Learning at Home FAQ

Q: 
I read the learning-at-home website some time ago, but it looks much better now. Can we get a list of new things as they are published?

A: As updates are made to the Parent Portal, they will be highlighted with a banner across the top of the portal home page, as well as through a running list of updates on the Parent Portal home page. Additionally, you can click the information icon at the lower left of any page (small i within a circle) to see the date that page was last updated. New entries to this FAQ will be date-stamped at the end of the entry. (posted May 13, 2020)

Q: 
Is there any thought to shortening the school year?


A: The 2019-2020 year will conclude on the originally scheduled end date of Friday, June 19, 2020.

Q: 
If we have suggestions for our class, who should we reach out to?

A: We encourage guardians to connect first with their child’s teacher with any suggestions for learning within that class. (May 13, 2020)

Q: What are the expectations for student learning across the various grade levels?

A: As described on our Learning Targets/Scope of Instruction page, BSD teachers are prioritizing providing assignments in ELA/SLA (English Language Arts and Spanish Language Arts) and Math aligned to the Trimester 3 benchmarks/grade-level exit standards reflected on your child's report card. (May 13, 2020)

Q: How much time should students be spending engaged in learning each week?

A: Our Recommended Learning Minutes page contains recommendations for how much time students should be engaged in learning each day based on their age/developmental levels. (May 13, 2020)

Q: Can someone talk to Fridays generally?

A: BSD has been providing choice activities through Adventure Fridays. The district has received varying feedback, much that "AF" is very engaging and appreciated ("We're fans of Adventure Fridays!") and some appreciating AF but wishing Friday could be a regular day. (May 13, 2020)

Q: How do we get added as a guardian to classes? (The link shared at Town Hall references teachers adding guardian emails.)

A: Teachers must invite parents before they can access guardian email summaries for Google Classroom. Teachers have been provided instructions for how to do so. If you have not received an invitation from your child’s teacher, please contact them to request one. (May 13, 2020)

Q: When is Clever going to be rolled out?

A: Clever is our "SSO" (single sign-on) platform that helps manage access to BSD digital resources/services. Clever has been in use for some time in BSD and is live and available. To date, use has varied across BSD teachers, with some using logging in with Google Accounts instead of Clever. Especially now, during Learning at Home, and as we move forward, BSD is working to ensure all district services are listed in Clever and all teachers are using Clever and directing students to Clever as their "launching pad" to access online services. (May 13, 2020)

Q: How are BSD teachers providing instructional materials to students?

A: Depending on student developmental level and teacher approach, materials are being provided both in physical and digital formats. Our process for providing physical packets is described on our Home Learning Processes page. If you are unable to pick up physical packets at your child's school site, please contact your child's teacher or site principal to discuss options.

Digital learning resources and instructional content are being developed using a variety of ed tech apps and being disseminated to students typically through PowerSchool's Unified Classroom (BIS), Google Classroom and Seesaw. This includes teacher-produced instructional content modules and videos. (May 13, 2020)

Q: Are office hours only for when students have a specific, school-work related question?

A: No. BIS students are encouraged to attend office hours not only with school work questions, but also as a way to connect with their peers and teacher. Office hours provide opportunities for academic learning and to interact and maintain relationships and a sense of connection as members of a school community. (May 13, 2020)

Q: Are office hours required?

A: No, they are not, but they are consistently offered and students are encouraged to participate in them. From a BIS teacher, “
It is very important for students to come to the office hours because even if they are shy or do not want to ask questions in front of the group, they can hear if others have the same questions, and can stay on after the meeting for individual one on one/small group
.” (May 13, 2020)

Q: Are 1:1 meetings at the request of the child/parent?


A: One to one meetings are being initiated by teachers and in response to parent requests. As a parent you can certainly contact your child's teacher to discuss their experience during learning at home and request a meeting. (May 13, 2020)

Q: What will the approach to grading be? When will the approach be communicated to students and families?

A: On Tuesday, May 12, BSD presented its approach for grading during Learning at Home at BIS to our Board of Trustees. Details of this approach are available in a PDF document on our Assessment and Grading page. (May 13, 2020)

Q: What about at the elementary level?

A: Elementary teachers will provide narrative reports for Trimester 3 that describe each student's progress towards our Trimester 3 benchmarks during Spring 2020 Learning at Home. (May 13, 2020)

Q: 
How are we evaluating kids' understanding for next year? So, for example, what they have missed of this year's curriculum. Will it be taught next year or some other way?


A: As described on our Assessment and Grading page, BSD teachers are monitoring student progress during home learning using various approaches to review student work, including through assessments, online learning logs, uploaded documentation of completed work, digital artifacts, etc.

Drawing from our existing assessment practices, BSD is developing its approach for how levels of student learning will be assessed as students enter the 2020-2021 academic year. Our goal is to understand what progress was made by each student mapped to learning targets in order to provide appropriate learning opportunities that help fill learning gaps. Strategies for doing so may include access to additional resourcing and learning opportunities, program interventions, etc. (May 13, 2020)

Q: How is BSD providing live instruction?

A: BSD is providing live instruction via small group and individual interactions, through both scheduled sessions and drop-in “office hours”. Live interaction, including checking in on learning and providing instruction, often occurs after an initial student engagement with pre-recorded learning content, both teacher-produced and teacher-curated. (May 13, 2020)

Q: Why can't there be live instruction? Other public schools seem to be able to do more live instruction.

A: As noted above, BSD is providing some live instruction. BSD has not been providing live instruction for full-class instruction on new content. BSD has opted to provide pre-recorded instructional content, followed by check-ins and engagement with students in support of learning. One reason is equity: Accessing prepared content "on demand" provides an equitable opportunity to access learning by students who, based on family circumstances, cannot attend live instructional sessions. It also supports BSD teachers, many of whom need flexibility for when to work as they attend to their own family needs during Shelter in Place. Many of our teachers are working evenings and at night to prepare instructional content.

As BSD continues to respond to conditions caused by this COVID-19 pandemic, we continue to evolve our approaches to remote teaching and learning at home. Given the likely need to implement hybrid approaches to learning in the fall, and possibly again Shelter in Place with complete school closures, BSD is preparing for Phase 3 and beyond Learning at Home, which will include the expanded use of live instruction. (May 13, 2020)

Q: 
What specific efforts are being made to support student well-being and connection?

A: BSD teachers and staff are actively reaching out to connect with all students. BSD Mental Health staff are providing counseling and support services (more info, including contact info on our Health and Well-Being page). BSD teachers are checking in regularly with students and providing activities that support students to connect with their peers and their teacher. (May 13, 2020)

Q: 
Are there discussions on how to better support students that have learning differences (504) where independent study is more challenging?


A: 504 plans are maintained by site level administrators. Any parent wishing to discuss support being provided to their child related to a 504 plan, including any concerns, should contact their teacher and site principal/administrator. (May 13, 2020)

Q: 
What type of accommodations can we be expecting in regards to our IEP?

A: Individual IEP Case Managers have been collaborating with general education teachers to allow access to accommodations. Though accommodations written into student IEPs may look slightly different on online platforms, accommodations continue to apply to students with IEPs or 504 accommodation plans. If you have questions regarding your student's IEP, please contact your assigned IEP Case Manager directly (contact info provided on our Special Education and Home Learning page. (May 13, 2020)