Bobcat Bulletin April 13. 2020

 

April 13, 2020

It has been a month since we had our last in-school day. We had no idea that it would be our last days in our classrooms with all of our students. A month. I applaud all of you for navigating this time, and I thank you for the outpouring of support you are showing all of us as we do the same. Although we cannot be together in a room, I feel like we are very much together as a community, wrapped around the students of Moretown School.

And so we are on to our next phase, which is being called Continuous Learning, from today through the end of the year. Please see important information attached to this email regarding teaching and learning from April 13 to the end of the school year.

Remote Learning and Continuous Learning:

The MES Remote Learning Hub is linked here https://sites.google.com/huusd.org/moretown-remote-learning-hub/homeand is always live and is loaded with additional resources for students and families along with the grade level learning expectations. 

The letter to families about the Continuous Learning Plan is attached below. As you will read, we are working through this new learning/teching experience together, with an emphasis on wellbeing and connection. I am so proud of our MES teachers, for they have remained connected and integral in the school experience. They have figured out how to make this all work, without a roadmap, and have offered access to so many open doors when we have to keep our physical doors closed.

Holding school without meeting in-person is new to all of us.  Our first goal during continuous learning is to support your child to continue to grow. Just as in the school building, we know a child needs to first feel safe, secure and with basic needs met before he/she can learn. We appreciate that there are many stressors on families right now. We are here as a resource not only for students’ educational needs, but also as a resource for families.  A number of supports, as well as opportunities to volunteer, can be found at the Mad River Valley COVID Resources. If you don’t find what you need, let me know and I can try to connect you with supports.   Please also keep in mind that all families can sign up for free breakfasts and lunch for the week for all children under the age of 18; delivery is 3x week and you can sign up here. This meal service will continue throughout next week, when school is otherwise “on vacation”. 

April Break:

The week of April 20 is April Break and we will be “staycationing” and no learning with be pushed out to students that week. It’s a break for everyone!

Meals will still be served that week on the regular schedule. 

Connectedness:

I have heard of a variety of ways that students are staying connected ot only with their teachers and classmates, but also other students and buddies. Some students are writing letters as penpals, email is a popular choice, and individual students and families are coming together in virtual ways to keep important connections. Unfortuanately, Google Chat has been disabled at the district level due to some inappropriate use in violation of the expectations listed below. To supplement the great connections families and students have been able to maintain, we will be sharing grade level directories later this week. These will include student's names, parents' names, and a home phone number. If you do not wish for your information to be included in this directory (which will be emailed and not posted publicly online) please respond to the email sent by Loretta following this letter.

The following is an excerpt from the HUUSD Policy on Acceptable Use of Technology:

Application of (School) Behavioral Expectations in the use of Technology

All users are expected to comply with generally accepted rules of behavior.  These include, but are not limited to the following:

Users will not send or display defamatory, abusive, obscene, profane, sexually oriented, threatening, racially offensive, harassing, or illegal material.

Users will show respect for technology equipment through proper use and care.

Student users will not use the system for entertainment or commercial purposes, including online shopping.

Users will only access the system with their own username, and will take reasonable precautions to protect passwords.  No user will disrupt another person’s use of the system or attempt to gain unauthorized access to another person’s data or to the software, data, and settings belonging to the School District’s computer networks.

Important Information on Attendance:

From the VT Agency of Education:

Students are required to be engaged in school work every weekday they would typically be in school.

We are taking attendance through participation in the online meetings, posting/viewing/responding to SeeSaw and Google Classroom, working on one of the apps recommended by the classroom teacher, exchanging or responding to an email from the teacher or other school staff, or communicating with a MES staff member on the phone.

I have heard some families/students that there seems to be so much to do. What I want all students and families to know is the expectation is that each student engages in something for school each day to be counted as present (see below). We are offering access to content across many subjects. Please use the time guidelines in the attached letter, and know they are meant to be averages. We know it takes students differing amounts of time to do the same work. The teachers have whittled down to essentials, and then there are a number of choices your student may be making as well. We will try to offer more, but if you or your student are feeling overwhelmed opt for less. Preserving family relationships is essential during a time like this.

