Hi Farley Hill Community,
We are so excited for our students to return to school and we know that just as we have been busy getting ready for our students, you are also busy preparing your child for Sept 8th and their return to school! Here is a Top 5 list of things you can do in these last few weeks of summer break to get your child ready to leap back into learning!
# 1 : Bedtimes/ Sleep
“Did someone say I’m going to have a bedtime again?” We know for some of our students bedtime ended on March 12th - almost 6 months ago! Yikes. If you are struggling with the “how do we get into this routine again” one idea to consider is:
Every night, set an incrementally earlier bedtime, and every morning, an incrementally earlier wake-up time. Make sure that when school starts, they'll wake up with the amount of sleep they need for their age-group. Maintain a sleep schedule – Once your child's sleep schedule is established, stick with it!
For other ideas click here sleep foundation tips!
Check out this short but great article: Bedtime routines - solving common problems!
#2 Morning routines
Please remember to plan for a few moments of extra time to make sure your child has their favorite clean mask for the day and you have taken a moment to do the quick health screening.
We will be utilizing outdoor learning whenever it is possible so PLEASE make sure your child has access to the coats, scarves, gloves, boots etc that they need.
It will be doubly important to be dressed for the weather.
If you need help providing outerwear for your child please let your school’s Student and Family Specialist know. We’ll be happy to help.
#3 Drop off
Taking the bus? Driving your child to school ?
No matter how your child gets to school, the procedures have changed.
Please review with your child that they will be asked to use hand sanitizer upon entering the bus and that their mask must remain on for the entire bus ride. We know this is going to be a learning curve but your support in preparing your child will go a long way in normalizing this “new” requirement.
Also, just a reminder that weather permitting bus windows will be down so please make sure your child is dressed for a breeze on the bus.
Principals have sent out information about drop off - Have an anxious child or maybe you are feeling uncertain ? Come drive over to your child’s building and practice a drop off. Go over with your child what drop off will look like. Walking to the front of the building and saying goodbye - please try this out.
(Yes- For some children (and their parents) it will help to actually drive over, get out of your car, walk your child to the door, pretend to walk away and have your child take a few steps toward the building.)
For fun have your child be the parent and have him/her act out saying goodbye to you. :)
You can also try this process with the drop off loop and have your child say goodbye to you and then hop out of the car!
#4 Lunches
While we have amazing lunch staff who go out of their way to make our lunches a safe and happy space (they are constantly observed opening lunches, tearing snack bags, handling straws and juice boxes!)
This year we will be relying on you even more to send in containers and foods/drinks that your child can open independently.
So thinking about those awesome juice pouches or snack bags or super cool containers - please do a run through with your child and make sure they can open, unzip, tear, remove and handle all the food and containers that you will be providing them for lunch or snack! This will help make lunch as contact free as possible.
#5 Masks / hand washing
We know that the wearing of masks all day will be a challenge for both our students and staff. Very few of us are used to having a mask on other than running into a store, for a dr appt, or perhaps a visit with a family member that we are protecting. So - if you haven't’ already started - -please have your child practice wearing their masks for increasing amounts of time during the day. Hopefully by the time school starts they will be very comfortable with wearing them for longer and longer periods of time.
Thank you!! We are truly in this together!
Can’t wait to see all of our students soon!
Michelle Sherman, LMSW
Farley Hill Student and Family Specialist