EDMS Community Newsletter

November 16th, 2020 Week 13

#ToroFamily

Happy Monday everyone! We hope you all had a great weekend and are ready to take on the week. This is a big week, with lots going on before we leave for Thanksgiving Break next week. Classes will not be held the week of Nov 23rd-Nov 27th for Thanksgiving Break. We hope you enjoy the holidays safely and responsibly as we continue to navigate this pandemic era. We know many of you have numerous questions about schools reopening, distance learning, and what a possible return to school could look like. While we are still in a little bit of a holding pattern, we are making preparations for students to return in January and we would encourage you to stay connected and informed by keeping up with our Superintendent's Friday Letter here.

Additionally, you all have probably received some messages/posts from our district-wide communication tool called ParentSquare. This will be a great way to stay connected to not only news at EDMS but also district-wide news. We encourage you to download the app in order to fully engage with all of the features available to you through the app. If you have yet to receive a text message/email/phone call please let us know and we can send you an invite to join.

*If you do not have your verification code to access Homelink please click here. We have also included information below about Intradistrict transfers for next school year. You only have until Nov 15th to apply so don't miss it. This is especially important for 8th graders when they promote to high school. We hope you all have a great week this week!

*If you know of someone who does not receive this newsletter, have them visit our school website here and fill in their email address to subscribe to it.

PHOTO DAY

This week our 7th Grade Photo Day is on Wed 11/18 from 11:15-4:00.

Please click the link below to sign up for a time slot. Please arrive at the time of your appointment and follow the signs into campus. Students will enter through the main gate and line up outside the MU. They will then exit out the opposite side in front of the school. (if you have siblings in different grades, they can all come on the same day) Priority will be given to those that sign up for a time but you do not have to have one and may drop in. All social distancing protocols will be enforced and everyone coming on campus is required to wear a mask. 7th and 6th grade sign up links coming soon.

Wed, Nov 18th: 7th Grade School Pictures 11:15-4:00 pm

Wed, Dec 2nd: 6th Grade School Pictures 2:15-6:00 *TIME CHANGE*

EDMS Toro Masks...

Mask up Toro Family style. We have EDMS masks for sale and they are going fast. Come down and get one at Photo Day on Wed or come by the office with your proof of purchase and pick up your masks. Orders can be placed via Venmo @eldoradopfc (just put 'mask' and the number you want in your order) and bring in a screenshot of your order.

Event Information

EDMS Dine and Donate @ Chipotle

Come out and support our El Dorado PFC and get a burrito! Chipotle in Todos Santos is donating 33% of their profits on Tuesday night to our school. We hope you will join us in supporting our parent club that supports our students. Be sure to tell them you are there to support El Dorado Middle School.

When?

Tuesday, Nov 17, 2020, 04:00 PM

Where?

Chipotle Mexican Grill, Salvio Street, Concord, CA, USA

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PARENT SQUARE [REPOST]

We are very excited to adopt a new form of communication at El Dorado and in the MDUSD. ParentSquare is designed to keep parents informed and facilitate participation at school. It provides a safe way for the school principal, teachers, staff, and parents to:

Send and receive school and class information
Share pictures and files
See calendar items
Sign up to volunteer
and much more . . . all in one centralized place!

ParentSquare Parent Videos

You should have already received an invite to join ParentSquare and if you didn't yet please let us know. You do not have to sign up for an account to receive notifications but you will need to sign up if you would like to message school staff, teachers, etc. Additionally, you can set how you would like to receive messages from the school and teachers to either email, text or through the app. All schools will be using ParentSquare if you have students at other schools all messages will be in one place. If you have any questions please let us know. There are also videos available above to support parents and families.

MINDFUL LIFE PROJECT [REPOST]

Mindful Life Project is excited to announce weekly virtual mindfulness sessions for parents/caregivers! Mindfulness is a science-backed practice that trains the mind, body, and heart to be in the present moment with specific mindful skills. Mindfulness can literally change the wiring of the brain from being far too often in stress response to healthy integration. As the research shows the benefits are life-changing and include:

Better focus and concentration
Increased sense of calm
Decreased stress & anxiety
Enhanced health
Improved impulse control
Increased self-awareness
Skillful responses to difficult emotions
Increased empathy and understanding of others
Development of natural conflict resolution skills
Decreased blood pressure, increased cardiovascular health, improved immune system, and much much more!

