Welcome Back to School PES families,

Our students are remarkable!  They jumped right into the new school year, masks and all, ready to learn and make new friends.  Watching them in the classrooms today and yesterday, one would never know it had been 172 days since the students were last in the school building. Many processes and protocols have changed this year, and through this our commitment to our students is stronger than ever.  Teachers continue to sharpen their knowledge of online teaching programs and have incorporated explicit and regular Schoology training for students into their classroom routines. This school year, our teachers and staff will be deliberate in our study of new strategies and practices to support students’ social-emotional learning (SEL).  One program we will delve into is Dr. Becky Bailey’s Conscious Discipline.  Feel free to do some exploring of your own:  https://consciousdiscipline.com/  You may also want to follow this program on Social Media (Facebook and/or Instagram) for tips on helping students with self-regulation, creating safe spaces, and more.

I encourage parents to routinely visit the St. Johns County School District homepage. www.stjohns.k12.fl.us for updates on district-wide health and safety procedures and expectations.  Palencia Elementary will follow all SJCSD established procedures.  Over the past several months, as health officials learn more about COVID-19, we have seen CDC guidelines and American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines change.  SJCSD will likely, in turn, also update our guidelines when such changes take place.  I thank you in advance for your patience as we navigate this safe return to school journey together.

Be on the lookout for this Pirate Post school newsletter every other Tuesday.  As always, please do not hesitate to contact your child’s teacher or administration with any questions. 

 Together in Education,

Captain  Goodrich

Principal