Mr. Z's Grade 4 Class – School Closure Update #1

I hope you are all settling in to a new routine for the next few weeks, and that you are all as well as can be.

In the first work packet you will find a cover letter from Ms. Liz and I that details the work enclosed and offers a semblance of a school-day schedule. The schedule idea of course is just a suggestion. We anticipated that some folks might find it easiest to try to keep a bit of a schedule, but it’s really up to you and your family’s needs if you want to follow it. The included work is largely review and enrichment, an approach that is being used across the Northampton school district for all the elementary grades.

I will try to keep my communications to you brief (I know I’m getting a little burned out myself already trying to stay abreast of all the news). I will number my updates to you to hopefully make it easier to keep track of them. This is Update #1.

I will also post copies of all the e-mail updates I send on my classroom blog at: http://bssroom302.blogspot.com/  You can always visit there for access to the complete collection of the school closure updates.

Finally, I feel a little bad about the situation last Friday afternoon at school dismissal time. I found out about the school closure literally two minutes before the dismissal bell, and was told not to tell the students. When one or two students packing up at their cubbies asked me if the school was going to close, I told them it hadn’t been decided yet. However, some of the older students had found out about the closure and were talking about it in the bus line, causing some confusion and perhaps anxiety. It’s so important for children to be able to trust adults, and I do feel bad about not being able to be more forthcoming in that moment. If your child wondered if I knew about the closure, I’d be grateful if you could explain the special circumstances we found ourselves in that afternoon and why I said what I said.

Please be safe and healthy. Please contact me at jzyskowski@onrthampton-k12.us if there’s anything I can do to help support you and your child these next few weeks. Lastly, please tell your student I say “Hello” and that I miss them already.