Green Dot Public Schools Tennessee Re-Entry Updates 8/31
Welcome Back, Green Dot Students and Families!
Safety First
"Safety isn't expensive, it's priceless." - Author Unknown
One of the first things many of us learned as students was safety first. We are hopeful that all of our students and families are safe and well during this time, taking all of the proper precautions to remain healthy. Please consistently follow guidelines for wearing masks and take every opportunity to wash and sanitize your hands and spaces around you.
As we continue to attend school through distance learning, Green Dot Public Schools TN is always thinking about the safety of our school communities. We will continue to follow the guidance of Mayor Strickland's "Back to Business Plan" to determine when it is safe to re-enter the school buildings. Once the city moves to Phase 3 of the plan, we are currently in Phase 2, we will provide families a two week transition period to prepare for in person instruction. We are looking forward to greeting students at the front doors of our schools for in person instruction and we will provide more information on what that will look like in our next newsletter. Stay tuned!
Parents, Your Feedback Is Important to Us!
Thank you for supporting Green Dot Public Schools as we provide academic support through distance learning. We want to hear from you to make sure we are supportive of you and your students throughout this process. Click below to access our Fall 2020 Parent Survey.
Students, It's Not Too Late to Join Our Re-entry Advisory Committee
Distance learning has begun and we want to hear about your experiences. Honest feedback will help us improve the learning model for you. If you would like to join the conversation, please click on the link below to sign up.
Our next Student Advisory Committee meeting will be held after school hours on September 9, 2020. You must sign up to be on the committee in order to receive an invitation link.
Partner Spotlight
This week's GDPST Partner Spotlight is HEAL901!
HEAL901 is a nonprofit organization where the motto is “Increasing human potential while decreasing human suffering”. Keron Cowan is the founder and executive director. But, before the creation of such a phenomenal organization, he started his journey as a Memphis native, growing up in the inner city. Not only is Keron one GDPST's community partners but he is also a graduate of Fairley High School, class of 2004. After graduating from Brown College with a degree in Mass Communication, Keron created Heal 901, an organization that works collaboratively with local businesses, schools and churches to provide services and resources to the most vulnerable populations in the city of Memphis.
One of the highlighted programs that they power is C.B.I.M. (Coaching Boys into Men), which Fairley High School has the pleasure of utilizing with student athletes. They were able to obtain and apply the skills that were taught in this program have a greater impact on their communities, setting positive examples to other students. Keron has taken his life experiences to be a mentor to young men in the urban community. To obtain more information about other programs or how to volunteer with Heal 901, visit their website.
Happenings at the Dot
Grindhouse Boxing
School is in full swing, which means it's time for Grindhouse Boxing. Jessica Hubbard, assistant principal at Fairley and founder of the boxing gym, is eager for new and old students to join the boxing club this year. If you are willing to volunteer because you have some skills inside the ring or looking for an activity that will build you up physically and mentally, reach out to Ms. Hubbard, [email protected], for more information.
Check out this article and video about the great things happening at Grindhouse Boxing!
In Case You Missed It
Need WiFi at home?
Green Dot Public Schools TN understands the technology gap that exists for families in our communities. We are proud to be able to partner with Comcast to provide six months of free internet service to enrolled families who qualify. After the six months of free service, families will have the opportunity to continue, with a nominal fee.
We have extended this opportunity to all of our current students and have received an overwhelming response. Fortunately, we are able to extend this to newly enrolled students as well. So, if there are families contemplating enrollment but are afraid they will not have access to internet for their students to attend distance learning, we will work to get them enrolled, assign a laptop and set them up with Comcast for WiFi.
Please email your full name, your student's full name, and your best contact number to [email protected] or call your student's school to sign up today!
Don't forget to sign up!
Join our partners at United Parents and Students (UPAS) for a virtual Meet & Greet to share your thoughts and ideas about factors outside school boundaries that not only pose barriers to learning, but also inhibit local quality of life as a whole.