English Session Click here

Spanish Session Click here

Want a short preview? Check out Mindful Life Project’s 3-minute animated video narrated by an 8th grader: https://youtu.be/HKq7C4Lo5rc

CLASSES IN ENGLISH

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CLASES EN ESPAÑOL

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COUNSELOR'S CORNER

Attitude of Gratitude

With the holiday season upon us during this time of COVID, our mental wellness may be more difficult to maintain. Research suggests that one aspect of the Thanksgiving season can actually lift the spirits, and it's built right into the holiday — expressing gratitude. Gratitude is a thankful appreciation for what an individual receives, whether tangible or intangible. Through easy practices such as keeping a daily gratitude journal, writing letters of thanks, and meditating on the good we have received, we can improve our health and wellbeing and heighten feelings of connectedness. We invite our families to give it a try.

How to start. Pick a time each day to sit down and write about your blessings, reflecting on what went right or what you are grateful for. As you write, be specific and think about the sensations you felt when something good happened to you, savoring the good.

Ms. Grant & Ms. Finch, EDMS Counselors

DO YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW NEED HELP DURING THESE DIFFICULT TIMES?

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DISTRICT REOPENING UPDATE [REPOST]

We know there have been a lot of questions in the community in regards to the Hybrid and Distance Learning plans and what the remainder of the year could look like. Here is the Superintendent's Friday Letter which contains some information.

A very important survey was sent out from the district to your email or you can find it below:

Non-Binding Family Reopening Survey Surveys from the District will help to decide how Hybrid and Distance Learning will operate. The first survey that has been pushed out to families, is non-binding. It is an exploration to find out how each of our school communities is thinking about what they may want for their child/children. The second survey, which will be binding, will be pushed out on November 16. There is a lot of information that is being developed and will be distributed prior to the deadline for the binding survey.

The District has not finalized any details on exactly what the Hybrid model will look like. At this time we cannot definitively tell you the classes, the teachers, the numbers, etc. What we can share is the proposal of a Hybrid schedule would allow students (limited in number) to come on campus for two days for instruction, which will include some online learning those days as well. They also will have three days of independent learning, which may include assignments and possibly pre-recorded videos. Until we know what families prefer and what staff will do, we cannot determine the exact details for Hybrid at this moment.

Learning Together...

MDUSD PARENT ACADEMY SCHEDULE

[REPOST]Food Services...

Meal distribution is happening MWF with Grab and Go Free Meals for breakfast and lunch. The new hours are 8:00-12:30 and 3:30-5:00. Families can still complete a food services application which can be found here. Please see the flyer below for more information.

PRINTABLE PDF DL SCHEDULE

[REPOST] ATTENDANCE PROCEDURES DURING DISTANCE LEARNING

Teachers are recording your child's attendance through the codes provided by CA State to represent their highest level of participation for that day:

P = Present: Online synchronous instruction, 1:1 office hours
4 = Online Activity: Completed a test, turning in assignments, etc
3 = Communication w/ Certificated Staff: 2-way communication with student and/or parent online or by email
A = Absent (none of the above engagement)

Support Staff Code:

6 = Support Service Access: Speech Therapy, OT, PT, Counseling

[REPOST] DISTANCE LEARNING STUDENT EXPECTATIONS AND PROTOCOLS FOR ONLINE MEETINGS

Students must log-in using their MDUSD.NET email account
Log-on to Zoom/Google Meet five minutes prior to class starting
Have First and Last name correctly spelled on your Zoom/Google Meet window (students may not be let into their class meeting if their names are not correct)
We encourage students to have their cameras on (if possible) and microphones on mute unless speaking to teacher or as directed by teacher.
Students should be in appropriate school attire during online meetings
Use the Chat appropriately (To ask questions, connect to teacher)