• Hello families,

    I have been trying to feel out how work is going for all of our kids. Everybody is in a different place, and some students weren’t able to log on to Google Classroom as fast as others. Our staff at OP want you to know that we are looking at each student & family situation with care and attention.

    I did want to take the time to clarify what the workload for 4th grade looks like as we continue with Distance Learning. Please read these, as they may answers questions or concerns that you or your student may have.

    “Do I have to do every assignment? I missed two weeks and now I have SO MUCH to catch up on!”

    Please do not feel pressured to complete every single assignment if you are just getting started. MSD asks for 90 minutes of instruction/learning activities per day for each 4th grader. We have started reading, writing, and math instruction. If you started late, then please concentrate on the math assignments and complete that work. You do not need to go 3 weeks back and catch up on every assignment. After getting caught up, try completing the daily assigned work starting the day you're caught up.

    “Are there going to be classes online? Are teachers going to be teaching through Zoom?”

    Zoom lessons are up to each teacher and their own discretion. I will have a weekly math support Zoom meeting on Tuesdays at 1pm, and weekly classroom Zoom meetings for a check in/game on Wednesdays at 10:30. I strongly encourage students to participate in the Zoom meetings, but they are completely optional. The invitations to join are sent to parents’ email addresses the day before the meeting.

    “When does my kid have to log on? Log off?”

    Lessons and activities on Google Classroom can be done at any time, depending on your family’s schedule. The due date for all assignments is the end of each day, but it's okay to complete assignments late if needed. The schedule of lessons and assignments that the 4th grade team is following is:

    Monday-Thursday: new Math lesson and activity
    Monday and Wednesday: new Writing lesson and activity
    Tuesday and Thursday: new Reading lesson and activity
    Friday: Science video and activity, weekly Math Quiz, and Friday Free-Write

    “My kid doesn’t get something and I can’t help him. What should we do?”

    Please reach out through email or please have them send me a private comment. If you need resources to help your student, please email me and I can find videos and other resources for you, as well as providing the lesson links that go along with the worksheet. Have your child attempt the work and submit what they tried - if they don't submit anything, I won't know that they need help, or what they need help on. I'm checking work each day and responding to students with feedback on their work.

    “Is distance learning required? Do we have to do it?”

    School is not cancelled. Distance learning is the replacement for in-building learning. Teachers are now taking attendance, planning lessons, giving instruction, and giving feedback on assignments from Google Classroom. Participating in Google Classroom is important for your student’s learning because we are covering reading, writing, and math topics that will be important for them to succeed in school next year. If you need help accessing a computer or internet service, please reach out to myself or our OP parent-liaison and/or our Elementary Support Specialists, and we can help connect you with resources.

    OP Parent-Liaison, Patricia Nogueda: NoguedaPX@mukilteo.wednet.edu
    Elementary Support Specialists, Stacy Goody:     VinsonSL@mukilteo.wednet.edu, Vincenza Moody: MoodyVC@mukilteo.wednet.edu

    “I can’t concentrate on school right now. Our family is concentrating on other things and we do not have time.”

    That is okay. We know that not all families are in a place to prioritize Distance Learning. Please reach out to me or the office at OP if you need assistance. I am happy to make an individualized plan with you/your child. At the very least, we ask those who are able to participate with Distance Learning to turn in assignments or show us that you are active, because the district has asked teachers to record students’ engagement on a weekly basis. 

    “Is my child going to fall behind? I’m worried they won’t be prepared for 5th grade.”

    This is a very valid concern and I appreciate the importance our families have placed on learning. I want you to know that I feel an urgency, as a teacher, in making sure all of my 4th graders get the instruction, practice, support, and guidance they need in order to be ready for 5th grade (and beyond). All the lessons and assignments posted in Google Classroom cover the priority standards that 4th grade teachers and the school district have deemed the most important and necessary for 4th graders to cover by the end of the year. As long as your 4th grader is watching the lesson videos, working on the assignments, and reaching out to me when they need help, they will be ready to move onto 5th grade next year. And—all teachers next school year, as we prepare for our next group of students, know that students will have been impacted by this school closure and will adjust our own instruction as needed.  

    As always, please email me if you have any questions or concerns!