendar beyond the current return date of April 6. We are monitoring these, and some may be adjusted even if we do return on April 6, others may be cancelled or postponed. I will keep you posted.Lastly, as Lee Hark has reminded us, it will be important to continue to demonstrate flexibility, grace, and patience. We know that your family situations may change over the course of our time away from school and are here to work with you. As a community, we compassionately know that our PS teams are navigating family responsibilities and challenges as they prepare and engage in these learning experiences with you. All families are carrying additional burdens in these uncertain times, and we see this venture as the highest level of collaborative partnership between your homes and our homes.And as Assistant Head of School Tom Perryman is fond of reminding us, our Greenhill students said powerful words in the midst of a dramatic event in our school’s history in 1987, “Greenhill is not Buildings, it’s people.”Be Safe. Be Healthy. Be Well.Sincerely,Netra Fitzgerald
Head of Preschool