Coronavirus (COVID-19) Preparedness, Family Resources, and FAQs
At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Peck established two task forces that worked diligently to develop a number of academic and community strategies—including strategies for re-entry in the fall of 2020—that prioritize the health and safety of our community. These task forces merged for the duration of the 2020-21 school year to monitor and fine-tune Peck's safety strategies.
Peck relays on its strong partnership with parents that we pride ourselves on at The Peck School. We will provide support and guidance to assist parents in helping keep our community safe. In return, we ask that parents are diligent and proactive at home by being mindful of your COVID-19 exposure, monitoring your child and family for symptoms, and maintaining open and honest communication with the school based on the parameters we establish. We will continue to closely monitor the latest information surrounding COVID-19 and utilize this page as a resource for parents.
Updates and Announcements
Sunday, January 17, 2021 Please review letters from the Head of School for important information regarding Peck's transition to Distance Learning for the coming two weeks:
Distance Learning schedules for Lower School Homerooms and Upper School Grades are linked below.
Teachers will post assignments by 7:30 a.m. each morning on SeeSaw and Google Classroom.
We will communicate details regarding an additional round of saliva PCR testing for all faculty, staff, and students in the coming days.
Please note that this appendix to the 20-21 Family Handbook supercedes that document during the global health crisis. This is a working document which will be updated as the year progresses.
View our student Responsible Use Policy (RUP) pertaining to technology use. This applies both at Peck and to distance learning.
Please review and remind students that video manipulation, inappropriate recording, and sharing of Zoom links and other Peck content are strictly prohibited.
If you have questions about using SeeSaw (Gr. K-2) or Google Classroom (Gr. 3-4), please contact Jen Garvey at jgarvey@peckschool.org.
If you have questions about home technology, remote access for distance learning materials, or accessing Google Classroom for Grades 5-8, please contact the Tech Team.
If you would like to talk with someone about health and wellness issues pertaining to your child or family, please feel free reach out to our nurse or school psychologists for help.
If you have questions about secondary school placement, please contact our Director of Secondary School, Christine Williams, at cwilliams@peckschool.org.
If you would like suggestions from Athletics Director Dave Carlo about keeping kids active, or questions about our sports seaons, please email him at dcarlo@peckschool.org
If you have questions or comments about our daily emails (Beaconettes sent M, T, Th, F) or weekly e-newsletter (Beacons sent W), please reach out to our Director of Strategic Communications, Heather Burchfield, at hburchfield@peckschool.org
If you need help navigating the parent portal or have questions about the website, contact Associate Director of Strategic Communications Jen Cleary at jcleary@peckschool.org
If you would like to share a craft or request an activity, please reach out to our AfterSchool & Auxiliary Programs Coordinator Darlene White at dwhite@peckschool.org
Witnessing a parent in a state of anxiety can be unsettling for children. This childmind.org article discusses ways to handle anxiety for yourself first, then children.
This article from the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) is a comprehensive guide for parents about talking to children about the coronavirus.
Often kids worry more when they are kept in the dark. This childmind.org article discusses tips and topics to guide discussions with children about COVID-19.
Key Take-Aways:
Talk to children in a developmentally appropriate way
Deal with your own fears and anxiety
Take your cues from your children
Focus on what you (and others) are doing to keep them safe
Storyline Online: This SAG-AFTRA Foundation’s award-winning children’s literacy website streams videos featuring celebrated actors reading children’s books alongside creatively produced illustrations. Lunch Doodles with Mo Willems: Weekdays 1 p.m. EST Draw with Kennedy Center Artist-in-Residence Mo Willems during a virtual studio visit! Videos also posted to his website.
Stay at Home Story Time with Oliver Jeffers: Weekdays 2 p.m. EST on Instagram Live Oliver Jeffers will read his books via his Instagram Live as well as post recordings to his website.
The site includes learning journeys across four different grade spans—PreK/K, Grades 1–2, Grades 3–5, and Grades 6–9+. Learning experiences cover ELA, STEM, Science, Social Studies, and Social-Emotional Learning.
The Scholastic Learn at Home website does not require a username or password, and is open freely to all. The learning journeys are accessible on any device. They are designed to limit the need for printing, and allow students to learn independently or with their families.
Capstone Interactive eBooks are interactive, browser-based, digital books that feature easy navigation tools and enhanced content such as read-to-me audio that supports readers of all types and ages.
PebbleGo is a curricular content hub specifically designed for K-3 students. Packed with informational articles, ready-made activities, and literacy support for students of all abilities, it boosts engagement and fosters independent learning in core subject areas.
Early Learning Academy is the leading and most comprehensive digital early learning resource for students in preschool through 2nd grade. ABCmouse offers a research-validated curriculum with more than 10,000 individual Learning Activities and more than 850 complete lessons along our Step-by-Step Learning Path. ABCmouse includes a significant amount of Spanish language content.
Adventure Academy is a massively multiplayer online game (MMO) for students in 3rd through 8th grade. Adventure Academy brings learning to life as it builds critical knowledge of essential curriculum topics with thousands of learning activities in language arts, math, science, and social studies in a safe and engaging virtual world.
Pinna is an online streaming service customized for kids ages 3-12. They offer audiobooks, podcasts, and music. They’re offering 60 days free on their site.
ReadingIQ is an advanced digital library and literacy platform for children through 6th grade that provides access to thousands of high-quality books, all curated by experts to advance literacy. ReadingIQ includes many books in Spanish, and an offline mode that does not require continuous Internet connectivity.
Exploring by The Seat of Your Pants This organization offers live streaming events (via YouTube stream) with leading scientists, explorers, adventurers, and conservationists around the world. Events are also recorded.
Ultimate Guide to Virtual Museums This Museum Computer Network guide is a comprehensive list of museums (Art and Culture, History, Natural Science) around the world that offer virtual tours, online collections, and e-learning. It also includes virtual tours offered from some U.S. National Parks, and a list of child-friendly museum activities.
The Peck School does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or family composition in the administrative policies or operation of the school.