Principal Newsletter May 7, 2020
Principal Newsletter for May 7, 2020
● If you haven’t already shared a warm wish for your teacher(s), please do so, it is National Teacher Appreciation Week!
● A huge “Thank you” to all who contributed a poem or came to read a poem on our poet trees! Great pictures of second grade students hanging their poems as well as a great article of our community building project!
● A warm welcome to Rebecca (Becca) Levit who has been hired to cover Mrs. Provost’s maternity leave. Becca has been interning at Sheffield and has been joining class meets this week to say hello again.
● This is the 8th week of school closure, and our teachers have been working diligently at supporting your child (ren) academically and socially, so please reach out with ANY question, concern, or comments. i-Ready reading and math should be done daily for 20-30 minutes as it is tailored to your child’s learning needs.
● We will be setting up a date and time in early June for families to come retrieve a bag of your child’s personal effects.
● Please read the following from our school nurse: Nurse Sue->
School has been closed now for 8 weeks, with social distancing and remote learning, stress can be overwhelming at times. Taking time to take care of yourself and family members is so important for everyone’s health, and so here are a few simple ways to help.
● Take breaks from watching, reading, or listening to news stories, including social media. Hearing about the pandemic repeatedly can be upsetting.
● Take care of your body.
○ Take deep breaths and stretch.
○ Try to eat balanced meals.
○ Exercise regularly, taking a short walk and getting fresh air may be all that you need.
○ Try to get plenty of sleep.
● Make time to unwind, try to do some other activities you enjoy; board games, gardening or watching a family movie are always a favorite.
● Connect with others, talk with people you trust about your concerns and how you are feeling.
If things become too overwhelming, there are hotlines available to help:
Disaster Distress Helpline, call 1-800-985-5990, or text TalkWithUs to 66746
National Domestic Violence Hotline, call 1-800-799-7233 and TTY 1-800-787-3224
I am available at 413-863-7441 Monday-Fridays 9a-12p for phone calls concerning healthcare. Stay safe and be well.
Suzanne
With Sheffield Pride,
Melissa Pitrat