Sustained periods of virtual education are successful when students have a routine to follow and a space in which to work and learn. As you consider how to support your child's online learning, be clear about the time of day any online video sessions will be held as well as the extent of the assignments your student will be asked to complete. If you're not sure, ask your child's teacher(s). Once you have an idea about daily time commitments, plan a schedule for your child to follow. Stick to as predictable a daily routine as possible. Don't forget to include times for breaks and lunch. In addition to developing a daily learning schedule, it is important to identify an at-home learning space. Ideally, this space should have:

• A computer, iPad, Chromebook or other device

• Good lighting

• Ready access to learning materials and tools

A dedicated learning space for virtual learning should ideally be located in a shared area of your home such as at the kitchen table, a large kitchen counter, or a desk in a living room or family room. When your student's learning space is separate from their bedroom and distanced from the television, it sets the expectation and tone that the space is for work and not play. Additionally, an online learning space in a shared area allows parents and guardians to readily support learning while also monitoring online activity.

• Your child has been given certain norms and expectations when using Zoom with his/her classes. CLICK HERE to access the Student Support page, and then expand the category "Following "Netiquette" & Online Meeting Protocols." Although your child's teachers may have addressed these protocols previously, please make sure your child understands these expectations. A few considerations worth emphasizing:

• Especially with younger students, be near and monitor your child's activity online to make sure they are conducting themselves in accordance with the established guidelines listed above.

• Make sure your child is aware of their background and what they are wearing while participating in class. Although virtual, these sessions are still considered school, and student attire should be reflective of that.

• Please don't take photos/videos or create social media posts which show your child's screen while participating in a Zoom session.

• Zoom has a number of robust security settings teachers are now utilizing to create a safe Zoom experience for their classes. Feel free to review some of these settings by CLICKING HERE.

More and more adults are able to work remotely and most have daily schedules or routines they use to help them stay focused and on task. When your student learns in the cloud, they're going to need parent support to think about how to establish a regular routine. To develop your child's daily schedule, ask them about a typical school day. Consider their ability to stay focused and how long they can reasonably devote their full attention to a task. Below is a sample daily secondary schedule as an example. Your student's schedule will look differently depending upon your child's age and personal learning needs as well as your own family dynamics.

• 07:30 AM - Get up, get dressed, eat breakfast, etc.

• 08:15 AM - Organize learning space, turn on computer/device, log into Google Classroom or Gmail

• 08:30 AM - Review daily Google Classroom or Gmail announcements from teacher(s) and get necessary learning materials (books, workbooks, etc.)

• 09:00 AM - Engage in first virtual session, video tutorial or whatever the topic and format is for the day

• 09:30 AM - Work on assignments

• 10:00 AM - Take stretch and nutrition break

• 10:15 AM - Return to assignments, as necessary, and document learning in whatever way is required

• 11:00 AM - Check Google Classroom or Gmail for any additional announcements. Engage in second virtual session, video tutorial or whatever the topic and format is for your next class.

• 11:30 AM - Work on assignments

• 12:00 PM - Lunch and movement. Take a walk. Dance. Do jumping jacks. Run. Follow an online workout routine. Whatever you do, just move!

• 01:00 PM - Return to assignments, as necessary, and document learning in whatever way is required. Reach out to instructors via email or attend virtual office hours for support, if needed.

• 01:45 PM - Take a quick stretch and nutrition break

• 02:00 PM - Summarize your learning in whatever way your teacher(s) have requested, and submit your evidence online. Reach out to your instructors via email or attend virtual office hours for support, if needed.

• 03:00 PM - Pat yourself on the back for a full day of virtual learning

Learning in the cloud can be just as challenging and rigorous as a day of learning in the classroom. Teaching and learning just happens in a different place. Like in the schoolhouse, your student's schedule might be a bit different on each day of the week. There will be certain things such as stretch and nutrition breaks as well as lunchtime that should probably be kept consistent. What might change are the times your child hops online for video sessions or online chats. The more time your student spends learning virtually, the more you and your student will know about what works best in terms of keeping focused, on task, and engaged in meaningful academic endeavors.

