Woodside School Office
Bulletin

April 5th, 2020

Three weeks down...how many to go?

(Well, no answer to that question above...but I can tell you it was a wet, wild, and wooly week for the lunch bus. Due to great people working together, hundreds were served daily, and despite the weather, there was sunshine and good community cheer  from my vantage point. Please look for official updates this coming week, but there may be a necessary reduction in the number of days that the food service department can continue the safe distribution of meals...so I suspect we might be looking at something like one day per week.  At the time I write this, no formal decision has been made, so I would plan to see you there from 11:00-1:00 on Monday at the MAMS back parking lot. (Click here for a map.)

A huge and continued Thank You!

Again, for the many positive volunteers from Woodside and beyond who help make the lunch bus a smooth and positive experience.  The school has seen volunteers from every rank: custodian, administrator, teacher, ed tech and secretaries not to mention an OT therapist. It makes me feel very proud that the volunteer spirit is alive and well in our school and community.

Lunch Bus / Crunch Tent:

Want to hear a funny story….(well if you don’t keep it to yourself and just skip the next few lines!) On Thursday, in the miserable cold rain I, for one, couldn’t believe how slow the last ten minutes of the schedule dragged on…(not that we don’t love doing it...but it was that cruel kind of April rain and raw wind that doesn't much hint of coming May flowers.) In any case as the final lunches were delivered, the cones were being packed up and the busses readied for the weekend… a huge gust of wind lifted one of our red canopy tents clear over the bus in a somersault and landed in the drainage pond behind the bus. I’m happy to say not a scratch was left on the bus, and it truly was a sight to behold. As I was stunned for a moment it took me some time to realize there were only three of us equipped to retrieve it from the water’s edge. So we trudged down the slope to the pond, dragged it up as carefully as we could only to discover the legs were so badly bent and our hands so cold...there was no way to pack it up into the bus which was the usual stow away plan. We poked and prodded and banged, and urged it….but it was simply broken beyond our capability.

So, not having any tools handy, we decided to carry it over to the buildings and ground HQ...there we figured someone must have a tool, or a clue at the very least about what to do.  No such luck. But after about five minutes of head scratching, an MSAD 75 B+G employee came with his own tent...that one too had been destroyed in the day’s weather and he said, all he could do was break it so it would fit in his trick and subsequently into the dumpster.  There he then deposited it.

So, Bob (the venerable MAHS custodian, myself and a bus driver whose name I don’t recall) started gentlemanly at first but eventually went caveman style on that  tent and bent and broke the remaining legs into smithereens, crunched the remaining parts into a small enough package, and heaved the beast into the dumpster. That was how lunch ended on Thursday!

Link to our district information on COVID-19

Have you seen your principal read a book?

I plan to keep reading and posting new story links here, (and will archive older ones below.)  Today marks the first day I’ve started reading from what I’m calling the book barn at the Dedek homestead. If your house is anything like my house, finding space to do your work lately at home is a premium - and well, the barn is just a good a place as any….at least when the temperature is above 50 degrees! 

Fresh Stories Today:

April 6th  (Duck in a truck)

April 6th  (If I built a car)

The Read Aloud Story Archive: Try it for the first time, or try it again!

           Updated Learning Links  (Click For MSAD 75’s Elementary Leanring Links Page)

New At Home Learning Links (version 2.0) 

• These new learning opportunities will cover school days from April 1 -April 16th, right up to our planned school vacation. (Our previous packets were meant to last until Tuesday, March 31st.)

• You might ask, why aren’t we printing them and mailing them this time?  Well, it has been advised that to reduce the chance of spreading the COVID-19 virus in the community, that the schools stop mass copying, stuffing, mailing or distribution of packets.  We know this may create a challenge for some families.  

• If you do run into challenges you can’t solve on your own, please contact your homeroom or special education teacher, and we’ll work our best to try and safely help you out.

New At Home Learning Survey - Coming soon toan in-box near you!

As the Governor has recently requested schools remain closed until at least May 1st, we at MSAD 75 are coming to grips with the likelihood that making plans for longer term at home learning plans needs to be a part of our teachers current and future planning.  To that end, we feel it’s important to hear your voice, and we expect an at home learning survey to be ready to send out early this coming week. When you do see, please take time to read it and lend your voice to help us craft our future learning plans and expectations for elementary students.  Thank you!

