The following email was sent to Schoharie Elementary School Families on Sunday afternoon, March 29:
Dear Schoharie Families,
Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, to every parent, child, relative, and community member who participated in our parade Friday. We set out with a desire to see our students’ aces and let them know how much we miss them. We left the day with an even deeper love and gratitude for a community of students, parents, relatives, neighbors, law enforcement and even strangers who equally reciprocated the joy and strength we hoped to provide you.
It is with a heavy heart that I share the Governor has extended the closure of our schools until April 15th. As sad as I am that we are not coming back together yet, I am grateful that we can keep everyone safe as we go through these historically difficult times.
Over the past two weeks we have been listening to your concerns and struggles, as well as sharing in your triumphs. As hopeful as we all were to take your children back next week in school, we have been preparing for the worst. Teachers have been working feverishly to provide a model of online instruction to students that will help them maintain their learning, while also trying to limit the burden on your family to provide structure and oversight of instruction.
In light of these unprecedented events and the expectation throughout our nation that the education of our students must continue, until we come together again, all Schoharie Elementary School students have been assigned a Google Classroom account. This online “classroom” is where teachers are posting lessons, assignments, and activities for students to complete while our schools are closed. Please have your child log into their Google Classroom account Monday-Friday to complete their work. Contact your child’s teacher if you have questions about how to log into Google Classroom.
Most of us have been feeling the strain of working from home while balancing our family, and we understand the pressure this may place on you. We have provided you a weekly “Schoharie Elementary Home Learning Calendar.” This is a checklist of assignments your child should complete each day in order to keep pace with the class, and the state. Your child’s teacher will get this to you weekly. It will also be found on our website at https://www.schoharieschools.org/elementary-school/elementary-home-learning-calendars/ We hope this relieves a burden you may have been experiencing trying to create schedules and questioning what should get done.
Please note the following helpful guidelines:
- Your child should spend about 2 hours a day on school work when learning at home.
- Assignments in Google Classroom are differentiated and adapted to meet your child’s unique learning needs.
- Your child’s teacher is expected to monitor “online” the work your child is doing.
- Please remember to have discussions with your child about safe online habits.
- Although Google Classroom is online, your child can/will do much of their work offline, and just upload it or share in the classroom so the teacher can monitor it.
If you are experiencing a struggle getting your child to complete this work, please do not give up. Reach out to the teacher. It’s his/her job to help and, I promise you, we want to help.
Through a technology survey, and your communication with our teachers, over the past week we’ve gotten devices to students when we saw a need. We have additional devices available, and a technology department to assist you, so please contact the school at 518-295-6651 if you need assistance accessing or using the required technology.
Schoharie Strong and Sincerely,
Andrea Polikoski
Principal
Schoharie Elementary School