April 8, 2020
Learning from home
Around Town
St. Charles County WIC continues services during COVID-19. Pg. 5 All city of O’Fallonoperated buildings closed until further notice. Pg.2 St. Peters Municipal Court and Police Records offices closed to public through April 17. Pg.3
Special Section Updates from the St. Charles County Public Health Department. Pg. 4
Features
Photo by Brett Auten Elizabeth Jones goes over some lessons outside on her deck in St. Peters with her sons Carson (far right) and Wyatt. Jones, like many parents across the county, are confronted with the task of incorporating some sort of homeschooling into their life since the COVID-19 outbreak has all schools shut down through April 24.
With schools closed, parents and teachers all over St. Charles County are facing the challenges of remote education By Brett Auten Since the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, everyone’s new normal looks very different depending on the day. With all schools closed through at least April 24, how to keep some type of education regularity is the question that has been heavy on the hearts of all educators and parents. The Community News checked in on educators in the City of St. Charles, Francis Howell, and Wentzville school districts to glean any tips or suggestions that could benefit you and your children during these wildly out of place times. Christian Baez, who grew up in the Francis Howell School District and graduat-
ed from Francis Howell Central, is a fifth grade teacher at Becky-David Elementary. He stressed that one of the most important things to remember when teaching our children is the importance of being patient and establishing a routine. “Things will be a bit rocky in the beginning, and that’s okay,” Baez said. “Meet with your kids and set the expectations first thing in the morning. A daily morning meeting works well at the elementary level. Give your child a voice and listen to them. This is hard for them too.” Baez encourages families to let their children share some of the work they are completing. For example, if your child writes a story, ask them to share what they wrote with
you. You might ask them, “What are you most proud of about your writing piece?” It should go without saying that if a parent has a question or concern, they should reach out to their child’s teacher. They all want to help in any way that they can. Dr. Megan Sutton has been in the Wentzville School District for 15 years. She taught kindergarten at Heritage Primary for 10 years and was the assistant principal at Crossroads Elementary for three years and is currently in her second year as principal at Heritage Primary. Sutton comes from a family of educators who are excitedly embarking on this new territory. An important factor See ‘HOME’ page 2
Serving St. Louis, St. Charles and Lincoln Counties | FREE Online at mycnews.com | Vol.22 No.15 | 636-379-1775
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