Parent/Guardian Considerations for Remote-Only Learning

As set forth in Connecticut General Statutes Section 10-184, Connecticut law requires children to engage in public school education unless they receive equivalent instruction elsewhere. Region # 14 will provide a structured, Remote Only Learning Program that will allow interested students to have access to our curricula and their teachers during the school day.

It is the expectation of the State Department of Education that, in collaboration with the school district, parents who decide to opt into voluntary Remote Only Learning will also be expected to supervise and engage their children to fully and effectively access the remote learning programming that is offered through the public school district.

Access

Students who have registered for Remote Only Learning must access our remote learning program through a district-loaned device. Please report any questions or issues with this district-loaned device to the school secretary who will direct you to the proper personnel. Remote Only Learning students will not be eligible to participate in any in-person classes, in-person school-sponsored events, extracurricular activities or sports.

Attendance

Students are required to use their district-loaned device to attend remotely all classes in their schedule at the time indicated. Synchronous (live stream into classroom) or asynchronous (content accessed through Google Classroom) participation will be communicated to students by their teachers. Students who do not attend will be reported by their teacher as absent and will be contacted by the Main Office. Absences will be handled according to our attendance policy as stated in the Student Handbook.

Content-Area-Specific Experiences - Labs/Electives

The curriculum and instructional practices are unique to each class and some methods will be able to be delivered in remote, virtual settings. However, the degree of availability of these experiences may not be possible from a health and safety and planning perspective.

Grading and expectation for academic integrity

All work submitted by Remote Only Learning students will be evaluated by their teachers and recorded in PowerSchool using the same criteria and levels of expectation as their in-person classroom peers. As indicated by the signatures on this form, students assure that all work submitted through Remote Only Learning is their own. A verified instance of submitted work that is not authentic to the student will result in the opportunity for a student to resubmit work or to accept a “0” for the work. Subsequent instances will result in a “0” assigned for the work.

Standardized Assessments - SmarterBalanced, NGSS, PSAT, SAT, AP

Remote Only Learning students will be expected to access statewide assessments in-person, unless the assessments are available remotely. School counselors will work collaboratively with students and families to ensure proper registration.

Special Education

The Connecticut State Department of Education will be providing further guidance regarding special education students who voluntarily opt into Remote Only Learning. For specific information, please contact Director of Student Services, Donna Marcinek (dmarcinek@ctreg14.org). Note that in order for a district to provide a student with a free and appropriate public education (FAPE) and implement the student’s individualized education program (IEP) as designed, special education and related services are typically programmed for in-person access. This method of instructional delivery generally affords the student with the most equitable educational experience in the least restrictive environment (LRE). State and federal laws, and the associated guidance, do not address the provision of special education services via remote only learning as a matter of choice, which constitutes a different circumstance than a state or local public health mandate, individual medical necessity, or a determination made by a planning and placement team (PPT).