Smith Middle School Counseling, N. Elder, PhDDearborn Public Schools

Apr 15th Dear World, From Smith Students

Dear World,

You have made a lot of sacrifices during this hard time right now. Some of these sacrifices are good for some things but really bad for others. For example, some of these sacrifices have kept some people healthy and have saved many lives but on the other hand, many lives have been taken and many have been risked. People have also lost jobs which made them lose money. But throughout all of this I have learned that it’s better when you get to spend more time with your family and make as many memories with them as you can during this time. I will never be happy to be away from my family because this time taught me you should savor the good moments because you never know when one of those moments could be your last.

Sincerely, S.J. 6th grade

Apr 14th Dear World, From Smith Students

Our students have been writing letters to the world. Enjoy the postings

6^th Grade Dear World Letter – Send a statement to any of the prompts. The letter will be prepared and sent to you. It will be posted on the smith Website any you will be able to share or post it with your family approval!

Dear World,

I want front liners that focus on all the bad things that happen right now to try to focus on the better things. With all that is happening and  all negative things happening to try to stay a bit happier. When you see a front liner that talks about what is happening right now it would make you feel a little bad. However, if we try our best to fix a negative situation like this happening only with some help we can make people’s day better. If we can distract ourselves and focus on other things or do simply things that make us happy that would be great. If we can show happiness then that will affect other people too.

Signed – OL Smith Middle School 6^th Grader- C. S.

Apr 13th Beginning This Week All Teachers Are Posting Assignments in One Place!

We hope this helps reduce any confusion! Let us know what you think….:)

Apr 10th We Miss You Messages From Your Awesomme Viking Staff….Enjoy!

Apr 3rd SMITH VIKINGS SPIRIT WEEK WAS FUN!

Our staff meet up with grade level groups before spring break and had a nice opportunity to share some common experiences. Enjoy some of the messages and photos.

Notice Mr. Reddick enjoying Hawaii’s Virtual Sun!

You missed it, Mr. Kade gave us a glimpse of the amazing murals he is working on for Smith walls! Did you know Mr. Kade is an “artist” as well as an “art teacher?”

6th grader Megan is staying active, she follows an amzing daily schedule and includes a physical workout. Megan, tracks will open up soon then you can get back to your running!

We met our new Administrative Intern, Mr. Frank Haliburda? Welcome Mr. Haliburda!

7th Grade student: Ms. Sisty i just wanna come back to school i dont wanna be home i hate it here i dont wanna be home anymore .
Ms. Sisty: It’s really good to hear from you. I am so sorry things have been tough. It sounds frustrating…….

https://drive.google.com/drive/recent

Students posted messages to Front Line Workers around the country thanking them for their heroic sacrifices and messages of inspiration that we are all thinking of them. Thanks to all families who participated, Viking Students & Families!

Thanks, to the Dearborn Schools leadership, Smith Viking administrators, and staff for keeping us safe. Thank you H.N. 7th grade

Thank you Front Line Workers (Nurses, EMT, Police Officers, doctors, Med Assistants, technicians, etc) for your hard work and you should get 2X your pay because your doing 4X your regular work. Thank you A.H. 6th grade

Thank you family for supporting me, 6th grade

thank you Dearborn Schools leadership, Smith Viking administrators, & staff for your continued commitment. When I sleep in, you are still working you re doing more than enough, 6th grade

Thank yous are not enough for the first responders, health care workers and other essential workers working in this crisis on our behalf! God Bless you all!! Thank you S. T. 8th grade

Thank you so much for helping me and other people out! I love that you guys are working super hard and don’t even get a break! You deserve everything right now , Thank you!

I love you guys and you guys are very special, I know nana and Aunt Cindy are both in the hospital possibly having it but we are a strong family and will stay strong together. For our health, education and many more! Thank you E.B. 6th grader

Thanks front line workers, you were good. Thank you Hussein, 7th grade

Messages from Our Students to Educators & Front Line Workers who teach & protect us!

hello (Ms. Alsuraimi)! I am just giving thanks to you for making sure we have are weekly work and helping all the students do this without trouble. you do so much for your classes and i appreciate it and am happy I have a awesome teacher like you. have a good day! B.H. 7th grade

Hi Ms Sisty, Ms. Savage & Ms. Jedrzejowski,  I’m pretty sure school is canceled for the rest of the year so I just wanted to thank you for everything you have done for me and taught me. I want to tell you that you are an amazing teacher and I can’t wait to see you next year.  S.J. 6th grade

hello! I hope you are doing well during this crazy time. I understand it is very hard for all of you teachers and parents and everyone, but i really do appreciate everything you guys are doing for us as students making sure we have are work. I hope you are having a good time with your family at home. thank you! B.H. 7th grade

Mr. Baiz sends his regards and will always remember OL Smith as amazing!

See you after Spring Break! Remember to continue journaling.

