Dear Parents/Guardians of Snow Elementary,

It is with great pleasure and an honor to serve you as the new principal of Snow Elementary School beginning October 1^st of this year. I look forward to meeting all of you and working alongside the community.  I am honored to have the opportunity to lead a school with such a rich legacy of success and so many points of pride. I have dedicated my career to the students of Dearborn for the last 16 years. I started my career as an elementary classroom teacher then moved on to an elementary resource teacher/instructional coach at Salina intermediate. I then moved on to be a middle school bilingual resource teacher and have spent the last four years as Assistant principal at Woodworth Middle School. I am eager to dedicate my skills to the Snow community. 

As all of us embark on the upcoming school year we do so for the first time with high levels of uncertainty due to the current international crisis we all know as Covid-19. This has affected all of us in so many ways. Our students and community as a whole have had to encounter many hardships as a result. However, this will not deter our mission to make this school year the best one ever. I plan on working with parents, teachers, students and the entire Snow community to ensure that our students are safe and learning at high levels. Together we will continue to provide experiences that are rigorous, relevant and with relationships based on trust to prepare them for their future endeavors. As your new principal it is important to me to greet everyone who enters the school with the utmost respect. I have an open door policy and value every stakeholder’s opinion. Please feel free to contact me to discuss any concerns you may have or any points of pride you would like to share. 

I look forward to our work together in the years to come and establishing a team committed to the Snow community. Please stay safe and have a great school year.

Sincerely,

Mohammad Abdelfattah

Snow Elementary Principal

Hello Team 5th grade familes!

Students will be starting the NWEA test this Wednesday morning, September 23rd. We will begin testing at around 9:15 am.

Students will be testing from home, so please do not help them with the test. However, you can help them with troubleshooting any technical problems that may arise. As always, this data will provide us with information that will help us drive instruction in a more targeted manner, which is why it is imperative we get accurate and authentic results.

Students Should:

• Get a good night’s rest
• Eat a healthy breakfast
• Take the test seriously

Attached is more information regarding the test.

If you have any questions, as always, please feel free to reach out to me.

Respectfully,

Mr. D

IMPORTANT CHANGE:

For those students who have an in-person DRA Reading test tomorrow, 9-22 and Thursday 9-23 of this week, please use the HOUSTON doors of the Snow Building. Parents/Guardians, please walk your student up to the doors located on the Houston Street side of Snow School (these are the doors off the upper el playground), door number 12. At that time you will need to fill out a COVID consent form, so please accompany your child to the door.  Parents will not be entering the school.  If you would like to wait for your child you may do so, in your vehicle, outside the school.  The total testing time will be approximately 45 minutes.

Parents/Guardians: Feel free to wait in your vehicle or return to pick up your student. Testing is from 2:00-2:45, then 3:00-3:45 depending on the slot you signed up for.

If you still haven’t signed your student up to test, please use this link to do so. https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0f4da4a62ba0f58-ireadydra There are times available this Thursday.

The test will be administered, in person, here at Snow School in our classroom, Room 3.  Since safety is our top priority, we will only be testing 3 students at a time during each time block.  Students are required to wear a mask, and we will remain socially distanced, 6 ft apart.

If a student has a school Chromebook we are asking that they please BRING IT WITH THEM, and that it is FULLY CHARGED. This will help us greatly, thank you!

We respectfully ask that you please adhere to your scheduled time in order to keep everyone on track.

Thank you so much for your patience and support! I appreciate all of you!

With so much respect,

Mr. D

Today is a half day for students. (8:55 am-11:45 am). Teachers will have professional development in the afternoon.

Have a wonderful day!

(This announcement applies to all students AFTER they’ve come in to school to begin their IReady Diagnostic Test. How ever much of the test they do not finish in class, during their scheduled time to come in, they will finish at home and in accordance with the directions below. We will continue in-school testing on Thursday September 17th, and Tuesday, September 22nd.) Here’s a link to sign your student up if you haven’t already done so: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0f4da4a62ba0f58-ireadydra

Hello Team 5th Grade Parents!

Thank you for bringing in your child for testing today! Today we were able to begin the iready diagnostic test however the test is long and they will need to complete it at home. Here are some suggestions for testing at home. Please remember that this is a TEST and that when our students are taking a test, they are doing this independently (on their own) and their results will guide their independent instruction going forth. Keep in mind- students must take this test seriously because we want them to work at their level daily. 

