The FRES Virtual Times

• Grade level teams engaged in meaningful conversations during long-range planning sessions.
• Teachers reached out to families to get emails and establish connections.
• Staff has shown grace and compassion to one another.
• We had successful sneak peeks and a very nice kindergarten open house!
• We made it to the end of the pre-service week!

Taking Attendance in Synergy TeacherVUE

Here is a quick screencast on how teachers can use Zoom reports to take attendance in Synergy TeacherVUE: https://youtu.be/J3KtI4UPIsk

Posting a Zoom Recording in myMCPS Classroom

Here are two short screencasts for how to post a Zoom recording in myMCPS Classroom:

• Posting Zoom Cloud Recording Links in Canvas Announcements: https://youtu.be/zmx4xfTaFBQ
• How to Download Zoom Recordings and Upload Into myMCPS Classroom on a Chromebook: https://youtu.be/z2tEmzTejKo

If a family requests a wireless MiFi for use by their students, schools can fill out a Google Form on behalf of the family. When wireless MiFis are available for distribution, the district will deliver these devices to the school so that the school can distribute them to the families who have requested them. Families will then need to fill out the consent form (Spanish) in order to pick them up from the school. Requests for MiFis must be done through the Google Form and by the school’s administration.

As we start the school year, all schools will continue to implement the student well-being teams that started this past spring. The teams will be there to support students and their families that are struggling with attendance and social-emotional concerns. To support students at the start of the year, all schools will be required to implement a student psychoeducational lesson during one of the school’s mandatory Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) block before September 18, 2020. This lesson will provide students crisis facts about the dual pandemic (COVID-19 and systemic racism) that is occurring around the country and here in Montgomery County. It will also provide information on common crisis feelings/reactions, stress management strategies, and where to find help. Teachers will implement these lessons with coaching from the building counselors, psychologists, and other school-based mental health staff.

The lessons will provide developmentally-appropriate crisis facts to dispel rumors, normalize crisis reactions, and provide information on stress management. The lessons can also initiate conversations between students and teachers on where students can go for help if they or their friend(s) are having trouble coping during the pandemic. Teachers can make a copy of the presentation to add any classroom or school specific information to the google slides.

Links to the psychoeducational lesson plans are listed below.

• Prekindergarten through 2nd grade: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1gA0ieS-IHJFFf_DceXQwR_PKYV7B5iZBC20UabKWnEs/copy

• 3rd grade through 5th grade: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1-akZfVyJqXZJXhd0JWQ4mCVl0kZmLUABhPAoXWvT0Po/copy

Information about additional SEL lessons to be used after September 18th will be coming soon!

As part of its recovery plan, MCPS has developed a website for staff, students and families that highlights ongoing professional learning opportunities for the virtual opening of schools.

For staff, training opportunities are focused around these key areas:

· Technology

· Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment

· Pedagogy

· Social-Emotional Well-Being and Coaching for Engagement/Success

· Accessibility Tools for Instruction and Home

· Equity

· Health and Safety

· Onboarding, Induction, Mentoring, Communication and Collaboration

The professional learning opportunities are grounded in equity and social-emotional learning to ensure that equitable environments are established in the virtual and traditional learning spaces. Professional learning opportunities will be updated throughout the year, so please check back frequently. If you are interested in Continuing Professional Development (CPD) courses for the fall semester (Fiscal Year 2021), register through the Professional Development Online (PDO) system. The fall semester runs from October 2020 through January 2021.

Assistant Principal

Fields Road Elementary

Meet my kiddos- <3

Maddie (16), Rylee (15), Trevor (18), Tyler (24), and Jake (14)

Email: Mindy_D_Tringone@mcpsmd.org
Location: 1 School Drive, Gaithersburg, MD, USA
Phone: 240-740-7000
Twitter: @mtringone