Millbrae School District's Distance Learning Phase II

Press release from the Millbrae School District:

April 3, 2020

Dear Millbrae Families,

I hope this email finds you well. Please join me in giving a shout out to our staff and to you parents for a successful transition to our Phase I of MESD's Remote/Distance Learning Plan. We have received positive feedback of the hard work and dedication of our staff and the role that you have played with your child. With that, an area of opportunity for us as a district is to strengthen and standardize our Distance Learning Phase II as we prepare to provide Distance Learning until May 1, 2020 and likely until the end of the school year.

In addition to the new Shelter in Place Amendment 3.31.20 release on March 31st, State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Tony Thurmond, in a letter sent to county superintendents stating, "Due to the current safety concerns and needs for ongoing social distancing it currently appears that our students will not be able to return to school campuses before the end of the school year. This is in no way to suggest that school is over for the year, but rather we should put all efforts into strengthening our delivery of education through distance learning."

As of this writing, it is implied that school districts in our county will be directed to continue with school closure/distance learning until the end of the school year AND that we should plan for this anticipated reality. We will continue to consult with the San Mateo County Health and the San Mateo County Office of Education and should our schools be authorized to reopen before the end of the school year, we will update our families as soon as possible.

Superintendent Thurmond's full letter to county superintendents as well as the Press Release from our county Superintendent Nancy Magee are linked. Superintendent Nancy Magee reiterated the commitment of County schools to serving our communities. "More than anything right now, our students need to stay connected to school and supported by their teachers and school leaders," explained Superintendent Magee. "San Mateo County school district leaders are committed to ensuring that students, families, and staff remain engaged, and students continue to make progress in their learning."

We were not expecting to hear any updates regarding possible extended campus closures until mid-April, however we have learned that information changes rapidly from day to day.

This week, school site administration collaborated with their staff to review our Phase II of MESD's Comprehensive Distance Learning Plan; where we will standardized our expectations for: Attendance, Office Hours, Face Contact, Expectations of District/Site Administration, Student Services, Teachers, Support Staff, Specialist & Distance Learning Instruction. You will receive more information of site specifics from your school principal.

MESD"s PHASE II DISTANCE LEARNING PLAN

• We will continue our Phase I of our Distance Plan to Friday April 3rd
• Rest and Enjoy Family & Friends (some virtually) for Spring Recess April 6th - 10th
• To support our Teachers in their planning for Distance Learning Phase II, our teachers will take Mon. 4/13 & Tues. 4/14 to plan while your students will Choose Your Own Adventure; be on the lookout for additional information from your child's principal about Student Activities for those two days.
• LAUNCH of MESD's Phase II Distance Learning Plan Wed. March 15th

STAY CONNECTED

Visit our NEW MESD's Distance Learning Parent Portal for updated info & resources to include a message from Board President Musa & Superintendent Phayprasert & our weekly challenges
https://sites.google.com/millbraesd.org/distancelearningmesd/home

Join President Musa & I for a Virtual Coffee on April 16, 2020 | 5:30PM

Join Zoom Meeting

https://zoom.us/j/683075491 Meeting ID: 683 075 491

Send questions beforehand: https://forms.gle/uJSEwEermz8gXw4k7

I thank you for your flexibility, support to our administration team, teachers and staff and continued dedication to supporting your child (ren) during this time. Please take time to read MESD's Distance Learning Plan Parent Guide and have a WONDERFUL Spring Recess 2020!

Sincerely,

Vahn Phayprasert
Superintendent

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Millbrae School District

Distance Learning Plan

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction

Page 4

Attendance Procedures

Page 5

Distance Learning Key Terms

Page 6

Parent/Student Roles & Responsibilities

Page 7

Staff Roles & Responsibilities

Page 9

Distance Learning Overview

Page 10

Instructional Planning & Standards

Page 11

Grading & Assessments

Page 12

Distance Learning Resources & Weblinks

Page 13

Distance Learning Platform + Tools

Page 14

Frequently Asked Questions

Page 15

Page 4

Introduction

This guide provides Millbrae School District families with the resources to ensure a smooth transition to Distance Learning during this social distancing period. MESD will provide academic continuity that honors commitment to quality learning for all students during this time.

Our goal is to provide families and students with academic resources to continue instruction. As a student you are going to be interacting with your teacher via your MSD email, Google Hangouts/Meets, Google Classroom and/or ZOOM. Your teacher will send you exactly what their expectations are.

California Department of Education Guidelines for Distance Learning: Click here.

