Dear NDE Families,
Welcome to the 2020-2021 school year! The North Davis Staff is excited to welcome your children back to school on Wednesday, August 26. While school will look different this fall, and into the year, you can expect your child(ren) to be welcomed into our virtual community with open arms, and that we will meet them where they are! I’d like to extend a very special welcome to our newest Dolphins, both our incoming Kindergarteners and the dozens of students joining our community in grades 1-6. I look forward to meeting and getting to know each of you and your child(ren).
The first two weeks of school will focus on building classroom community, positive teacher-student and student-student interactions, social-emotional learning, and the ins and outs of Canvas. Our goal is for the students to develop a renewed love of learning and have a chance to connect with their teacher and classmates.
Our teachers and staff have spent countless hours preparing for the first two weeks and beyond, including creating daily and weekly schedules, building classroom spaces in Canvas, and organizing the curriculum they will deliver via distance learning. Our grade level teams have calibrated and collaborated, and our North Davis team is stronger than ever!
I’d like to provide some back to school basics for you, so you will know what to expect in the coming weeks.
LOGGING ON TO CANVAS
We have a new Learning Management System called Canvas. This “one stop shop” should help keep everything distance learning-related organized and easily accessible. You and your child will be able to log in to Canvas on August 21 by visiting https://djusd.instructure.com and selecting “DJUSD LOG IN.” Your child will use their DJUSD credentials to log in. I encourage you to take some time during the days leading up to school to “play” in Canvas, and have your child do the same. Your child’s classroom may not be published in Canvas quite yet, however it is worth the time getting to know the set up, etc. If you need tech support, please email
[email protected]
STUDENT SCHEDULE
Your child’s teacher will have your child's schedule posted in Canvas when school starts. You can find the elementary schedule template on the
Restart DJUSD website. In addition, our
Restart DJUSD Reopening Guide for Families has information regarding schedules and much more to help with planning for distance learning. I am happy to answer any questions you might have about scheduling or information contained in our Reopening Guide.
ATTENDANCE AND ENGAGEMENT
Attendance will be taken each morning during a live session with your child’s teacher. If you anticipate your child not being able to attend a live session, please call the office to report the absence at 530-757-5475, or email Diane Casey at
[email protected] We are ready to support you and your child to make distance learning as successful as possible. Please reach out to your child’s teacher or to me with any concerns or supports we might be able to provide.
Classroom teachers will also be monitoring student engagement, including participation in live sessions, interaction with the asynchronous learning resources in Canvas, and completion of independent work. Your child’s teacher, our counseling staff, and I are here to work with you to support your child. Please do not hesitate to reach out to us with any questions or concerns.
MOVING FROM WEBEX TO ZOOM
This fall we will move from holding our live sessions via Webex to holding them via Zoom. After careful consideration, it was determined that Zoom has more and/or better interactive instructional tools that will best support distance learning. We look forward to the opportunity to use interactive polls and breakout rooms, for example. More information to come about this transition.
STUDENT MATERIALS AND TECHNOLOGY
Our Materials Distribution days were a great success! If you haven't picked up your child's materials, including school supplies and text books, please contact our office to make arrangements.
Every student will need a device and internet service to access distance learning. If you would like to check out a chromebook or hotspot, please contact Julie Ser in our Technology department at
[email protected], or by calling 530-757-5300 x177. They are open Monday-Friday from 8:00-12:00. For more information regarding technology, please visit the Distance Learning and 1 to 1 Technology Initiative website.
BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHT
Back to School Night is scheduled for Wednesday, September 2. Teachers will host a Zoom session with a combination of live and recorded material. You will have the opportunity to hear from your child’s teacher about the year ahead, as well as the chance to ask any questions you may have. Grades 4-6 will hold their sessions from 5:45-6:45, and Grades K-3 will hold their sessions from 7:00-8:00. Please mark your calendars!
Thank you in advance for your partnership, as well as for your patience, understanding, and grace as we embark on this journey together. Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns. I look forward to an outstanding year together!
Sincerely,
Sarah Roseen
Principal
North Davis Elementary School