FAQs

Q: Will there be any high stakes testing this year?

A: Currently, all state assessments will be given. The state has submitted a waiver for the Georgia Milestones this year, however, at this time all state assessments including GKIDS for Kindergarten and Georgia Milestones for grades 3-5 will be given. Stay tuned for more info.

Q: How do I obtain the information I need to access Parent Portal?

A: The district will send an email to all parents without an Portal account providing directions and their Activation Key on August 10, 2020. Directions for creating a Parent Portal account can be found at tinyaps.com/?portal.

Q: What do I do if I have a device that needs repair?

A: Parents can call 404-802-1000 to schedule a date/time to bring it in to any one of our cluster-based IT HUBs. There will be one located at NAHS starting August 3, 2020. This will give us a head start on the repairs.

Q: Will there be any grade level talks?

A: Yes. During the week of August 10, 2020, there will be grade level talks from 3 - 4 pm on Zoom. Please check the BeeMail for specific times and Zoom links. You may also click on the calendar link on this website as the dates will be posted on our virtual school calendar.

Q: Will the distance learning model be similar to the spring? Or will it be a different model? How much direct instruction will there be? Will there be remediation at the start of the year?

A: Virtual learning for the 2020/2021 year will be different from last spring’s virtual learning. Please keep in mind that last year when face-to-face instruction was suddenly halted, teachers had one day to plan for virtual learning during an unprecedented and unpredictable time. This new school year, teachers will have 3 weeks to prepare for virtual instruction for students. We will also implement a new program, Standards of Service, which has been developed by APS and provides guidelines and expectations for virtual learning. The Standards of Service also indicates how much each child in each grade will be engaging in small group, face to face, synchronous and asynchronous instruction. In essence, we are hoping to streamline expectations and develop more consistency between grade levels this year.The district has also purchased a content management system to help with this process. More info will be forthcoming about this new system.

Q: For families with kids in multiple grade levels, will the school day be similarly structured?

A: Yes. We are entertaining possibly differentiating start times. An example would be K-2 starting at 8am and 3-5 at 8:30am. This would help offset computer times and aid with parent support. While this is not yet set in stone, different grade levels will follow similar schedules with specials and breaks embedded into the days or weeks.

Q: Are there childcare sharing platforms or options for collaboration for parents who have to work?

A: There currently aren’t any childcare sharing platforms. However, families may begin to partner up with like students (grade level or class) in an in-person format in order to learn as a group. Referred to as “pods”, families can solicit non-APS employees to provide in-person or virtual support during school hours.

Q: Will there be any meal distribution to children during virtual learning. If so, how?

A: As part of the Summer Seamless Option (SSO) APS will resume free community meal service on Monday for two weeks, August 10 and August 17, the district will distribute 10 meals – five breakfasts and five lunches to any child in the community.

Starting August 24 – the first day of school – APS will only provide meals to APS students. Meal distribution will occur Monday each week through the entire period of virtual learning. Meals will be distributed from 12 central school sites via bus routes or parent pick-up. Families MUST pre-order meals each week through the MySchoolBucks online pre-order system. All families paying for meals will need to submit payment through the MySchoolBucks online payment system. Schools will not be collecting money for school meals.

For the 2020-2021 school year, the North Atlanta Cluster will no longer participate in the Community Enrichment Program (CEP), which provides all students in that school with free breakfast and lunch. These schools will participate in the Federal Eligibility Application (FEA) program, which offers free and reduced meals to qualifying students. All students at FEA schools MUST apply to qualify for free or reduced meals. Free meals will continue for all students at these schools for 30 days. After the first 30 days of school, students will pay full price for meals until their application is approved.

Q: Will there be any physical materials that will be handed out?

A: Yes! Parents and families will be able to pick up supplies, textbooks, Big Bee Folders, and technology supplies during the week of August 17th. More information to come.

Q: Is anything being done to help kindergarten students transition? How will they learn basic phonics and writing skills?

A: Kindergarten schedules will reflect the Standards of Service set forth by APS and carried out by all of our cluster schools. Students can and will be able to learn phonics virtually with daily lessons from our new phonics program, Fundations. Of course, support from parents will always be encouraged. Kindergarten teachers will be holding virtual play dates prior to day one as well.

Q: Will students be allowed to complete schoolwork and zoom meetings on a flexible schedule to accommodate parents that are at work, working from home, or who have siblings?

A: Absolutely. Teachers will need to be flexible with parent work schedules. Expectations and grading will be communicated prior to Day One. We understand that this is a balancing act, and we ask for the same understanding for our teachers who are balancing their own children at home as well. Flexibility in grading and classwork will be given.

Q: How will children in special services get the support they need? SST, IEP, 504?

