COVID-19 Update #6 (March 23rd 2020)
Covid-19 update #6
March 23, 2020
Dear Parents,
It is Sunday morning and after driving to school in a heavy snow, the sun is out and shining its way to clear skies and clarity. I do hope as I pen this letter that the same light and clarity serves you with the information about this introduction to distance learning. As we head into this unprecedented time, we are reminded that we are strongest when we are together and keeping our community united and vibrant from our couches and kitchen tables is a deed of love for ourselves and the world.
With that, it is our goal to deliver the best education to your students that we can under the circumstances and make it as smooth as possible. It is our goal to uphold the school’s mission and style of education. As we do so, we will be regularly asking you that we all hold an understanding that this type of instructional delivery will require a learning curve. I have already been in conversation with teachers, parents and students who are experiencing this new reality in their schools. This reaching out is helping me to best understand how we can deliver the curriculum and understand the variety of needs that will arise. It will take a village to make this work with a steady stream of feedback to develop what works for our community. Please know that we understand that many of you are home working. We will strive to make this learning experience as user-friendly as possible for your children.
As such, herein lies a first outline on the needs that we see and our mission for these next weeks:
Planning for Learning:
The teachers from Pre-school to 8th grade will provide a variety of lesson plans including activities, work packets, writing assignments, videos, on-line check ins, emails and video conferencing to stay connected to the learning community. Our curriculum is intended to be one that is delivered in person with human connection. When I talked with students, parents, and teachers this past week, this connection was the area that all of them were adamant must be the connective fiber of our distance learning. Our lead and class teachers will strive to reach out to each student to allow for this human connection to remain central to our core beliefs.
As well, an important question that has arisen surrounds how your student’s interaction with distance learning will be judged and will each student progress to the next level of their schooling. Please know that as experienced teachers, by Spring Break, we feel that 90% of the education for the year has taken place. These next week’s provide time for review and additional layering. The Faculty will be prepared to know that when we normalize again and begin school for the 2020-21 school year, we will be prepared to build repetition and practice into our curriculums to make allowance for that. Thus, if these next weeks of education are not as successful for you and your child, we certainly understand and wish that our plan does not lend itself to additional stress in your lives.
Expectations of Students:
During this time, we will be asking a great deal of flexibility from the older students. Ideally, they will come to understand that this is an important part of their learning experience. Depending on grade level, we will ask that:
• Students engage in lessons with concentration and good will, bringing their best effort forward.
• Students will ask their parents for assistance, yet strive to work independently, knowing that reaching out to their classmates and teachers is a continued aspect of distance learning.
• Students will be expected to submit their assignments on time and in the requested format.
• Join actively with teacher led class-community check ins.
Expectation of Parents:
Again, this is new territory for all of us and we understand that many of you are working at home in your full-time job. Our intent is to steer clear of shifting work that we usually do with the students to you. We understand that you will be busy. As such, we will attempt to keep our requests reasonable. We will ask that you:
• Keep a consistent daily schedule for your family.
• Follow the school day schedule as will be set out as best as possible.
• Provide your student(s) with a dedicated place for working.
• Support from you will be needed at times with assignments, yet we ask that you remain within your normal boundaries of helping them and allow for them to gain increased responsibility by communicating with their teacher to figure out any challenges.
• Reach out to your child’s teachers. The teachers will hold office hours and offer best ways to be in touch with them.
Expectations of Teachers:
Each teacher understands their task given a regular day of school, and yet this will be different. It will ask that they adapt their familiar style to something different and perhaps more cumbersome initially. Similar to you all, many teachers will have their own students at home. In general, there will be more distractions. Given those understandings, the faculty will:
• Utilize video chats as the basis for class instruction.
• Develop and post content online that students will access and work on at their own pace.
• Understand that assignments may take twice as long to complete at home. Teachers will concentrate on the major topics of the grade keeping in line with standards and skills.
• Offer students instructions for tasks as clearly as possible, including specifics about expectations for the amount of time used to complete the task.
• Be available during the normal length of a regular school day for instruction, student support and communication. Each teacher will communicate office hours and contact time.
• Provide one on one support with a student when needed.
• Provide consistent parent communication including office hours.
• Seek two-way feedback about how distance learning is working or not, with suggestions of how to improve each it.
• Have empathy for this unique work and learning situation. There will be multiple barriers to overcome for some, including one computer for a household of more than one user.
• Work together! All faculty whether that be an assistant, student support or subject teacher will all be working together with your child’s lead teacher to create the best learning experience for your children.
Communicating Learning:
The Faculty will be using video chats as our primary technology platform. We plan to support your student with regular check ins and will undoubtedly avail ourselves to the use of phone calls, email, Zoom, Facetime, texting, YouTube and self-made instructional videos to support our students’ learning.
Student Support Services:
During this time, Ms. Connolly, Ms. DeClute, Ms. Leniton, Ms. Sundheim, and Ms. Hurrell will be available to provide educational services as they now do. Each of them will continue working with class teachers in their areas of expertise to provide student support. Some of the students have one on one learning or are involved in small group sessions, and those will continue. Our intent is to make them a continued normal part of a day or week.
Ongoing Communication:
Our faculty and staff are working diligently to respond to the evolving circumstances and to keep you informed. Our plan is for our first distance learning classes to begin Monday, March 30. Please know that if you have any questions that you may contact staff or faculty, with the understanding that we will do our best to respond in a timely fashion given that we are all working on this new plan during what was to be spring break. As pointed out in the previous newsletter, please do not hesitate to contact Mr. Smith, Ms. White, or me as questions arise or clarity is needed.
As we move forward, please remember that at every step of the way, that this is a time to give and to receive grace. I know that I will need much of it in the days ahead to move into this new modality.
With gratitude,
Tim Connolly
Faculty Administrator
Coronavirus Resources