Communication to Parents: Please keep in mind that ideally, teachers will communicate directly with students so as parents you may not hear from teachers much like at school. We are encouraging you to engage directly with your child and support them in reaching out to their teachers with questions.

We should think differently about our priorities when responding to challenging circumstances, and we should embrace new opportunities for students to learn in authentic, meaningful ways.

Seize the Moment; Embrace new opportunities & possibilities for your child.

Years or decades from now, how will your children remember the emergency that resulted in school closure? While distance learning should attempt to bring some normalcy and routine to students' lives, parents should not ignore the opportunities resulting from school closure either. Parents might require students to keep a daily journal or diary for the duration of the crisis. Age-appropriate personal journaling and/or other creative writing assignments can help students process their thoughts, worries, and emotions, particularly in times of crisis. Students might use other media as well, including video, drawing, painting, and music. For older students, the crisis might also provide other real-life opportunities to study scientific phenomena associated with the crisis, how the media is reporting the incident, how governments are responding, and many other opportunities to seize the moment and design new learning transdisciplinary experiences for our students.

MESD will continue to communicate regularly and post updates on our new Distance Learning Portal. In addition, you will receive daily communication from your child(ren)'s teacher(s).

To ensure you are kept well-informed:

• Please watch for and read any messages from Superintendent Phayprasert in your email and posted to our district website.

• Please watch for and read any messages from your principal or teacher(s) via email.

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Attendance Procedures during Distance Learning

Goal: To ensure students are well, healthy, and safe, as well as able to access distance learning instruction.

• School will send an email reminder with a link to the specific school's Attendance Google Form for parent/guardian to complete every morning.

  • For Elementary: Families will be required to submit an entry for each child. Families will use a dropdown menu of teachers to indicate their class.

  • For Middle School: Attendance will be submitted for the student's SEL period.
    

• School administration and secretaries will monitor student attendance.
  

• If no attendance response is recorded for 2 days:

• School administrator or secretary will contact the student's family for a welfare check.

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Distance Learning Key Terminology & Purpose

Though much of teaching and learning online is the same as in the shared physical classroom, there are a few key terms that will help you navigate the shift.

Asynchronous: Class interactions happen without real-time interaction.

Students engage in class materials and complete work at their own pace, typically within a given timeframe, often using discussion boards to drive peer-to-peer engagement.

Synchronous: Class interactions happen in real time, at the same time.

Students may virtually attend class together via video conference, livestream, or chat. We have Google Meet and Zoom for synchronous meetings. Most online courses are a blend of synchronous contact and asynchronous study/work. In describing their experience of shifting school completely online, colleagues at the Concordia International School in Shanghai explained that asynchronous instruction worked best for deep learning, whereas synchronous instruction was essential for maintaining relationships.

MESD will engage in the Blended Learning model, which includes both an Asynchronous Learning Environment as well as Synchronous, real-time engagements. An Asynchronous Learning Environment is a learning environment that does not require participants, teachers, and students to be online at the same time. Synchronous, real-time engagements are opportunities for students to participate in engagements with their teachers and classmates at an established time to allow for interactions in real time. A meta-analysis and review of Online Learning Studies from the US State Department of Education indicates that blends of online and face-to-face instruction, on average, had stronger learning outcomes than did face-to-face instruction alone.

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Parent Roles & Responsibilities

9 Tips for Distance Learning in your Home

9 Tips for Distance Learning in your Home

1. Create an Optimal Learning Environment

• A shared family space so that you are accessible to check-in, monitor progress, and assist/ the support.

• A Quiet-Study/Learning Zone: Family agreement that the space is a "learning" space and learning expectations apply (non-distracting from peers, outside noise, avoid a child's bedroom, etc.)

• Have resources/materials accessible (i.e. markers, paper, rulers, etc.) for your child to be successful with their activities. Plan ahead and review due dates to have materials ready.

• Proper desk/table and ergonomic seating that allows your child(ren) to be comfortable when learning.

1. Begin/End each day with a check-in

• Start and finish each day with a simple check-in with your child(ren)

• Look at grade level assignment calendars together to review anything that is due.

• Check in with their virtual learning platforms to find any updates for the day.

• Review if any of their teachers have office hours that day and write questions down together that may need to be answered.

• Finally have a discussion and ask

• What are you learning today?

• What are the learning goals?

• How will you spend your time? (consider setting a schedule that can be easily followed by your children)

• What resources do you require?

• How can I help?

Please note: This brief conversation matters. It allows children to process the instructions they've received from their teachers. It helps them organize and set priorities. Parents should establish these check-ins at regular times each day and possibly even write down a schedule for the day with further check-in times.

