Dear Families and Students,
Welcome to GK Schools Remote Learning Days!
As you can see, we will be delivering meaningful opportunities for students to remain engaged in learning while staying safe during the period of school closures related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Remote learning on this scale is unprecedented, and we anticipate there will be a learning curve for all of us. We thank you in advance for working with us in this venture.
A few things for you to be aware of as we proceed:
- Educational Activity Delivery Technology. We are expanding the District’s use of Google platforms to deliver remote learning opportunities. Students and staff already have some familiarity with Google products and we anticipate this will make the transition to on-line learning easier. Additionally, these platforms have in place industry standard security practices related to your child’s personal information, consistent with State and federal laws, and they do not share your child’s personal information with third parties and are considered to be FERPA compliant.
- Lesson Recordings & Access. Teachers will be providing live instruction to students through video conferencing. These lessons will be recorded so they can be available for review or re-review by students at a later time. Lessons also may be pre-recorded videos a student is to watch prior to engaging in a live discussion during remote class time. This ensures that students who miss the instruction or can benefit from repetition of the material can review the video at a time convenient to them. These videos will be available to students through Google Classroom. Only District students will have access to these videos. This site is not accessible to the general public.
- Student Images. With the use of video conferencing we can recreate the classroom as much as possible while students participate from their respective homes. This includes back and forth dialogue between the teacher and students and amongst the students themselves. As such, student voices and images may be recorded as they engage in discussions during lessons. The District does not consider these videos to be student records and will not maintain them as such, unless they are used for a specific student matter. At some point in the future, the district will determine that the need to store a recorded video is no longer necessary, and at that time the video(s) will be destroyed.
- Home Work Space. As much as possible, students should have a quiet space to work, with minimal distractions, when participating in their classes. The same is true when they are working on activities individually at home. This is particularly important when lessons are being recorded.
- Behavior Expectation. Students are reminded that the District’s acceptable use of technology policies and other District behavior expectations apply during remote learning, just as if students were sitting in their regular classrooms. Teachers will be reviewing behavior expectations and how to participate in class.
- Alternative Instructional Option. For those students having difficulty in accessing online learning, even with technical assistance, and for students in need of specialized instruction not conducive to the use of technology, paper copies of work will be made available. If this is a need, please contact the teacher and/or building principal.
- Students with IEPs. If your student has an IEP, you will be contacted by your child’s case manager within the first week to discuss implementation of special education services during the Remote Learning Days. To the best of our ability, your child will be provided with learning opportunities comparable to that provided to students without disabilities, modified consistent with your child’s unique circumstances related to your child’s disability.
- Students with 504 plans. Accommodations in student’s 504 plans will be implemented appropriate to your child’s needs and the nature of the activity in which your child is engaged. However, 504 services will be suspended for those children with medication management needs only as the student will not be present in school to receive those services.
- English Learners. Students who receive English as a Second Language or bilingual services will continue to receive access to those supports during Remote Learning Days. You will be contacted by the teacher in order to assess needs and provide opportunities for language support during this time.
If you have questions regarding specific class assignments or expectations, email your student’s teacher.
For all other questions, contact your building principal.
We thank you all again for your patience, understanding and cooperation during these different and difficult times. As always, Stay GK Strong!
The Genoa Kingston Administrative Team