June 1st Q&A from your Elementary Administrative Team
Each month Trish Hill & Deb Landry, next year’s Administrative Team for Oak Ridge and Marc J. Smith and Chris Dintino, next year’s Administrative Team for Forestdale, answer questions submitted by parents.
You can contact us with a special email address: prek6questions@sandwich.k12.ma.us
There is also a jar or basket in each school office for questions, or you can contact any of the administrators at any time!
Q: How is technology integrated in the K-2 general curriculum to promote student productivity and enrich 21st Century skills? (Not drill and practice activities etc) Thank you so much for taking the time to answer questions.
A: For next year, our vision for technology use by students at Forestdale will have a two-pronged approach. First, we will look to work with students over the course of three years to develop functional computer skills (keyboarding, mouse skills, saving, creating presentations, etc.). These skills will be developed mostly in our technology class that students will take each week as a part of their specials rotation. We are also committed to increasing the amount of technology students have access to in the classroom. In considering the developmental needs of students in a PreK-2 building, we will be focussing on touch technology (tablets and interactive whiteboards). This will allow students to investigate and explore concepts in all the content areas in a tactile, hands-on approach.
Q: I am wondering if the policies for drop off and pick up for Oak Ridge and Forestdale will be sent home to families this summer?
A: Yes. We will be working on details as part of our administrative work this summer. Once established and finalized, we will communicate the procedures to parents via multiple formats.
Q: I have a couple of questions for Oak Ridge.
Will the kids be in the same neighborhood every year?
- Although that could happen, it is not likely that they will be in the same neighborhood for four years. It will not be intentional to keep a neighborhood together.
Also, what grade do they start going to other classes? Will this be in their neighborhood or travel to others?
- In fourth grade they will travel to another neighborhood class for social studies and science only.
- In fifth grade they will have two teachers within the neighborhood. One will teacher English,Language Arts and Social Studies, and the other will teach Math and Science. Students will travel between these two teachers together. There will be one team of three teachers at this grade level; the other teams will have two members.
- In sixth grade students will have four teachers within their neighborhood and may or may not be with the same classmates throughout the day. There will be one team of two teachers that will be modeled similarly to the grade five model.
Will recess consist of the same grade?
- Yes…however, it may not be the entire grade level at one time.
Will there be any other interaction with their friends in other neighborhoods other than lunch?
- Yes they will be going to specials with other grade level classmates. In grades 4, 5, and 6 there will be students from other neighborhoods in their specials classes. Also, they should see some students from other neighborhoods at recess.
Can you share out some of the ideas for After School Clubs for next year?
We have been working with the Recreation Department to develop a program of offerings for students next year. They are in the process of developing a program and will be sharing with us. Once approved, we will share that information with families. In addition, we will be working with our PTA’s and other organizations to build additional after school activities as we meld combine and continue programs and traditions from the existing three schools.
