MAC 3 Oak news * updates * interesting info
January 17, 2021
This week students do not have school on Monday or Friday. Tuesday through Thursday students will have asynchronous responsibilities beyond our morning crew meeting from 8:30-9:00 am. On January 19-21, teachers and staff will be meeting to ready our spaces, learn the safety protocols we must have in place, and processes to support and guide our students who are returning to in-person schooling.
Our materials have been moved back into our classroom. Unpacking and organizing is a work in progress!
A new School Reopening page has been created on this site. Please let us know what questions you have. It will help us know what information to share with you. Thank you!
If you are a family who is opting for in-person, it's important you read and understand the district policies. Here is a list of COVID potential symptoms: fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea, running nose* or congestion. (*This is the only symptom associated with allergies. All others are considered potential COVID symptoms.) If your student presents with any of these symptoms at school, they will need to be picked up within 2 hours. Your student will be able to return to school once they have a negative COVID-19 test, are fever free for 24 hours and experience symptom improvement OR, 10-days past symptom onset, are fever free for 24 hours and experience symptom improvement. So many of these symptoms are related to the flu and frankly symptoms we typically see throughout a "typical" winter. I got the flu shot for the first time (ever!) to hopefully protect me against the flu (depending on the strain, of course).
We want to do everything we can to avoid any stigma attached to being sick; it happens each winter, to many of us in Wisconsin. At the same time, we want to be sure our classroom and school is as safe as possible for everyone. Just because a child or adult is out of school will not mean they have the corona virus. Talking with your student about this early and often will be important in helping them, as they themselves are transitioning back into school, whenever that may happen for your family.
Given that it's been nearly a year since they have been in school this is something we have been thinking about a lot. Here are some resources we've investigated that you may find helpful as well:
In-person School During COVID-19 from the American Academy of Pediatrics
How to Help Children Build Resiliency in Uncertain Times by Dr. Kenneth Ginsberg
School Decision-Making Tool for Parents, Caregivers, and Guardians by the CDC
Nine tips for preparing children to return to school from the University of Calgary (while basic, I think it may be helpful!)
School Reentry Considerations: Supporting Students SEL and Mental and Behavioral Health Amidst COVID-19 from the American School Counselor Association and National Association of School Psychologists
Supporting your child's mental health during COVID-19 school from UNICEF
All of this is shared understanding the a return to school for some of our students and families just is not possible given the incidence of COVID-19 in our community right now and their personal needs. We pledge to continue to support our families who opt to remain remote as well.
It's our hope you understand we are your partner to ensure your student is healthy physically, mentally, and emotionally. When these criteria are met, it makes learning possible. If you or your student needs anything, please let us know. We will do all we can to meet their needs.
If your student comes to Lake Bluff for any reason, please know there is a COVID-19 screener students and staff are expected to complete prior to every arrival. Here is a link to that screener. Your student should expect to be asked upon their arrival if they have gone through the screener at home, before they got to Lake Bluff.
The Lake Bluff Newspaper December issue has been published. Check it out here! We had many MAC 3 Oak students who contributed in many different ways (video creating, writing, and illustrating). Student participation is encouraged! On Wednesdays the Newspaper Club meets from 1:30-2:00 pm. If your student wants to share something, they do not need to attend the meeting, they can do so through this link.
Click here to access a letter from our room parent, Jill Keuler and our Lake Bluff PTO from November 22, 2020.
This week students do not have school on Monday or Friday. Tuesday through Thursday students will have asynchronous responsibilities beyond our morning crew meeting from 8:30-9:00 am. On January 19-21, teachers and staff will be meeting to ready our spaces, learn the safety protocols we must have in place, and processes to support and guide our students who are returning to in-person schooling.
Our materials have been moved back into our classroom. Unpacking and organizing is a work in progress!
A new School Reopening page has been created on this site. Please let us know what questions you have. It will help us know what information to share with you. Thank you!
