Author: Tina Myers

Week of April 6-10

The Beach broadcast

Student Account Log In Help
1. Make sure your username includes the domain name "@student.pps.net"
2. Passwords for all K-5 students are the month and day of the student's birthday. For example, an April 2 birthday would use 0402 for the password, and a November 20 birthday would use 1120 .
3. Do you need to change your password because you've forgotten it? Go to the Password Manager. Be sure to WRITE DOWN your new password!
https://password.pps.net/
4. Still need help? Email your classroom teacher for help with username and passwords first, they have a list. You can also email Esther ( eromero@pps.net ) or Ms. Frazee ( afrazee@pps.net )
*Always log-on to Google Drive before accessing any other tech tool or application your teacher assigns (such Newsela, Khan Academy, etc.). These tools are synced with your google drive/classroom accounts.

Dear Beach Parents and Community,
Welcome to our first “Distance Learning” Beach Newsletter. We will be creating a short newsletter for you every week and sending out on Friday. We plan to include information and personal contributions from our staff. Please let us know what you find helpful, and any requests you have, by responding to this Newsletter Feedback Form. We will check it for new content each week and evolve our process as we go.
You may know that April 1 was “Census Day”. I have to admit I haven’t filled mine ours yet, even though it’s been on my list for over a week, but I am going to, and recently learned more about why it’s so important that every family fills theirs out. More than half of students in U.S. public schools belong to groups that risk being undercounted-- those groups are marginalized and vulnerable, but it is safe to fill out the census. There is no citizenship question, the information is confidential, individual names and addresses are secured for 72 years, and it’s a federal crime for census workers to violate the oath they take that they will protect personal information.
Our community has a lot riding on an accurate census count-- the results determine how power and money are distributed for the next decade. The federal government distributes over $700 billion every year to support housing, education, transportation, infrastructure, health care and more, and the allocations are according to population. Communities where everyone is counted see more dollars for public services. For more information, here’s a copy of an article, “The Census Counts” from the Spring issue of Teaching Tolerance Magazine.
Yesterday I spoke with the Playworks Senior Program Manager and learned that, sadly, Playworks has had to furlough 87% of their staff, including our wonderful Coach Molly. Playwork created and posted resources for Play at home on their website. You’ll find Playworks staff livestreaming before breakfast (get ready to learn content), at lunchtime, and before dinner (calm down time). Here is a link to their website and resources for Play at Home!
Play at Home: https://www.playworks.org/get-involved/play-at-home/
Playworks will also be broadcasting #PlayAtHome Recess live on Facebook at 9am, 11am, and 1pm Monday through Friday. Tune in for stretching and warm-ups, interactive games, cheers, and cooldown activities. Want to see what it is like? Check out Morning Stretch and Up Down Stop Go!
I hope you are all taking very good care. Please hug your children for me. I miss them all so much, and know that each and every one of our staff miss them all so much, too. Please also be in touch with me or any of our staff with anything we can do to support your child or you. We know some of our families are experiencing extreme hardship, and we are organizing to do everything we can to support you.
Warmly,
Lisa

Staff Voice Section
Coach Molly—Hello Beach! Getting to be a part of the Beach School community is an experience I will never forget and will always hold close to my heart. I learned so much and was inspired by the passion, creativity, and warmth students and staff showed every day. While I'm sad I won't be able to continue playing games with all of you out on the playground I want you to know that I think about all of you every day. Thank you for opening your arms to me as a community this year and helping me to learn alongside you.
Ms. Tina– “I miss all of you lots! Something I’ve done while social distancing is taking walks to stay active, reading, cooking many kinds of foods, and watching pretty much everything on Netflix. This year has been such a joy. Take care and much love!”
Ms. Guzman: Something new I’ve tried while social distancing is knitting my first sweater. I'm calling it my ¨Quarantine Sweater¨! :) Here's to hoping for something wearable at the end.
Ms. Seymour: Something new I've tried while social distancing is Zoom videos with my family in Texas once a week!
Ms. Hernandez: Something new that I’ve tried is Netflix Party to celebrate my son’s birthday with his friends.

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