Distance Learning

We know that learning can be achieved in many different formats and can take place in many different settings. Our upcoming distance learning experience is the very type of experience that our middle school students are prepared to take on and to grow from, independently, with their peers, and even with their families.

Over the course of the district closure, students will be invited to engage in learning experiences that will stretch their thinking and will encourage new ways of exploring content in each of their classes, even though they will not be physically present at school.

The clear goal for these days is to provide meaningful educational experiences while instruction occurs online, allowing students to interact, to engage, to grow, and ultimately, to learn. For students with IEPs, GIEPs, and 504s, the assigned case manager will continue to take the lead on facilitating and coordinating supports and services. Please refer to the Special Education, Gifted Education, and 504 Overview section regarding Distance Learning and meeting the needs of individual students.

As families of Middle School students, we ask you for the following support:

• Check-in with your child daily about their distance learning tasks, activities, and assessments they are working on.

• Designate a place that is conducive to engaging in online schoolwork and distance learning, away from distractions such as other electronics, TV, video games, etc.

• All learning tasks will be posted via learning platforms on Monday, April 13th by 9:00 a.m. This does not preclude a teacher from posting daily communication in addition to the Monday morning post.

The following weeks of Distance Learning will focus on developing skills, knowledge, understandings, and concepts, as well as on review and practice.

• All learning tasks for each week will be posted on Google Classroom or Canvas on all subsequent Mondays by 8:00 a.m. This does not preclude a teacher from posting daily communication in addition to the Monday morning post.

Middle School Distance Learning Plan

Content and Timing:

The Distance Learning Plan in Middle School will include engaging experiences for each scheduled class students have on their regular school schedule for that day. With several lessons to engage in each week, teachers will account for the increased demand that will be required of students as they are participating in this type of independent distance learning. Teachers will provide guidance specific to the amount of time activities/assignments might require. This will include time spent on accessing content, as well as completing work. Students will also have off-screen tasks that are designed to engage the middle school learner and attend to middle school needs. Total time for engagement in learning for each class, including reading, homework, work towards long term assignments, and assessments, should not exceed the following guidelines:

• Math - 120 minutes per week

• Language Arts - 120 minutes per week

• Science - 120 minutes per week

• Social Studies - 120 minutes per week

• World Language - 120 minutes per week

• Special classes - 45 minutes per week (FCS, Music, Health/PE, Art, and STEM.)

• This schedule may be adjusted, when necessary, to accommodate IEP and 504 meetings.

Enrichment Activities: Visit Mobile Scholars website

Teacher and Student Interactions:

• Teachers will communicate student learning expectations, provide resources, collect assignments, and provide feedback through Google Classroom or Canvas.

• Google Classroom and Canvas pages will be continually updated. Lesson updates will be ready for access on Monday mornings by 9:00 a.m. When a learning experience includes a project or extended application of learning over multiple days, lesson updates will be posted for multiple upcoming sessions. Lessons will include:

  • • A brief update referencing the materials page to access resources/assignments, etc.

A written explanation and/or recorded video/screencast to introduce, explain tasks, or provide instruction for activities/assignments.

• If students are required to engage in a project or extended application of learning, the project will be broken down into smaller actions/outcomes with deliverables/check-ins.

• Teachers will respond to student and parent emails/questions within 24 hours outside of “Teacher Availability” times during the school week.

• Teachers will provide an estimated duration for all learning activities. Teachers should expect that some students will take longer than anticipated. Teachers will clearly communicate deadlines for completing all assignments.

Assessment and monitoring progress:

• Non-graded formative and practice tasks:

  • • Students may be asked to provide evidence of learning for each subject as a check for understanding.

    • Students should complete assigned non-graded assessments that provide a check for understanding. These may include (but are not limited to) questions, discussions, forms, and polls.

    • Teachers will monitor student progress with ongoing and regular feedback.

    • Teachers will actively engage with the student, parents, counselor(s), learning specialist(s) (EL or Learning Support Teachers) and Administration to support students who are not producing evidence of learning.

• Graded summative tasks:

  • • Teachers will provide feedback to students at regular checkpoints on tasks that extend over multiple days/weeks.

    • Teachers will notify students and parents when content assignments and summative assessments will be graded. These may include (but are not limited to) electronic portfolios, electronic quizzes/tests, research projects, and writing assignments.

    • Clear instructions on where/how to turn in assignments will be provided to students.