Greetings NYS-MEP, and thank you for reading February’s edition of the Migrant Educator Newsletter.
You will find useful links that take you to resources for your work and current event news that is good to know. This edition is a bit longer than usual, but we have lots to share!
Health and Wellness
CORONAVIRUS
Recently, a new virus called 2019 Novel (new) Coronavirus was detected in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China that has not been previously found in humans. This virus can lead to fever, cough and shortness of breath. Since this virus is new, health authorities continue to carefully watch how it spreads. The New York State Department of Health recommends the following ways to minimize the spread of all respiratory viruses:
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when coughing or sneezing.
- Routinely clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
You can stay current about the Coronavirus, its treatment, and prevention by using the following resources:
- Center for Disease Control’s (CDC) dedicated 2019-nCoV website
- NYS Department of Health’s (NYSDOH) dedicated 2019-nCoV website
- Contact information for your local Department of Health
- NYS’s Novel Coronavirus Hotline: 1-888-364-3065
COLD/FLU SEASON: PREVENTION & CARE POSTERS
Give families and OSY/DO students information about preventing the flu and what to do if they get sick. Check out NYCAMH’s posters, and look for
- The Spanish title: Precauciones con la influenza;
- The English title: Influenza (Page 1 is for the farm owner. Page 2 has information for the worker/worker’s family.)
OSY
Do you know how to change a tire? Perhaps you do not know how to properly jump start a vehicle. In this tip sheet, Travis Williamson shares safety procedures that OSY educators face when going on the farm during winter and early spring months.
NEW! Web App Connection
Migrant Educators can use the description box in Web App to document services provided to students and outcomes.
High School
Start now to prepare students for the June 2020 Regents Exams with Regents Prep materials found on NYS-MEP’s website.
Each has a Facilitator Guide with information about taking the exam, resources, and how to prioritize for a 4-session Regents Prep group, or for a longer, three month plan.
K-8 ELA
Literary Terms & Devices
Students need to recognize and understand how to use literary terms and devices for the NYS ELA Regents.
The Guides of Literary Terms & Devices for Language Arts is a bilingual resource on the NYSED website. Each literary term has a brief description and is used in an example, in both English and the target language. There are currently 22 languages, including Haitian, Karen, Nepali, Somali, and Spanish. You have to scroll to the very bottom of the page, but it is worth it! Here is an example:
K-8 MATH & Supporting Dropout Students
The Math on the Move (MOM) resources found on the OSY Migrant website, is a series of 24 math lessons written in English and Spanish aimed at helping OSY students prepare for the math needed in high school equivalency classes.
NYS-MEP is hosting a workshop (Math Strategies for 7th and 8th Grade Students) on Thursday, March 27, which targets how to use these lessons. If you have students working on their high school equivalency diploma, this workshop is for you too!
Early Childhood
It is time for Kindergarten and Preschool Registration. Programs have different deadlines in the spring, so check with your local district and agencies.
Need to find the Head Start program serving the town your student lives in? Go to the National Head Start Center Locator.
Find out if a student’s school district has a Universal Pre-Kindergarten (UPK) program. Go to the NYS Office of Early Learning and scroll down to the grey box to open “2019-20 UPK Allocations List” for an alphabetical list of districts.
Kindergarten and Preschool programs need proof of immunizations. It is good idea to make sure parents contact their doctor/clinic to verify their records and schedule appointments for missing immunizations.
Parent and Family
This Reading Rockets webpage connects you to İColorín colorado!’s one-page parent tips with easy ways for parents to help kids become successful readers. The goal of Reading Rockets is to bring reading research to life, in a way that parents and educators can understand and use. The tip sheets are divided by age (babies to third grade), but many of the suggestions can be used at multiple ages! On the webpage you’ll find:
- Reading tips in English
- Reading tips in other languages (including Arabic, Spanish, and Haitian Creole)
- Reading tips for parents of children with disabilities
Social Emotional Learning (SEL)/ Trauma Responsive/ Identity Development
Read Education Week’s short article about using “Bite-Sized Lessons” in Social-Emotional Learning.
The Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning’s (CSEFEL) website has “bite-sized” resources for teaching social emotional skills with younger students. Some can be used with older students as well.
Directors
Look ahead to summer for short, work-related lessons to interest your working OSY and DO students!
The New York Center for Agricultural Medicine and Health (NYCAMH.com) has created a number of one-page health and work safety posters in English and Spanish. Click here to see all of NYCAMH’s health and safety posters. Scroll down and click on the titles your students and families might find interesting. Watch out – some are ledger-size, so you will need to scale the printout.
NEW/UPDATED Titles include
- Dairy Chemical Safety
- Stay Healthy Working with Animals
- Tractor Safety
FARMWOKER HEALTH AND SAFETY HANDBOOK / Trabajo Sano, Vida Sana
The 12-page handbook for summer cash crop farmworkers is written in the style of a graphic novel.
Thank you!
Looking for a previous newsletter? Click here to see the archive.
As always, we invite you to share your thoughts and feedback! Do you have a newsletter topic suggestion? Contact us!
Mary Anne Diaz - mdiaz@brockport.edu
Jenny Verdugo - jverdugo@brockport.edu
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