Newsletter
September 16, 2020
Upcoming Dates:
September
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15th-28th - Online Scholastic Book Fair
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18th - Part 2 “Now that I’m homeschooling…” 1:10-2:00 - Zoom - We will be breaking into smaller grade level break out rooms for this meeting.
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22nd - Poetry Tea Time from 12:45-1:45 Zoom
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23rd - Cat Party - All DSIS Cat Loving Fans Invited -1:10-2:00 Zoom
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25th - Part 3 “Now that I’m homeschooling…” 1:10-2:00 Zoom
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29th - The (Almost) Monthly Press Editors’ meeting - 12:45-1:45
Paws On Project -
In an effort to build community and find ways to share together, we initiated the idea of a monthly project that we can all do together. For September we have asked everyone to make their STAR and post it on the Homeschooling Community and Workshops page in Canvas. The STAR project has a long history at DSIS and we love getting to know students and see their smiling faces shining from the stars! Please complete your star by the end of the month so that our STAR “wall” will be complete. Fall gardening will be our Paws On theme for October. Your DSIS teacher will be sharing information about gardening with you in meetings soon.
Online Scholastic Book Fair, September 15th-28th
You are invited to shop our Scholastic Book Fair online from September 15th to September 28th! All purchases benefit DSIS and connect kids with new books, favorite characters, complete series and more.
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Over 6,000 items including new releases, best sellers and value packs
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All orders ship direct to home
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Free shipping on book-only orders over $25 (see details on order)
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All purchases support DSIS and earn 25% in rewards
Visit our Book Fair Homepage and click “Shop Now” to get started: https://www.scholastic.com/bf/davisschindependentstudies
Now that I’m homeschooling…: Parent panel part 2 and 3 - Friday, September 18th and 25th from 1:00-2:00
This is an opportunity for all new homeschooling parents to join a Zoom call and ask their homeschooling questions to a panel of veteran homeschool parents. It’s also a time to meet some parents who are homeschooling like you. For questions contact Cathy Bucher at cbucher@djusd.net. Here is a link to the meeting: https://djusd-net.zoom.us/j/87150037662?pwd=blYzZERLR0xnMExFOHpDVytUNDBTdz09
Meeting ID: 862 0280 9303
Passcode: #Ladybug
Poetry Tea Time - Tuesday, September 22nd from 12:45-1:45
Get out the china cups, or your favorite mugs, brew some tea, make a special treat, find a poem to recite and join us virtually for our first monthly Poetry Tea Time. We will enjoy one another’s company and share poetry with one another. You are welcome to join, even if you don’t want to share a poem. You can share a poem that someone else wrote or write one yourself. All are welcome!
For questions contact Cathy Bucher at cbucher@djusd.net. Here is a link to the meeting: https://djusd-net.zoom.us/j/88164955762?pwd=NjFLQVhvMUFyZ1NFNmZISWpYWnVXdz09
Meeting ID: 881 6495 5762
Passcode: x+3u5%
Cat Party on September 23rd 1:10-2:00 - All DSIS Cat Loving Fans Invited
Would you like to meet Acorn, who is turning 1? The hope is for her to possibly meet a few other cats over zoom, and to talk to all things cat. Amy and Acorn look forward to seeing other cats and cat loving people.
https://djusd-net.zoom.us/j/86202809303?pwd=cHJPdVdLTGxsclNIUzhIbGRQMTk1QT09
Meeting ID: 862 0280 9303
Passcode: #Ladybug
The (Almost) Monthly Press
The (Almost) Monthly Press is a DSIS, homeschool, student newspaper, run by student editors with the support of teacher, Cathy Bucher. All students are welcomed and encouraged to submit an article to showcase in the paper. Articles can be submitted by copying and pasting them directly into our newsletter document.
The (Almost) Monthly Press Editors’ Meeting - September 29th 12:45-1:45
This is a meeting for our editors. I look forward to kicking off our newspaper with you at this date and time.
Workshops
Thank you everyone for being a part of workshops. Our weekly workshop zoom links for Workshops are on the Homeschool Community page in Canvas. The information is also linked below in a google doc. Please be sure to contact Amy, Cathy or your DSIS teacher if you have any questions about the workshops.
4-6th grade DJUSD Music Program
Music is so important and if you have not already done so we recommend families of 4th-6th grade students to read the DJUSD 4-6th grade music program letter to learn about participating in the music program and view the parent information meeting link.
Online Mindfulness Resource for Students
Counselors within our school district put together some resources for elementary students to use for mindfulness. You might want to explore them at this link.
School Garden
Please visit our garden volunteer sign-up sheet for information about volunteering to help take care of it while we shelter in place. There is a link to our garden page in our Canvas Learning Platform, and on the garden page you will find a Garden Journal where you can record your activities and observations in the garden. A visit to our amazing garden is highly recommended.
Parent Contact List
We have started a contact list for those interested in sharing and getting contact information of other DSIS homeschool families.
Link to Parent Contact information
Works Sample Time
It is the time of the year when DSIS teachers need to collect our first work samples. We collect work samples twice a semester, once during the first few weeks and again at the end of the semester. Then we do that all over again during the second semester. We need work samples in the following 4 areas: Language Arts, Math, Social Studies, and Science. You should collect any work done on paper during one week for each of the subject areas to hand in as samples. Photographs of activities in each of the four curriculum areas are also welcome as samples. The samples do not have to all be from the same week. For example, it is fine to submit 3 pages of math completed during the week 9/1-9/8 and 4 pages of language arts/writing completed during the week of 9/8-9/15. Social Studies can be tough for younger students during the first few weeks, but the star project is a good first sample for this. You could submit a photo of the star as a community building activity for Social Studies. Also, work from workshop is good in addition to what you complete at home. It is important that we collect actual work done by the student, or a photo of the student engaged in an activity. A list of books that you read with your child is not a valid sample. Finally, because of the way the state rules about independent study are set up we need work samples to have the students full name (first and last) and the date. If you have questions about work samples please be sure to check in with your DSIS teacher.
We apologize if you have received this email by mistake. Please let us know and we will remove you from the list.
Thank You,
Aaron Furtek, Adam Donald, Allison Chan, Amy Thomson, Cathy Bucher, Cathy Scarr and Christine Simms
