DPS Youth Advisory Council
The Durham Public Schools Foundation is inviting students to apply for membership in the Youth Advisory Council. The council will advocate for increased student leadership and engagement with the school system, will build a Youth-to-Youth COVID Support Program, and help plan and run the second annual Youth Equity Summit. A $200 travel/access stipend will be paid to each council member. Contact Alyzia McAlmon at alyzia@bullcityschools.org with any questions. Click here for more info and to submit your application by the Monday, March 1 deadline.
Durham Public Schools back-to-school plans
In an emergency meeting, it was announced that the Durham Public School Board voted 5–2 to have the students return to in-school learning on Monday, March 15. The meeting, with descriptions of what will happen in terms of scheduling for the various grade levels, plus students with special needs and English-leaders, can be viewed below. A huge concern for many teachers is the fact that plans to reopen the schools don’t include making sure that they receive COVID-19 vaccinations first. This is a developing story—there’s more to come.
Durham Public Schools Board of Education meetingA discussion about the reopening of Durham Public Schools on Monday, March 15.
Remote learning with DPR
Durham Parks and Recreation offers a safe, quiet environment for students who need a new spot for their remote-learning experience. They’ll be working in small groups while being socially distanced. The kids can also participate in fun, structured activities. The $25 fee covers one child for one week (through June 4).
Free lunches from DPS
Durham Public Schools will continue to distribute a week’s supply of breakfasts and reheatable meals that can be picked up on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11am to 12:30pm at the following schools (your child doesn’t have to be a DPS student):
Here are some additional spots you can can go to (Monday–Friday) to pick up lunches for your kids:
Click here if you want to see the list of apartment complexes that are also served by the Durham Public Schools’ free lunch program. If you’re unable to pick up meals due to disability or other reason(s), you can sign up for weekly food deliveries via EAT NC. Click here for more info and to register. Free lunches from Durham County
Through Durham County’s EAT NC program, the Durham County Department of Public Health is providing hot lunches for young people ages 18 and under on weekdays from 11am to 12:30pm at 18 schools throughout the city. When you pick up your child’s lunch, you’ll also get a cold breakfast for the next day. Friday pickups will include meals for the weekend. EAT NC also has a home-delivery service for families that can’t get out to pick up meals personally.
Here are the 18 schools (your child doesn’t have to attend a Durham Public School):
DPS Family Academy
Durham Public Schools’ Family Academy helps parents, grandparents, etc keep up with technology and learn other tips and tricks for guiding their children to success. The online workshops are free and offered in English and Spanish. Here’s the full schedule; click here to attend the workshops.
Vocabulary expansion
Writer and writing coach Beverly Mahone invites middle- and high school students who want help with building their vocabularies by joining her Word Up program on her Communicate with Beverly Facebook page.
Science adventures
The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences will host a Pollinators Love Plants! ecoEXPLORE citizen science program on Tuesday, March 9, 3–4pm. Students from kindergarten through 8th grade are invited to learn about the partnerships between plants and insects—how plants provide nectar to attract the insects that then move pollen from plant to plant. Visit the Facebook event page for more info, and click here to register and attend this free online event.
The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences will host a Super Plant Powers ecoEXPLORE citizen science program on Tuesday, March 23, 4–5pm. Students from kindergarten through 8th grade are invited to learn how plants can survive fires, live without needing the sun, and send their seeds flying for miles to make sure they survive. Visit the Facebook event page for more info, and click here to register and attend this free online event. The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences will host a Plant Invaders ecoEXPLORE citizen science program on Monday, March 29, 4–5pm. Students from kindergarten through 8th grade are invited to learn how non-native plants (some of which are brought in accidentally) can overrun the native plants and harm the environment. Visit the Facebook event page for more info, and click here to register and attend this free online event. DPS Family Academy webinar replays
If you missed any of the Durham public Schools Family Academy online workshops, you can always visit the page that houses them. Click on the logo below to go to the webinar page and watch as many videos as you like (in English and Spanish).
Teach at Home / Enseña desde Casa
Google, in partnership with UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization), and the UNESCO Institute for Information Technologies in Education, presents Teach at Home, a comprehensive educational resource for those looking for tools and tips for keeping kids interested in learning. There are three categories: Teachers, Schools, and Families, and each offers tools for teaching. Learn how to use livestreaming and video calls to hold classes; how to use Socratic, a learning app for students on the high school and college/university levels; how to identify learning resources for young people with disabilities, and lots more. There is an incredible amount of ideas, resources, and solutions for at-home learning. Click here to get started; Click here to view the Enseña desde Casa website in Spanish.
NCLearn @ Home
NCLearn @ Home is a gathering place put together by the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources that taps into the expertise and programming of local museums and educational organizations. Teachers, families, and students are invited to explore the website and dive into the lessons and programming offered by the State Library, State Archive Collections, NC Museum of Art, NC Museum of History, NC Symphony, NC Zoo, and more. Click here to get started.
Edu-informational podcast
After a summer break, this popular podcast returns in September. Get loads of information on various school-related topics by listening to the Center for Family Engagement’s podcast, “Notes from the Backpack.” Click here for more info and to see a list of podcasts to choose from.
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