From: Dawn Valentino _ Staff - WakefieldHS
Sent: Thursday, October 1, 2020 5:44 PM
To: Dawn Valentino _ Staff - WakefieldHS <dvalentino@wcpss.net>
Subject: Important Info: Visual Art Class at Wakefield High School
Dear Parents,
Visual Art Students have been learning about art and creating some amazing works! I wanted to reach out to all of you and let you know how things are going so far and help you all stay in touch with me and understand how to find out what your child should be doing for class.
1) I apologize if you get duplicate emails from me, since we have multiple lists online.
2) I invited nearly all of you to join Guardian Access for your child's Google Classroom. I invited you through email if the correct email was provided or on file. Please check your email and search dvalentino for this invitation. This would have been sent several weeks ago. Most of you did not accept the invitation. This is important because it allows you to know what your child is missing or is late and keeps you up to date with reports.
3) It is important to understand that your child is in a STUDIO art class. This is not a lecture class. Your child will be provided with lessons, demos, instruction, and INDIVIDUAL help as needed. Then he or she will proceed with sketches, projects and a critique in most cases. There are also some various written assignments and smaller practice assignments that lead up to bigger projects. PLEASE keep in mind that there will be days when your child is supposed to be working on studio work with no live instruction. If this is the case for that particular day, he or she is still required to send me images of his or her work for one on one time and feedback. If such a day occurs, it will be posted in the Stream on Google Classroom. Students may also meet with me live one on one during most of these days if needed. Students need this hands-on quiet time to complete work uninterrupted. I am available on Remind 101 at almost any time of the day and well into the evening for questions.
4) All levels of art, with the exception of Advanced Art, are mixed levels, grades 9-12. With this in mind, I must differentiate with each student based on individual needs. If your child has an A in the class and you notice he or she finishes early or does not have any work on a certain day, these students are an exception, but please understand that many less experienced students need more time. Your child may have also worked well into the night because they chose to, or because he or she was excited about the assignment. This would ultimately free the student up the next day.
5) I do not give homework. I do give flexibility. I have a lot of students watching siblings and working, and in this virtual setting I do not REQUIRE the students to work at any specific time on art. Many students have expressed they work better at night. I explained to them that it is fine with me unless your parents have other expectations.
Thank you for your patience as we all navigate new ways of teaching and learning. It is truly impressive what the students have produced this far. Please have your child check Power Schools regularly with you so he or she may complete any missing assignments.
Sincerely,
Dawn Valentino
Dawn Valentino _ Staff - WakefieldHS
Mon 8/24/2020 12:24 PM
To: Visual Art Parents
Please fill out the contact information at the bottom of my Website page.
https://sites.google.com/wcpss.net/whsvisualart-valentino/home