If you are a family who is opting for in-person, it's important you read and understand the district policies. Here is a list of COVID potential symptoms: fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea, running nose* or congestion. (*This is the only symptom associated with allergies. All others are considered potential COVID symptoms.) If your student presents with any of these symptoms at school, they will need to be picked up within 2 hours. Your student will be able to return to school once they have a negative COVID-19 test, are fever free for 24 hours and experience symptom improvement OR, 10-days past symptom onset, are fever free for 24 hours and experience symptom improvement. So many of these symptoms are related to the flu and frankly symptoms we typically see throughout a "typical" winter. I got the flu shot for the first time (ever!) to hopefully protect me against the flu (depending on the strain, of course).
We want to do everything we can to avoid any stigma attached to being sick; it happens each winter, to many of us in Wisconsin. At the same time, we want to be sure our classroom and school is as safe as possible for everyone. Just because a child or adult is out of school will not mean they have the corona virus. Talking with your student about this early and often will be important in helping them, as they themselves are transitioning back into school, whenever that may happen for your family.
Given that it's been nearly a year since they have been in school this is something we have been thinking about a lot. Here are some resources we've investigated that you may find helpful as well:
In-person School During COVID-19 from the American Academy of Pediatrics
How to Help Children Build Resiliency in Uncertain Times by Dr. Kenneth Ginsberg
School Decision-Making Tool for Parents, Caregivers, and Guardians by the CDC
Nine tips for preparing children to return to school from the University of Calgary (while basic, I think it may be helpful!)
School Reentry Considerations: Supporting Students SEL and Mental and Behavioral Health Amidst COVID-19 from the American School Counselor Association and National Association of School Psychologists
Supporting your child's mental health during COVID-19 school from UNICEF
All of this is shared understanding the a return to school for some of our students and families just is not possible given the incidence of COVID-19 in our community right now and their personal needs. We pledge to continue to support our families who opt to remain remote as well.
It's our hope you understand we are your partner to ensure your student is healthy physically, mentally, and emotionally. When these criteria are met, it makes learning possible. If you or your student needs anything, please let us know. We will do all we can to meet their needs.
If your student comes to Lake Bluff for any reason, please know there is a COVID-19 screener students and staff are expected to complete prior to every arrival. Here is a link to that screener. Your student should expect to be asked upon their arrival if they have gone through the screener at home, before they got to Lake Bluff.
The Lake Bluff Newspaper December issue has been published. Check it out here! We had many MAC 3 Oak students who contributed in many different ways (video creating, writing, and illustrating). Student participation is encouraged! On Wednesdays the Newspaper Club meets from 1:30-2:00 pm. If your student wants to share something, they do not need to attend the meeting, they can do so through this link.
Click here to access a letter from our room parent, Jill Keuler and our Lake Bluff PTO from November 22, 2020.
Our December reading data is in! Our students read for a combined 27,938 minutes and a total of 118 books. We agreed, our increased data was due to the extra time we had over winter break. Thank you for finding ways to support your student's reading life! If there is anything we can do to help provide books, please let us know!
Our November data is in! Students in MAC 3 Oak read a total of 25,141 minutes and a total of 104 books. Students were a bit disappointed to not have read as much or more than they did in October. Students should be reading a minimum of 720 minutes each month, or 30 minutes, each day, 6-days a week. We continue to be proud and impressed with their efforts and how they have found their ways to books (with your help)!
Our reading data is in for October! Students in MAC 3 Oak read a total of 26,123 minutes or 435 HOURS of combined reading over the course of the month (that's equivalent to 18 consecutive 24-hour days!). Our students read a combined total of 114 books. We talked about the importance of investing time and effort as readers to continue to grow as readers as well as accurate data collection. Students will continue to track their daily reading through the use of a reading log. It's their choice whether they keep that data either through a printed log or a digital copy.
There were two numbers from September: 18,822 and 92 we shared with our students the first week in October. You may know your student is tracking the number of minutes and what they are reading each day. Collectively, the students in MAC 3 Oak read 18,822 minutes between September 8-September 30. They read a combined total of 92 books. It was exciting to share this information with them.
