Middle School DISTANCE Learning

The HTH Distance Learning Plan for all HTH schools can be found here. Below, you will find general information about the distance learning experience for middle school students at HTM, HTMMA, HTMCV, HTMNC, and HTMM.

OUR GOALS

• Provide meaningful & equitable learning experiences for our students.

• Cultivate a sense of belonging, connectedness, and well-being, despite our physical distances and challenges in our world.

• Design an approach that is responsive to our students’ and families’ needs in this unique context.

• Provide the flexibility that our current context calls for, for both educators and families.

Overview

• Due to various challenges that families may face during mandated school closures, HTH teachers will prioritize asynchronous learning experiences.

• Teachers will primarily use synchronous experiences to connect with students and provide more personalized support. Students will have at least 1 synchronous experience per week.

• Teachers may offer additional synchronous experiences such as class meetings or book clubs.

• HTH schools will attempt to stagger times for synchronous learning/connection experiences, so that families with multiple HTH students who are sharing one device have equal access to these opportunities.

What are asynchronous and synchronous learning experiences?

• Synchronous learning is a term used to describe forms of education, instruction, and learning that occur at the same time, but not in the same place. At HTH middle schools, this might be an advisory meeting, or a small book club or project group meeting, held over Zoom (our video conferencing platform).

• Asynchronous learning is a term used to describe forms of education, instruction, and learning that do not occur in the same place or at the same time. The term is most commonly applied to various forms of online learning in which students learn from instruction—such as prerecorded video lessons or game-based learning tasks that students complete on their own—that is not being delivered in person or in real time. At HTH middle schools, this might look like a checklist of tasks for each class.

How much time will my child be engaged in distance learning each day?

• Students will have approximately 2-4 hours of academic work to engage in each day, with opportunities for supplemental or extension activities.

• Academic work will include online work, as well as offline work (such as independent reading or art activities).

How will I know what my child should be doing?

• Prior to the start of each week, teaching teams will send a weekly email to students and families with a plan for the week ahead.

• Many teachers will also post information on their digital portfolios.

What online learning platforms will students be using?

• Teachers will use Google Classroom as the “hub” for their class assignments. Many teachers have already been using Google Classrooms, so many students will already be familiar with this platform.

• All HTH schools will use Zoom as our platform for video conferencing.

• Teachers will utilize a variety of additional online learning tools such as Khan Academy, IXL, Dreambox, Padlet, Seesaw, and Newsela.

Is Zoom safe for my CHILD?

High Tech High understands this concern and has taken precautions as an organization to make this as safe as possible for students. We have invested in an enterprise level account and aligned our organization-wide settings to match Zoom’s recommendations for educators.

Will students be graded?

HTH middle school teachers will check to see that students have completed required assignments, and they will follow up with students who may struggle to do so. We will seek a balance between being flexible and understanding of our students' diverse experiences, while also wanting to support students in doing as much work as they can, so they can continue learning.

What if my child needs extra help?

• Each child will have a teacher or advisor who checks in with them individually or in a small group each week.

• Many teachers will also offer office hours where students can join them though a Zoom meeting link to ask questions or discuss assignments.

• Students will IEPs and 504 plans will receive weekly support from ed specialists or academic coaches.

What if parents need help?

• There are many resources for food services, technology support, and distance learning support on the HTH Website.

• If your child is using a HTH-owned device and needs technical support, you can submit a request by completing this form.

Are there behavior guidelines for distance learning?

HTH created Responsible Use Guidelines for distance learning, which you will find below in English and Spanish. Teachers or advisors will go over these guidelines with students when we launch distance learning.

How can I offer feedback on my experience or my child’s experience with distance learning?

Teachers will send out surveys to get feedback from families and students about their experience with distance learning. They will use this feedback to adjust instruction if possible, keeping in mind that families have diverse needs and some structures may not work for everyone.