Sundown Elementary

April 5, 2019

Hello Stallion Families! 

We hope everyone is doing well and staying healthy! We know that there is a lot of uncertainty right now and constantly changing information but we hope to share as much information as we have available at this time to answer many of your questions. We apologize in advance for the length of this, but there is a lot of information to share. This is to let everyone know about how we are “Setting the *Distant* Stage for Success”. 

 

If you ever have any questions or concerns please feel free to email us at a.brouwer@westside.k12.ca.us or a.griffin@westside.k12.ca.us or reach out through the Let’s Talk platform on the school or district website.  

 

Please understand that this information may be subject to change as we continue to follow updated directives from our Board of Trustees and District leadership who are following laws and expectations at the local, county, state, and federal levels. 

 

Our goals for this time of distance learning are:

• Maintain student learning and support

• Maintain school connection, community, and Stallion Spirit

• Maintain typical schedules of communication so everyone stays informed

 

How is distance learning going to work for my student? 

Each teacher will have their own distance learning plan that will begin on Monday, April 6th. The first week will be getting everything set up and getting into the routine of this new learning experience. Teachers will be reaching out to all families on April 6th with their plans and expectations. Some teachers are working in a weekly style, while others have daily plans. Many teachers will be utilizing an online learning platform such as Google Classroom to post instruction, assignments, and other general communication with students. Most teachers will continue to utilize the Class Dojo or Remind applications for parent communication. We have the mindset to be as flexible as possible for families because we know everyone is in a different situation. 

Students and parents can expect standards based instruction for each of the core subject areas throughout this distance learning period. This includes language arts (reading, writing, listening, and speaking), math, science, social studies, and PE. 

 

What is the daily time expectation?

Teachers and other staff are expected to provide instruction from 8am-2pm in a similar manner as if students were on campus. This does not mean that students will all have to be in front of a device during that entire time to receive instruction. However, we highly recommend that families establish a schedule or routine that provides for daily learning time that works for your family. 

 

Will the teachers be available at any time for questions or support? 

All teachers will have a daily office hour that is open for students and parents to access them to answer any questions, so please make sure you know when that time is and how to reach them if you have any questions or concerns.  Please understand that if you send teachers anything outside of those hours, they may not respond until the following day.

Our computer lab and bilingual aides are also working on establishing a schedule of office hours to be available to help students and parents with technology concerns or instructional support. 

 

Administration Office Hours

Ms. Brouwer and Mrs. Griffin are going to be “On campus” digitally from 7:15-4:00 daily. This is our time to work and communicate with staff, support the instructional learning, attend district meetings, prep and send necessary materials or communications, facilitate IEP meetings, and respond to questions or concerns. Rather than set up a specific open office hour time, if you have any questions or concerns then please reach out to us directly and we can either respond through email or call and talk with you. Please understand that if you send us anything outside of those hours, we may not respond until the following day. 

 

Office Staff Office Hours

Front office hours are going to be from 7:15am-3:15pm. Any office related questions can be sent through the Let’s Talk platform. This can include updating student information and any other typical office related questions. The school building is going to be closed to anyone coming on campus. 

 

My child needs their supplies and books- how are we going to get those? 

We understand that students have a number of supplies and consumable materials still in their desks that they should have with them to complete work. Next week, we will have a schedule of materials pick up for students. This “Drive thru” pick up will be for any student materials and an initial round of Chromebooks.  Early next week we will be working on gathering up all of those materials, and collecting them by family for a single pick up trip. We have the schedule separated by last name and grade levels to help minimize the number of families in line at a time. When you arrive, please make a single line and do not get out of your car. A staff member will come to you, ask for the name and grade level of your student(s) and then another staff member will bring and load your supplies into your trunk. To help staff even more, we would appreciate it if you would write in large letters on a piece of paper the names and grade levels of your students and put them into the front dashboard. One other request is that if any students happen to have their library books at home, we will also be collecting those at this time. We appreciate your patience and understanding with this process as we work to get students the materials they need in the safest way possible for everyone. 

