2020-2021 SCHOOL CALENDAR - Can be found in the documents page of our website
The Maine Department of Education will soon release draft guidance for schools and communities, with parameters and restrictions for a safe reopening of the physical school buildings. Our educators are very eager to teach kids in person. We know the path ahead is complex and uncertain, with some factors in our control and some beyond our control.
Next Wednesday evening, June 17th, there are two public opportunities to learn more and ask questions. The School Board's committee on Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment meets at 5:45 pm via Zoom; planning for the fall is the largest agenda item. The full School Board meets at 6:30 pm via Zoom; a more brief update on our plans for the fall will be shared then. Both meetings have opportunities for public comment, but please know you can reach out to our schools at any time. Phone numbers and email addresses are at www.rsu34.org; information about how to connect to the meetings will be posted there next week.
Together, we will continue doing our very best by kids and community as we navigate through the pandemic!
As a long school year comes to a close, it is time to begin the retrieval of student devices for inventory, repairs, and redistribution. You may drop off your device at any time (M-Th, 9am-2pm) for those that are no longer using their devices or have an alternative device and no longer need them. You may drop your device at OTES on the 8th from 9 am to 2 pm. From the 9th to the 11th of June, you are welcome to bring your device to the front door of J. A. Leonard Middle school between the hours of 9 am and 2 pm each day.
Beginning on the 8th of June, there will be someone at OTHS to receive devices as the last week of school winds down and Seniors finish their preparations for graduation through the 12th of June. Also, staff from the elementary schools will be reaching out to families and making arrangements for those devices.
Beginning the week of June 15th to the 19th, there will be someone from 8 am to 2 pm at each school to receive the remainder of devices.
On the 22nd of June, an inventory will be done and phone calls will be made to coordinate drop off or pick up of any remaining devices. This will be done through the 26th of June.
Dear Families and Community Partners,
Don’t miss out on this amazing webinar GEAR Parent Network is hosting. There is still time to sign up!!!!
Wednesday, June 10, 2020 from 10 a.m. to Noon
“School Work and COVID-19: What You Can Do to Help Your Kids to Not Fall Behind” Presented by: Elisa Sousa, MEd, LSW, Children’s Case Manager, Crisis and Counseling Centers; Join us in a discussion around your child’s school work, how to advocate, maintaining balance during this stressful time and creating structure for your family. In addition to learning about the importance of role modeling and listening to your children.
Parents/families of RSU #34 kids, if you haven't already done this survey please do. We value your input / feedback!
Our families and educators have done amazing things with kids on an emergency basis this spring. Please let us know the strengths and challenges on this anonymous survey: https://forms.gle/hdJ4X7RseMUhHjdp9
Please do the survey by June 3rd. Thanks!
Parents & families of RSU #34 kids, we seek your input/feedback! Our families and educators have done amazing things with kids on an emergency basis this spring. Please let us know the strengths and challenges on this anonymous survey: https://forms.gle/hdJ4X7RseMUhHjdp9 Please do the survey by June 3rd. Thanks!
Parents & families of RSU #34 kids, we seek your input/feedback! Our families and educators have done amazing things with kids on an emergency basis this spring. Please let us know the strengths and challenges on this anonymous survey: https://forms.gle/hdJ4X7RseMUhHjdp9
Please do the survey by June 3rd. Thanks!
We have family food boxes available for delivery or pick up starting Wednesday afternoon May 20th! Please call School-Community Coordinator Jennifer Goodwin at 370-8564 or email her at jennifer.goodwin@rsu34.org if your RSU #34 family could use one!
The University of Maine Extension has a series on food and cooking that could be great to do with kids, called "10 Steps to a Healthier You!" The lessons and supporting videos are available at the links below. Thanks for sharing these, Professor Kate Yerxa! Lessons: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1KZ-te2z-Uqjkb67DPMbVwBQhk63GGZCY?usp=sharing -----and----- Videos: https://extension.umaine.edu/food-health/efnep/10-steps-to-a-healthier-you/
Understanding Anxiety during COVID-19 Parent Webinar 5
Link to video: https://youtu.be/a1I5Exg58-U
Link to slides: https://www.bangorschools.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Parent-Webinar-5-compressed.pdf
With children spending a lot more time at home, Northern New England Poison Center has some important tips about keeping them safe! Thanks for sharing this, Mrs. Costello, one of our awesome team of school nurses that we celebrate on this School Nurse Appreciation Day! Thanks also to Nurse Vanessa and Nurse Jana!
