Sheltering in Place: Primary Info & Resources

By the time you read this we will be heading into the latest stage of this crisis – SHELTER IN PLACE. We all have so many questions, so many unknowns about what this means and what things will look like. In this letter, I will attempt to provide some guidance and clarity around some questions connected to Chabot.

Please know that almost all links in this letter can be found on our Chabot website in the new COVID 19 RESOURCES section.

CHABOT COMMUNITY HEALTH – One Chabot family with two children in grades K-3 has informed me that they are strongly suspected of having COVID-19. The mother had been having symptoms for two weeks. When she saw a doctor recently, they confirmed that her symptoms were consistent with COVID-19, but did not do an official test because her case was not severe. Dad and children have also been having mild symptoms and are presumed to have the virus. Please do keep me informed about your family’s health so I can let the community know. As always, we should all be taking the necessary steps (hand washing, social distancing, etc) to reduce transmission to those among us who are most vulnerable for potential complications.

SUPPORTING EACH OTHER: In spirit of making sure all our Chabot families stay safe, healthy, and have enough food, we’re rallying together and encourage you to consider supporting in one of two ways:

Donating money so that funds can help purchase groceries or other basic needs.
- Venmo: https://venmo.com/ErinMOHara
- Paypal: https://www.paypal.me/saraholderfield
Want to join our effort to help? Volunteers may be needed to help purchase or deliver gift cards, or possibly groceries if a family is quarantined and needs our help.
- Send your name, email and phone number to lisa.buccino@gmail.com

Are you a Chabot family in need of a grocery gift card or quarantined in need of an extra hand to purchase items? Please reach out to foodforchabot@gmail.com so we can work with you to coordinate our efforts. Please be sure to leave your students’ full names, address, and grades so we can verify. Thank you all for coming together in support of our community! We are stronger together and will all make it through this.

TALKING TO YOUR CHILDREN – My general rule for talking to kids about tough things is to provide the most minimal, factual information needed to explain what is going on, and then take their cues. If they ask more questions, answer them in the most straightforward way possible – do not overshare. If they don’t have questions, great – go onto something else. Provide genuine assurance to your children. This is a big problem, but there are brilliant adults working on solving this problem. We are healthy right now. If someone in our family gets sick, we will take care of them and doctors will help.

EXPECTATIONS OF TEACHERS: Our teachers are still working now through next Thursday, March 26 when Spring Break starts. During this time, they will be working on report cards and preparing for Parent-Teacher conferences which will happen virtually or on the phone. They will also be updating the Continuity of Learning Plans and sending out other educational resources for you to work on with your students during this time. In addition to Parent Teacher Conferences, all teachers will be sending home weekly whole class communication and will be responding to emails during their normal working hours. If school closure goes on far beyond Spring Break, we will explore Google Classroom for all of our students in Grades 2-5.

SPECIAL EDUCATION – Given that this a complete closure of all OUSD campuses, Special Education and related services will not be provided for the duration of the closure. Given that there is no mandatory online or virtual learning and this is a true stoppage of instruction, however, OUSD is not obliged to provide Special Education services. As with any period of time when school is not in session for more than five days, timelines for assessments will be paused.

Every effort will be made to hold virtual IEPs for those that are due during this period.

IDEAS TO KEEP YOUR CHILDREN THINKING, LEARNING AND SANE –

SET UP A SCHEDULE – but don’t be afraid to bend it – these are unprecedented times – our children need structure, but they also need flexibility, fun, and choice. For some youngsters, choice is key – let them build the schedule – literally give them index cards with what needs to be done each day (reading, math, writing, games, exercise, chores . . . ) and let them decide which time slot to put each one into. Do not be afraid of positive incentives – 1 hour of school work = 30 minutes of screen time or whatever you want. Here is a SAMPLE SCHEDULE; Here is another one for COMIC RELIEF – be sure to start on Day 1 and scroll to Day 4
Work on a Science Fair Project – Thank you, Ms. Ward!

Tools – Student Planning Packet – Primary Grades

Tools – Student Planning Packet – Upper Grades

2019-20 OUSD Science Fair Participation Guidelines

2020 Science Fair packet

Do some ART ACTIVITIES from Ms. Amber
Get active with these PE RESOURCES from Coach Jon
Go on line – there are a myriad of great learning options on our Library Home Page – check out – Accessing School Content Online
Write a letter – what a great time to revive this lost art! Send pictures and letters to relatives in other places, start a pen pal exchange with some friends. If any Chabot student wants to write me a letter during this time, snap a photo of it and send it to my email – I will do my absolute best to write back!
Ritualize some sort of gratitude practice – there is so much to appreciate, even now – especially now
Give extra love, treats, cuddles, and comfort – we all need it!

AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM REGISTRATION has been postponed until further notice

Please join me in sending our most heartfelt thoughts, prayers, and good wishes to all those whose health and families are directly impacted by COVID-19 and to the medical practitioners who are risking their own health to serve them.

Please know that I am still available to this community and very open to emails. It is so important that we stay connected during these times of “distancing”.

In community,

Jessica

Food and Health Resources: