Supports

Succeeding in an online course can take as much time as an on-site course. While the online format provides flexibility about when to participate during the day, it does not eliminate the need for frequent engagement every day.

Here are some suggestions for you as you engage in our Virtual Learning while at home:

• Establish a routine. Set your alarm, have breakfast and be ready to learn at the same time every day. Schedule and break for lunch as well as timed breaks throughout the day. With a routine, you have the best chance of staying on track.

• Set up your space. Pick a place in your home that is free from distractions and has everything nearby that you need for your classes. Put away your phone. Get dressed for school, yes, really.

• Reach out when necessary. Connect to your instructors over email or on Canvas and attend live virtual sessions. Ask questions just as you would in class and take advantage of all activities and assignment that will help you prepare for the exams.

• Utilize all available resources. Use the tools on your laptop or online to take notes, save your work, and keep reminders. Once you are organized, stick to it - try not to keep your notes or files in too many places. Take advantage of the online lessons and lectures, interactive activities, virtual classroom sessions, and instructional videos - all of these activities are designed to help you be successful in the class.

Get organized.

Organize each school day, each week, and the overall year as much as you can beforehand. Our teachers through Schoology provide at-a-glace weekly information that will help students and parents stay on track.

Create routines.

Younger students thrive on routine. Daily and weekly routines help students succeed. Bed times, wake times, breakfast and lunch times - they are all important and should have the same consistency as a traditional school day.

Get dressed.

Have you student dress as if they are in class. This further creates a deeper feeling for formal schooling and puts kids into the right mindset.

Have clear expectations.

Be very clear about what you expect from your elementary student. While many online schools will provide course management tools, younger students still need guidance and clear instructions from their learning coaches.

Be positive.

Be your school's (and, therefore, your child's) cheerleader. Even if you found a particular subject frustrating when you were in school, steer clear of sharing overly negative feelings. Model a positive, can-do attitude for your student.

Be present.

When you take on the role of learning coach, you must be available to engage with your student. Online elementary school students usually require hands-on interaction with adults for success.

Find support.

Our PTOs are developing networks to support families during remote and cyber learning. Connecting with them ties you in with other RTSD families experiencing the same challenges as you are. They will be able to offer suggestions, strategies, and a friendly ear.

For parents of students attending virtual high school, the biggest challenge is often making the learning arrangement work. Parental involvement is crucial in the online learning process as support from parents has been shown to improve both grades and test scores and leads to higher graduation rates. Yet, in high school, the amount of parental involvement diminishes as the student transitions to a greater level of academic independence. Indeed, granting 13 to 18 year-olds greater levels of freedom (and responsibility) affords them the opportunity to hone their personal and time management skills—which are central factors to success at the post-secondary level.

Most parents of online high school students gradually find their involvement is typically limited to the evenings and weekends. Between grades 9 and 12, students begin to tackle more complex subject matter, which means they may spend between five to six hours per day working and studying independently. Secondly, as high school progresses, students traditionally are required to participate in a greater number of synchronous (real-time) class sessions and discussions—creating a much more consistent daily schedule.

The first and most basic point of support is reporting daily attendance to the online school. Beyond that, parents are also responsible for ensuring their student’s assignments, lessons, and tests are completed. For students of prospective online high school students, there are numerous other ways to be a supportive (but not dominating) parent. Three ways to show support include the following:

1. Join a parent network.

Many virtual schools, including statewide schools, offer a network for distance learning students. These networks offer a variety of support sessions, from live events to online training programs, from conferences to workshops. Through these networks, parents have the opportunity to connect with other parents, enhance familiarity with online learning, get advice for working with their student, and—most importantly—be part of community of other parents.

2. Conduct regular school check-ins.

Parents should have regular contact with both the school and instructors. Examples include weekly email communication with teachers or attending parent/teacher conferences to discuss grades and student progress.

3. Use planning tools.

Having an understanding of what the student is studying and when they are studying helps parents monitor their child’s academic progress. Using a family calendar with a daily schedule, lesson plans, and teacher check-ins ensures parents are integrated into the online learning process.

• Parent Information - Information is posted on RTSD website and can be found by online: https://bit.ly/2xxJFwM. Information includes district contact information, outside provider information, and crisis resources. ​

• Parent Education - A mental health webinar was also created to provide parents with additional resources at home.​

• Emotional Support - ES teachers implemented virtual curriculum (Positive Action as well as other resources) for their students.​

• Clinical Support Counselor - Lakeside counselors provided individualized counseling for students on their caseload. Additional support was provided by Lakeside for new students as needed.​

• School Counselors - continued to support students via virtual methods, support transitions and course selections, ACT 339 activities, attendance, and more.​

• Social Workers - continued to support families extensively as needed with food, mental health resources, welfare issues, technology distribution, and more.​

• Caron Foundation - provided support for ongoing SAP processes via virtual platform, support for families with group and 1:1 therapy, and more.​

• Risk/Threat Virtual Assessments and DCIU Consultation - Ongoing consultation with district Risk and Threat Assessment contractor as needed and training to implement virtual assessments​

• Resources - Ongoing resources were provided via RTSD website and weekly Special Education newsletters, including mental health provider information, teletherapy and telehealth processes and local providers, tips for parents to support at home instruction and more.​

• Paraprofessional Training - Mental health, warning signs, mandated reporting requirements, suicide risk signs, and risk/threat assessment processes and support via the DCIU Risk/Threat Assessment consultant, district social workers, and district ES Teachers.​

• Attendance and Participation - Counselors and social workers supported attendance/participation in the virtual instruction and monitored absences throughout the closure. Excessive absences were reviewed and staff communicated with parents and students to complete well checks and refer out for additional mental health support as needed.​

• Individual Student Support - Students and parents received training and support on an individual basis in the areas of warning signs, risk factors, referral processes, and available mental health supports via the SAP and Interim COVID Plan process.​

• Weekly Meetings - District mental health provider staff met weekly with the Special Education Department to review needs, identify gaps, plan for additional supports, meet with outside agencies, and more.

• Staff and Student Self-Care - Staff training on Self-Care and SEL Instruction with a focus on navigating trauma sparked by the COVID-19 Pandemic.​

• Social-Emotional Lessons and Resources - District mental health, emotional support, social work and counselor staff will gather resources and create content for managing social-emotional well-being and to support ongoing self-care and trauma during the pandemic.​

• First 10 days of school - Staff will be encouraged and supported to invest time in social-emotional strategies with students during the first two weeks of school and thereafter. Responsive classroom practices will be important in the elementary setting. ​

• Continued Agency Support - Continued agency support through Lakeside, Caron Foundation, and the DCIU to support mental health and well-being, clinical support counseling, referrals, and risk/threat assessment procedures.