The Buzz

Communicating and connecting with students and their families is always a top priority, but with all of the changes this year our staff is doubling down. Each teacher is being asked to have two-way communication with every K-12 student or their family in every class every day. After the two-communication is made they are required to write a communication log in PowerSchool. This change will help us ensure that we are reaching every kid whether they are face to face or virtual every day.

However, communication MUST be two-way. Two-way communication is considered an exchange of information. Two-way communication can be either the students or teacher reaching out about content or course progress and then there MUST be a response by the second individual involved. The RESPONSE is critical because it indicates engagement in the learning process. This exchange can happen in person, in an email, phone call, messaging, social media, or virtual meeting.

Families play a key role in this process. You can help by responding to emails sent, returning phone calls, reaching out when you have questions, encouraging and/or requiring your student to interact on virtual meetings, or having your student reach out to their teachers for clarification and concerns. Learning is a messy and beautiful process. It is inherently full of struggle because the challenge is where the learning occurs. Responses and interactions do not need to be perfect. Even if the response is uncomfortable, just responding increases the likelihood of success. Responses could be, "I do not know how to do this, or I need help, or I have played video games all day and not done this work." As a district we want you to know, we need your help to make sure our kids reach their fullest potential. Please feel comfortable reaching out and responding. We need your voice, so please respond.

The USDA has temporarily extended the Summer Feeding program through December. The Summer Feeding Program provides free meals for our K-12 students. This week was the start of all students being able to eat at school for free. As a district, we will continue to distribute breakfast to all of our students each morning in their classrooms. The students can choose to eat when the food is delivered, or if they ate at home, they can keep the food for a snack later in the day. Students will still order or go through the lunch line to receive their lunch.

I am overjoyed that we are able to offer this to our families K-12. I COMMEND our food service team for working hard to make this happen. They have done such amazing work since March and this will be another feather in their cap.

It will be very important for our families to fill out the Family Meal Application at LunchApp.com or complete the paper version and submit it to the office when complete. This application will allow you to potentially continue to receive support with lunches when the Summer Feeding grant does eventually come to an end. 63% of our families have the opportunity to receive support with breakfast and lunch beyond the Summer Feeding Program, but about 20% of families that would be eligible do not fill out the forms.

Our 100% virtual students will receive their meals for free as well. Pick up for our virtual students will remain on Wednesday from 12-1. Those meals must be preordered using the Preorder Form linked to the newsletter. Further, face to face families wishing to have meals for Wednesday will need to use the Preorder Form as well. Please encourage and remind your child to pick up and bring the food home.

Your child is invited to register for a Jackson District Library card!

You are not required to register your child for the card, but we hope that you will since the card will give you access to all kinds of great online resources.

For more information, you can access the Jackson District Library letter here.

As many of you know, we will resume the fall sports of football, volleyball, and sideline cheerleading. Under these new times, we have certain guidelines that must be followed per the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA).

1. Under the guidelines, not everyone will be able to attend games. Each athlete will get two spectators to attend their event. We are trying to figure the best way to manage this, but it is really important that you understand it’s only TWO. We understand that some athletes have divorced parents and step-parents. Understand, the rule is only two spectators per athlete, with no exceptions. This needs to be handled by each family ahead of time. Each school, including Concord, will have some sort of check-in for each athlete. Please do not put ticket takers in a situation where you want more than two. Unfortunately, the band is not included in the spectators allowed at the games.

2. We have made progress on getting the live streaming of games set up. Brian Couling is working with the ISD technology department to get the right equipment and we have made great progress. Look for more information in the coming days!

3. Masks must be worn at all times by anyone in attendance at inside or outside events. No exceptions. With the change to the executive order, all participants, at this time, must wear masks.

4. Due to smaller enrollment and trends that we will be smaller in the near future, Concord has decided to play 8-man JV football. A schedule is in-process and will be released very soon.

5. The fall schedule can be viewed from the Concord Athletic Department webpage. It will be subject to change probably more so than at any time in the past. Scheduling information will be available on this website and the Concord Athletic Department Facebook page. Weekly schedules will be posted at the beginning of the week for that week.

1. Website: https://sites.google.com/view/concordathleticdepartment/home?authuser=0

Thank you for your patience and understanding. We look forward to having all of our fall sports playing and seeing you very soon.

Thank you!

Matt Lehman, Athletic Director

Concord Community Schools

This week middle school students began working on "Good Human Skills"- a more "advanced" version of Yellow Jacket Trait of the Week which encourages students to use their critical thinking skills and a higher level of self-reflection. Every two weeks students will be given access to a new slide deck full of Good Human Skill "Challenge Activities" which students can choose to complete during Intervention class to earn "character points" for their cohort. For more information about the program, please see the slide deck attached below.

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1JSfO1x5uP_OeDFxapMCg0mOBu1SEvzKogzQeknFZPWk/edit?usp=sharing

To kick-off the year, middle school students will be showcasing their self-awareness skills, while focusing on demonstrating an awareness of their emotions ("I know how I am feeling.") for the next two weeks.

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1lSlcq-6uCFEGR8-rmxdouEBcVxe1KIK6liMkmx9YJcs/edit?usp=sharing

Social-emotional learning addresses the very important skills our students need to be top-notch YellowJackets. The skill for this six weeks is self-awareness. Inside the area of self-awareness, this week's focus area is being honest. Honesty is the quality of being truthful, sincere, and fair.

Throughout this week, the elementary school students were given challenges and learning opportunities around self-awareness and being honest. The Elementary school continued to recognize our YellowJackets that demonstrate the self-awareness trait of being honest. You can see this week's YellowJackets of the Week in the announcements below.

9/23 High School SAT (12th graders only)

9/21 HS Picture Day

9/25 HS Picture Day

10/6 ES and MS Picture Day

10/14 HS PSAT (9th-11th graders)

10/16 ES/MS End of the first quarter HS end of the first semester

10/19 No School for Students

11/4 Parent-Teacher Conferences 1:00-7:00 p.m.

Email: rebecca.hutchinson@concordschools.net
Website: www.concordschools.net
Location: 405 South Main Street, Concord, MI, USA
Phone: (517)524-8850