Gunston Gazette 04-03-2020


Spring Break

Monday, April 6 -  Monday, April 13

Students will begin Virtual Distance Learning on Tuesday, April 14, 2020


A Message from the Principals

We hope this message finds you well.  You all have been in our thoughts daily and we wish we could be together in person. We have enjoyed connecting with you on Flipgrid.  We know many of you have had an opportunity to connect with each other and we look forward to joining your classes soon.  As you may have already been informed, FCPS Distance Learning will begin on Tuesday, April 14th.  We are looking forward to resuming instruction through virtual learning. Our teachers are working hard planning and preparing for Distance Learning.  We can’t wait for you to see our faces in our virtual classrooms! 

Also, next week (April 6th-10th) is spring break for all students and staff members.  

Please take this opportunity to connect with your child’s teachers via Parent Meetings on Monday, April 13th.  Think of this parent meeting session as an open house for Distance Learning.  You will receive a guest link to Blackboard Collaborate from your child’s teacher that you will click on to attend the parent meeting.  You may invite your child to join this session via Blackboard Collaborate.  Please be advised that this will not be a one-on-one parent-teacher conference.  It will be a shared guest link for all students’ families in your child’s grade level and you will see all teachers that work with your child’s grade level there.  Parent meeting times are as follows:

                              Distance Learning Virtual Open House Times

Time

Grade Level

12:00pm – 12:30pm

Pre-K & Kindergarten

12:45pm – 1:15pm

Grades 1 & 2

1:30pm – 2:00pm

Grades 3 & 4

2:15pm – 2:45pm

Grades 5 & 6

(All sessions will be recorded on the Blackboard site in case you cannot attend.)

As we move into the coming weeks we want to assure you that in addition to critical news updates we will continue to send our weekly Gunston Gazette to keep you updated on all of our news and announcements. Early next week we will be sharing specific grade level schedules for the Distance Learning which begins on April 14th.  

Please take this opportunity to disconnect and enjoy time together with your family. We miss seeing you every day and remember that we are always here for you.

All the best,

Ms. Rucinski & Mrs. White


Kindergarten Registration Process

With school closure, our Kindergarten Orientation and Registration events originally planned have been canceled. It is uncertain at this time when and if new face-to-face events will be held. We are working on information to be shared virtually over the next few weeks, so please keep checking the registration page on the Gunston Elementary school website regularly. You will also find information there on what documents you need in order to register your child.


COVID-19 Mental Health Resources Available

We know this is a very difficult and challenging time for our families. Mental health and wellness resources and strategies are now included on the COVID-19 update page on the main FCPS website, along with additional information in daily updates. Here’s one article from the Student Health & Wellness page: 7 Ways to Help Ease Your Anxiety Around the Coronavirus.


Social-Emotional Learning

April Newsletter 

Created by:

Ms. Ephraim,  School Counselor

Ms. Marques,  School Social Worker

Ms. Campbell, School Psychologist

Please find the (link) here.

 


Learning Packets Opt Out

The packets are available electronically in FCPS 24/7 Learning so if a parent would like to print the packets at home, they may use the opt out link to stop receiving the printed instructional packets in the mail. Parents will need their student’s ID number and their e-mail address to access the opt out system. Please note, it may take up to 1 week to process the request to opt out. 


Spring Pictures

Are you interested in viewing and purchasing your Spring Pictures?

Follow this link from Lifetouch for more information.



April is Autism Awareness Month

In honor of Autism Awareness Month, here is a list of books that includes titles about neuro-diversity, as well as titles that will help children cope with childhood fears. 

Armond Goes to a Party: a Book About Asperger’s and Friendship by Nancy L. Carlson – With help from her coauthor, a middle schooler with Asperger’s syndrome, Carlson explains why a child with a spectrum disorder might be reluctant to attend a friend’s party. Yet with some peer understanding and adult assistance, the challenge can become an opportunity to have fun as well as be a friend.

Benji, the Bad Day, and Me by Sally J. Pla – Sammy is having a very bad day at school and at home until his autistic brother, Benji, finds a way to make him feel better.

Different Like Me by Jennifer Elder – This book profiles twenty famous individuals who may have been autistic, including Albert Einstein, Andy Warhol, Dian Fossey, and Glen Gould.

A Friend for Henry by Jenn Bailey – Henry would like to find a friend at school, but for a boy on the autism spectrum, making friends can be difficult, as his efforts are sometimes misinterpreted, or things just go wrong–but Henry keeps trying, and in the end he finds a friend he can play with.

A Friend Like Simon by Kate Gaynor – The story begins with Matthew greeting his new classmate Simon on his first day at a new school. When Matthew realizes Simon is a little different to his other friends, he’s just not sure if he wants to have ‘a friend like Simon’. However, a school trip to the funfair soon helps to change his mind

I Can Handle It by Laurie Wright – Can Sebastien handle his problems? Of course he can, with the help of a mindful mantra. Chances are whatever his problem may be, he can handle it!


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