ALL THINGS SEASIDE
Parent Square is Seaside Charter School's consortium-wide communications platform. For new families requiring assistance, please email crt@seasidecharter.org
ParentSquare’s main function is to provide a way for Seaside to send out mass communications to our school family. By mass communications, we mean whole consortium, whole school, whole grade level, or whole classroom notifications. We also use the calendar to post consortium wide events and the forms function to send out surveys, field permission trip forms, etc. We are working with our staff to ensure that these types of notifications are sent exclusively using ParentSquare. Some examples of what you might see sent via ParentSquare are:
● Consortium Wide
o Policy Updates
o Festival Flyers
o Surveys
● School Wide
o Arrival and Dismissal adjustments
o Material drop off or pick up dates
o PTO/A announcements
● Classroom
o Weekly Newsletters
o Birthday celebrations
o Supply requests
o Schedule updates
Our staff will use the ParentSquare messenger feature or email to contact individual families with concerns or requests.
● Consortium Wide
o Policy Updates
o Festival Flyers
o Surveys
● School Wide
o Arrival and Dismissal adjustments
o Material drop off or pick up dates
o PTO/A announcements
● Classroom
o Weekly Newsletters
o Birthday celebrations
o Supply requests
o Schedule updates
Our staff will use the ParentSquare messenger feature or email to contact individual families with concerns or requests.
EXTENDED DAY
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Seaside Charter Schools Extended Day program provides a fun, engaging, and structured environment promoting indoor & outdoor free play activities as social-emotional enrichment. Complementary to the Waldorf-inspired curriculum, free play is a form of experiential learning for the grades students. By definition, it is play, undirected by a teacher, expressed through the creative imagination of the students.
Building forts and fairy houses, free drawing, modeling with beeswax, and imaginative stick play are all examples of free play encouraged in this program. Through peer-led activities such as these, the child not only draws inspiration from the mixed age environment, but also acquires important problem-solving skills. With this in mind, a teacher's intentional holding of this program is paramount in establishing a hygienic social environment beneficial to students. A daily rhythm anchors each of our mornings and afternoons together. In addition to free play, this rhythm includes movement games, story, drawing, and snack. An engaged teacher is keen to group dynamics and will introduce pedagogical stories, group games, and chores at varying times throughout the day. Through these activities, the teacher is modeling for the students the etiquette of work and play. |
Extended Day Program is for all ages.
Times: 7:00 – 8:15 A.M. 3:50 – 6:00 P.M. For more information regarding extended day please visit our parent handbook. To register for extended day visit the resource hub on ParentSquare. Not signed up for ParentSquare? Email Deb, crt@seasidecharter.org |
ELECTRONIC MEDIA GUIDELINES
Media and the Home
The philosophy of Seaside Schools are based on a deep respect and understanding of the developing child. We believe that it is important to nurture the imagination and healthy development of the whole child. Direct, hands-on interactions with others, the environment and
with nature are critical. Electronic media can often interfere with these natural experiences. Teachers observe that a child heavily influenced by media must process screen-images through his/her play. The quality of play and ability to fully absorb the curriculum is greatly enhanced when media viewing is minimized or eliminated.
Seaside Schools understand that most parents/guardians do their best to avoid excessive media/tv/video/games. We encourage you to continue your work as advocates for your children. We recommend avoiding media such as television and video games during the school week. We also recommend delaying smartphones, unsupervised internet access, and social media accounts for Seaside elementary and middle school children. This will strengthen your child’s ability to focus and become fully immersed in the day’s curriculum. This will also further facilitate a nurturing, child-focused environment for all Seaside children to grow and thrive. The American Academy of Pediatrics has issued new guidelines on media use: Media Use in School-Aged Children and Adolescents
(Helpful Note: Parents that need communication (text/call) and tracking devices, may benefit from exploring other non-smart devices widely available on the market today).
Limiting media protects against the negative effects that research shows are associated with increased media exposure, including obesity, impairment of neurological development, increase in aggression and desensitization to violence, shortened attention span, and other
cognitive and social deficits.