Remember, there is a lending library made up of books from our classroom, MAC 3 Birch and our 5th and 6th single grade classrooms. Students can access it in the front hallway at Lake Bluff.
Orchestra schedules are now posted for November - January. All of our sixth graders participating in orchestra will have their lesson on Tuesdays. And all but one of our fifth grade students will have their lesson on Wednesdays.
Band schedule for our fifth and sixth graders are posted. All of our fifth graders except one have their lesson on Wednesdays. Our sixth graders have their lessons on Fridays.
Below you can see some highlights for this week.
Our November data is in! Students in MAC 3 Oak read a total of 25,141 minutes and a total of 104 books. Students were a bit disappointed to not have read as much or more than they did in October. Students should be reading a minimum of 720 minutes each month, or 30 minutes, each day, 6-days a week. We continue to be proud and impressed with their efforts and how they have found their ways to books (with your help)!
Our reading data is in for October! Students in MAC 3 Oak read a total of 26,123 minutes or 435 HOURS of combined reading over the course of the month (that's equivalent to 18 consecutive 24-hour days!). Our students read a combined total of 114 books. We talked about the importance of investing time and effort as readers to continue to grow as readers as well as accurate data collection. Students will continue to track their daily reading through the use of a reading log. It's their choice whether they keep that data either through a printed log or a digital copy.
There were two numbers from September: 18,822 and 92 we shared with our students the first week in October. You may know your student is tracking the number of minutes and what they are reading each day. Collectively, the students in MAC 3 Oak read 18,822 minutes between September 8-September 30. They read a combined total of 92 books. It was exciting to share this information with them.
Remember, there is a lending library made up of books from our classroom, MAC 3 Birch and our 5th and 6th single grade classrooms. Students can access it in the front hallway at Lake Bluff.
Orchestra schedules are now posted for November - January. All of our sixth graders participating in orchestra will have their lesson on Tuesdays. And all but one of our fifth grade students will have their lesson on Wednesdays.
Band schedule for our fifth and sixth graders are posted. All of our fifth graders except one have their lesson on Wednesdays. Our sixth graders have their lessons on Fridays.
Below you can see some highlights for this week.
This week's highlights...
Monday - Math drop-in sessions from 1:00-1:30 pm (with Ms. Snider and Mrs. Miller)
Battle of the Books meeting today from 2:00-2:30 pm. (Advanced Learning activity)
Their SPECIAL is SPANISH.
Tuesday - Optional social gathering from 2:00-2:30 pm
Math Olympiad meeting today from 2:30-3:00 pm (Advanced Learning activity)
Orchestra lessons for participating 6th graders.
Their SPECIAL is ART.
Wednesday - Optional synchronous PE lesson, 10:00-10:30
LB Newspaper Club from 1:30-2:00 pm (Advanced Learning activity)
Orchestra AND Band lessons for participating 5th graders.
Their SPECIAL is LIBRARY.
Thursday - WordMasters from 2:30-3:00 pm (Advanced Learning activity)
Their SPECIAL is MUSIC.
Friday - Math drop-in sessions from 1:00-1:30 pm (with Ms. Snider and Mrs. Miller)
Band lessons for participating 6th graders.
Their SPECIAL is PE.
Battle of the Books meeting today from 2:00-2:30 pm. (Advanced Learning activity)
Their SPECIAL is SPANISH.
Tuesday - Optional social gathering from 2:00-2:30 pm
Math Olympiad meeting today from 2:30-3:00 pm (Advanced Learning activity)
Orchestra lessons for participating 6th graders.
Their SPECIAL is ART.
Wednesday - Optional synchronous PE lesson, 10:00-10:30
LB Newspaper Club from 1:30-2:00 pm (Advanced Learning activity)
Orchestra AND Band lessons for participating 5th graders.
Their SPECIAL is LIBRARY.
Thursday - WordMasters from 2:30-3:00 pm (Advanced Learning activity)
Their SPECIAL is MUSIC.
Friday - Math drop-in sessions from 1:00-1:30 pm (with Ms. Snider and Mrs. Miller)
Band lessons for participating 6th graders.
Their SPECIAL is PE.