1.18.2021

Building Security (from Scott Bojanowski): We are still restricting all visitors and volunteers from entering schools. We also want to keep exterior doors shut and locked and maintain the same standard of shutting and locking classroom doors while in classroom instruction. If exterior air is needed, windows can be cracked open. PS… Elk Meadow is purchasing a window opener for each classroom.

Attendance: Continue to do attendance this week the same way we have been doing it all year. Updated directions will come later this week for the upcoming weeks.

Staff in the Building: BLP is asking all staff to be in buildings beginning Jan 19, including Wednesdays.

Boys and Girls Club Busing: Originally, we were told that there would not be any Boys and Girls Club bussing, BUT… as of Thursday night, Elk Meadow has a bus route. Yay!!!!

Students moving from Schools to CDL (From Skip): For families who are choosing to enroll in the District CDL Program, there will be a gap from when students stop attending their current school to when they begin their new program. The district will be providing activities and lessons to engage students during this time. Click here for a document you can share with families.

Discussing Controversial Topics (From Jim Boen): With all that has been going on recently, Jim Boen took time to create the following to help guide the discussion of controversial topics. It has some great information and advice:

I do not need to tell you that people in our community (staff in our school community as well as families in our broader community) are feeling maxed, anxious, and worn out. While at the same time I believe there is also an element of feeling empowered. Some of this empowerment, I believe, is positive and healthy, while other displays of empowerment are not. Last week’s unlawful event at the US Capital may be a prelude to other unlawful and/or disruptive events that may occur in the coming days. I am asking that each of you share the following information with your staff as it relates to talking about controversial issues (specifically those connected with the current political climate – but any topic that may potentially be controversial).

First, talking about tough topics is absolutely something that must be a part of a student’s educational experience. These should not be avoided – if done right. Here is a very helpful checklist for a teacher to consider. (All steps are not required but are rather meant to support when planning, conducting, and reflecting on teaching/dialogue related to equity and anti-racism.) To set the stage for controversial conversations to be productive and not reactionary or isolated, the classroom climate must be developed intentionally over time–our LEAD Cohort’s website has tools for steadily building a climate of equity dialogue. We also have district Administrative Regulation (GBG-AR) regarding Staff Participation in Political Activities. I’d like to highlight the third and fourth paragraphs. In essence, I interpret these as saying that teachers can talk about politics in their classroom, but the keys are to make sure both sides of the issue/topic are presented/represented and that the teacher’s own viewpoints need to be represented as personal and not that of an official district stance. Finally, it may be helpful to remind staff of this BLS Election Guidance that was sent out earlier this fall. These documents should be seen as support for teachers in preparing for and facilitating difficult conversations within the classroom learning environment.