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THIS WEEK’S NEWS
Our First Trimester Ends This Friday, November 20
As written in our calendar, the first trimester will end this Friday. Parents can check their child’s progress on Google Classroom and/or TeacherEase (depending on the subject and teacher).
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Kittredge Gear Available Now
With the holidays approaching, we have found a new pop-up store for the latest in Kittredge gear. There are many colors and items available from sweat shirts, joggers and t-shirts, to face masks, socks and mugs… and more! Thank you Ms. Gules for your research and for setting this all up!
Check it out at: https://teespring.com/stores/kittredge-school.
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NEXT WEEK’S NEWS
Thanksgiving Break – November 23 to 27
We wish everyone a safe Thanksgiving Break. Please stay socially distant whenever possible, wear a mask when that isn’t possible, and wash your hands often (for 20 seconds). We look forward to continuing the process of opening our building and hope everyone stays healthy.
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GENERAL SCHOOL NEWS
Re-Opening Update – Join a Zoom Meeting
This Thursday from 6pm to 7pm
An Update on Opening
Kittredge is a small school. This reality has become a major limitation in opening safely for students, teachers and staff alike.
However, what has always defined Kittredge is our community, not our facilities. Either in spite of, or because of our small size our community has enormous heart. It is because of our dedicated teachers and supportive parents… and of course the limitless possibilities of each and every student… that Kittredge has continued to offer challenging academics in a warm and nurturing environment for over 75 years. It is how we continue that mission even today with distance learning.
We want to reopen and we want to reopen safely. We also want to make sure that academic as well as social/emotional growth continue.
We heard from a group of parent representatives who shared some ideas and concerns that parents expressed; and we’ve listened to all of our teachers who have shared with us their personal and professional concerns. It became obvious that compromises were needed in order to return. And that Kittredge will not look the same.
We heard that the parents of Kindergarten to 5th graders were feeling the most need of in person teaching.
Ms. Pon-Barry (K-2) and Mrs. Horrocks (3rd and 4th) agree that face-to-face teaching will be an asset and are comfortable teaching 5 days a week with slightly shortened hours. Art and Spanish will still be Zoomed during class time so that cohorts will remain as stable as possible.
Katie (5th grade) will be available to teach in person for 3 days each week and her students will continue with Zoom 2 days. We believe that this hybrid plan strikes a compromise between Katie’s availability and providing the fifth graders the benefits of in-person academics, social-emotional learning and community building.
These 3 cohorts will use the Kittredge School building for their classroom time.
Again, Kittredge will not look the same.
Except for K-2, downstairs, it is possible that our teachers will be standing outside the classroom using iPads as white boards and that students will be looking at everything on a large monitor in their classroom.
We will know how many classrooms each of these cohorts will need, once we have an accurate head count from parents and the Public Health Department approves, or revises, our application.
Recess will likely be walks around the block and/or trips down to Baker Beach. Reading, writing, class discussions and lunch will sometimes be combined with those walks to the beach so that outdoor time will be used as much as possible.
At this point, we are planning on our 6th, 7th and 8th grade classes to each meet one day a week at Chris Babcock’s Art Studio at 5907 California Street. Depending on the weather, and their curriculum needs, they will stay there for the day or use it as a meet up place to take a hike or explore the city. The other four days, they will continue their regular academics through Zoom.
Obviously, this is a work in progress as we see which things work and which things need to be changed to work better. Technology may need to be added and staffing may need to be increased once we settle into a routine and learn what this new normal will be.
Our re-opening plan will be posted on our website soon. It details more fully the health and safety protocols we have in place. It also includes our family’s responsibilities in order to return.
At the same time, we will be turning in our Application to Return to the Health Department. The first thing they will do is review our plan and our protocols. They will let us know if anything needs to be added or revised.
Once the written procedures and protocols are approved by the Health Department, they will schedule a walk-through of the school. At that time we will find out if our distance spacing, airflow and cleaning protocols all meet the safety standards. If we need to separate out cohorts or make other changes to the facilities, we will find out then.
We think we have met all safety requirements and that students, teachers and staff will all be able to return as planned beginning on January 19.
To further discuss this information and to address some other concerns that were forwarded to Mr. L, there will be a school-wide Zoom meeting on Thursday evening. This will be for Kittredge parents only… no students, please. Due to the 100 person limit, it will be helpful for parents to share one screen when possible.
Join Zoom Meeting, Thursday, 6pm to 7pm
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