1. Routines and Expectations for Learning at Home

• Set regular hours for learning. If possible, align these hours with the hours that your children are most attentive. These may be different for different children, respective of age and workload.

• Write down a schedule for each child (or if appropriate, have your child create a schedule) with built-in breaks for snacks, outdoor movement/ exercise and playtime. Check off items as completed -- children love the sense of accomplishment! Younger children might also be motivated by short goals, i.e. "complete two activities from your teacher and then we'll play a family game."

1. Establish "Think Time"

• One challenge for families with multiple children will be how to manage all of their children's needs. There may be times when siblings need to work in different rooms to avoid distraction. Headphones can be a great opportunity for learners to focus and avoid distraction. Depending on the devices available in your home, you may also need to stagger the online work time for each child.

1. Encourage Exercise

• Make sure your children remember to move and exercise.

• Plan regular opportunities to get up and move around

• Go outside and play and/or encourage your child(ren) to do something helpful around the house

1. Support their Learning Socially

• Distance learning opportunities may include collaborative group assignments/projects. Monitor these for/with your child(ren) as online social interaction will enhance the experience for your child(ren).

1. Maintain Social Opportunities for your Children

Consider letting your child call or Video chat with their friends. Monitor your children's social media use, especially during an extended campus closure. Older students will rely more on social media to communicate with friends.

1. Responsible Use of Technology

When completing work online, joining video calls and/or participating in virtual discussions, students should be sure to:

• Use respectful behavior and language.

• Stick to appropriate topic discussions.

• Send only appropriate video transmissions.

• Use only appropriate icon, emoji, and avatar submissions.

1. Create a Support Network

Everyone is encouraged to ask themselves:

• Who in the family or neighborhood might be able to help with supervision?

• Who in the family or neighborhood is really "tech savvy" and willing to help teach others how to use the online tools that are available to SCSD students?

• How might older siblings and students be able to support the learning of younger children?

• In what ways can neighbors and friendship groups share technology tools?

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School Staff Roles & Responsibilities

Staff Roles & Responsibilities

Staff Roles & Responsibilities

District Administration

• Provide Support & Resources to sites

Site
Administration

• Monitoring of Attendance & Engagement

• Develop site plans for distance learning

Teachers

• Collaborate with colleagues to design Distance Learning experiences for students in accordance with divisional plans

• Develop high-quality student learning experiences

• Communicate with and provide timely feedback to students

• Communicate with parents, as necessary

• Communicate office hours

Support Staff

• Partner with classroom teachers to accommodate the online learning

• Provide translation services

• Recommend to parents and teachers other online learning platforms learning support students might be able to access at this time (e.g., IXL, RAZ kids, etc.)

Student Services

website

• Collaborate with site administration and teachers to provide student services support

• Develop communication and response plan for families and students

Specialists

• Supporting students' academic progress, musical growth, and physical education development through home learning

• Partner with teachers to provide daily/weekly lessons and/or activities

• Provide resources to administration and staff. Troubleshoot as necessary

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Distance Learning Overview

Distance Learning Schooling is always a partnership. Over the course of this Distance Learning time period, our admin and teachers will partner with parents to engage students in experiences that stretch their understanding and expand how they approach new learning. Teachers will continue to carry forward their instrumental role in guiding, supporting, and challenging students to take on new responsibilities and to become excited about new learning. Our families will have options and sources for flexibility that will give them choice and ownership as the Distance Learning experience progresses. Teachers will communicate with parents through their MESD google email, google classroom and/or parent vue and along with other online subscriptions, to engage students in rich learning tasks. Teachers will make every attempt to also invite students to optional interactive synchronous lessons and activities using an online forum.

Workload Daily work maximum (see breakdown below), including: time for reading/watching/listening, engaging with peers via discussion boards and docs, attending class virtually via Google Meet or Zoom, "homework"/learning tasks, etc. Assignments will include instruction within all subject areas determined by the classroom teacher.

• Transitional Kindergarten - 1st Grade: 1-2 hours

• 2nd Grade - 5th Grade: 2-3 hours

• 6th Grade - 8th Grade: 3-4 hours

Office Hours Administration and Teachers will communicate their office hours for parent and student support.

Distance Learning Instruction and Teacher Preparation Schedule

Distance learning requires deeper preparation for teachers and a greater need for timely feedback to students. Additionally, having a set schedule of subjects meets the time requirements for distance learning and provides routines for families. Instruction will be provided both asynchronously and synchronously.

