Katharine Mosher

As of March 22, 2020:

With the safety of our students and staff continuing to be our top priority, schools will remain closed through at least Friday, April 3, in response to the public health emergency COVID-19. Mayor John Cooper today announced the “Safer at Home” public health order, which closes non-essential businesses and requires residents to stay inside their homes unless they are engaged in certain “essential activities,” effective Monday, March 23.

District leadership continues to meet daily to monitor the situation. Families can always reach the Family Information Center at: familyinfo@mnps.org.

Most recent updates include:

• All employees should work remotely, as possible, through at least Friday, April 3. 
• School-based employees will generally not report to school during this period and may work from home unless otherwise needed. Access to the facilities will be limited during this time.
• All events (field trips, extra-curriculars, etc.) through Friday, April 3, have been canceled, including TSSAA games. Events after Friday, April 3, will be reevaluated in the coming days.
• All before- and after-school programs are canceled until further notice.
• Third-quarter grading and report cards have been postponed until further notice.
• Read more updates in our newsroom.

From bringing donations to tornado victims to getting out in nature, Sylvan Park panthers are making the most of an unusual Spring.

The Lost & Found is now located outside the music room.

MNPS is curating learning resources in one location for students to continue learning at home. The resources are posted at https://www.mnps.org/digitaltools. The site includes information about getting free internet access through certain service provides. Be sure to read the district’s blog with additional activities that are creative and also free! If students need help logging in to any of their school accounts, or resetting their password, call the MNPS Help Desk: 615-269-5956.

Sincere gratitude to everyone who contributed to the call to action at Park Avenue on Friday! Below are photos of donations and an after picture of what your efforts helped make possible for our neighbors.

Nashville is the latest city to have a confirmed case of coronavirus (COVID-19). This is a cause for concern, vigilance, and science-based instruction – not panic.

MNPS has been working closely with Metro Public Health Department (MPHD), which follows guidance from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention Center (CDC) and the State Health Department to monitor the situation regarding the coronavirus (COVID-19).

We want to emphasize important ways to be safe and prevent illness from spreading. Below is a list of common-sense ways to stop the spread of germs and sickness. ALL teachers will be reviewing the following information students today and throughout the week. Parents, please talk with your children about these tips as well:

• Any child who is sick at school should be sent home.
• Teach your students to wash hands with soap and water for 20 seconds or use an alcohol-based hand rub. (Video: https://youtu.be/d914EnpU4Fo) 
• Teach students to cover coughs and sneezes with tissues or by coughing into the inside of your elbow.
• Teach your children to stay away from people who are sick.
• People who are sick should stay home from work or school until they are better.

District staff are formulating contingency plans in the event schools are required to close for an extended period of time. We will continue to work with MPHD and monitor the situation.

Below are resources available for staff, students and families. Although some of the resources address the flu, the same protective measures should be taken for COVID-19.  Routine good cleaning and disinfecting daily is critical.  

• Everyday preventive actions are steps that students/staff can take to help slow the spread of germs that cause respiratory illness, like flu: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/pdf/freeresources/updated/everyday_preventive.pdf
• To share with parents and families: https://www.familiesfightingflu.org

Students in grades 3 and 4 are taking part in a letter exchange with Mayan children in the Palajunoj Valley of Guatemala as part of our month of activities associated with Latin American Night.  With help from Señora Poole, Sylvan Park students wrote these letters in Spanish and will receive letters from the Guatemalan students in late March.  Latin American Night will benefit the Primeros Pasos clinic, which serves children and their families in the Palajunoj Valley.

Our call to action has come!

Robert Churchwell Elementary (North Nashville) will be relocating their students and teachers to Park Avenue Elementary.  Please help us welcome them to the Sylvan Park neighborhood.  We are currently in need of the following: 

1. Park Avenue School is looking for volunteers tomorrow to help move classrooms around to accommodate the new students.  They will be working at the school from 7am-7pm. Show up any time you can!

2. Sylvan Park PTO has organized a school supply drive.  We are currently looking for volunteers to sign up to help collect and organize supplies.  Please sign up to help here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E0E4DAFA622ABF58-volunteers 

3. Lastly, we are in need of school supplies (see list below)! You can drop off donations tomorrow at Park Avenue School between 8am-4pm.

We are so thankful for the giving spirit of Sylvan Park!

• Fiskars scissors – blunt tip
• Large pink erasers
• Boxes of regular sized Crayola crayons
• Expo Dry Erase Markers
• Elmer’s glue sticks
• Crayola markers, CLASSIC colors, 
• Crayola watercolors
• Kleenex tissues
• Copy paper
• Pencils                               
• 1/2 inch binders
• Hand Sanitizer
• Clorox  wipes
• Paper towels
• earbuds
• wide rule filler paper
• wide rule spiral notebooks 
• 2-pocket folders

Mrs. Dunaway’s “Super Readers” kicking off Read Across America Week. Costumes provided by Cindy Martinez (Noah Young’s mother).

The weather allowed Marathon Kids to meet last week and hear words of inspiration from Ms. Doucet.

Congratulations!!! Sylvan Park has collected a total of $353 for the Box Tops competition for the 2019/20 year! The following highlighted classes will be rewarded with ONE NON-SSA DAY! Stay tuned for the reward day date. Thanks for everyone’s participation and keep scanning Box Top receipts!

West End Middle wrapped the Box Tops competition this year with $196.90 of totally free money!  Eakin Elementary’s current total is $235.40. Great job to all schools and families!

Guest readers are helping students celebrate reading and beloved author Dr. Seuss during Read Across America Week at Sylvan Park. Parents are visiting classrooms and the library as VIP readers all week.

Parents and friends of Sylvan Park are invited to be guest readers during Read Across America Week March 2 – 6. Please visit the signup here to choose a time. Questions? Contact Rae Finnie at rae.finnie@mnps.org.