Dear Families,

Teachers send home narrative reports today.  They are a little different this year because we don’t know children in the same ways as we know them when we are with them in the classroom full-time.  Besides sharing information about your child’s progress in math, literacy, and social studies, teachers have adapted sections to address each child’s engagement in small and large group meetings, comfort with technology, and work habits.  Please let us know if you have any comments, questions, or feedback to share with your child’s teacher.

Around this time of year, families often have questions about reading instruction and development.  At TNS, reading levels are only one tool teachers use when guiding children to choose books.  A child will read books that are too easy, just right, and too hard during a year.  For example, a child interested in animals may be so motivated by that interest to read a book on animals at a higher level.  Likewise, many strong readers also are drawn to graphic novels.  Graphic novels are among the highest-circulating items in our library!  I am sharing the document, “Your Child’s Pathway to Learning to Read at TNS,” that describes our philosophy and approach to reading and learning to read created by our School Leadership Team (SLT) a few years ago.

Wishing everyone a good week and Mid-winter break,

Dyanthe

Dear Families,

Schools across the country are working in solidarity this month to launch a shared set of lessons to pursue social and educational equity for Black students.  Black Lives Matter at School Week of Action began in 2019 to affirm Black identities by centering black voices, empowering students, and teaching Black experiences.  We can use these shared resources all year round to support our commitment to anti-racism.  I am sharing a resource, Guiding Principles of the Black Lives Matter Movementby Laleña Garcia, to help you talk with your children about the Black Lives Matter Movement.  For more information and resources, please visit the official BLM at school https://www.blacklivesmatteratschool.com/.

An update about in-person learning:  Fifteen students opted into blended learning beginning in March.  Eighteen indicated they would start in April.  We will need to open a second cohort in Dianne and Oli’s class to maintain social distancing.  Please let me know if you have any questions.

I hope that you take advantage of the half-day to get outside today and enjoy the snow.

Be safe,

Dyanthe

Dear Families,

Last June, our school committed to doing better for all our children by centering anti-racist, social justice work in our school.  This means implementing anti-racist, anti-bias (ABAR) curriculum in all our classrooms all year long.  Anti-bias education is “an approach to teaching and learning designed to increase the understanding of differences and their value to a respectful and civil society, and to challenge stereotyping and all forms of discrimination in schools and communities. It incorporates an inclusive curriculum that reflects diverse experiences and perspectives, instructional methods that advance all students’ learning, and strategies to create and sustain safe, inclusive and respectful learning communities.” 

ABAR cannot live only within classrooms (even if, right now, that means your living room).  Parents also need to talk about bias and racism with their children. Don’t let uncertainty get in the way of these conversations!  Discomfort is an opportunity, and you are your child’s most important teacher.  

Our school is implemented several initiatives and will continue to act to support families’ ABAR work:

• Our parent coordinator, Denise, will facilitate a support group for parents of color and white parents of children of color.  

• We are partnering with an ABAR organization to lead parent training. 

• Parents have created the ABAR social group so parents and teachers can have a critical conversation regarding the ABAR content presented in our TNS classrooms and homes.

• Cheryl updates anti-racist resources for parents: https://wke.lt/w/s/970iGM.  

• We will also revisit our Mission statement to reflect our school’s anti-racist, social justice identity.  

Please join or participate in one of our initiatives mentioned above or reach out directly to your child’s teacher if you have any questions about their work.

Warmly,

Dyanthe

Dear Families,

As you know, our School Leadership Team agreed to offer families TWO additional times (as originally promised by the DOE) to make the shift from remote-only to blended—after February Mid-Winter Break and after April Spring Break. We believe that this will support families to reach decisions for their unique circumstances and also keep the number of in-person students low at a time when COVID rates are rising. You do not need to complete this survey if your child is currently attending in-person. We understand that plans may change, however, we ask that you let us know if you intend for your child to begin in-person learning during either of these two periods (remember, you can opt back into remote at any time). We will send a survey again in March for the April opt-in window to confirm your intent. If you do not submit a survey, your child will remain in 100% remote learning. 

Please read the information and fill out the survey here.

The last day to submit the survey is Friday, January 29.

I hope that you can join us tonight at 5 PM for our PTA meeting to hear from Denise Soltren, our new Parent Coordinator and other TNS updates.

With much love,

Dyanthe

Dear Families,

I have been processing the terrible events of last Wednesday in the capital, as I am sure you have, too.  There are those who say this is not who we are.  But at this moment in our history, this is who we are and this is who we, as a country, have always been.  However, this is not who we have to be.

As progressive educators, we are shaping citizens and future leaders who can build a different world for all of us.  I am appreciative that as a district of choice, families choose to be in a community that has committed itself to anti-racist, social justice work and that seeks to grow activists who will be the change-makers we need.  I am incredibly grateful to be a part of a teaching community that is committed to this work.  I am thankful to the colleagues and families who continually call on me to be a better leader.  To me, these are the seeds of progressive education: hope and action in a time when it is so needed.  I believe in our children and their incredible educators - their teachers and families.  In order to help create the future that lifts us all, we will continue our ABAR work with our children, families, and staff, and we will also revisit our Mission statement so that it reflects our school’s anti-racist, social justice identity.

Beginning this week, our current in-person Pre-K students will attend school 5 days a week.  We will have a sub for Cohort B days so that Erin can continue to work with her remote-only kids on days she is not in the building.  This is only possible until we add another Pre-K cohort, which could be in February or in April.  While it’s not an ideal plan for many reasons, it feels like the most manageable solution without redistributing resources in ways that are inequitable for our remote kids, putting our staff more at risk, or requiring major reprogramming.  Due to budget limitations, our school only has enough funding to cover the cost of one part-time sub until the end of the year, if needed.  

Finally, a reminder that in-person students, families, and staff must notify the school if they have tested positive for COVID-19, even if they have taken a test independently and not through the city.  You can go here to see our school’s results from our weekly random tests (click on the “Testing Details” tab).

With much love,

Dyanthe