Hello Families! We have two weeks to go before the summer break! The students are doing a great job, if not getting a little restless. We’re all ready to take a break and come back to what is looking like a much better year! The students are really enjoying going outside for lunch and afternoon classes. We try to do that every day, weather permitting. Next week looks like it will be hot, but we might get a lot of rain, so please make sure to dress so that you are cool if we have to stay in the classroom. From what I understand, the air conditioning problem is ongoing and will not be fixed any time soon. It gets pretty hot and humid in here!

I also wanted to update you, as far as we know right now, we will be in class full time beginning in August. (August 30th, 2021 is the first day of the new school year) This means virtual classes will not be held. You may have heard about a “Virtual Academy”, and I did verify that that is only for students in grades K-12. Since the transition program is considered grade 14, this does not apply to our students. Granted, a lot can change between now and then, but I wanted everyone to be prepared for the fall. The district has been very good at keeping parents updated through phone calls, emails and FaceBook. Keep an eye out for any announcements from the district over the summer.

Upcoming Dates:

June 14-18 will be Spirit Week. We will announce the details next week.

June 17 – Picnic lunch for in person students. We will be celebrating those who are moving on to Project Search and/or exiting next year! (Weather permitting! If it rains we will have a “Plan B”)

June 18 – Last day of school – half day!

From our district nurses….

COVID-19 Screening
Has your child returned to the U.S. after traveling internationally in the last 7 days? If the answer is Yes, the child must stay home to quarantine for 7 days from the date that they returned to the U.S.  Then on the seventh day, the child must get a COVID PCR test and have a negative test result before returning to school.

Don’t forget! Students should bring a lawn chair to school on Monday, May 17th for outdoor lunches and instruction. We plan to be outside every chance we get! I looked online today an Walmart had some under $6.

In-person students have been assigned a leisure recreation/planning activity. All instructions and materials are coming home with them. Everything is due the day we return, Monday the 17th.

Online students – some of you haven’t completed your leisure recreation assignment yet – get those pictures in by Monday the 17th! Also, please pay attention to the zoom invitations. Sometimes there are instructions to follow to prepare for the day’s lesson.

Have a great break and we’ll see you next week! We’re getting close to the finish line……22.5 days of school to go!

For those who are on Bus #10: It has come to our attention that a very well meaning bus driver gave the students on his bus his phone number. We have instructed the students not to call that number, but you may want to follow up with your son/daughter. Our students think they “know” him, but we had to explain he’s no one their parents know, he’s no one the teachers know, and they only know him for the short time they are on the bus – so it is not appropriate to take his number or to call him. People are well meaning but they don’t realize that these situations could put them in danger with the wrong person.

~Camp and Cote

Hello! Just a few reminders this week….

1. Lawn Chairs – please send in a folding lawn chair for your student by Monday, May 17th to be used for outdoor lunch and instruction. When we have nice weather, we will be going outside for lunch and afternoon classes. We will be able to take a much needed mask break while we are outside. Chairs should be the folding kind that have a bag type carrying case. Students will be carrying their own chairs across the parking lot (unless they are unable to do so for physical or safety reasons) so please make sure it is something manageable. (No lounge chairs!) We will keep the chairs here until the end of the school year and send them home during the last week of school. We are all excited for warmer weather and the change of scenery!

2. Please remember, virtual students are not logging on to the computer Friday May 21, June 4 and June 11. Our monthly unit is about making leisure plans on their own and the goal is for them to practice that during this time. Activities have been provided in Mrs. Camp’s book, as well as instructions, score cards, and a review sheet. Students can also play their own game or arrange to do something outside with a friend (like basketball, riding bikes, etc.). Please make sure to send a picture of your student participating in the activity or fill out the review form for credit. In person students will have this same activity assigned beginning next week.

3. Next week is a short, two day week! No classroom or virtual instruction will take place Wednesday – Friday, May 12-14

Upcoming Dates:

May 28 – 31 No School – Memorial Day

June 18th – Last Day of School – Half Day

Have a Happy Mother’s Day!!!

~Camp and Cote

Hello! I mentioned something to the class today that I planned on putting in the blog on Friday – but they were so excited I thought I better mention it to you now. Once the weather is warmer – we will start going to the park for lunch and we may even have a few classes outside as well. Students will want a lawn chair so that there is room for everyone to sit comfortably and space out. We will be able to take a break from our masks once we are outside! EVERYONE is looking forward to that!!! Beginning Monday, feel free to send in a lawn chair (the folding kind that are stored in a bag) and we will store them here. Please make sure the students name is on the chair and bag. We will keep them here until the end of the year and we will send them home the last week of school. If you need to purchase a chair, they are available at Walmart, Target, Dicks Sporting Goods, Meijer, etc. Please feel free to contact us with any questions!

~Camp and Cote

Good Afternoon! Here we are at the end of April – it’s an exciting time of the year! The students are doing well and the warmer weather is making all of us anxious for summer days to come!