COMMUNITY HOPE THROUGH ART PROJECT           

Here is the challenge for both kids and adults....we will deliver to your house a small plywood 'canvas' (12"x16") and a silver star and instructions for participation. Your creations will be included in a community-wide display to be hung around the Valley. To get a 'canvas' and a silver star delivered to your home please email Amanda Gates at amandajanegates@gmail.com or call her at 802-496-6961 between 9and 5pm. JOIN US IN THE CELEBRATION of MAD RIVER STRONG

         There are still some canvases available and invite you to unleash your creative abilities! In celebration of our amazing community, explore our RESILIENCE and COURAGE while we keep ourselves and others safe while staying home. This is a collaboration of the Mad River Valley Volunteer Response and the MRV Community Fund.

Bobcat Bulletin April 7, 2020

You will most likely hear from me again in the next day or two, but wanted to get this information out:

• April Break: 
• We have been directed by the AOE to adhere to our existing approved calendars, which means taking April break. Staff will not be meeting with students or providing new lessons that week, April 20-24. There will still be meals provided that week, but not remote learning.
• Attendance Daily:
•  Starting Monday April 6, teachers have been asked to take attendance each day.  
• A student will be marked present if they log in to a online meet with their classroom teacher, engage with online material/programs, load work on to Seesaw, have email contact with a teacher, or meet with a special educator or arts teacher.  
• Loretta, our admin assistant, will reach out if your child did not engage in the above.
• Please let us know if your child is ill or not going to be 'present' during a school day.

• Remote learning- 
• information about the next phase is coming.  
• Pick up of new materials will be Wednesday, Friday and/or Monday between 9:00 and 12:00.  
• Your child's classrooms teacher will let you know which day materials will be ready.  They have been planning and preparing bags this week.  
• A special thanks to Nurse Jean for helping to ensure the safest protocols and for making sure someone is there for the materials "hand off."
• Remote Learning HUB- 
• can now also be found on the Moretown School website. by clicking the red button at the top of the page.
• This site is meant to be a HUB for the information you and your child need.
• Google Meet.  
• The district has restricted the use of Zoom with students.  There simply are not enough safety measures in place.  Google Meet is the safe alternative. 
• If you are feeling as though you could use some more information about how Google Meet works, check out the short video tutorials below.  Thanks to Pam Dow for sharing her learning.
• Google Meet Basic Features 6:46
• The video below allows you to download an extension that will allow your child to see everyone in the meeting in a grid view.  It was an easy download for me.  
• Google Meet Grid View Extension 5:47
• Another Tech tip.
• Once a website is accessed via a web browser, you can Add to Home Screen via the share out (box with upwards arrow) that creates a shortcut on the iPad screen. BOOM a new button on the home screen.
• Playgrounds:
• We have been directed to close all school playgrounds until further notice. They will be posted with signs and fencing and/or hazard tape as appropriate per our VSBIT insurer.

Bobcat Bulletin April 1, 2020

Hello,

I know that I have been a little quiet in the last week or so, knowing that so much information is coming to you from the district and that all the teachers have done a wonderful job connecting with students and connecting with families as well.  

Wow! It has been quite a shift in how we all do things.  Remote Learning is not a term that I foresaw talking to anyone about this school year, but now it is the topic of most all my communications.  MES teachers are working hard to transform their teaching. I have been so impressed with the teachers and their seemingly magic powers to change everything they usually do (and where they do it) to something new and, first and foremost, use this new way of doing things to connect with students.  I have been blown away at how you as families have wrapped around your learners and have dug in to this new routine.  

Change is hard on a good day. These are big changes!  I've heard, and used, the word 'unprecedented' a lot lately.  The road map simply does not exist, and so we are doing our best, all of us, to find a new semblance of normal.  Thank you for being our partners.  

Know that I am here to support, problem solve and cheer lead.  Please reach out if I can be of any service to you, your child(ren), or your families at this time.

Best, 

Mandy

MES REMOTE LEARNING HUB : I am working on having this be easier to find on our website.  Hoping it will be all set tomorrow.

A couple of timely items:

Remote Learning Survey: Use this link: Parents . We want to know how you feel like it is going. A survey will also be sent to students grades 3-6 to their email addresses.

Remote Learning Tech Guidelines for Families.  Please read over the HUUSD guidelines and info for online meetings.