State, district and school committees are meeting through out the summer to work on some of the problems and logistics of going back to school in the fall.

In the mean time, here are some tips for developing good health habits that will increase our chances of staying healthy no matter what community alert level is in effect.

*Just wanted to include this great Story Seeds podcast with author Jason Reynolds! There are reviews for some of his (and other authors’) books here*

Thorough hand washing gives kids some control over their own health. Human cultures made big progress when they figured out good personal hygiene.

The spaces around us are becoming more populated as businesses open and events are re-scheduled, whether we are ready or not. Here are some gentle tips to encourage children to give themselves and others enough space to reduce viral exposure.

Mask use may be frightening for some children. With patience and honest conversations we can encourage those over 2 to use their masks comfortably and effectively.

Here are some more resources to help you work through this pandemic with children:

American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry

Utah state COVID-19 information

Salt Lake City School District COVID-19 information

Our amazing counselor, Lindsay, has resources here.

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Some good news! New funds are available for families who qualify for free or reduced meals. If your students were receiving lunch assistance when we were dismissed from our school building, you will get a one time deposit to help with groceries. If you qualify, but your students were not receiving lunch assistance at that time, you can still apply and get that help. Make sure to submit by August 31st.

Read here for more information and get the link to the application- https://www.sltrib.com/news/2020/08/03/how-utah-families-can/

Families in the Rose Park area can now use a new computer lab at a local church. Thanks to a partnership between them, Salt Lake City and Salt Lake County agencies. Going until the end of August, residents will have access for four days a week. The sponsoring agencies will re-evaluate the program’s success in September.

Details are here- https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2020/08/04/heres-how-rose-park/

Our counselor Lindsay is always adding other support resources on her Facebook and Instagram pages. Check in with her often.

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Great news from our cafeteria crew!

“Open Classroom Charter School is participating in the Seamless Summer Option. Meals will be provided to all enrolled children and their siblings without charge, however participation will be restricted/limited for safety of students and capacity limitations. Meals are the same for all children regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability, and there will be no discrimination during the meal service. Meals will be provided through the end of 2020 or until available funds run out, for the months of September through December. Breakfast and Lunch will be at the following site and times:

OC Kitchen Loading Dock between 11am and 1pm, school days.”

In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA.

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g. Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.), should contact the Agency (State or local) where they applied for benefits.

Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.

To file a program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, (AD-3027) found online at: http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html, and at any USDA office, or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992.

Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by:

(1) Mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture

Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights 1400 Independence Avenue, SW

Washington, D.C. 20250-9410

(2) Fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3) Email: program.intake@usda.gov

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

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Normally our school Book Fair looks something like this-

Tables piled high with books EVERYWHERE!

Kids and Librarians scurrying around trying to find the best books to share with each other.

Authors and illustrators promoting their latest work.

But not this year!

This year looks like this-

On the OC home page you will find our school code on the yellow flyer and a link to more information (highlighted in red on the left). That page has all of our teachers’ wish lists, videos including some local actors reading books available for sale and the link to our Book Fair partner’s website.

Once you get to The Story Cupboard site you can start shopping safely from home!

They have hundreds of titles you can search by age, Beehive Awards, STEAM friendly, picture books, recently published, and so on.

When you are all ready to check out, it is important that you put our school code OC2020fall into the discount field. That will ensure our school library gets credit for the sale and that means MORE BOOKS FOR THE LIBRARY!

If you choose to ship to your house, be aware that this will include extra charges.

Choosing the other option is free and means that you can pick up your order at the school the week after our sale. You will be notified when your order is ready.

Please let Jen or me know if you have purchased from any of the class wish lists so we can update the list and make sure the books get to the correct teacher with a personalized gift book plate.

Thank you so much for supporting our library!

Any questions?

Contact me karen.larson@slcschools.org

or Jen jennifer.booth@slcschools.org

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You can check out puzzles?

And…

Activity Kits from your school library?!

1. Go to- https://oclibrary.goalexandria.com/and search for puzzle and kit. While you’re there, look for some books.
2. Then- email jennifer.booth@slcschools.org or karen.larson@slcschools.org with your wish list. We will set your labelled requests on the red cart near the front office for you to pick up during school hours.
3. We are always happy to make recommendations and send you a list of whatever your kids have checked out right now. Returning overdue books is a great way to start the new year!
4. Don’t forget that your students can access free online books through Sora in their Canvas accounts and our SLCPL and SL County systems are well stocked with ebooks, audio books, as well as graphic novels & magazines, too.
5. You can also find read aloud videos on the school’s YouTube channel @slcpenguins. Book recommendations are available here and here.

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We have new Book Order Forms available!

During the COVID crisis, you can choose where to have your books shipped: to your home or delivered to the school with our library order. With a $25 order, you will get FREE shipping and a FREE Book (use code: READS). All orders also earn FREE Books for our library.

Order Due Date: 02/26/2021 New forms will be available every month.

Connect and Shop Our School Library Page: https://orders.scholastic.com/TGHCM 

Shop the flyers with your child: 

https://scholastic-clubs.mydigitalpublication.com/publication/?i=688997

Flyers are also available on the red cart by the office. For those of you who want the whole sensory experience. The feel & smell of fresh book orders…mmmm.

Please feel free to forward the Library Page link to extended family and friends who may want to support your child’s reading.  

Library Code: TGHCM

Thank you for your support! 

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The school year is almost over!  Soon it will be time to evaluate what we have and dream about what we will need to keep our students reading and curious.
Last day to check out books May 21st.

We will begin calling all books and devices back to the library on May 28th.

Books

Please return all OC library books to the bin by the main office or to Sunny the Library Book Monster. If you have any lost or damaged books, we ask that you do your best to replace them in one of these ways:

1. Purchase a new or gently used copy of the book and give it to a librarian to clear your account
2. Give Nicole the replacement funds and notify a librarian to clear your account
3. Donate a new or like new children’s book to the library and… you guessed it- have a librarian clear your account

Laptops & Hotspots

Notices will start going out from the district and the OC Library on 5/28. Teachers will let you know when their classes no longer need to use devices.
All school devices must be returned to the Open Classroom along with cords and any headphones or mouses that were checked out.​ Replacement funds go to Nicole in the main office. We will be accepting all returns up until June 11th during regular school hours.

If you are feeling generous and would like to help replace any of the 300+ books lost over the last 2 years of frenzied Pandemic reading, we have a wish list –

https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/DIKA3IT08HPZ?ref_=wl_share

Here are several local Amazon alternatives-

https://www.central-bookexchange.com/
https://www.kingsenglish.com/
https://www.wellerbookworks.com/
https://www.kensandersbooks.com/
https://marissasbooks.com/https://childrenshourbookstore.com/

https://blackcat-comics.com/

Summer Reading Resources

​Check your student’s Virtual Library or the Bulletin here- https://oclibrary.goalexandria.com/bulletins#board=Summer%20Reading%202021!

We look forward to reading with your children next year and not just their cardboard or pixel representations!
Karen & Jen

karen.larson@slcschools.org     jennifer.booth@slcschools.org

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