We are almost ready to officially embark on the interesting, unique, exciting, unprecedented journey of kicking of the 2020-2021 school year. We continue to receive and review up-to-date guidance from the DPI, DHS, and CDC as we plan for the coming school year. One thing is for sure, we will utilize Google Classroom as the hub for our instructional materials and lessons for all students, so that we can be flexible with how we move our students forward in their skills. Thank you for the continued conversations about our plan...your perspective and input is critical to executing our plan.
Resource of the Week
Google Classroom and Meet have become critical parts of the way we educate students virtually. Google plans to implement some enhancements to both platforms that will help educators be even more effective with these tools. Take a look at what is to come.
"More Details on what's coming to Meet and Classroom" - Google blog
Instructional Model
When the reopening of schools guidance came out earlier this summer, the ability to be flexible was emphasized strongly. This guidance was a strong, key factor in us choosing to move forward in the manner that we are planning. As of this writing, we are scheduled to begin seeing students on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays with Wednesdays being a Virtual Learning Day.
The board approved this plan, but also the ability to move into different models depending on recommendations from health experts. Districts are still expecting DHS to provide some more specific parameters as to how schools should open based on the health data specific to each school's location. Moving forward, we should be expecting to be flexible and move to any of the following models as we move throughout the 20-21 school year:
Fully In-Person (5 days per week)
Hybrid (In-person 4 days per week)
Hybrid (In-person at 50% capacity, Half meets MT, W virtual, other half meets RF)
Fully Virtual
I believe by using Google Classroom as the main hub for posting our instruction, and utilizing Google Meet to confer with students virtually (even while in the same building), we will be set up to move in and out of models as seamlessly as possible. We will refine our practices and get better every day. Our intent is to be able to provide feedback, assess, hold students accountable, just as we would under "normal" school conditions...ultimately seeing the same type of growth in student learning as we would normally expect.
Logistics for Staff to Plan Around
The routines that we work to establish will definitely need more discussion and refinement as we learn from the experience of executing a different type of plan than we are accustomed. As a staff, we all must be strong models and have high expectations for our students in following the health protocols put in place to protect the health of everyone. To be effective, we must all be strong and consistent in this area. I will continue to work on the communication with families for what our expectations for students and families will be (I sent out two videos so far, and plan to, at least weekly, leading up to the start of school)...emphasizing staying home if feeling sick at all, proper face-covering etiquette, and important hygiene practices and expectations. In our "Open House" meetings, this will need to be emphasized by each teacher in the conversation with the family.
A couple of staff expectations will be different as well. Teachers will need to be ready and in our classrooms by 7:15. We will direct students to go to their classrooms when they arrive, going through an assigned door that will have staff present. Bus drop-off will be staggered and done one at a time (off of Cleveland St.), starting around 7:20. This adjustment will move the typical staff working day to 7:15-3:15. A schedule was shared earlier this week for how we will move throughout our day.
For Virtual Wednesdays, staff will be able to work from home. The school building will be deep cleaned, however, the building will still be open for any staff that would like to work from school. Staff should come in to school if there are concerns with home internet connection or to use your school phone for parent/student communication. For Virtual Wednesdays, we'll start by having asynchronous lessons/activities planned and posted for students. We'll spend some time on this as a staff during our time together prior to the start of school, but as of right now, I'm thinking Virtual Wednesday's schedule will look something like this:
8:00 - Each teacher Google Meets with Homebase groups for a Homeroom lesson/discussion and preview of the day's work
8:15 - 12:00 - Students work on asynchronous lessons. Teacher/Student Meetings - meet with individual or small groups of students. These meetings should be scheduled (using Google Calendar) with students and spent conferring with them and providing clarifying or growth-oriented feedback on their performance in class.
12:00 - 12:30 - Lunch
12:30 - 3:30 - Teacher Prep for Lessons/Assessing Student Work - Team or Department Meetings - Continued meetings with students - Students continue to work on activities.
Open House Plan
We will not host our typical 4:00 - 7:00 Open House on Thursday (8/27). This time is typically a critical time for students to come in, find their bearings, and meet their teachers. In its place we will work to create a virtual experience for our students and families. Building strong, trusting relationships with students and their families is going to be even more critical than ever this school year. We will plan to start building those relationships during the weeks before school starts.
Our plan will involve having each teacher schedule a Google Meeting with each student and his/her family that is assigned to their Homebase group. Teachers that do not have a homebase group should work with the grade levels they will be working with, to join in some of these meetings for our students that we know are in need of strong school connections (see me if unsure). These meetings can begin as early as this coming week, but a connection (google meet or phone conversation) MUST be made by the end of day on Friday, 8/28. (Please share your meeting log with me at some point prior to end of day 8/28)
We will provide a script for teachers to use for these meetings. We must take time to get to know and learn as much as we can about each student and his/her family. The goal is to establish a relationship with the family so communication throughout the year is comfortable and trusting. I will communicate with families this week about what to expect, and share a sample script in the first part of this week.
Orientation Meetings
I plan to host virtual orientation meetings in the week leading up to school. I plan to live-stream the meeting for families and posting the recording for anyone to access that couldn't make the live-stream time. If anyone has any unique or exciting ideas that could enhance these meetings, I am always open to incorporating entertaining parts that will make this experience more enjoyable for families.
Before the start of school, each grade level team, with our all teachers included in some way, should send home some type of communication aimed at helping students/families know more about our staff. This can be done utilizing any type of communication technique (video, blog post, letter, etc). If a great idea came to your head while reading this, please send me your thoughts. :)
Homebase Groups
I shared Homebase group assignments on Friday afternoon. We are finalizing and confirming the students/families that will be choosing the all-virtual option. Students in green have had their choice confirmed by the survey. There was a great deal of time spent reviewing/planning for these groups to be set up for success. We plan to share student class assignments in the middle of this week by making them viewable for parents in Infinite Campus.
The conversations around the students in our groups is an indicator of the type of culture we have in our school. We have discussed how our expectations for students, the words we use, our body language impact the ultimate success a student will have for us. Our reaction and conversation around the students assigned to us makes a difference. When reviewing the students, thinking..."I am going to be the difference for these kids"...or "I am going to help this kid have the best school year he/she has ever had" will help set the stage for successful outcomes. Our mindset and approach is the difference...both in action and behind the scenes. Some need our help/guidance more than others, and some sometimes show their needs in ways that are undesirable to us...but being the type of school we all want to be a part of requires a positive mindset from each of us about each student we will encounter.
I am most proud of our staff for taking kids that have struggled in other places, and helping facilitate a positive experience for them in Poynette. A school setting can truly change the trajectory for a student.
Renovation Project
Sorry no pictures this week...We are getting close. We hope to have all things moved back to their locations and ready to unpack towards the end of this week. Please continue to communicate with me about building access this week. The building looks so different...very exciting.
What lies ahead...
One things remains at the core of what we do, no matter what it looks like this school year...we get the opportunity to impact kids. I am so looking forward to seeing kids again, talking with them, and helping them in this critical time in their lives. Our kids need us.
Mrs. Crawford sent a quote that I thought was worthy of sharing (even though it's from a member of the Chicago Cubs)...I am excited to be on this journey with you and this team.
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