Elementary School

(total of ~1-2 hours for grades TK-1, total of ~2-3 hours for grades 2-5)

Middle School

(total of ~3-4 hours per day)

PE/Music/Electives

(30mins to 60 minutes per day)

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Instructional Planning & Standards

Throughout Distance Learning, teachers may need to condense content area units due to a different method of instruction and reduced instructional time. Teachers can identify the standards which align with the current trimester report card and use those to guide their instructional planning. This is best done by grade level teams for both teacher support and to support equity.

There will be an understanding between grade level teachers that this experience may have created some gaps in the students' knowledge of all content area standards. The students' future teacher may need to provide review of previous grade level standards.

Distance Learning Instructional Daily Schedules

To provide consistency for families, teachers are expected to follow the instructional schedule below.

Instruction Includes:

• Class or Group Meeting (Meet or Zoom)

• Synchronous Lesson

• Asynchronous Activities

• Formative or Summative Assessment

*Time includes: Office Hours, lunch, and breaks

Sample ELEMENTARY Daily Lesson Schedule Document - Teachers may use this model to design their daily lessons and distribute to students via email or Google Classroom.

Sample ELEMENTARY Weekly Lesson Schedule Document - This is an example of a collaborative document of the grade level team. Teachers have divided the content areas and are planning the lessons for all classes for that specific content area. Teachers can distribute plans via email, Google Classroom, or website.

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Grading & Assessments

Grading

MESD's expectations for grading will continue to be developed with SMCOE and State recommendations and guidance.

Teachers are to provide summative and formative assessments, as well as provide appropriate feedback on assignments given to students. With this feedback, there will be a clear justification of why a student earns a particular score or grade.

Grades:

• Students' academic performance should not be penalized due to distance learning (equity, family situation, etc.) For example, if a student began Distance Learning with a C+, the teacher cannot mark a grade below that without clear documentation.

• Effort by teacher to "collect" work from students and provide documented feedback

Missing Assignments:

• Teachers will follow up with students missing work and seek to understand the issue and offer support.

• Teachers will notify administration of students who consistently do not turn in work.

Assessment

Goal: Our goal for assessment during Distance Learning is to monitor student progress toward learning targets. While learning in a traditional setting is typically communicated with grades and scores to indicate level of mastery, timely constructive feedback will serve as a more useful tool for students during this time.

Think differently about assessment: Assessment is one of the most challenging adjustments within distance learning. Distance learning should be seen as an opportunity for students, individually or collaboratively, to complete writing assignments, design infographics, make video presentations, or complete oral assessments via video chat. Teachers are encouraged to think differently about the end goal to performance instead of forcing a traditional assessment method that doesn't fit distance learning. Thinking differently about assessment will positively influence the experience for students, leverage the strengths of distance learning, and prevent frustration on the teacher's part when traditional methods do not work. (from ASIJ)

Teachers will provide multiple methods of assessment to ensure academic progress of their students. These methods can be, but are not limited to:

• Formative Assessment: provide feedback as needed and appropriate, small-group student conferencing

• Summative Assessment: Google Forms, Kahoot, etc.

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Distance Learning Resources and Weblinks

• Millbrae School District Learning Platforms +Tools for Parents

• Student & Family Distance Learning Website

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Distance Learning Platforms + Tools

MILLBRAE SCHOOL DISTRICT

Distance Learning Platforms + Tools for PARENTS

MILLBRAE SCHOOL DISTRICT

Distance Learning Platforms + Tools for PARENTS

The following platforms are available for Distance Learning. Please note that teachers may share assignments using whichever platform is already part of your student's daily instructional blended learning program.

The following platforms are available for Distance Learning. Please note that teachers may share assignments using whichever platform is already part of your student's daily instructional blended learning program.

Google Classroom Available Gr.K-8

Google Classroom Quick Guide

• Google Classroom is another learning platform used by some classes in grades 2-8, but can be extended to grades TK-1. During Distance Learning teachers can post their lessons/modules on their Google Classroom pages, possibly facilitate online discussions and accept submissions of student learning. Google Classroom also includes a calendar where assignment deadlines can be tracked. Students go to https://classroom.google.com, log in with Google, and select each teacher/class from the landing page.

Edmodo Gr. 6-8

• Edmodo is another learning platform used by some classes in grades 6-8. During Distance Learning teachers can post their lessons/modules to their Edmodo courses and accept submissions of student learning. Edmodo also includes a calendar where assignment deadlines can be tracked. Designed to mimic the Facebook platform, Edmodo is good for discussion and checking in.