Note from the Nurse

Woodside Elementary School 
42 Barrows Drive
Topsham, Maine 04086
207-725-1243
huotl@link75.org

April 3, 2020

Dear Woodside Families,

Well, March is over, and WOW do  I miss being in school. I miss all of your children, and I hope everyone has begun to find some sort of rhythm to create some normalcy to the days. I think about our community always, and I hope everyone knows that we in MSAD#75 are hoping to assist in any way possible. This includes reaching out to me as your school nurse, in times of wonder or worry. While I can not provide medical advice, diagnose or treat, I can assist you to find the most current resources and perhaps help with understanding the pandemic we are experiencing. My email address is huotl@link75.org. If  you email me, I will call you if you’d like to talk during regular school hours. 

I would also like to send a message to your children. Please tell them that I am so happy they are safe at home, and I know  they are all keeping up with the good hand hygiene practices we started in the classrooms! I am so proud of them, and I hope they are finding silver linings to being home instead of at school. Any one of them can send  me a message, I would absolutely love to hear from them! I have been able to visit a few “classrooms” during digital class time, and it makes my day! 

And thank you for your role in helping keep our community safe. As always, I recommend boosting your households immune system by getting plenty of rest along with regular exercise, plenty of water  and eating healthy meals. I urge you to utilize the lunches provided by our district, that can be picked up for any children under 18 regardless of income. Those lunches contain the ingredients for a healthy breakfast and lunch!

Remember we are here for you, and stay well,

Lori Huot RN,BSN
 

Note from Mrs. McGlauflin

A Note from you Guidance Counselor   

Dear Woodside Parents:

A video message from Mrs, McG

I have been waiting to be in touch because I know this is a tumultuous time and you have been receiving many communications from teachers and administrators!   But I wanted you to know I have been thinking of you and your children every day, hoping you are well, staying well, or taking good care of yourselves if sick.

Finding other assistance

1.  A statewide general helpline:  211.   This person has at their fingertips the current information about community resources available to you to meet the needs of your family.

2. An intentional warm line: 1-866-771-9276. This is a statewide line to connect you to a friendly person who can listen, support, and help you problem solve various concerns. 

3. A support services helpline: 1-888-568-1112. This is a number to call for any kind of support or assistance with mental health issues. It is a good place to turn if you feel you a=or a loved one are in danger, or at the limits of your coping skills.  

Be well, stay well, become well, and keep in touch.  

Warmly, Mrs. McG

Well...below, is normally where you would find upcoming dates for all sorts of activities planned for the school….for now, we’ve had to put most of that on hold.  But read on, and as things are re-scheduled...I’ll make sure to add them in.

April:

4/6/20 Lunch Bus at MAMS Parking lot, 50 Republic Dr. Topsham. (Click here for a map.)

4/6/20 MSAD 75 Virtual Finance Committee Meeting *Directions for how to attend this meeting will be posted to link75.org  

4/9/20 MSAD 75 Virtual Board Meeting * Directions for how to attend this meeting will be posted to link75.org  

4/7/20 V-PTO  Virtual PTO Meeting 6:00-7:30 p.m. Please e-mail:  WoodsideSchoolPTO@gmail.com For an invitation and password to virtually attend the meeting. 

Important Links:

Link to our district information on COVID-19

• Here you can find work packet links, letters from our superintendent, and other helpful resources to help us get through these unprecedented times.

Take care everyone, 

Stay healthy, be good to your neighbors and family, and be a little kinder than necessary in these trying times.  We are all of us good people in our hearts, but when the news of the world can be so concerning and worrisome, it's in our nature to be triggered and feel the stress response taking over. It's part of being human! Knowing  that it will happen is part of being prepared, recognizing when it happens is part of being aware, and responding when it happens by taking some deep breaths, positive self thought and talk, and remembering that you can always choose kind actions and words, well that’s part of what I hope is the Woodside way.

Yours,

Mr.Dedek

• We are partnering with our PTO who will sponsor this event featuring some Woodside Staff members.
• The date is 4/15/20...with Time TBD (somewhere between 9-3 p.m. to work with teachers scheudles)
• We are inviting parents to log in with their children to experience this as a family event.
• We expect the pack meeting to last approximately 25 minutes.
• We hope you will enjoy this glimpse into what we do as a school once a month.