Beginning next week, virtual students will not log on to class for zoom on Friday’s, but they will have an alternate assignment instead. The unit this month is about Leisure Recreation and students are learning how to plan and spend their free time. The assignment and directions will be in the zoom schedule every Friday. Students should submit either a review form (pg. 70 in Mrs. Camp’s orange book) or should send a picture of their activity to the classroom phone 313-701-7985 in order to get credit for the activity. We will follow this schedule on May 7, 21, June 4 and 11th. On June 18th we will meet again to say goodbye for the summer! This is for Friday’s only! Please make sure students log on Monday – Thursday!

The class continues to do a great job in class and online! Please remember to bookmark the pages for your student if they are virtual and need that support. It’s also o.k. to cut out activities ahead of time if they need it. (It’s not necessary if they don’t need help – I have time built into the schedule for cutting activities). A little extra help with our students goes a long way. Unfortunately, I’m still seeing a few students struggle with these things. Overall though – everyone is doing a great job. We’ve come a long way since September!

Have a great weekend!

~Camp and Cote

MRS (Michigan Rehabilitation Services) is partnering with Dearborn Public Schools to provide transition and pre-employment services to our students. These programs will be run during school hours, while the students are in class. We will begin virtually, and will move to in-person type services when it is safe to do so. This means ALL students, whether virtual or in-person, will be able to participate right now. In order to expedite the process, every family was emailed the application packet earlier today. In addition, students who attend in-person will be bringing home a printed packet. In the packet, there are 6 forms to complete in order for the students to participate. You will also need to include a copy of the students ID as well as their social security card. If you need help making copies, we can do that for you in the classroom and send the originals back home with the student. Packets are due back in school by Wednesday April 21, 2021. Please return the packet using the same envelope they were sent home in. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to us. There are a few questions that may come up that I think I can answer ahead of time:

1. All students in this program have an IEP. They do not have a 504 plan.
2. Your student is currently attending the transition program
3. You student is considered “Grade 14”
4. The students expected Graduation Date is the school year they turn 26. Example: 2021-2022 school year with a 26th birthday on 9/13/21 – graduation date will be June 2022. If the student turns 26 during the summer of 2022, the graduation date remains June 2022.
5. Students in our program do not have a high school diploma or a GED
6. Students in our program receive a CoC or Certificate of Completion

Due to lack of participation, the 9 a.m. virtual class will be paused until after Ramadan. The 9 a.m. class will resume on May 17th. The 10 a.m. class is required and will continue. Students not attending the 10 a.m .class will be marked absent.

Vaccines are now available for anyone 16 and over. Please follow the Districts Facebook Page and/or firstbell.dearbornschools.org for announcements about vaccine clinics and how to get a vaccine for you and/or the student in your family. Currently, walk up appointments are available in Taylor at the Wayne County Community College between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. until Saturday April 17th.

Student cell phones have become a problem for one or two students. As a reminder, students who cannot follow classroom rules regarding cell phones will be asked to keep them at our desk for the day. If the problem persists, the cell phone will be kept and a parent will have to pick up the phone from the teachers. Currently we have one student who is at this point. He knows who he is. LOL.

Good Morning! Spring Parent-Teacher Conferences will be held next Wednesday (April 14th) between 3-6 p.m. If you would like a conference, we have created a Sign Up Genius for you to sign up for your time. Please sign up for a time by Tuesday, April 13th. All conferences will be virtual and we will send the link for conferences at the end of the day on Tuesday. The link was sent to all families on Remind. You may also sign up here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0545A4AF23A0FE3-spring

In other news, the students have done a great job adjusting to our “surprise” virtual week! I am so proud and impressed! Students who were asked to log on at 10:30 instead of 10:00 did a spectacular job, and I am proud of everyone for their active participation. We had a lot of good discussions!

Many of you have asked whether we are going to remain virtual while the positivity rate is high. We have not received any communication regarding that – but if we do I will send out an announcement through Remind. (The district is also really good about sending emails and robo calls). If you don’t hear anything by the end of the day tomorrow, expect that we will be back to school.

Hello! Today was the last day before Spring Break. We will return to school on Tuesday, April 6, 2021. We hope you all enjoy the time to relax and unwind!

On April 5th, the district will be sponsoring a free COVID testing site at EFHS. If you are traveling or visiting other households, it is encouraged to get tested before returning to school in order to stop the spread of COVID-19. In addition, you should have received a survey from the district regarding receiving the vaccine for students age 16 and up. Please look for that and fill that out. The district will use the information to possibly arrange for student vaccination clinics. It is not a promise of a vaccine. The vaccine is not a requirement, it is only for those who wish to have it.

Thank you to those who sent in supplies for their student this week! Some students are still missing a few items, and some are forgetting lunches from time to time. Students need a lunch every day unless you receive a notice from us.

That’s all for now! Be safe and enjoy the break!

~Camp and Cote

Reminders for the week:

Please make sure your student has all of the supplies required to do their work. Notes were sent home today if your son/daughter was in need of something. Students really need to have a full set of colored pencils (not markers) in order to complete daily activities. Twistables by Crayola are a good option as they don’t require sharpening.

Ask your son/daughter to see the “listening activity” they brought home today. Students were given a silly picture and read a set of 6 directions to follow. Directions were read one at a time, but they are only read once, so students must be listening in order to complete the activity ! Anything less than 4 points needs work!

Next week will be a full week, and the last week before Spring Break. Spring Break is March 29-April 5th. (Classes resume Tuesday April 6th.)

Have a great weekend!