2020-21 Back To School Letter

  • Our 2020-21 Back-To-School Letter, included below, is being mailed to families during the week of Monday, August 17.

    Dear Tyson-Schoener Families,

    It gives me great pleasure to welcome you and your child to Tyson-Schoener Elementary. The beginning of the school year is always an exciting time, filled with new experiences, teachers and learning. COVID-19 has certainly impacted what school will look like, but, rest assured, we will all stand “U-Knighted” and work together to educate our children.

    As a reminder, Reading School District will begin the 2020-21 school year with all students and teaching staff working at home through FULL REMOTE LEARNING during the entire 1st Quarter. Our teachers and staff have been busy this summer preparing engaging online learning programs and lessons for our incoming students. Even though we will not physically be together inside of our school and classrooms for now, you can still expect that your child will receive a high-quality education in a safe, supportive and successful environment. We believe that all students – without exception – can achieve at high levels, and we are committed to ensuring each student’s continuous growth.

    Important Dates:

    • Monday, August 31, 2020:
      First Day of School

    • Monday, August 31, 2020 through Thursday, September 3:
      Orientation Week for Families (more details below!)

    • Friday, September 4 and Monday, September 7
      Labor Day Holiday - School Closed

    • Tuesday, September 8, 2020
      School Reopens - First, full instructional day for students

    • Wednesday, November 4, 2020 
      End of the 1st Marking Quarter

     

    Orientation Week
    To welcome our new and returning families to Tyson-Schoener, we will host a special Orientation Week from Monday, August 31, 2020 through Thursday, September 3. Families will visit the school by appointment to receive their Chromebook (if needed), a bag of school supplies and other important information. In addition, teachers will host special online sessions throughout the week to meet students and families, as well as share some fun back-to-school activities. Following Orientation Week, we will begin our first full day of school with remote learning instruction on Tuesday, September 8.

    Orientation Week - Grades, Dates, and Times (Parents and students can pick up Chromebooks, Supplies, and Enroll)

    • Kindergarten and 1st Grade 
      Monday, August 31 (9:00 – 12:00 PM and 1:00 – 3:30 PM)

    • 2nd and 3rd Grade
      Tuesday, September 1st (9:00 – 12:00 PM and 1:00 – 3:30 PM)

    • 4th Grade
      Wednesday, September 2nd (9:00 – 12:00 PM and 1:00 – 3:30 PM)

    • Any Grade
      Thursday, September 3rd (9:00 – 12:00 PM and 1:00 – 3:30 PM)

    • Open for anyone that could not make it before
      Friday, September 4th (9:00 – 12:00 PM and 1:00 – 3:30 PM)


    School Schedule Information
    With FULL REMOTE LEARNING, the school day will be structured, and students will follow a set class schedule from 8:00 - 2:45 PM. For elementary and middle school students, the schedule will include a Morning Meeting with their teacher, on-demand video lessons and daily, small group live instruction with their teachers throughout the school day.

    Student Virtual Learning Schedule

    8:00 AM - Independent Work Time

    9:00 AM - Morning Meeting

    9:30 AM - English Language Arts (ELA) Meeting

    10:15 AM - ELA Small Group

    10:45 AM - ELA Independent Work

    11:15 PM - Science/Social Studies Independent Work Time

    12:00 PM - LUNCH BREAK

    12:30 PM - Specials/Independent Work Time

    1:00 PM – Math Meeting

    1:15 PM – Math Independent Work Time

    1:45 PM – Math Small Groups

    2:15 PM – Math Independent Work Time

    Daily attendance will be taken, and our teachers will use Google Classroom to share and collect school assignments. You will receive your child’s Google Classroom Code during Orientation Week. During the 1st Quarter, grades will return to the standard A-F grading system for Grades 2-12, and we will no longer use the Pass-Fail grading system. Younger grades will use the number scale grading system.

    Students will not be required to wear school uniforms during FULL REMOTE LEARNING.

    Reading Virtual Academy
    If you feel your family cannot follow the set FULL REMOTE LEARNING daytime school schedule outlined above, we encourage you to enroll in our district cyber school – Reading Virtual Academy (RVA), which is expanding to grades K-12 for the 2020-21 school year. With RVA, families will have a more flexible learning schedule that allows students to watch on-demand virtual video lessons at any time and then complete their work assignments by a designated date. While students in RVA do not have a full-time RSD teacher, they would have access to RSD teachers who are available to assist with tutoring, as needed. To enroll in Reading Virtual Academy, you must complete a RVA application. The application is available online in English and Spanish at www.readingsd.org/virtualacademy or you can pick up a print copy at the ROCC Building, located at 800 Penn St.

    School Communications
    We use Class Dojo to communicate directly with families, and the school district uses Blackboard for mass notifications, such as emergencies. You will receive more information about how to connect with your child’s teacher and our school during Orientation Week.

    If you have any questions prior to the start of the school year, please contact our main office at 610-371-5951, visit our website https://www.readingsd.org/tysonschoener or visit the district’s Back To School information page at www.readingsd.org/backtoschool. Together, we share the responsibility for our children’s education. I look forward to working with you to create a strong partnership so your child can achieve great success and have a wonderful 2020-21 school year!

    Sincerely,
    Dr. Salvador Sepulveda,
    Principal

    Dr. Kelly Cockrum,
    Assistant Principal