Books are awesome, and our kids want more! If you have books for any age reader to donate, please drop them off in our elementary school lobbies.
Thanks to the Wilcox family and Alton Grocery for getting another Little Free Library in action! We're working with more community partners to get these built and installed. Each has a sign about precautions such as hand-washing in the COVID19 era.
(if you have books to return from our school libraries, please return them to the schools, not to the Little Free Libraries)
Surviving Distance Learning #4
Here is the shareable YouTube link: https://youtu.be/0aBai5n6pEk
Here is a link to the slides: https://www.bangorschools.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Parent-Training-4-Return-from-Vacation-compressed.pdf
Surviving Distance Learning Part 3
Here's the video link: https://youtu.be/A_TBZdjsH68
Here's the PDF link: https://www.bangorschools.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Parent-Training-3-Vacation.pdf
Thanks to Miss Hamlin and Mrs. Zabierek's hard work, we have another 30 face shields on the way to our local healthcare workers! Our LMS 8th graders have been great tech support when we've run into 3d printing troubleshooting. http://bit.ly/3D-Face-Shield
Here is the link to the 2nd Parent Webinar video. Surviving Distance Learning #2
Link to the slides: https://www.bangorschools.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Parent-Training-2.pdf
Link to the video: https://youtu.be/JQmpyoNHEF8
Science Experiments at Home.......
https://www.weareteachers.com/easy-science-experiments/
Dear RSU #34 Community, we hope you all fared as well as possible in the storm! If April showers bring May flowers, what do April Nor'easters bring?
We're looking for a few folks who are able to help support an effort. We have a bunch of donated books that we want to get into kids' hands through Little Free Libraries (https://littlefreelibrary.org/). There are a few in our community already; we'd like to add at least 5 more. If you're able to build one, please email Jon.Doty@rsu34.org. If you're able to financially support the effort, please visit the RSU #34 Education Foundation page - there are a few different ways to donate, including check and paypal. https://www.rsu34.org/rsu-34-education-foundation
If you're able to donate books like our awesome friends at Stillwater Montessori School who donated 350(!!!) books, please set them aside and we'll be in touch with more details. If you're able to read some of the books with a kid - awesome and stay tuned for more details!
Much thanks!
(at Dr. Doty's house...April Nor'easter will bring a May burn permit to take care of the three trees that went down on the road!)
April 9th, 2020
Dear Parents & Caregivers of K-5 students,
RSU #34 educators have been very excited to continue connecting with students these past several weeks. We miss them terribly!
With this note comes the release of our learning packets for the week beginning Monday, April 13th. We still have Thursday and Friday going for the current week’s packets, please keep supporting your children with those! This new packet will “launch” Monday morning. The goal for each week is for all students to earn at least three BINGOs on their board! If students are eager to do more, they can!
Distribution: As with last week, we’ll distribute the packets a few days before the start date, so families have a chance to print them or pick them up. This week you can get the packet any of these ways:
*At www.rsu34.org, click on COVID19
*Thursday, Friday, and Monday mornings at any of our elementary school
*With lunch distribution on THURSDAYS at Old Town High School (10 AM - noon) or on the bus delivery routes
If you get them early, don’t worry about details in the packets until Monday morning. Teachers will start sharing things on Mondays through the age-appropriate ways they’re connecting with their students.
For the latest updates on RSU #34 and COVID19, please visit www.rsu34.org
If you need help with technology, please email ITDept@rsu34.org
For food service questions please call 827-3908.
Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me or any of our school staff with questions.
Sincerely,
Jon Doty
Positive Behavior Supports & Interventions at Home During COVID 19
Learn behavior strategies you can use while home schooling during COVID 19.
Thursday, April 9th - 3:30 PM - 5:30 PM Register here - https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_50vaHwy5RRGzBSq-fikgHA