Below is our pick-up schedule:

Date	Time	K-2 Station Bus Lot on 62nd	3-6 Station Front Lot on J-8
Wednesday 4/8	8:15- 9:45	A-L Kinder	A-L 3rd
Wednesday 4/8	10:00-11:30	A-L 1st	A-L 4th
Wednesday 4/8	11:30-1:00	A-L 2nd	A-L 5th
Wednesday 4/8	1:00-2:00		A-L 6th
Thursday  4/9	8:15- 9:45	M-Z  Kinder	M-Z  3rd
Thursday  4/9	10:00-11:30	M-Z 1st	M-Z  4th
Thursday  4/9	11:30-1:00	M-Z  2nd	M-Z  5th
Thursday  4/9	1:00-2:00		M-Z  6th

 

Our family doesn’t have a device for our child to use at home, what can we do? 

From those who have completed the survey, we have seen that there is a high need for student devices.  For those who completed the initial survey and requested a device, we will be distributing one Chromebook per three students in a household. This initial distribution of Chromebooks will be included within the same supplies pickup as described above. Information about additional distributions of Chromebooks will continue to be communicated as they are available. Please understand that the Chromebooks will be checked out to students and will have to be returned in good condition at the end of the school year. 

 

How can my child or I access the online curriculum? 

All of the current curriculums have a wealth of resources available online. However, they do require the students to sign in through their Google accounts. The student login information will be included in a report that will be included with the student materials. 

 

We don’t have internet at home, what can we do? 

There are companies, such as Spectrum that are offering free WiFi, but we understand there is currently a waiting list. All schools within Westside Union School District will be maintaining their WiFi. If families go to the parking lots, you can access the guest wifi using the usernames and passwords at the end of this document. Please understand that when connected to the District Wifi, there is a strong filter in place in terms of what can be accessed. Our counselor, Mr. Copley is also working closely with those families and students most in need, so please reach out to him at s.copley@westside.k12.ca.us if needed. 

 

My child has an IEP, how will they be supported? 

More information will be coming soon, but we will be supporting them as best we can. Their unique needs will need to be addressed individually. Your case managers will be reaching out to you to share more information and plans about how that support is going to look. If there is an annual IEP scheduled in the upcoming months, then we will be holding that meeting virtually through an online platform such as Google Meet. 

 

How will attendance be taken? 

If the school work is being completed, then the attendance will be completed. As long as teachers are seeing the student engaged or interacting online daily then that should be sufficient.  We will also be having staff members calling to check in on students weekly. 

 

How do I prepare and support my student?

Be patient and forgiving with your student, us, and yourself. This is new and unfamiliar territory for all of us and we are figuring out what works best as we go. Set up a schedule and routine. Plan breaks and physical activity time. Make sure kids have a work area ready to go that works for them and your family. Include anything they might need to complete their work such as paper, pencils, crayons, and devices. Make sure kids have a quiet space for any online interaction times. Do not hesitate to reach out and ask questions. Google will be your best friend. 

 

How do I stay informed and connected? 

We have a number of ways to stay connected and informed. Our school website will continue to stay updated with important information and resources. Make sure to explore it to see all that is available. This is also the place to access the Let’s Talk application to send communication to the office. The district website and Facebook page are also great places to stay informed of any updates. We will continue to send our Sunday dialers with important information for the week. We are also going to continue have spirit days with our students and staff and would love to see submissions through emails or using #SundownStallionSpirit on Facebook. Please stay in close communication with your teachers through their chosen platform as they will continue to share important information. 

 

What counseling resources will be available? 

Our counselor will also be holding daily office hours to be available for students and parents. He will also be hosting small groups similar to his counseling group sessions at the school site. There will be weekly virtual college campus tours as well as Boys Town skill of the week lessons and activities. The campus climate assistants will be working on providing digital activities such as dance parties and craft activities. If there are major concerns about a student’s mental health, then please reach out to Mr. Copley, the counselor (s.copley@westside.k12.ca.us) or Ms. Khoury, the school psychologist (c.khoury@westside.k12.ca.us) as soon as possible.  

 

We ordered items from the school fundraiser- when will we be receiving those? 

As of recording and sending out this information, we are still working with the fundraising company to make the best determination of how to distribute the fundraising items. We promise that we will make sure our families receive the items that were ordered. More than likely, we will include the fundraising items in the materials distribution scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday. However, if that changes we will communicate it as soon as possible. 