Nothing disrupts a person's ability to do planned tasks than having to stop and find the materials and tools that are needed for the task. Virtual learning experiences don't just require a device. Students who are learning virtually should also have the following materials and tools available to them:

• Paper, pencils, and pens

• Calculator, ruler, compass, counters (e.g., dry beans), or other items to support math

• Textbooks, composition notebooks, and other necessary curriculum resources provided by your student's teacher

• Chromebook, Phone, iPad, or computer with camera for taking pictures of work and/or recording videos of learning demonstrations

The above list is not exhaustive. As Fife School District educators get smarter together about providing online learning as an option for students, this list will grow and guidance will be provided to parents and caregivers about how to access such materials and tools.

All secondary Fife School District students (and some upper-elementary students) have district Gmail accounts. Students should check these accounts, along with Google Classroom, every day for messages from their teacher(s) about the daily learning expectations. Elementary aged students may need help checking their Gmail account for messages. Educators will also communicate with students about how to share their learning. Students may be asked to:

• Complete an assignment or submit a Google Forms quiz via Google Classroom;

• Take a picture of their work and upload it to Google Classroom or email it to their teacher;

• Record a video that shows how they are able to do something;

• Engage in an online meeting/class session;

• Engage in a chat session; or

• Engage in an online virtual "Office Hour"

There are are many possibilities for how teachers might invite students to share their learning. Parents and caregivers should be sure they know what their children's teacher(s) expect and then support their student as needed.

Meaningful learning engagement in the cloud will not require a big shift in the ways teachers share student progress or in the ways parents and caregivers can check on their child's progress. Email, information shared via Google Classroom, assignments posted in Skyward, or other practices already used by teachers and parents will remain available.

When Fife School District students are asked to engage in online learning due to circumstances that require school buildings to close, the District recognizes that this can pose a hardship on many families. Although students may be restricted from going to school, there is no guarantee that parents and guardians are able to work virtually from home and therefore be able to supervise their children. In the event a school building must close and we must shift our learning from the classroom to the cloud, Fife School District parents and caregivers are encouraged to think about ways they can support one another. Everyone is encouraged to ask themselves:

• Who in the neighborhood might be able to look after several family's children?

• How can a neighborhood or friendship group use a rotation schedule to provide supervision for students?

• Who in the neighborhood is really "tech savvy" and willing to help teach others how to use the online tools that are available to Fife students?

• How might older siblings and students be able to support the learning of younger children?

• In what ways can neighbors and friendship groups share technology tools?

The Fife School District wants to support the best use of technology to support teaching and learning. We value the partnership of parents and caregivers when learning occurs outside of the school building. As an important reminder, all students and adults using Fife School District technology platforms must adhere to the expectations set forth in the Electronic Systems Use Agreement that is included in the District Rights and Responsibilities Handbook (available by clicking HERE). The following guidelines have been given to students when using district technology to access online learning opportunities:

• Use respectful behavior and language, both when speaking and using the chat feature, if enabled.

• Don't speak at the same time as others - this makes it especially difficult to understand in an online meeting.

• Mute your computer microphone when you aren't speaking.

• If your video camera is turned on, please be aware of your surroundings. Don't have anything showing in the background that would not be conducive to a positive learning environment.

• Wear school appropriate clothing if you are attending meetings even via video conferencing!

• Turn off your video camera if your connection is slow. Audio-only will give you a better quality connection when that happens.

• Related to the point above, try to be as close to the router in your home as possible if accessing the internet wirelessly. You will have the best connection by doing so.

• Use only appropriate icon, emoji, and avatar submissions.

• If your teacher is using Zoom, try to use the "Raise Hand" feature in the Participants Window if you have a question.

• If your video camera is turned off, you should start speaking by stating your name. Ex. "This is _______________________, and my question is..."

• Stick to appropriate topic discussions.

• Send only appropriate video transmissions.

• Be honest and not plagiarizing or copy others’ work -- use academic integrity at all times.

• Not falsify information about yourself or impersonate others online.

When everyone remembers to act kindly, show consideration for others, and treat one another online as you wish to be treated in person, we will all be able to focus on learning.

If your elementary student needs access to a device to complete academic work at home, please begin by completing this form (click here). Secondary students should have their district-assigned Chromebook with them at home. Families should make their best effort to take good care of any district-assigned device, including keeping it safe when not in use, protecting the screen from scratches or cracks, and using the device only for appropriate academic use.

Use these resources to learn more about how to use and troubleshoot devices:

• Connect a district device to your home wifi network

• District Technology Support Website

If you are experiencing issues, please call (253) 517-1000 and leave a message regarding your issue. Someone will reach out to you shortly.