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 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.

A student's schedule for learning at home will look different than it does at school. The focus with eLearning is on the learning that needs to be accomplished rather than the minutes spent on a task. Typically elementary students will spend 2-3 hours a day engaged in learning tasks and secondary students will spend 3-6 hours.

This does not mean that students will spend all of this time on a device. Teachers may ask students to spend time reading, doing physical activity, and other learning tasks that are not completed on the computer. The amount of time spent and the tasks students will complete depend on the grade level and course selections of students.

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 schedule. Your student's schedule will look different depending upon your family dynamics and your child's personal learning needs.

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

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

08:30 AM - Review daily Gmail announcement from teacher(s) and get necessary learning materials (books, workbooks, etc.)

08:45 AM - Engage in a virtual session or chat session or video tutorial on whatever the topic is for the day

09:30 AM - Begin assignments

10:00 AM - Take quick stretch and nutrition break

10:15 AM - Return to assignments, keep working, document learning in whatever way is required

11:00 AM - Check Gmail for any additional announcements

11:15 AM - Lunch and movement (Walk. Dance. Do exercises. Run. Follow an online workout routine.)

12:00 PM - Return to assignments, keep working, document learning in whatever way is required

01:00 PM - Engage in another virtual session or chat session or video tutorial or whatever has been assigned

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

02:00 PM - Return to assignments, keep working, document learning in whatever way is required

03:00 PM - Summarize learning in whatever way teacher(s) have requested, and submit learning evidence online

03:45 PM - End of full day of virtual learning

Learning in the cloud is 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.

E-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, trade books, composition notebooks, and other necessary curriculum resources provided by your student's teacher

• 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 Mauston 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 School District of Mauston students have District Gmail accounts, even the Kindergarten students. Students should check these accounts 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 a Google Quiz;

• Submit a document to their personal Google folder;

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

• Record a video that shows how they are able to do something; email a message summarizing their learning;

• Engage in a Chat session; or

• Engage in an online video "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 SeeSaw, assignments and grades posted in Skyward, or other practices already used by teachers and parents will remain available.

When Mauston 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. During this time when students are engaged in eLearning from home, Mauston 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 SDM 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?

We are also here to help. Contact your building principals if with your questions.