G Suite K-8

• Google G Suite is the primary productivity platform used in MESD. All students beginning in Kindergarten are provided with their own Google account that includes access to Calendar, Classroom, Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides. Typically, our classrooms do not access most of these tools until 2nd grade or later. During Distance Learning, teachers will ensure that all students are provided their Google account username and password (if they don't already have it). Google Hangout Meet has also been enabled for all students so that teachers can hold video chats with their students. If your student has not been provided their username and password, please contact their teacher.

• To Parents: If you have more than one child sharing a family device to access Google apps, you will want to set up a process for ensuring each child logs out of Google before the next child logs on. This will help students to stay focused on their own materials and with their own tools.

Google Hangout Meet

How to Connect to Google Meet

• Teachers K-8 may opt to hold video chat sessions with students to give live instruction, host discussions, and/or to continue to build social-emotional connections with students. Teachers will announce the date/time for these virtual meetings and may share a link to the session. In addition, students and parents will be able to access any session by going to https://meet.google.com and logging in with your child's account. Any events that your child has been invited to will be linked to the landing page.

Additional Tools,

Gr. K-5

Family Tutorials:

How to Access Distance Learning Tools: Logging on

Google Classroom Quick Guide

Clever Quick Guide

K-5 teachers will give clear instructions for students if they want them to use any of these extra tools.

• Clever -- students can use their MESD username and password and login with Google or QR badge (grades K-2) to log into https://clever.com/in/millbrae They are then automatically logged into the following apps. They just click on the app in the Clever dashboard to launch it:

  • McGraw Hill Wonders ELA

  • Eureka Math

  • Newsela

  • PBS Kids

  • BrainPop & BrainPop Jr.

  • Freckle

  • Studies Weekly

  • Twig Science (those that have piloted)

  • Nitro Type

• Some teachers have linked additional tools to Clever. If you are having trouble with connecting to these apps, please email distancelearning@millbraesd.org

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Frequently Asked Questions

Parent Frequently Asked Questions - FAQs

How will the school share learning experiences with families? MESD will use a multi-pronged approach to help families engage with learning in the event that we move to a distance learning program. Teachers will communicate their expected learning outcomes with parents/students. Additionally, teachers may have synchronous online office hours where learners and parents can meet and discuss the learning plan that has been developed. Also, teachers and administrators will respond to all emails from learners and parents as soon as possible and at a maximum of within 24 hours.

How do we as parents support learning if we have multiple children at home? In a scenario where the school moves to distance learning a modified class schedule as listed above would be followed. This schedule will be flexible, allowing each family to support learning according to their own needs. However, we do expect families to review and check-in with attendance/participation requirements by your school principal/teachers.

How can learning experiences in the Early Years be designed for distance learning? We recommend increased reading to your child. Make learning fun through daily activities and chores at home (sort laundry, counting items around the house, language in your everyday environment).

How will I know that my child is staying on track with their learning? There are many ways in which MESD teachers will be involved in monitoring the progress of students and sharing this information with families. Your child's teacher is still providing feedback through our various digital platforms and may be available to students and parents during designated office hours. MESD will reflect with their administration team weekly to monitor attendance/participation data to ensure that students are engaged in their learning and to follow up with families where there are concerns.

How do I get support if my family is having trouble with their device and/or learning platform? Please email distancelearning@millbraesd.org so that our tech team can address the issue and provide a solution for you. Please provide a thorough description of the problem and if required we will schedule a video conference to discuss further at a convenient time. In the same way that Google Meet is a great way for you to have contact with your child's teacher, an appointment can be scheduled for any virtual tech support you may need.

What learning services will be available during distance learning? All of them! MESD will continue to offer the same high-quality learning experience in a distance learning environment that it does on campus. Core teachers, specialist teachers, counselors, and leadership team members will all be available to ensure that our learners are engaged in their learning and receive the support they need.

What if my child has an IEP or receives Special Education services? In conjunction with their regular education services, special education students will receive additional supports aligned with their IEP goals. Students with an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) will be contacted by their provider(s) regarding the implementation of this plan the week of March 16th. Once school resumes, the regular delivery of your student's special education supports and services will resume along with the regular program.

For parents with a student in an IEP, click on the following links for additional information:

- English Prior Written Notice - Spanish Prior Written Notice - Procedural Safeguards

- Aviso de Garantias Procesalas

If you have any questions, please contact Linda Kroll (650) 697-5693 x020 or lkroll@millbraesd.org and she will direct your inquiry to the appropriate provider.

This press release was produced by the Millbrae School District. The views expressed here are the author's own.