How do parents reach out with academic concerns? What hours are we available?

• Reach out to your child’s teacher first as questions about academic work arise or if your child is struggling to complete the assigned work.

• Reach out to Billie Stensby who will be available via email 8-3:00 on school days if concerns about accommodations arise. Billie will stay in touch with you and your child's teachers as we work together to support one another through distance learning.

• Reach out to Laura Duke if your child is a K-2 student who works with Laura and you are looking for strategies to keep your child reading.

• Use the new CLT@spa.edu email if you are not sure who to reach out to with your questions. The appropriate person from the Center for Learning and Teaching will be in touch with you.

What resources are available to parents?

• Parents have access to their student’s grade level newsletter as a good classroom resource.

What resources should students be using?

• Students and families will be using Seesaw as the primary mode for assignments.

• Students should continue using any of the resources they currently use as listed in their LP. The majority of resources are available at home or via technology. (audio books, graph paper, voice-to-text, etc.)

What should student study spaces look like?

• Students and parents should utilize the spaces they are familiar with for doing homework and/or create/designate a consistent space that is quiet and calm for doing schoolwork. Include a chair, desk/table, paper, pencil etc.

• Please keep liquids and food away from your child’s iPad.

How should students manage their time?

• Create a schedule for your child which includes time for breaks and movement. Routine will continue to be important for your child and will aid in decreasing anxiety.

What are some elective resources for students? (examples being a text reader or talk-to- text apps)

• Families with children in grades 1-5 have access to the resources via their iPads that went home before spring break. The majority of the resources they already use/know how to use continue to be available: Learning Ally, Epic, Raz-Kids, IXL, Google Docs and voice-to text, etc. It is recommended students not try to work with a resource that they are not familiar with at this time.

TIME WITH FINN

Finn is Karen Rassmussen’s 2 yr old Australian Labradoodle and together they are a registered therapy dog team. Finn spent time on the Randolph Campus during mid-terms this past December. Those who interacted with him report he was a welcomed furry and calming presence.

Finn will join SPA’s distance learning journey in various capacities to bring a fun, light hearted presence to our learning. Watch for him to pop up in unexpected ways over the coming weeks.

For Technology Questions and Support:

Email helpdesk@spa.edu

• How do parents reach out with academic concerns? What hours are we available?

• Reach out to your child’s teacher as questions about academic work arise.

• Reach out to Jennie Sorensen (jsorensen@spa.edu) for concerns about accommodations for your child. The accommodations currently listed in your child’s Learning Plan will continue to be available throughout our distance learning journey.

• Jennie will be available via email 8-3:00 on school days if concerns about your child’s progress and/or accommodations arise. She can also schedule meetings with parents via Google Hangouts Meet.

• Jennie will be available during quiet study hours from 2:15-3:00 through Google Hangouts Meet. Jennie will reach out to your child to schedule these sessions if they were assigned to her quiet study. Students can contact Jennie to set up a meeting as well if challenges arise at any time.

What resources are available to parents?

• Support your child’s use of a planner as a learning log or journal to plan when they will work on the learning activities in each class. Have your child map out a daily plan that includes synchronous class meetings, advisory meetings, blocks of time to complete learning activities, and quiet study times.

• Teachers and advisors also remain available for support during the school day, advisory meetings, and quiet study.

• Teachers will continue to post information about academic work via Veracross. In some cases students will be referred to another platform to access the specific learning activities.

• Learning Ally will remain available for students whose Learning Plan already provides that as an accommodation.

What resources should students be using?

• Students and families will be using Veracross as the primary mode for communication about assignments. Please note that students may be referred to other platforms to access the specific learning activities for each class. Teachers will guide students through the distance learning model in each course.

• Students should continue using any of the resources they currently use as listed in their LP for example Learning Ally, Dragon or speech to text apps, Grammarly for writing, etc.

What should student study spaces look like?

• Students and parents should utilize the spaces they are familiar with for doing homework and/or create/designate a consistent space that is quiet and calm for doing schoolwork and is as free from distractions as possible. Work at a table or desk where students have ready access to their laptop, paper, calculator, planner, and pencil or pen.

• Create a schedule with your child which includes breaks and time for movement.

How should students manage their time?

• Create a schedule which includes time for breaks and movement that mirrors a typical day in the middle school. Routine will continue to be important for you and will aid in decreasing anxiety and increasing productivity.

What are some elective resources for students? (examples being a text reader or talk-to- text apps)

• Families with children in grades 6-8 have access to the resources via their Lenovo computer which came home before spring break. The majority of the resources they already use/know how to use continue to be available:Learning Ally, Google Docs, Dragon Dictation.

Other Resources could include:

• Voice to Text on your Lenovo:

• Text to Speech Reader on your Laptop

Academic Coaching

Academic coaches will continue to be available to students who have a Learning Plan in place. Contact Jennie Sorensen with questions about academic coaching.

• Your teacher remains your primary contact for questions regarding your class, where to find course information, new methods to solve equations etc.

• MS students will continue to meet with their academic coaches during their regularly scheduled time during quiet study or after school. Your child’s academic coach will reach out via Google Hangouts Meet to schedule real time coaching sessions.

• The Center for Learning and Teaching policies will continue throughout our time with distance learning regarding missed sessions. If your child is absent, please contact the attendance line, the academic coach, and include Jennie in the email.

• Your child’s academic coach will reach out via Google Hangouts Meet to schedule real time coaching sessions. Your child’s academic coach will reach out via Veracross if your child misses a coaching session.

• As with other synchronous sessions, academic coaching sessions are between the coach and the student. Sessions would not include parents, siblings, or teachers.

