Going Back to Park Street School! A Social Story for Preschoolers

Going back to

Park Street School!

I remember when I used to go to school.

I loved to learn and play with my teachers and friends!

Then, there was a new kind of virus – something that made people get sick.

Some people called the virus “COVID-19.”

Other friends called it “Coronavirus.”

At first, grown-ups didn’t know how sick people might get with the Coronavirus.

So they said we should stay home to keep our bodies healthy.

I stayed at home for a while.

I spent a lot of time with my family.

And I saw my friends and my teachers on Zoom.

Now, grown-ups know a lot more about COVID-19. The doctors have been working really hard! They made some new rules about how we can keep our bodies healthy ‌ at home and at school!

So Ms. Jenny has been telling the teachers all the rules about how to keep our bodies healthy at school.

I am so excited to see my friends and my teachers!

But I know things will look different when I go back to Park Street School.

When I first get to school, Ms. Maina and Ms. Jenny will be waiting for me in the lobby.

Ms. Maina and Ms. Jenny will wear masks – and might even wear shields to cover their faces.

They might even wear gloves.

But I will know it’s Ms. Maina because she will give me an AIR fist bump!

And I know it’s Ms. Jenny because I can see her smiley eyes!

I don’t need to be scared when I see kids or grown-ups wearing masks.

They are my teachers and my friends.

And, I almost forgot!

I am wearing a mask, too!

Another thing that will be different this year – my family can’t take me to my classroom.

But they will give me a hug and kiss and say goodbye to me in the lobby. And that is right where I will say “hi” to them when they come back to get me!

My teacher will come down to get me and bring me to the classroom where I will get to see my friends!

My teacher is wearing her mask, too, but I can see her smiley eyes!

When we get upstairs, some things look different.

There is a lot more space between my cubby and my friend’s cubby.

And I have my own bin with my own crayons and scissors to use.

There are special spaces for me to play in the centers. I can still talk to my friend who is reading a book or playing next to me.

My teachers are keeping everything clean!

They want our bodies to stay healthy, so they clean the tables, chairs, toys, and things we touch all the time.

My teacher says we can help keep our bodies healthy, too.

Here are some things I will do to stay safe and healthy: First, I will wear a mask!

Second, I will wash my hands with soap and water ... and sometimes with hand sanitizer. Keeping my hands clean will protect me and my friends and my teacher from germs.

Did you know that washing your hands helps you to know your A-B-Cs? I wash my hands and hum the alphabet song.

When I get to “Z,� I know my hands are good and clean!

I will play in my own special space, a little further away from my friends.

Grown-ups call it “social distancing.”

This means my friend and I take three big steps back from each other. Sometimes, my teacher asks us to take six steps back from each other.

I am working on my counting skills!

One … Two … Three … Four … Five … Six!

I miss hugging and playing closely with my friends. When I want a hug, I have a choice: I can give my teddy bear at school a hug, or I can save it up and give my family REALLY big bear hugs when I get home from school.

If my family and I are healthy, I will go to school.

If I am sick, or someone in my family is feeling sick, I will stay home for awhile. Then, I might see my friends and my teacher on the computer!

I might start to feel sick at school.

If I do, I will tell my teacher.

A grown-up will take my temperature and take me down to the office.

Ms. Maina or Ms. Jenny will call my mommy or daddy.

Someone in my family will come and get me from school.

I will stay home until I am all better.

My friends might talk about Coronavirus.

They might feel scared. If I hear something that is sad or scary, I know I can talk to my mommy or daddy, my teacher, or Ms. Jenny. They love me.

They will help me to feel safe.

I can also talk to God. I can tell him how I feel. I can ask God to help my heart to feel better. If a friend gets sick or if feels scared, I can ask God to help my friend feel better, too.

Even though things at school will be different, it will be fun to learn and play with my friends!

I know the doctors are working hard to find the medicine we need to protect us from the Coronavirus.

I will do my best to make good choices to keep my body healthy and to keep my friends and teachers at Park Street School healthy, too! I can’t wait to see my friends at school tomorrow!

Going Back to Park Street School! A Social Story for Preschoolers Template created by the Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant teams at CES and BHN; Written and edited by Kim Twitchell and PSS Administration; Illustrations by Adrian Johnston; Designed by Sarah Merrill

© Park Street School, 2020 67 Brimmer Street Boston, MA 02108 www.parkstreetschool.org