Holland Reporter

Baldwin Street Middle School issued the following  announcement on April 18

Dear Parents,

Once again, I truly hope you and your families are doing well. I can’t express how much we miss physically seeing your kids grace the hallways and classrooms in our buildings. Our staff is working hard to finish the academic year in this new norm, and we are also deep in conversations regarding what next year might look like.

As we all continue to navigate our continuation of the remote learning plan, we want to express our appreciation for your dedication to your child. You can anticipate communication from your building principal regarding any changes to the instructional expectations. Several of our staff have received training on an accessibility tool called Read&Write for Google Chrome. Over the next couple of weeks, your children may be hearing more about this tool from their various teachers about how it might assist with their coursework. We encourage you to take a look at this application and the features that could provide additional assistance for your child’s education.

Your child may be invited to participate in live instruction, activities, or social “check-ins” with staff and other students through applications such as Zoom. These are excellent opportunities for your child to not only experience learning and support in a more personal way, but to also have a chance to see and connect with their peers. Please know that we will take every precaution to ensure the safety and security of these conversations; however, we would greatly appreciate your support by refraining from sharing the meeting ID and passwords for these meetings with others. As always, the safety and security of our students is a priority, and our staff will continue with their roles and responsibilities as mandated reporters or seek additional support if they believe a student is at risk of harm or otherwise needs assistance. 

I would be remiss if I didn’t stress the importance of the May 5th non-homestead millage election has on the operational budget for Hudsonville Public Schools. This is an annual renewal request that voters have approved every year for the past 25 years. The millage would generate approximately 5.3 million dollars of operating revenue for our school district. Keep in mind that this election will be primarily conducted by absentee ballot due to the unusual circumstances caused by the coronavirus. If you are a resident of Hudsonville Public Schools, you should have received an application in the mail regarding this election cycle. We ask that you please fill out and mail back that application so you will be mailed an absentee ballot. Know that this is not a tax on primary residences and is not a new tax. We do encourage you to apply for an absentee ballot, but if this is not an option for you, please get out and vote that day.

The partnership between our staff and community is what makes our district a premier district in the state. Please continue to visit our website, as the information available can be of great value. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all you do to support our kids, our community, and each other.

Sincerely,

Dr. VanderJagt

Superintendent

Keep Explanations Age Appropriate

• Early elementary school children need brief, simple information that should balance COVID-19 facts with appropriate reassurances that their schools and homes are safe and that adults are there to help keep them healthy and to take care of them if they do get sick. Give simple examples of the steps people take every day to stop germs and stay healthy, such as washing hands. Use language such as “adults are working hard to keep you safe.”
• Upper elementary and early middle school children will be more vocal in asking questions about whether they truly are safe and what will happen if COVID-19 comes to their school or community. They may need assistance separating reality from rumor and fantasy. Discuss efforts of school and community leaders to prevent germs from spreading.
• Upper middle school and high school students are able to discuss the issue in a more in-depth (adult-like) fashion and can be referred directly to appropriate sources of COVID-19 facts. Provide honest, accurate, and factual information about the current status of COVID-19. Having such knowledge can help them feel a sense of control.

Suggested Points to Emphasize When Talking to Children

• Adults at home and school are taking care of your health and safety. If you have concerns, please talk to an adult you trust.
• Not everyone will get the coronavirus (COVID-19) disease. School and health officials are being especially careful to make sure as few people as possible get sick.
• It is important that all students treat each other with respect and not jump to conclusions about who may or may not have COVID-19.

There are things you can do to stay health and avoid spreading the disease:

Avoid close contact with people who are sick.

Stay home when you are sick.

Cover your cough or sneeze into your elbow or a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.

Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.

Wash hands often with soap and water (20 seconds).

If you don’t have soap, use hand sanitizer (60–95% alcohol based).

Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.

Original source can be found here.