 

The students just took spring pictures, will we be receiving those?

We are unsure at this time about what will happen with those pictures. Thankfully, they are not the pre-paid packages. As we find out more specific information, we will make sure to share that with our families.  

 

What about all of those lost items like jackets? 

We will have staff hang all of the lost and found items on the front fence during the materials distribution days for parents to have one last look before they are donated to local organizations. 

 

Is there still food service? 

The district is continuing the continuous meals program with daily drive-up pick-up of breakfast and lunch from 11-12. The two closest locations for Sundown students are Joe Walker Middle School or the corner of E-8 and 90th in the Van-Dam parking lot. 

 

How can I access my child’s grades? 

Teachers will continue to utilize PowerSchool to input grades for parents and students to access. In case families do not have that login information, we will be including the report within the student materials pick-up. The report will also include the student login information for their online learning platforms. 3rd quarter progress report grades will be finalized by Friday, April 10th and parents can check the grades at that time. 

 

I have a question, but I’m not sure who to ask? 

Please email us or utilize the Let’s Talk platform to email us if you have a question and do not know who to ask. We will be able to answer or forward your email to the appropriate person to help get the answers you need. 

 

We will continue to send out regular updates and dialers so please check for those often. We know this is a challenging time for everyone and we are truly all in this together. 

 

We also have what might seem like an odd idea. This is truly a moment of living history. Encourage your child to start a digital or written journal- or even create one as a family. Maintain that journal and your kids will be able to keep it as a primary source of history remembering this time in our cultural memory. 

 

On a personal note, we want our Sundown families to know that we are truly saddened with the closing of the building for the remainder of the year. Back in August, this is not how we imagined finishing this school year. We do this work because we genuinely love kids and being around them, and not being able to do so is incredibly difficult. We understand that our students are having a difficult time as well not getting to see their friends and teachers at school each day. We also understand that our families are struggling with the increased economic hardships, adapting to work from home situations, figuring out how to have school at home, and all while fearing for the health and safety of everyone. This is a difficult time for all of us- there is no doubt about that. Now, more than ever we are having to lean on each other for support and come together as a community who cares for each other. We cannot wait for the day we get to see the smiling faces of our students once more in the classrooms and on the playground. Until then, we will all stay strong, stay patient, and hopefully stay healthy. #SundownStallionSpirit

 

Again, we apologize for the length of this email and information, but we appreciate your continued support. We miss you and continue to be here to serve you. 

We would like to share an updated message from the Director of Child Nutrition, Nancy Hemstreet, regarding breakfast and lunch service for the coming week.  

Students who participate in the school lunch program will be able to pick up a “grab and go” meal for breakfast and lunch at the following schools between 11:00 a.m. and noon, Monday –Friday, March 16-20, 2020: 

 Anaverde Hills School—distribution from the valet pickup in front of the office

Del Sur School—distribution from the corner of E-8 and 90th West beginning March 18th.  

Hillview School—from the front turnaround area

Joe Walker School—from the front parking lot 
 

Students must be present to receive the meal.  Drive-up and go is available and preferred.   
 

We hope that this increase in service locations will help us to deliver meals more efficiently and will serve the needs of our community better.  We thank you for your continued understanding during this unprecedented time for our schools and community.  Working together as always is critical. 

At Sundown Elementary School, our positive school environment fosters mutual respect for one another. This requires parent, school, and student responsibility to assure academic success, the development of appropriate social skills, the enhancement of student self- esteem, and knowledge of the Anti-Bullying Policies. We look forward to your continued involvement in your child’s education and your participation in school events throughout the coming year. Our goal is to strengthen the home-school relationship by building a strong partnership with parents. Parents have an open invitation to volunteer, to participate, and to share in the setting and achievement of our school’s goals for our children through School Site Council (SSC), the PTA, English Learner’s Advisory Committee (ELAC), and District level committees.

Sundown, located in the northwest portion of the Antelope Valley, near the intersection of Avenue J and 60th Street West houses approximately 1050 students. While the student ethnic profile at Sundown includes representation from a broad spectrum of races, the majority of students are Hispanic and Caucasian. Our school site is composed of a main building built in 1994 and 18 permanent portables. We also have after school child care programs facilitated by the YMCA and one through the City of Lancaster.