Getting Ready to BEE Back!
Greetings Parents and Community Members,
It’s been a big week up at Brandon. The teachers are slowly returning, classrooms are getting fixed to accommodate virtual learning instruction, and we have our clerks and secretaries back answering phones! These may seem like small items to the regular person, but each step along the way has taken careful planning and meticulous precision in order to execute. From staff COVID entry procedures, a three week virtual pre-planning agenda, all the way to a detailed minute by minute schedule for every grade and every student – the work is real! We’ve learned to celebrate the small things along the way.
The little victories like welcoming our new staff virtually, being able to meet with every teacher in a virtual small group (homerooms, specialists, paras, nurses, office staff, gifted, intervention, etc.!), and successfully sharing our vision for teaching and learning so we have consistency and buy-in from everyone to ensure we are all on the same page. Our teachers are here and ready to put students first during virtual learning and beyond.
I’m also happy to share new information now that our staff have returned. First and foremost, our Morris Brandon Town Halls will begin next week. From Monday to Thursday, your administration will meet with parents from Kindergarten all the way to 5th grade. 1st and 2nd and 3rd and 4th will be hosted together. This will be a time that we will share information on the APS Standards of Service for instruction as well as the final draft of our grade level schedules. We will discuss how virtual learning will look at Brandon for students that receive special services and DLI, student expectations for engagement, information on special programming, as well as an update from our IB Coordinator in regards to our upcoming re-evaluation. Since all meetings will be recorded and shared on our Parent University page at morrisbrandon.com, I am asking that only one member per household attend the session (if possible). This will ensure that we have enough space for all parents wanting to attend.
Our Morris Brandon Town Halls will be the first installment of our 3-pronged Celebration of Learning this year. The next virtual event will be held on August 13thfrom 1-3pm and will include a virtual meet and greet for teachers and parents. In these virtual meetings, teachers will review the ins and outs of their daily schedule, expectations for virtual learning and allow families to ask a small amount of questions. We will stagger these meetings to allow time for parents to attend other meetings if they have more than one child. More information will be forthcoming in regard to these virtual meet and greets from your child’s teacher.
And lastly, in the final week of pre-planning leading up to Day 1, we will be distributing materials, supplies and technology in person. On August 18th and August 19th, following a detailed retrieval schedule, grade levels by last names will be able to drive to your designated location at either Primary or Main campus to retrieve a learning supply bag. You will simply pull up, open your trunk, and your child’s items will be placed in your vehicle for you. I will provide more detailed instructions on how this process will work in next week’s BeeMail.
Aside from that, please continue to check our Parent University website where grade level schedule templates will be uploaded on Friday, August 7th as well as our Morris Brandon FAQ that is continually updated with new pertinent information.
Be on the lookout for your first email communication from your teacher this Friday, with more information about our 3 pronged approach to Celebration of Learning.
Until next time,
j