Keep up the good work!

Keep up the good work!

Taking Care of Yourself and Others

As we adjust to the reality of virtual learning for the rest of the year, I want to remind you to take care of yourself, so you can take care of others!

Caring for Yourself
Stay At Home Self-Care


Caring for Your Students

Trauma Sensitive Schools - how to help students

Mrs. Ziebol's Virtual Calming Corner


Share the Love!

Continue to recognize the things your colleagues are doing every day to support our students and each other: Houlton High Five Padlet. 

Student Engagement - Online Learning

The Staff Development on April 13th will focus on Weekly Expectations for Student Engagement in Online Learning. You can take a minute to review any of the documents below prior to our staff meeting, or use your planning time on

Monday to look through these.

Staff Meeting presentation - 4/13/20

Student Interaction Resources (links)

• Student Interaction Tools- This document is extremely beneficial as it provides structure to the various types of instruction and approved tools to use with students. 
• Student Interaction Tools Professional Learning- Staff are required to attend one of the Google Meet sessions on April 13th, and are encouraged to attend other sessions also offered that day.
• Google Meet Guidelines/Use Elementary

Check In

Check In

Dear Houlton Staff;

Here's a message to review our Houlton Way to share with students - I'll have Kelly put it on Hawk Talk, too!  The Houlton Way, by Mrs. Hellmers

As we prepare for Week 2 of our online learning, I have a few updates and tips to share.

As of now, teachers are able to connect with kids through Google Meet and the PARENTS' email. 

• Google Meet: Here are instructions to set that up Set Up Google Meet. Google Meet can also be downloaded as an app on your phone. I played with that a little this weekend and it seemed pretty user friendly. This extension is extremely handy while using Google Meet. It allows users to see all participants in one grid. I have used it over the past week and really like it.  
• Please do NOT use Zoom as there have been many security issues regarding the use of school/business emails. 
• Email Tips: Also, Katie C. put together a short screencastify that walks you through some some great email tips that is well worth sharing: Email Tips. Thanks Katie for the new learning!

Please continue to link your weekly plans to your common doc (HO Weekly Plans) and log your communications with parents here: HO Family Communication.  I will be keeping an eye on it, but please let me know if there is a family you are concerned about.

April 13th Professional Development:

• April 13th has been identified as a modified Virtual Learning opportunity. Stay tuned for further information.  
• As a result, our grade level team PLC time will be changed to Wednesday, April 8th and Thursday, April 9th. ALL STAFF - please let me know if you'd like to join any of the meetings, and I'll add you to the Google Meet invite!

Wednesday, April 8th

K - 8:30

1 - 9:00  

2 -9:30

Thursday, April 9th

3 - 8:30

4 - 9:00  

5 -9:30

Other Updates:

• If there is something from your classroom that you really need, please let me know.
• There is no school scheduled for students Friday, April 10th or Monday, April 13th.  **Please make your On-Line learning plans OPTIONAL (or no plans at all) for those days. Thanks!!

Good News from Houlton

• Good News from Houlton families - I've been collecting emails from families sharing their gratefulness for all of the Houlton staff!
• Ideas to Keep Learning Alive! - Thank you for the creative ideas to keep kids engaged!

Thank you, thank you, thank you for all that you're doing!

Sue