Responses from Teachers to Frequently Asked Questions

 

Thank you for your flexibility and patience as we all navigate this new territory. Below, please find a list of FAQ’s regarding remote learning. We know that this will not answer all questions, but hopefully this will provide some clarity.

 

We understand that many adults still need to work out of the home as well as in the home, and many students have siblings and other family members who also need attention.

 

As a reminder, classroom schedules are suggested and families will need to adjust them to fit their needs at home. If you’re experiencing significant challenges, please reach out to your child’s teachers. We are a team and we’ll work together to make distance learning successful for our students!

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1. How long is a student expected to be logged in online? Must a student participate in the virtual classroom during the entire 8:30-2:30 time frame?

   A student is not expected to be online 8:30-2:30.

• Teachers have shared suggested daily schedules with families. These schedules have allocated a set amount of time per period as a guideline of what students should be doing daily.

• Assignments will be posted daily for students, but many of these assignments can be completed offline.

• Teachers will record much of their video instruction so that it can be played later.

• Teachers will notify families in advance of “live” learning.

• Teachers will be available during that time to communicate with students and parents.

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   2. Must a student follow the class schedule that was shared each day?

We want families to have flexibility with the schedule. However, students are expected to “sign in” for attendance by 9am. Students are also expected to complete daily assignments and to spend enough time on each subject area.

 

Teachers will offer conference times with children. That is the only time that children need to be available. Parents will be able to select times that work for them for their child to meet with his/her teacher.

 

Teachers will occasionally offer live group video (Zoom) sessions. We understand if not everyone can attend online. However, teachers will give advance notice so that families can do their best to allow their children to be on a computer at the set time.

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  3. Are parents expected to keep a schedule and be available at specific times during the day and to guide students through the lessons?

Our youngest students are not fully independent with online learning, and families are expected to guide their children through this new platform. The amount of supervision will vary per child but we ask that parents make sure assignments are completed (and marked as completed) each day. During live learning, it’s helpful for families to be present to assist with technical details (i.e. using Zoom, muting/unmuting of microphones, etc.).

 

For our older students, parents do not need to provide this amount of support. Classroom schedules are intended more for guidance around structuring the school day. Each day a student will receive a detailed lesson plan to use to complete their assignments. 

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  4. Are any of the lessons "live" at the scheduled time and requiring the student to be logged in online at that given time?

Instructional time includes a mix of interactive activities, recorded videos, live lessons, and independent work. Over time, we hope to integrate more live features to our lesson plans. Individual teachers will notify parents in advance when lessons will be live. During live instruction, it’s best for students to join at the given time; however, we understand that things may prevent this from always happening. When possible, teachers will record live sessions and post them for reference on Google Classroom.

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  5. Do we adults need to support our children’s teachers and to follow the assignments and perhaps check in for Specialty/Cluster classes?

This new type of learning will require a lot of parent support and, especially at the beginning, will require a lot of communication between parents and teachers. Each assignment will vary with the amount of independence a child will have but parents should plan (in the beginning) to work closely with their children, especially when setting them up for each assignment.

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  6. For a younger student who needs adult support, if an adult is not available during the required class time, will the lesson be available at a later time? 

Yes, teachers will notify in advance of live learning. These lessons will then be recorded and posted on google classroom for reference.

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  7. What if a student signs in for attendance later than 9am, or misses a full day due to unforeseen circumstances? What repercussions are there?

This is understandable. Please do communicate with teachers if/when this happens. A teacher may reach out via email if they have not heard from a family.

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  8. What if my child has an IEP?

Your child’s teacher will contact each child with an IEP. The teacher will provide parents with the opportunity to ask questions and discuss any concerns based on each student’s IEP and individual needs.

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  9. Do attendance and completion of classwork count towards grade advancement?

Teachers have been and will continue to communicate with parents if there are any academic concerns. Teachers will also continue to assess student progress. If you have additional questions about attendance or classwork completion, please contact Nancy at ndolinsky@ps290.org.

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  10. Besides my child’s teachers, who else at PS 290 can I contact if I need additional support?

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   Parent Coordinator Nancy at ndolinsky@ps290.org

 

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