Children Want to Succeed

Check out our Weebly site to access all general assignments as they are posted for distance learning! 

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3/21/2020
    Good morning, everyone! We have finished our first few days of full-time distance schooling, and I think it is safe to say that we have ALL learned a lot. As we continue to move forward with things, I would like to clarify the situation and expectations, both in regards to our approach to Cov19, and to academics for kids during this time.
    While we announced the closing of campus last weekend, we could only guess at how long we would be working from home. Unfortunately, that is still the case. I do not want to lock us into returning before it would be advisable, so will not be naming any particular date for our return to campus. However, I can tell you that it will not be until at least April 27th. We will continue to watch the trends of case numbers in our region of the world, and make a concrete decision based on what is actually happening, and what scientists learn about the virus over the course of the next few weeks.
    I could tell you the advised precautions to take, but I would only be taking from more reliable, medical sources. I will simply request that you stay home if at all possible, and that you take significant precautions if you need to go out. This is not just so that you do not catch the virus, but so that you do not share your own germs with others - whether Covid 19 or a “regular cold”, it could put someone else at risk. We need to take care of each other.
    Academically, we are doing something that many schools are unable to do, or have simply not implemented yet: we are continuing on. The ONLY way students will be considered in attendance, however, is if they check in, and if all assignments are being submitted in a timely manner. Because we are still in session, students who do not attend in this manner will be considered truant, and will be reported as such.
    If your child is unable to work on any given day due to illness, please be sure to notify us via messaging or email, or we will count them as absent.
    If you choose for your child not to work via internet, you must contact us immediately to discuss options. Unless other provisions are made, this will mean that they will need to make up days after the end of the regular school year.
    Starting next week, all lessons and assignments will also be posted on our school Weebly site to make it easier to find things from previous days. Please look for links on the individual class Facebook pages.
    It is important for students to stay connected, and being involved in the conversations on their individual class pages is a valuable way to do so for the older kids. Please encourage them to check in each day, comment on the “Morning Meeting” posts made by staff, and share how they are doing.
    All communication with staff, unless requested by the individual staff member, should be done via Facebook messaging, googledocs, or email. If you are unable to find a specific individual, simply private message Poland Spring Academy, or send an email to polandspringacademy@yahoo.com, and the message/work will be forwarded to the correct individual.
    Fridays are a different situation via internet, just as they are on campus, and will take a bit of adjustment. Students are to learn something new on Fridays, and post either a picture, video, or brief description on their class pages. Please be sure that any pictures or videos containing other people are acceptable to those people - we do not want them shared without permission of the individual(s). This will start NEXT Friday, as it was not announced to the students prior to this. However, if they want to, we would welcome their posts!
    Tomorrow I plan to post some suggestions for making this time the most successful time possible academically, but also resources and suggestions for supporting kids during a time of concern for all of us. As adults, we have (likely) developed more coping mechanisms than the kids, and we need to help them in learning to cope with the fears they are facing.
My #1 suggestion, though? Have them turn OFF the news and social media except for limited time. The more time they spend on it, the more it will feed their negative emotions. Instead, INTERACT with them. Talk, watch a movie, play pass … something with face-to-face interaction is so nourishing to us as humans.
    Thank you for taking the time to read, and perhaps reread, this letter. The only way we can be successful as teachers is if you are involved in this process, and we have effective communication.
~ Melanie

‍Education is critical to success! For many families, however, educational success is impaired by the challenges their children face in traditional school programs. Poland Spring Academy is a school which offers a variety of learning options tailored specifically to meet each student’s individual needs; ensuring individual success and an ongoing love of learning to benefit them throughout their entire lifetime.

Poland Spring Academy offers classroom based programs and home school guidance to students at the Pre-K through High School levels. Independent study and online tutoring are also available to those who desire it or who live too far away for regular attendance.
There is now a homeschool cooperative connected to our school. Please check it out via their Facebook page! 

The dedicated staff at Poland Spring Academy will develop a custom fit program for each student based on their current abilities and particular learning style. Our “everyone succeeds” policy allows each student to spend as much time as is needed to complete each subject area. Staff provides individual attention as needed to ensure every student achieves the standard of learning required to receive credit. PSA's "family like" atmosphere is a safe environment that respects and reinforces the values of each individual family within our learning community.