ISY Elementary School Faculty Blog
Here we go again!

Mike Simpson
18 September 2020
I really enjoyed the meetings we had online discussing our enduring understandings and essential questions for our Quarter 2 units. Many connections were made and I know we have the got the makings of three great units. But now we have to make them!
We will start this planning process next week by creating scope and sequences for each unit. I will send meeting invites out as follows:
- Tuesday, 2:00-2:40pm: Grades 2 & 3
- Tuesday, 2:45-3:25pm: Grades 4 & 5
- Tuesday, 3:30-4:10pm: Grades PK, K, & 1
- Wednesday, 2-3pm: Specialists*
The goal is to have a planning document shared with you on Monday for you all to review and assign roles. On Tuesday, we will discuss the planning document to make sure we know what needs to be done and who needs to work with who.
The following week we will start developing weekly lessons. One step at a time but we will be stepping quite quickly!
Creating these units is a very complex task during a very uncertain time. But the late Dr. Ken Robinson would suggest that this is the perfect time to reimagine what education looks like.
Feedback from Parents and Students
Through your efforts, we enjoy good support from our students and families. There are the odd comments around technology but the overwhelming need that both families have is to feel that the students have a connection to each other and to their teacher – through learning or just as people.
This is to be expected and this is why we now send home weekly family reports. We need to keep finding ways to keep connecting with our students.
I know our CLO coordinators are scheduling extra meetings to connect with students. I also know that our synchronous teachers are reaching out to students after 12:30pm as needed. Please keep doing this. It is appreciated and will help keep students engaged and connected as move forward.
This week’s Elementary Family Blog focuses on the importance of connection and it will interesting to see if the feedback we receive from today’s family survey still focuses heavily on this.
Upcoming Events
October 5-9:
WASC Online Accreditation Visit
Previous Elementary School Posts
Elementary School Faculty Blog – June 3, 2022
While we have one more week to go, this will be our last Faculty Blog post for the year.
Elementary School Faculty Blog – May 27, 2022
ISY Elementary School Faculty BlogLooking Back Mike Simpson May 27, 2022From October 23, 2020.... In case you are wondering why you are tired, we went online 219 days ago. We all know we are doing our best…. even when we are not at our best! Check in. How am I? What...
Elementary School Faculty Blog – May 20, 2022
As we come to the end of the school year, I am looking back on blog posts from the last two years.
Elementary School Faculty Blog – May 13, 2022
We have Student Review Meetings coming up at the end of the month.
Elementary School Faculty Blog – May 6, 2022
If anyone wants to give interactive videoconferencing a try next year, just let Lindsey know.
Elementary School Faculty Blog – April 29, 2022
I hope your conferences went well today. The parents who I have been speaking to today are all very appreciative of their children’s teachers.