Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How does this (virtual learning) work for kindergartners?

A: Teachers will offer a daily live lesson that sets the context of the day. Known as the Brain Smart Start, this community-building exercise embeds a social-emotional focus and an interactive, intentional morning message. In addition to offering engaging small-group literacy, math, and science activities that generally last 10–15 minutes, multiple movement breaks and time for play will be part of the routine. As teachers strive to create an optimal virtual learning state, they will continue to connect with students and families through weekly individual conferences to ensure that learning needs are addressed.

Q: What program will my child be learning on?

A: Students will in grades K4-2nd will be using Seesaw and students in grades 3rd-5th will be using Google Classroom. In some instances, teachers will select and share appropriate tech platforms to fit the goal of the cooperative lesson.

Q: How long are our children expected to be online?

A: Depending on the student's age and the teachers scheduling, the time online will vary. There will be synchronous and asynchronous learning schedules.

Q: What about the parents who work full-time jobs? How are we supposed to monitor our kids? This is very difficult for me. I am a single mother.

A: MPS understands that virtual learning in Phase 1 may inconvenience some families. Students who may be at day care during the day due to parents working during school hours can access the Google Classroom and Seesaw to receive student assignments after school hours and at times that are convenient for families.

Q: I was informed about a program called Seesaw that MPS will be using. Will we be shown examples of Seesaw?

A: Teachers have been encouraged to designate time during the “staggered start” to school to provide families with an orientation to Seesaw.

Q: Are Chromebooks mandatory? My son uses our desktop . . . I hope that's OK.

A: Desktop computers are fine to use. Make sure that the student uses Google Chrome to access Google Classroom.

Q: I just want to know as much info regarding the Chromebook so that I can help my child.

A: See Getting Started with Your Child’s Chromebook at mps.org > Family Resources page.

Q: I have a question about students with special education. How is it going to work? My daughter receives speech therapy and other academic support.

A: Special education teachers and support staff, including speech therapists, are providing the services to students with disabilities as they are written in their IEP. If changes to the services provided during a school building closure need to occur, the changes can be made within the context of an IEP meeting. Please contact your student’s IEP teacher to request a meeting.

Q: How is online learning going to work for students with IEPs?

A: All services offered during a school building closure to nondisabled students will also be available to students with disabilities. Milwaukee Public Schools’ special education staff will provide a free, appropriate public education to all students with IEPs regardless of mode of instruction: in-person, virtual/distance, and/or hybrid.

Q: I am a single parent. I cannot stay at home with my 10-year-old child nor guide her through her school day. What do you suggest for me? Is there a place for parents like me to send children?

A: MPS has some camps and CLC sites that will function at a limited capacity. Parents in need of child care during the day should contact Leighton Cooper at (414) 475-8844 to see which sites have available seats.

Q: Please send me the link to free Wi-Fi.

A: Please email internetaccess@milwaukee.k12.wi.us and you’ll receive an automatic reply with instructions in various languages. If you are having any issues doing this please contact your child’s school for assistance with the process.

Q: What happens if we have technical difficulties during our online learning and they continue throughout the day?

A: If the technical difficulty is about the device your student is using, you may contact Technology Support at tsc@milwaukee.k12.wi.us or call (414) 438-3400. If accessing the teacher’s digital classroom is the challenge, please ask the teacher for support with that.

Q: Do you have 2nd shift class for students whose parents work 1st shift? I’m finding this is going to be difficult to assist five children with virtual school after work at 5 p.m.

A: Access to assignments in Google Classroom and Seesaw will not be limited. Although students may miss their live synchronous time with teachers due to unforeseen circumstances, students can complete work and assignments after 5 p.m. and submit their assignments in the assigned platform.

Q: Is there a purpose for having staff in building when the students are virtual?

A: Staff are allowed in the building to access instructional resources and materials. Staff have the option to work remotely or within the school.

Q: When you say that assessment and grading will take place, how exactly will assessments be administered?

A: Assessments will occur during synchronous and asynchronous time. Directions and guidance will be provided from the teacher or school regarding assessments.

Q: When my child has homework, how will I be able to know what they are doing? Is it something I click on?

A: Parents and families who share their email address with teachers will have the opportunity to opt in to the Weekly Summary feature on Google Classroom. This feature will allow parents to receive feedback on work and assignments submitted and whether assignments are missing. Teachers have also been encouraged to communicate through emails and phone calls with parents and families when students are not engaged in completing assignments.

Q: What about students with 504 plans? How will their needs be met?

A: Teachers and specialized services staff members who work with your student may have specific resources and supports that are appropriate to meet your student’s needs. Staff will look over the accommodations listed in the student's 504 plan and specifically identify those accommodations that are appropriate in the current virtual delivery model being used by MPS.

Q: My child was seeing the school psychologist once a week. How is this going to be handled?

A: MPS psychologists will continue to offer a full range of services. Special education teachers and support staff, including school psychologists, are providing the services to students with disabilities as they are written in their IEP. If changes to the services provided during a school building closure need to occur, the changes can be made within the context of an IEP meeting. Please contact your student’s school psychologist to request a meeting.

Q: Will the children still get work packets?

A: Students will not receive work packets from the Stop, Grab, and Go sites. All instructional material will be shared with students by their classroom teacher(s). If parents would like extra enrichment material, reach out to your child’s teacher, utilize the parent guides by grade and MPS Reads found on the Parent Portal. The original enrichment packets are still available on the Parent Portal.

Q: Will temperature checks be conducted daily for Phase 2?

A: School staff will not be conducting temperature checks at this point.

Q: Will elementary students be using both Seesaw and Google Classroom?

A: K3, K4, and K5 students will use Seesaw for instruction. Additional applications such as Google Meet links, Jamboard, Flipgrid, and the like can be embedded in Seesaw by the teacher. Students in grades 1 and 2 may use Seesaw or Google Classroom depending on the school. Students in grades 3–12 will use Google Classroom.

Q: Where can you find the teacher’s contact information in Google Classroom?

A: Go to the teacher’s classroom in Google Classroom and click “People” at the top. Contact information for teachers is also located within the Parent Portal of Infinite Campus.

Q: Once my child has submitted his or her work, is it possible as a parent to look at the work he/she has submitted? I ask because learning in isolation really impacts motivation. There were times in the spring when my son's motivation had plummeted, and the only way I knew if he'd done his work was by looking at what he'd already submitted.

A: Parents will be able to see snapshots of their child's progress through Infinite Campus progress reports and can set up virtual meetings with their child’s teacher. Additionally, parents who share their email address with teachers will have the opportunity to opt into the Weekly Summary feature on Google Classroom. This will allow parents to receive feedback on work and assignments submitted and whether assignments are missing. Teachers have also been encouraged to communicate through emails and phone calls with parents and families when students are not engaged in completing assignments.

Q: How will classroom grades be determined?

A: MPS has grading policies that will be followed during the 2020–21 school year.