A: The school will continue to adhere to principles set forth in the IDEA by meeting the individualized needs of students. Teachers will implement students’ IEPs to the greatest extent appropriate in the virtual environment. Prior to the start of the school year, each student with an IEP will be provided a digital learning plan. The digital learning plan will outline how the services in the student’s current IEP will be executed in a virtual format. This letter will detail what that will look like and if any concerns arise the IEP team can meet to discuss further.

Q: Is there a possibility of in-person options?

A: There are currently no options for in-person learning at this time. Decisions regarding this will ultimately come from the district.

Q: Can parents require students be in the same homeroom class due to learning pods that have already been set up?

A: We will not be able to recreate rosters to accommodate learning pods. We are encouraging families to wait until teacher assignments are released on August 5th. However, if pods have been created across grade levels, that is totally fine. We are going to work hard to ensure that instruction and pacing is in sync across the grade level. We can, however, make class changes for parents who have twins in the same grade. If you need contact information to connect with other families, please consult the school directory for that information.

Q: How will the DLI curriculum be addressed? What would their virtual schedule look like? If parents decide to take their child to another school this year, will their spot still be held for the next school year?

A: There will be a separate FAQ provided from the World Language Department addressing the unique needs of DLI students.

Q: Will virtual tutoring be offered?

A: There is an APS Board policy that prohibits APS teachers to receive pay for tutoring APS students. All teachers, however, should offer times for after school tutoring on a non-pay basis. Furthermore, we are working on a plan with our afterschool program to provide support for our Brandon community.

Q: What steps are being taken to continue safe versions of activities that kids enjoy that include F&F, Jump Rope Club, and Recess?

A: Currently, at this time, there are no safe versions of these activities that can be sponsored at the school level. We are working with plans for the HIVE to offer some out of school support. In the meantime, these activities may be sponsored by MB staff in a virtual setting.

Q: Will there be consistency with instruction within grade levels?

A: Yes, we understand the importance of consistency among staff and are working hard to make sure all staff are planning, teaching, and delivering instruction in sync throughout the grade level and school. There was not enough time to plan for that consistency last spring, there is ample time to plan now.

Q: Will Kindergarteners be issued technology to help them with virtual instruction?

A: All kindergarten students will be issued district technology during the week of August 17th. Most likely an I-pad or tablet. More information to come on the distribution of technology to students.

Q: Will students be using the school kits that were purchased for virtual instruction? If not, can parents be refunded for school kits already purchased?

A: When we return to face to face learning, students will be required to use these school kits. All questions about school kits can be emailed to symecatherine@gmail.com

Q: What platform will be used? Can it be the same for homeroom teachers/specials/etc

A: Yes, we are looking to use one single platform utilized by all staff and students. Aside from Google Classroom and ZOOM, there will be a content management system as well (Freckle) that syncs with Renaissance Learning (STAR).

Q: Will teachers be allowed contractually to tutor outside of school hours in person?

A: There is an APS Board policy that prohibits APS teachers to tutor any other APS students. All teachers, however, should offer times for after school tutoring on a non-pay basis.

Q: How are teachers and students going to be held accountable for attendance and completing class work?

A: Staff will follow the same attendance guidelines as set forth by Atlanta Public Schools. They are to clock in by 7:30 am and are contractually relieved by 3pm (7.5 hours/day). Students will be held accountable for attendance through daily participation logs taken each morning. When we receive more guidance from APS around grading expectations, it will be shared.

Q: How can parents sign up for access to Parent Portal Infinite Campus?

A: Parents can get access to Infinite campus by reaching out to https://www.atlantapublicschools.us/Page/48412

Q: What will the district do to accommodate parents that are unable to stay home, watch their kids, and monitor their child’s instruction?

A: The district will set forth policies and procedures, as will the school, that will help accommodate parent support. This will include grading policies, flexibility, participation, attendance, and remediation. The district also offers AVA (Atlanta Virtual Academy) for any students Prek-12th that are interested.

Q: Will there be any testing at the beginning of the year to determine where students are academically?

A: During the week of 8/17, teachers will begin to administer district assessments like Fountas and Pinnell reading inventory and STAR Reading and Math. Students will be required to take these assessments virtually, at home. This will give teachers data around learning gaps and student needs. A parent To Do/ Not To Do informational sheet will be given to parents as a helper when students are taking at-home assessments.

Q: Will families have access to school facilities and playgrounds?

A: At this moment, families will not have access to school facilities and playgrounds per APS guidelines, However, APS facilities are looking at an 8/1 opening date for partners to utilize field space in an organized fashion.

Q: Can Brandon’s Go Team exercise independent judgement and offer in-person classes?

