As most CCSD parents are now aware, there will be NO SCHOOL for 5 days! We already knew we were getting a long three-day weekend with the kiddos, but that has quickly turned into FIVE DAYS! I am pretty sure this is almost as long as it took to create the heavens, earth, and all creatures large and small. There is no telling the havoc that the children will rain down with FIVE DAYS at home. Will they polish the dog's nails? Will they smuggle the mustard into the playhouse? Will they send home Common Core Math pages so my kids think I cannot do simple addition? CCCSD has had a tough time with staffing shortages. So this is the latest and greatest Combat Covid 2022.
Let's try and stay calm. There is still time to get to the Smiths and Lee's Discount and Target to stock up on the essentials like wine and gluten-free goldfish and glue sticks. We have time. Here are the details as per the CCSD Email.
No School Friday, January 14, 2022.
Then the weekend.
No School Monday, January 17, 2022. (MLK HOLIDAY)
No School Tuesday, January 18, 2022.
There will be no before or after-school activities, Safekey, field trips, or athletics.
Adjustments to your calendar, if you are a nerd like me and have the school calendar marked on your phone. Two, three-day weekends we had previously allotted as NO SCHOOL, will, in fact, be a day of in-person education.
In Session- Monday, February 7, 2022
In Session- Tuesday, April 25, 2022
Fingers crossed, the last day of school will be May 25, 2022.
If your student does bring home some school work and needs help, CCSD will maintain a Connection Line at 702-799-6632 from 8am to 4pm. CCSD also reminds students and families that SafeVoice is always available at www.safevoice.org or at 833-216-7233.
If you are concerned that your little, or not so little, ones will eat you out of house and home, CCSD states that students will be sent home with extra meals before the pause. (I didn't have to buy Milk for most of the pandemic with the abundance of Milk in the Free Breakfast and Lunch pick-up programs.)
We are resilient and will get through this together. I see a lot of families have taken to Social Media and Facebook groups to reach out to our community for help with childcare. Please remember that we still need to screen folks that we plan on leaving the kids with. Get references and actually call them!
So what to do with the kids for FIVE DAYS?
Send High Fives a Hero. Have your kids trace their hand and cut it out. Glue to a colorful page and let them decorate with whatever you have in your craft cupboard. (Extra points if you cut our letters from a magazine "HIGH FIVE". ) Take a pic and post it to Social Media and HERE. Tag a friend or family member who is working! I think the kid at Mcdonald's drive-thru was a hero all pandemic!
Talent Show. When you cannot take another "Watch this" from the other room, tell the kids it is time to showcase their talent! The key is, they need to PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE! This should eat up at least 45 minutes, depending on age and attention span! When they tell you they are ready, here are a few other items they can work on BEFORE the debut. Create tickets to the event, Music with Alexa, costumes, and more practice. Pro Move: set the show up for 6 pm. Problem solved!
Collage. Get out the old magazines, junk mail, and pamphlets lying around, anything you have that can be glued down Depending on the ages, kids can do a dream board, life at 30, favorite color theme, best summer ever, spelling words.
Color Hunt. Little guys love color hunts. Choose a color and search the house for everything that color. Even older kids will rush to grab 11 Orange items in under 2 minutes! Make it fun and they will love it.
Learn a TikTok. Yes, you. Kids will have the best time as you YouTube instructional videos for popular TikTok Dances! May I suggest: The Blinding Lights Dance, Siren Beat, TikTok Chicken Dance, The Unicorn Dance, Say Hey, Fresh Prince (yes, that Fresh Prince), The Hampster Dance, and of course, a personal fave- Crazy Like. If you have a tween or better, they will probably have their own list and their own moves!
I know we can do this. We are all here for each other. Reach out on Facebook . Let's start connecting. I would love to hear how things are going.
~Gayle