Apr 3rd Resources & Contact Information

Following the advice of government officials, we are working from home.  But, we will still be serving our community remotely. Contact information during shutdown. The following are resources.

General information:  313-827-3006 or communications@dearbornschools.org

Social emotional hotline – 313-827-8500 or dss@dearbornschools.org

Tech support – 313-827-8400

Human Resources & Student Services – 313-827-3068

Special Education – 313-827-7050

Apr 2nd Meeting With All Students

The AST (Affective Support Team – Counseling, Social Work & Social Responsibility Tech) are currently meeting with students. Today’s meeting went well!!!

We will continue checking in on how students are doing during their Remote Learning and adjusting during school closure. Our meetings will be via Zoom Meeting, be interactive and monitored by staff. Students will be able to ask questions about academics, grades, futures scheduling, or just enjoy a bit of socializing. Teachers and administrators will also be dropping in as well.

The schedule for Friday, April 3 is:
8th grade 11 am  
6th grade – 12 pm
7th grade – 1:30 pm

Students should check their emails 30 minutes before their scheduled meetings for link to log in.

April 3rd will be the last meeting before spring break; but we will pick up again after spring break. Students should check Google Classroom and email for the weekly schedule. Parents are also welcome to join in.  

Dont forget to send in your Spirit Week messages and photos!

Mar 31st Free Remote Book Resources

Sign up today to receive FREE access to eBook Libraries, specifically curated for students and families to use at home.

https://goto.benchmarkeducation.com/acton/fs/blocks/showLandingPage/a/34723/p/p-015b/t/page/fm/0?sid=TV2:gWS5oUG25

Mar 31st Parent Connect Log In

Parent Connect Log In – To login to ParentConnect, parents need their PIN and password. Go to Dearborn Schools web site then ParentConnect link.

If  you need help click on the (Need Your Login Information) link and it will prompt you to enter your email address as provided to the school and entered in MIStar (Menu/Enrollment/Student Editor/Contacts) and click Submit. This process emails your PIN and Password. If you are still unable to log in email an administrator or the counselor

If you still have difficulty logging in to Parent Connect. Please let us know! You can email an administrator or the counselor.

Mar 31st Grades Will Be Posted To Soon

Grades will be out soon; they will not be printed but parents will be able to access grades remotely. As families continue to adjust to this period of remote learning, we as educators are experiencing similar adjustments and making flexible accommodations. As we head into the last card marking, please partner with teachers to provide as much learning support as possible. Some suggestions for the next card marking:

1. Limit distraction
   A “digital quarantine” will help keep your child’s attention focused on their schoolwork. Limit use of their devices, other than what is needed to complete their work. If you choose, you can allow your child to play on a device during a designated break,
2. Make space for learning If possible, create a specific area of the home for schoolwork in a quiet, comfortable, and dedicated space.
3. Maintain breaks such as snack time and recess
   Routines & schedules are extremely important for children at school, and no different at home school. Children will function best if they maintain a routine. Some parents are setting alarms like at school. After lunch, get some fresh air, go for a walk or bike ride, or have a snack so that they are not sitting the entire day.
4. Allow them to have supervised interaction with friends
   Kids are used to lots of social contact at school, so they will feel the effects of being distanced from friends. While it might not be safe for your kids to see their friends in person, you can allow limited interaction beyond social media or text messaging. Video chats are often the closest thing to seeing someone in person and a way to get in social time without endangering yourself or others.
5. Mix screen time with old school learning mediums
   Overuse of screen time can have adverse impacts on young brains, so it’s important to mix it up. It’s likely that your children will want to continue to use a screen of during their breaks, so limit screen time by mixing in old school mediums, such as print reading.
6. Keep in touch with other parents
   During this time, staying in touch with others via virtual communication is very important. Each parent that has a child home is going to be going through a new experience. Check in with other parents to see what they’ve found to be effective.
7. Don’t underestimate the power of a schedule
   It’s likely that this is the first time working from home has happened for some families. A schedule is extremely important. Experts recommend: Having a clear vision of what is expected of your child will help them see that just because they are home does not mean they don’t have work to do. Help them prioritize, create goals, tasks & deadlines, just like adults do when they go to work.
8. Don’t let your children treat this as a vacation
   This time at home might feel like a vacation for students, it’s important to remind them that their education is still the priority. Obligations like class assignments, grades, tests, state exams, are not going away and will continue when they return to schools.
9. Remember to schedule time for fun While this is a challenge for everyone, including school leaders who are trying to accommodate and support families, it is important to have some fun with your children, so use it as an opportunity to bond. Experts recommend having game time, getting outside for a hike or walk together, create some down time to “reflect & chat.” Your child will be part of history when the next generation reads about how families coped with remote learning during the Corona Pandemic Shutdown of March 2020.

Family Activity Task – Create a Time Capsule with your families. What will you place in the time capsule?