A: While the Go Team does have some decision making in the autonomy and flexibility of school operations, they do not have the power to override the superintendent and BOE on the decisions for virtual learning and possible in-person learning.

Q: Will parents have access to teaching materials, teacher notes, and textbooks to help supplement their child’s learning?

A: Yes. There will be pick up times for students and parents to retrieve ELA/Math/Sci/ and SS curriculum for each grade level. Furthermore, each grade level will have one hour a week built into their virtual schedule for a “Parent University”. This is time for teachers to explain and teach parents about the work that is being completed by their students. More information to come.

Q: Can zooms be divided into “optional/social” and “educational/mandatory” times?

A: All Zoom calls set forth by the teachers will be deemed Optional or Educational. For the most part, any time a teacher is holding a zoom call (HR teacher, Gifted, Specials, Intervention, French), the call will be mandatory. Teachers will also be holding virtual play dates and recess occasionally at the younger grades. We are striving to create smaller classes for instructional time so students can remain more on task and there are less distractions, allowing for the teacher to be able to get as much material in during the time allotted.

Q: Will we still follow the APS calendar and have the same breaks?

A: Yes. We will follow the APS calendar. The calendar has been shortened by 10 days, other than that, it will remain the same.

Q: Will there be Milestones testing this year?

A: There will be no Georgia Milestones this year, however, we are waiting on further guidance from the state and district in regards to a state assessment plan.

Q: Will Kindergarten follow the virtual instruction of other grades?

A: Each grade level will have their own schedule with its own Specials time and Support time. Furthermore, we are working on creating a staggered start schedule so households can work around multiple students if they are in different grade levels.

Q: Can teachers be required to teach from their classrooms at school?

A: Currently, teachers CANNOT be required to teach from their classrooms, however there is a strong possibility that some may be able to teach in person on a voluntary basis. Please note that several teachers are still considered high risk and will remain virtually teaching from home.

Q: Is there a way for the school to be involved with the creation of learning pods so some children won't be excluded?

A: We understand that inequities thrive during virtual learning. For this reason, the school will not entertain changing classes to support learning pods, or to gear instruction for those that are learning together. It is important to note that a large number of families will be learning independently at home, which is perfectly fine. Many families may not have the means to afford additional tutors or help. To that end, we are working closely with outside providers like the HIVE to assist our community with these challenges.

Q: Will Fridays still be designated as a FLEX learning day?

A: According to the Standards of Service set forth by APS, all schools and students will participate in a 5 day work week. This means that Friday’s will no longer be designated as FLEX learning days. We will continue to find ways outside of the traditional learning environment, for students to be engaged in school away from the computer.

Q: Who do we contact if we need IPAD/Technology assistance?

A: All students will have the opportunity to receive a digital device in the coming weeks leading up to day 1. In the meantime, feel free to contact Get Our Kids Connected for more information.

Q: Will there be non-screen activities for kids to do?

A: While the bulk of virtual learning will be synchronous and asynchronous teaching via the computer, there will be times that teachers may provide assignments away from the screen through paper packets disseminated the week of 8/17.

Q: Would you consider having optional Zooms in the morning and delaying the “more educational Zooms” until after 9am for those of us arranging childcare, this would be helpful.

A: In order to teach the amount of minutes set forth in the Standards of Service for virtual learning, we will need the full academic day. We are creating a schedule that will have staggered start times for students with SEL lessons built in to the beginning of each day.

Q: Will the virtual learning be live or recorded? Will my child need to be in front of a computer at specific times?

A: All virtual teaching lessons will be recorded and made available for viewing at a later date. While we encourage students to be engaged in the daily lessons, we understand individual family needs and will be flexible to accommodate.

Q: Who do we contact if we need IPAD/Technology assistance?

A: All students will have the opportunity to receive a digital device in the coming weeks leading up to day 1. In the meantime, feel free to contact Get Our Kids Connected for more information.

Please complete the following survey. www.Tinyaps.com/?techsurvey

For more information, contact 404-802 KIDS (5437) or getourkidsconnected@apsk12.org. You can learn more at www.atlantapublicschools.us/getourkidsconnected.

Q: When will we know what will happen after the 9 weeks? Is there any chance that this 9 week period will be shortened?

A: The superintendent has stated that we are in substantial spread of the virus with Fulton County (Greater than 100 cases per 100,000 residents) and we must get to Moderate spread (6-99 cases per 100,000 people) in order to entertain face to face learning. This can be accomplished by wearing masks, social distancing, and refraining from attending large gatherings of 10 or more people. For Phase 1 (8/24-10/23) an update will be given on 9/8 with a decision on the reopening model determined by 10/5.