Take a Breath …

I want to thank you for helping to ease the transition to a distance learning model. I know that there have been some hiccups, but I feel like we have a good system in place.

Here are some things to remember:

There will be technical issues from time to time and you should know that they will happen on my end as well as yours. In this case, please call the school and dial “0” for the technology hotline. I will do everything in my power to help, but my hands may be full. I apologize if I’m unable to address your problem promptly, but I promise to reach out at some point.

Not everyone is going to be able to move at the same pace. Accomplish what you feel comfortable managing. Some of you are assisting your children across many grade levels. I truly understand the challenge. Don’t worry if you miss out on some of the “extras” that I may offer. For the most part, I want you and your child to find a fun new way to interact and learn.

Finally, I have appreciated your feedback. I’ve tried to make some adjustments and hopefully, you are feeling informed and prepared. From my end, I want you to know that I couldn’t be more pleased. You all deserve a sticker!

Welcome!

My name is Mr. Jeffery (Jeff) Cole and the 2020-2021 school year will be my 23rd as a teacher in St. Charles. I attended Bigfork High School (50 miles north of Grand Rapids, MN) and I am also a graduate of Bemidji State University, with a Master’s Degree from Winona State University. Prior to teaching, I worked as a program assistant at The Headwaters Science Center in Bemidji, MN.

My wife Angela and I have been married for 21 years.  We have two lovely children, Celia Rose (17) & Riley King (14). We also have a 100 lb. yellow lab named Togo. As a family, we love sports, music, books & comics.

When you have the opportunity to visit our classroom, you will get a better sense of my personality and interests. Room 117 is home to the types of unique creatures that have always fascinated me. I enjoy “noodling” on my guitar in class and you can expect that I’ll have your child read voraciously, write & draw … All things that bring me happiness. You may even hear about Mr. Cole growing up in “The Old Days” or his opinions on the quality of cartoons today!

It is very important that your child feels comfortable in our classroom … And getting to know each other is the first step. Here is an image link to a sharing tool that my class used last spring. Do a little exploring and upload your own introduction video!

I’d also like you to be aware that I’m adding parent emails to a number of other tools. I apologize for disruptions this may cause to your inbox. Some items (including Flipgrid) will have available applications that can be downloaded from the Apple and/or Google stores. Feel free to reach out if you have any difficulties.

Thank you for allowing me the chance to introduce myself. I’m very excited to welcome you to our first-grade community!

Hasta Luego,

Mr. Cole