Thursday, April 1st, 2021
Dear Parents,
Tomorrow we welcome our first 14 students into Hybrid learning at Peninsula School. Late last night, we were assigned a teacher for this class. Ms. Veronica Magallanes, Director of Humanities at PPS will be teaching the class. I will be meeting students and parents at the back gate to the school grounds on N. Halleck Street at 8 a.m. Parents please come ready to say goodbye at the gate. Linked here is the email that went out to K/1 families in the Hybrid class.
Unfortunately, we will not be able to start our two CB Hybrid classrooms this week as we had anticipated. The substitute teacher who accepted that position had a family emergency and won’t be able to start until April 15th. We have attempted many alternative solutions to this challenge and have decided that for the safety and benefit of all our CB students, it is better to wait until we can start this program in a supportive manner. Linked here is the email that went out to CB families in the Hybrid class.
We want to thank everyone in the Peninsula community for your flexibility as we hurriedly transition 45 of our students from CDL to Hybrid instruction and grow our LIPI options for K and 3rd-5th graders. There have been many bumps along the road and I appreciate your grace and patience. When we left for Spring Break, we had everything finalized but when we returned, I learned that I had lost our K/1 teacher to a reassignment, another teacher had a family emergency, and two of our classrooms were archived in Seesaw effectively obstructing our communication with those student’s Seesaw accounts. We encountered challenges with transportation and our student management system updates each night. Zoom permissions didn’t seem to allow our subs to host classes and the substitute teacher assigned to our CB class had a family emergency that will take her away for at least one week. We are not alone in the struggle, as of Monday there were 41 unfilled positions throughout the district. It has been bumpy indeed. Through all of this, the Peninsula staff have come together helping to set up classrooms, securing materials for students, coming up with creative ideas to the latest challenge and so much more. Thank you to all the parents that have offered grace to us through the many emails and phone calls that we have been making to try to support you. It really makes a difference to be a part of such a kind, gracious, caring and empathetic community.
While most of our students have not been affected by these changes and interruptions, I know that if your family has been impacted, it has been stressful and does not feel good. I do apologize for the confusion and I promise you that we are trying to do our very best for students and families. As you recall, the Governor’s announcement to offer in school instruction shortened our planning time by 3 weeks. We are definitely seeing the impact of a rushed return. Below you will find some updates that I hope will support your family.
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Grab and Go Meal Pickups at Peninsula:
While Peninsula is not an official meal distribution site, we will be able to provide some limited meals to Peninsula families. Students will be able to pick up food to take home (no food will be eaten at school) at the end of their Hybrid time or at the end of LIPI; Monday-Friday, 3-3:30pm
Please sign up for food service pick-up with this link.
If these times don’t work for your family, Grab and Go Meal Pickups are available at:
Jefferson High School, Roosevelt High School, Ockley Green Middle School, George Middle School
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LIPI for 3rd, 4th, and 5th Graders Starts the week of Monday, April 5th, 2021:
We have come up with a schedule to support social interactions, physical activity and opportunities to engage in the arts for 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders. If you would like your student to participate in LIPI as outlined below, please sign them up on this google form and bring them to school with a face mask and a water bottle on the appropriate day.
Please note that most LIPI activities will occur outside. Check the weather forecast and dress appropriately.
- Third graders who participate in Hybrid cannot attend LIPI due to the schedule conflict.
- Fourth graders who participate in Hybrid can stay for LIPI as long as parents sign them up.
- Fifth graders who participate in Hybrid can join LIPI at 2:30pm after Hybrid is done.
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Grade
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Days & Times
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Activities
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3rd Grade
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Tuesdays and Wednesdays
1-3pm
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Drumming with Mr. Nearing
P.E. with Coach Matt
Drama with Ms. Ford
Social Groups with Ms. Carranza and Ms. Strugatsky
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4th Grade
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Wednesday, Thursday, Friday
2:30-3:30pm
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Drumming with Mr. Nearing
P.E. with Coach Matt
Social Groups with Ms. Carranza and Ms. Strugatsky
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5th Grade
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Wednesday, Thursday, Friday
1:30-3:30pm
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Drumming with Mr. Nearing
P.E. with Coach Matt
Social Groups with Ms. Carranza and Ms. Strugatsky
Varied instructional activities with Mr. Harkness and Mr Parker
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Student Portraits and Yearbooks
We regret to share with you that although our Yearbook Committee has been working since the fall to identify pandemic-safe ways to provide families with an opportunity to have their student’s photos taken for purchase and for the yearbook we will not be able to offer student portraits or yearbooks this year. Unfortunately, we are not allowed to have the photographers inside the building and the photographer is unable to set up their gear outside.
For our fifth graders, the yearbook committee and the fifth-grade teachers will be putting together a memory book and identifying additional ways to commemorate their final year at Peninsula.
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