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Quote of the week: Some old saying about not wanting to see how sausage is made
Dear Parents and Guardians, Well, if I thought last week was hard, this week was harder. The days before the first day of school are always messy. It's like the saying that you don't want to see how the sausage was made, you just want to taste the final product. Usually, on the first day of school, you can smell the delicious sausage being grilled with onions and peppers. Bulletin boards decorate classrooms, student name tags are on desks, and the playground during that first recess rings with the sound of children finding friends they haven't seen all summer. Not this year. The halls were eerily quiet, and while some students were virtually meeting with their teachers and classmates by 9:00 am, others weren't even sure who their teachers were, or were struggling to find the correct Zoom link. It was messy, and it was on display for everyone to see. I received a lot of emails this week, and I read them all. I didn't respond to all of them however. If I had an answer, or at least an idea of how to point someone in the right direction, I answered as quickly as I could. I'm looking forward, hopeful that we will all figure out how to best support our students, and each other, during distance learning. Teachers should have been in contact with all of you. Our continuum teachers at Ocean Shore are setting up conferences with parents all next week. Please reach out to your teacher if you haven't yet set up a time to meet. It's more important than ever that we communicate with one another. Teachers are also reaching out to schedule times to pick up books and supplies. I don't yet have a date for our virtual back-to-school night, but will share as soon as I do. We are still passing out Chromebooks to those that need them. Please contact Barbara Bualat ([email protected]) if your child needs one. The district office has ordered more hot spots, but we don't have them yet. I don't know how I would have gotten through this week if it weren't for my incredible staff. I can not imagine a better team to work with. Their dedication to all of our students and the amount of time and effort that they put into our community inspires me on a daily basis. I'm so grateful for them, and for all of you. Thank you for your patience as we navigate this messy beginning, and work toward creating a successful school year for our children! Take care, Jeanne Sunday, August 23, 2020 Quote of the week: If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude.
-Maya Angelou Dear Parents and Guardians, Never in my professional life have I ever experienced anything like this start to the 2020-21 school year. Like most educators, I prefer to have control over my environment, like to have some plans in place, and feel more secure when there are certain things that I can count on based on my past experience. All of that is out the window right now, and I am having to do A LOT of attitude adjustment. As a former English teacher, I enjoy looking to those wiser than myself for quotes that help me put things into perspective. I can think of few people wiser than the amazing poet, the late Maya Angelou. I can't change the situation that we are in right now. I can only approach my work with a loving heart, and accept that I'm going to have to roll with the changes. Information will come out daily this week. You may have already heard that we are reconfiguring our class rosters and will have almost all of our continuum students in split classes. On Tuesday, the district will be sending class assignments to all students, whether you are in full-year distance learning, continuum, or home school. Our Ocean Shore teachers that have chosen to teach the continuum model (most of our staff) will be sending home a brief welcome letter. You might have this letter as early as tomorrow (8/17). Here is what our teaching assignments look like: K/1 - Jennifer, Lily, Natasha 2/3 - Michelle, Ally, Renee/Sandy 4/5 - Virginia, Jonathan, Patty/Marguerite 6 - Katy 7/8 - Sophie, Jason, Matt RSP-Natalie Abinante SDC-Julie Wolfe (new to OSS this year) Jessica and Beccy will be teaching 6th grade to students who have chosen year-long distance learning. Their class will include students from Ocean Shore, Vallemar, and Cabrillo. Distance learning teachers for other grades are still being determined. Information about these class assignments will be coming from our district office on Tuesday. More information will follow regarding daily schedules, school supplies, and back-to-school night. Do NOT worry about supplies. Teachers will provide lists, and we will be working out a schedule for families to pick up books and other materials. The first few weeks of school will be focused on getting to know you activities, social emotional learning, and working out the logistics of distance learning. If you still need a Chromebook (we have them) or need to request a hot spot (we don't have them yet), please email Barbara Bualat ([email protected]) who is coordinating technology needs. Again, I understand the frustration that all of you are feeling. I share it. However, I'm also thankful to be a part of our Ocean Shore community. We will figure this out together. #OSSstrong! Take care, Jeanne Sunday, August 16, 2020
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Jeanne BellingerPrincipal of Ocean Shore. Check back here for weekly updates and messages from the principal. Archives
June 2022
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