Test Taking Requirements: 

• Must be in quiet environment 
• No parent help allowed (please have them take the test on their own)
• Only work for 30 minutes at a time (don’t over-work them)
•  This test is done best with headphones (may have to listen to questions)
• This test may take several sessions do not try to complete it in one day
• TRY YOUR BEST ☺ 

Thank you for all your support during these times. In order to appropriately guide your child, we need an accurate assessment. 

Thank you again!

Team 5th Grade! 

Good afternoon Team 5th Grade families!

Just a quick reminder to please take some time today to sit with your child and go through Schoology with them to see if they have any missing assignments. On their Materials page you will see an “overdue” section just above the “Upcoming” section. These are great places to check for missing work.

Here is a GREAT, short video to help you understand the student side of Schoology. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE watch!! Thank you!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=98&v=wEz-58YMBuE&feature=emb_logo

With so much respect,

Mr. D

Hey 5th grade families!!

We will be administering the DRA (Developmental Reading Assessment) & the I-Ready assessment to students beginning Tuesday, September 15th.  The test will be administered, in person, here at Snow School in our classroom, Room 3.  Since safety is our top priority, we will only be testing 3 students at a time during each time block.  Students are required to wear a mask, and we will remain socially distanced, 6 ft apart.

If a student has a school Chromebook we are asking that they please BRING IT WITH THEM, and that it is FULLY CHARGED. This will help us greatly, thank you!

SIGN-UP INSTRUCTIONS:

Please select a time on our Sign Up Genius form that your child can come in to take the test.  Please type in your name, and your student’s name, in the available slot. LINK to SIGN UP GENIUS: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0F4DA4A62BA0F58-ireadydra

Please meet your child’s teacher at the Snow School entrance on the Culver St. side of the school.  At that time you will need to fill out a COVID consent form, so please accompany your child to the school door 10.  Parents will not be entering the school.  If you would like to wait for your child you may do so, in your vehicle, outside the school.  The total testing time will be approximately 45 minutes.

We respectfully ask that you please adhere to your scheduled time in order to keep everyone on track.

Thank you so much for your support as we continue to navigate uncharted waters, and strive to provide the best education for our students. I appreciate all of you!

With so much respect,

Mr. D

Good evening Team 5th Grade students, parents, and guardians!

I hope you had an amazing extended weekend, and a fantastic Labor Day Holiday! I spent a lot of time outdoors this weekend, and even enjoyed some burgers on the grill with family!

I just wanted to send a reminder that tomorrow, and every morning, Monday through Friday, we will start our day at 8:55 am with a Zoom meeting, and then into a lesson. It is really important that students are logged in and on time to our sessions as I will be taking attendance and beginning our morning meeting promptly at 8:55 am. Let’s respect each other’s time, and make sure you are on time, dressed appropriately, have your camera turned on, and ready to learn!

Students, please make sure you have your materials that you picked up on Friday with you when you start the call tomorrow morning. Thank you!

To enter the Zoom call students must access Schoology THROUGH THE dearbornschools.org WEBSITE. Once they log into their account and access Schoology they will click on our Team 5th Grade Course. Once they do that, all they have to do is click the “Join Live Zoom Session” link. After they click the link, they will be entered into a “waiting room”. Once I see they are logged on, I will “admit” them into the call. This process has been set in place to keep our students safe.

My live lessons will last about 30 mins (sometimes longer, sometimes shorter), then followed by some independent work in which I will be available for support. This “lesson-independent practice-lesson-independent practice” model will continue throughout the morning from 8:55-11:45. I will explain the process to the students. This model will allow for students to get lessons in 30-40 minute bursts, then provide them with an opportunity to try their skills independently, but with me sill available for support via Zoom.

Here is a current, working model, of our daily schedule. However, as with many things right now, it is subject to change.

DeSantis Daily Schedule

Thank you for all your support and patience already, as we continue to navigate uncharted territory in the education world! I’m very thankful to have such a wonderful group of students and parents!

I will continue to work hard to provide the best education possible for our students!

Go TEAM 5th Grade!

With so much respect,

Mr. D

Just a quick reminder that there is no school today, September 4th and Monday September 7th.

School will resume on Tuesday, September 8th at 8:55 am with our Zoom learning session.

Have a WONDERFUL weekend! I am thankful for all of you!

With so much respect,

Mr. D

Good morning,

Due to construction on Culver Street please park in the Snow school parking lot and then walk over to our designated location in front of Snow school. We look forward to seeing you!

Reminder: Due to the materials pick up there will be no zoom session this morning.

I can’t wait to see all of you!