TIME WITH FINN

Finn is Karen Rassmussen’s 2 yr old Australian Labradoodle and together they are a registered therapy dog team. Finn spent time on the Randolph Campus during mid-terms this past December. Those who interacted with him report he was a welcomed furry and calming presence.

Finn will join SPA’s distance learning journey in various capacities to bring a fun, light hearted presence to our learning. Watch for him to pop up in unexpected ways over the coming weeks.

For Technology Questions and Support:

Email helpdesk@spa.edu

How do parents reach out with academic concerns? What hours are we available?

• Reach out to your child’s teacher as questions about academic work arise or where to find assignments/platforms etc.

• Reach out to Karen Rassmussen for concerns about accommodations. The accommodations currently listed in your Learning Plan will continue.

• Karen will be available via email 8-3:00 on school days if concerns about accommodations arise. Karen can also schedule meetings with parents or students via Google Hangouts Meet.

What resources are available to parents?

• Academic work will be communicated by teachers via Veracross.

• Learning Ally will remain available for students whose Learning Plan already provides that as an accommodation.

• Karen Rassmussen or Emily King are available during school hours to answer accommodation concerns.

What resources should students be using?

• Students will be using Veracross as the primary mode for assignments. Classroom teachers will communicate about specific assignments and platforms they will use for academic work.

• Students should continue using any of the resources they currently use as listed in their LP for example Learning Ally, Dragon or speech to text apps, Grammarly for writing etc.

What should student study spaces look like?

• Students and parents should utilize the spaces they are familiar with for doing homework and/or create/designate a consistent space that is quiet and calm for doing schoolwork. Including their computer, a chair, table or desk, paper, calculator, pencil or pen, and s sitting up straight.

How should students manage their time?

• Create a schedule for your child which includes time for breaks and movement. Routine will continue to be important and will aid in decreasing anxiety.

• We have created a Home Learning Journal for your use to help you think about your classwork and plan to stay connected to your teachers.

  • Reach out to Ms. King if you would like a copy of this learning tool.

What are some elective resources for students? (examples being a text reader or talk-to- text apps)

• Families with children in grades 9-12 have access to the resources via their Lenovo computer which came home before spring break. The majority of the resources they already use/know how to use continue to be available:Learning Ally, Google Docs, Dragon Dictation.

Other Resources could include:

• Voice to Text on your Lenovo:

• Text to Speech Reader on your Laptop

Academic Coaching

Academic coaches will continue to be available to students who have a Learning Plan in place or whose grades have fallen below 70% at a grading period as an add on service. Contact Karen Rassmussen with questions about academic coaching.

• Your scheduled time may change if it conflicts with synchronous class.

• Your teacher remains your primary contact for questions regarding your class, where to find course information, new methods to solve equations etc.

• You should be meeting with your teacher during tutorial or a time you and your teacher have agreed upon between academic coaching sessions. Academic coaches are a resource for support, however, they can not replace your teacher.

• The Center for Learning and Teaching policies will continue throughout our time with distance learning regarding missed sessions. If your child is absent, please contact the attendance line, the academic coach, and include me in the email.

• Your child’s academic coach will reach out via Google Hangouts Meet to schedule real time coaching sessions. Your child’s academic coach will reach out via Veracross if your child misses a coaching session.

• As with other synchronous sessions, academic coaching sessions are between the coach and the student. Sessions would not include parents, siblings, or teachers.

TIME WITH FINN

Finn is Karen Rassmussen’s 2 yr old Australian Labradoodle and together they are a registered therapy dog team. Finn spent time on the Randolph Campus during mid-terms this past December. Those who interacted with him report he was a welcomed furry and calming presence.

Finn will join SPA’s distance learning journey in various capacities to bring a fun, light hearted presence to our learning. Watch for him to pop up in unexpected ways over the coming weeks.

For Techonology Questions:

Email helpdesk@spa.edu

Middle School

Academic coaches will continue to be available to students who have a Learning Plan in place. Contact Jennie Sorensen with questions about academic coaching.

• Your teacher remains your primary contact for questions regarding your class, where to find course information, new methods to solve equations etc.

• MS students will continue to meet with their academic coaches during their regularly scheduled time during quiet study or after school. Your child’s academic coach will reach out via Google Hangouts Meet to schedule real time coaching sessions.

• The Center for Learning and Teaching policies will continue throughout our time with distance learning regarding missed sessions. If your child is absent, please contact the attendance line, the academic coach, and include Jennie in the email.

• Your child’s academic coach will reach out via Google Hangouts Meet to schedule real time coaching sessions. Your child’s academic coach will reach out via Veracross if your child misses a coaching session.

• As with other synchronous sessions, academic coaching sessions are between the coach and the student. Sessions would not include parents, siblings, or teachers.

Upper School

Academic coaches will continue to be available to students who have a Learning Plan in place or whose grades have fallen below 70% at a grading period as an add on service. Contact Karen Rassmussen with questions about academic coaching.

• Your scheduled time may change if it conflicts with synchronous class.

• Your teacher remains your primary contact for questions regarding your class, where to find course information, new methods to solve equations etc.

• You should be meeting with your teacher during tutorial or a time you and your teacher have agreed upon between academic coaching sessions. Academic coaches are a resource for support, however, they can not replace your teacher.

• The Center for Learning and Teaching policies will continue throughout our time with distance learning regarding missed sessions. If your child is absent, please contact the attendance line, the academic coach, and include me in the email.

• Your child’s academic coach will reach out via Google Hangouts Meet to schedule real time coaching sessions. Your child’s academic coach will reach out via Veracross if your child misses a coaching session.

• As with other synchronous sessions, academic coaching sessions are between the coach and the student. Sessions would not include parents, siblings, or teachers.