November 2020 News and Notes

Home Learning Kits Delivered

Home learning kits were delivered to students at the end of October in an effort to maximize the quality of Chelsea School’s virtual learning program. Each student received a kit specially designed for their class schedule and their learning needs. Kits were delivered via parent pick-up and through staff delivery.

Each student received in their kits some learning essentials, such as a daily planner, paper and notebooks, pens and pencils, a dry-erase board, a hand-made facemask, fidgets, and a packet of specially selected graphic organizers, semantic maps, and templates.

Middle school students received art and ceramic supplies, a sports kit provided by Leveling the Playing Field, fraction and decimal tiles, a jump rope, and laminated maps for social studies classes. Upper Division students received materials for their specific classes, including geometric models, algebraic manipulatives, chemical molecule kits, anatomy models, cell models, maps, and workbooks.

The kits are designed to make virtual learning, which relies on the visual and aural modalities, more accessible to our students by providing tactile and kinesthetic modalities. “Having materials that they can touch, feel, and manipulate is very important to the learning process,” said Head of School Kristal Weems-Bradner. “We need to engage as many senses as possible to make the curriculum come alive for our students.”

The learning kits were made possible through the generous donations of Chelsea School parents, staff, alumni, board of governors, and supporters to the school’s fall fundraiser for virtual learning entitled “Keep them Learning, Keep them Safe.” In total, the Chelsea community raised over $15,000 for the virtual kits. The fundraiser was also supplemented by generous in-kind donations from the Brewer Foundation, Staples, Leveling the Playing Field, Shrimad Rajchandra Love and Care USA, and the Chelsea School PTO.

In addition to the learning kits, Chelsea School also upgraded its chromebooks to better meet the needs of its students. The Chelsea School tech team selected a chromebook model that included a larger screen and keyboard, more memory and processing capability, and a touch-screen interface. These new machines will make it easier for our students to interact with challenging and engaging academic content. Many students have already received their chromebook “upgrade” and are successfully using the new machines.

School Leaders “Unbox” the New Learning Kits

To provide families with a comprehensive run-down of all of the amazing instructional tools contained in the new learning kits, Mr. Mills, Chelsea’s Executive Director, and Mrs. Weems-Bradner, Chelsea’s Head of School, took a page from their favorite YouTube stars by making their own unboxing video. They displayed and explained all of the items in the learning kits for the benefit of families. It took quite a bit of time, because these learning kits are packed! Thanks to the generous donations of Chelsea’s parents, staff, alumni, and supporters – along with some generous in-kind donations from some local businesses and charities, the school was able to provide learning kits that will help all of its students be successful in the virtual platform. To see the “unboxing” video, go here: https://youtu.be/0erUxbc-plg

Chelsea Seniors Collect Food for Families in Need

Chelsea School’s senior class will be collecting food for local food pantries as well as families in our own school community who are struggling during the COVID-19 pandemic. Donations of non-perishable food can be made on Saturday, November 14th outside the school on our parking deck. The class encourages the donation of canned food, dried food, cooking supplies, and other items.

Many families have been struggling to make ends meet in recent months, and our school community wants to help. For individuals who wish to make a monetary donation for the purchase of grocery store gift cards, please go to https://www.chelseaschool.edu/resource-portals/parents/other-payments/

Family Feud at Chelsea!

On Wednesday, October 28th, students, staff, and families participated in the first-ever virtual Family Feud game at Chelsea School. The event was sponsored by the Chelsea PTO as a way to help families and staff connect socially during the pandemic. The event was the brainchild of Chelsea’s Social Taskforce Committee which has been charged with devising new and creative ways for students, staff, and parents to connect socially to build a sense of community during the pandemic.

The event was produced and hosted by Chelsea’s Director of Admissions Debbie Lourie, who worked tirelessly to make the event a success. Staff, students, and families were asked to participate in a survey in the week prior to the game to provide the “top ten answers” that would appear on each question board. Students, staff, and parents joined together in teams as they represented either the Blue Knights or the White Knights, Chelsea School’s two rival houses.

Chelsea Says Goodbye to Three Champions

On Friday, November 20th, Chelsea School will be saying goodbye to three outstanding educators: Linda Teabout (7 years of service), Carol McFall (18 years of service), and Pam McRae (25 years of service). The school will be hosting a virtual retirement party to celebrate these educators service to our school and to send them off with our best wishes.

Linda served Chelsea School for seven years as an Occupational Therapist. During her tenure at Chelsea, she provided therapy to many students and was a great contributor to school events and culture. Always ready to pitch in and help, and always wearing a welcoming smile, we will surely miss Ms. Teabout!
Carol McFall has been at the center of Chelsea School’s art program for the last 18 years. During that time she has taught art to thousands of students. The annual student art show at our Academic Fair was always a much-anticipated event! Carol’s love for teaching children was infectious, and her desire to introduce as many students as possible to art was much admired. Thanks to her, many students tried ceramics for the first time on the potter’s wheels. We will miss her generous spirt and the color that she brought to our walls.
Pam McRae has served students at Chelsea for 25 years, making an indelible mark on the lives of thousands of young people. More than a counselor, Pam served as the Head of Counseling as well as the Middle School Coordinator for many years. Her heart and soul was the students in the Middle School, for whom she advocated tirelessly. A creative and brilliant educator, Pam taught students to discover their learning difference “super power” in her Social Skills classes. Although on of the kindest people in our school community, Pam will be remembered for her fiery passion for her students.
The event is open to all current students, staff, and families, as well as former students, staff and families. Please contact Debbie Lourie, Director of Admissions, to RSVP for the event.