I was so excited to visit classes this week at Grace Hudson Elementary School! I had the pleasure of attending Maestra Kramer’s 1st-grade class, where they were using the book Have You Filled a Bucket Today? This lesson had students reflecting on how they could fill other people’s buckets through doing something kind or through their positivity, and the lesson also had them reflect on someone who filled their bucket this week. I want you to know how much you fill the buckets of our staff through your kindness, positivity, and productive suggestions. We have made notable progress over the first few weeks of school, but we are never finished learning and improving what we do. This is a very difficult time for everyone, and I appreciate you being “bucket fillers” for our staff! We work every day to fill the buckets of our students, families, and community so we can all get through this difficult time together! When we all work together, we can truly accomplish anything. We’ve made it through hard times before, and we will ultimately become stronger because of the challenges we are all living through right now.
Tutoring Now Available: All Ukiah Unified students and families now have access to tutors for academic support. School site staff will reach out next week to let you know how to access tutors. Thank you to Ukiah High School ASB President Emma Dolan for organizing The Sibling Project, which will pair Ukiah High School students with elementary students from our District to mentor and provide academic and technical support. Stay tuned for more details about this fun, heart-warming initiative!
After School In-Person Extra-Curricular Activities: We are excited to be able to soon offer after school in-person extracurricular activities which must be offered only as a “Stable Cohort”: a group of up to 16 individuals (14 students and up to 2 instructors) who form an Extracurricular Activity Unit for the purposes of engaging in those activities allowed under the County Health Order.
A student may only participate in one Extracurricular Activity Unit in this stable cohort during any four-week period. You will be hearing from your school site in the next couple of weeks about what they may be offering for after school extracurricular groups. There are strict guidelines for participation in these groups and all safety precautions will be followed.
Distance Learning Tip: Proper Sleep = Better Learning and Engagement
Getting proper sleep is just as crucial to our health as eating right and exercising. This is especially true for our children during Distance Learning. Read about the importance of sleep.
Strategies for improving your child's sleep:
- Have a set bedtime and a bedtime routine for your child. Make sure they go to bed at the same time each night and get up at the same time each morning, including on the weekends.
- Make sure your child's bedroom is quiet, dark, relaxing, and at a comfortable temperature. A dim nightlight is acceptable.
- Remove all electronics like TVs, computers, and smartphones from your child's bedroom at bedtime.
- Your child should avoid large meals, sugar, and caffeine before bedtime.
- Make sure your child spends time exercising outside every day, if possible. Being physically active during the day can help your child fall asleep more easily at night.
- Have your child take a hot bath or use relaxation techniques with them before bed, such as yoga, meditation, or breathing exercises.
- Avoid strenuous exercise and bright artificial light, such as from a TV, cell phone, or computer screen, for an hour before bedtime.
Social-Emotional Support: If your child is having difficulty dealing with this stressful situation, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. You can always view our Social-Emotional and Mental Health Resources here. For children in our Ukiah Unified schools, please call your child’s school or e-mail the school counselors for support. Helping Children Cope With Changes Resulting From COVID-19 If you are experiencing a crisis, please contact the Mendocino County Crisis Hotline at 855-838-0404, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Help with Distance Learning: We have heard from many of you about the positive experiences you have had so far with Distance Learning. We appreciate your feedback; our teachers are working incredibly hard to support your children during this time. Please reach out immediately if you have any questions or concerns about Distance Learning. If you or your child are having any issues, here is what you can do:
- Contact your child’s teacher by phone, email, or through Google Classroom.
- Contact your child’s school if you are unable to reach your child’s teacher.
- Call our Distance Learning Hotline at 707-472-5003, and we will connect you with the right person or find the information you need.
As a parent of three teenagers, I know how challenging it can be to balance the demands of work and home. Please go easy on yourself! These are very stressful times, and we are all doing our best for our kids! Happy Labor Day! Have a wonderful extended weekend. Take a moment to fill your own bucket this weekend - you have earned it through everything you are doing to support your children during this challenging time! We will resume Distance Learning on Tuesday, September 8th.