Media, Technology and Internet Use at School
Teachers will use media (video, internet, music) in limited amounts as instructional tools for their students to meet the curriculum guidelines. While in the presence of children, teachers and staff are expected not to use cell phones for texting, calls, emails, or social media. Cell phones may be used for emergencies, coordination, or to contact a child’s parents. Cell phones for photos, video recorders, or cameras may be used when certain that all children have media releases. Students may use the computer/internet for research and to meet the writing/technology state standards. In the grades, keyboarding/computer instruction will be added to ensure that children are able to use the computer for the required state assessments. At all times, internet safety practices will be followed.
All adults are asked NOT to use their cell phone or electronic devices while with the children in the classrooms or on the playground. Phones, camera, or video recorders may be used to record events, when certain that all children have media releases. Do not post or repost any photos of our students. Be sure not to identify children by name in any photos or videos.
Adults are asked not to use their cell phone or electronic devices while in the car line pick-up/drop off area.
Students are NOT to keep cell phones or electronic devices on their person during the school day. If a child brings a cell phone or an electronic device to school, it will be kept in the school office until the end of day. If a student needs to call home, he/she will ask his/her teacher for permission to do so from the school office phone. If a parent has a family emergency, he or she should call the school office and school
personnel will contact the student. Violation of the policy will result in immediate confiscation of the device. Parent(s)/Guardian(s) must pick up device at the office in person after school. The school is not responsible for cell phones or other electronic devices brought to school by students and will not be liable for damaged, destroyed or lost cell phones or devices.
The philosophy of Seaside Schools are based on a deep respect and understanding of the developing child. We believe that it is important to nurture the imagination and healthy development of the whole child. Direct, hands-on interactions with others, the environment and
with nature are critical. Electronic media can often interfere with these natural experiences. Teachers observe that a child heavily influenced by media must process screen-images through his/her play. The quality of play and ability to fully absorb the curriculum is greatly enhanced when media viewing is minimized or eliminated.
Seaside Schools understand that most parents/guardians do their best to avoid excessive media/tv/video/games. We encourage you to continue your work as advocates for your children. We recommend avoiding media such as television and video games during the school week. We also recommend delaying smartphones, unsupervised internet access, and social media accounts for Seaside elementary and middle school children. This will strengthen your child’s ability to focus and become fully immersed in the day’s curriculum. This will also further facilitate a nurturing, child-focused environment for all Seaside children to grow and thrive. The American Academy of Pediatrics has issued new guidelines on media use: Media Use in School-Aged Children and Adolescents
(Helpful Note: Parents that need communication (text/call) and tracking devices, may benefit from exploring other non-smart devices widely available on the market today).
Limiting media protects against the negative effects that research shows are associated with increased media exposure, including obesity, impairment of neurological development, increase in aggression and desensitization to violence, shortened attention span, and other
cognitive and social deficits.
Media, Technology and Internet Use at School
Teachers will use media (video, internet, music) in limited amounts as instructional tools for their students to meet the curriculum guidelines. While in the presence of children, teachers and staff are expected not to use cell phones for texting, calls, emails, or social media. Cell phones may be used for emergencies, coordination, or to contact a child’s parents. Cell phones for photos, video recorders, or cameras may be used when certain that all children have media releases. Students may use the computer/internet for research and to meet the writing/technology state standards. In the grades, keyboarding/computer instruction will be added to ensure that children are able to use the computer for the required state assessments. At all times, internet safety practices will be followed.
All adults are asked NOT to use their cell phone or electronic devices while with the children in the classrooms or on the playground. Phones, camera, or video recorders may be used to record events, when certain that all children have media releases. Do not post or repost any photos of our students. Be sure not to identify children by name in any photos or videos.
Adults are asked not to use their cell phone or electronic devices while in the car line pick-up/drop off area.
Students are NOT to keep cell phones or electronic devices on their person during the school day. If a child brings a cell phone or an electronic device to school, it will be kept in the school office until the end of day. If a student needs to call home, he/she will ask his/her teacher for permission to do so from the school office phone. If a parent has a family emergency, he or she should call the school office and school
personnel will contact the student. Violation of the policy will result in immediate confiscation of the device. Parent(s)/Guardian(s) must pick up device at the office in person after school. The school is not responsible for cell phones or other electronic devices brought to school by students and will not be liable for damaged, destroyed or lost cell phones or devices.