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

Dear Glenside Families,

It gives me great pleasure to welcome you and your child to Glenside Elementary School. 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
First full remote instructional day for students

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

Orientation Week
To welcome our new and returning families to Glenside Elementary School, 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 (K-4 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, 2020.

Use the link https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0D4CAFAA2CA4F8C43-glenside to schedule your school orientation or call 610-371-5913 for scheduling. Your child’s teacher will also be contacting you to do a 1:1 orientation remotely on one of the following dates.

Monday, August 31, 2020
7:45 AM - 3:45 PM

Tuesday, September 1, 2020
7:45 AM - 3:45 PM

Wednesday, September 2, 2020
10:45 AM - 6:45 PM

Thursday, September 3, 2020
10:15 AM - 2:15 PM

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. Kindergarten and First grade will use B, P, N letter system for grading. Pre-K 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, 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 like with remote learning, 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
Our school website is www.readingsd.org/glenside.

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 610-371-5913, visit our website www.readingsd.org/glenside 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,
Ms. Melissa Fisher
Twitter: @msfisherRSD

The first quarter of the 2020-2021 school year is full REMOTE learning.  If you need to speak to someone in the Glenside office, please call 610-371-5913 and press #7. Arrival and dismissal procedures will be provided when students return to campus.

A list of remote morning activities will be posted weekly on School Story beginning September 8. They will occur from 8:25-8:55. These activities will serve as incentives for students who participate in assigned meetings and groups as well as complete all assignments to the best of their ability. They will be provided with a link for their activity choice for the following week along with any basic materials needed for the activity.

Thursday after school remote clubs will be offered for grades 1-4 beginning October 1 by Penn State Berks Teacher Interns.  Details will be provided via School Story on Dojo and via the Glenside website.  Limited space will be available for each club, and student participation will be based on attendance and characteristics that promote learning.