Dear Middle School Parents,
Welcome back to GFA after a very atypical Spring Break! We are committed to making this distance learning experience as meaningful as possible, while understanding the complicated context of our learning environment. As I've mentioned in my previous communications, our goals for this period are clear:
- We commit to creating opportunities to foster community
- We're going to continue building skills for our students to ensure their success next year and beyond
- We will keep our students engaged in the learning process
- We will meet your family where you are right now with an appropriate amount of flexibility
I am so proud of our Middle School faculty who came together to create a program that will be manageable for all involved, that will take advantage of the educational opportunities that are present, and that will continue the unique nature of the GFA experience. In doing this, we will lean on each other, and we are committed to partnering with you in this new adventure.
Our Hybrid Program
We are fortunate with the timing of our vacation as it allowed us to adjust our protocols and learn from other independent schools — particularly on the West Coast — that have been engaged in this process for a few weeks now. One of the most significant differences we see between the approaches these schools are taking is whether they favor synchronous or asynchronous learning. In synchronous systems, children are present in class, interacting with the teacher in real time. In asynchronous systems, students are given assignments, do their work at other times, and get feedback from faculty, not in the "set" class period. We can see the advantages of both structures, and we are looking to develop a program that includes elements of both.
Our Schedule
As you will see from the model schedule(s) the student day will run from 8:30-11:50 a.m. (or 12:20 p.m.) every day of the week. This will allow each class to meet for 30 minutes, three or four times a week. As you are helping your child understand their new distance learning schedule, here is a video that explains how to transfer their regular schedule into the new distance learning version.
The Role of Advisors
We are committed to making sure no student gets lost during this period of distance learning. You will note that we will start most of the days of the week with Advisory, which will create a sense of continuity for the students. It will also ensure each student is connected with one faculty member. Your child's advisor will make a connection with each of their advisees every week. The advisor will also reach out to parents every other week to make sure we are all working together. Additionally, our faculty members will have regular weekly grade meetings where we can share student progress.
Various Learning Platforms
For their classes, faculty will each use Zoom for a whole group meeting at least once a week. During other class periods, faculty may choose to connect through other methods such as videos, Flipgrid, Edupuzzle, and more. There is a wealth of platforms that exist to allow us to teach. We will post homework for the coming week by Monday morning (this is a change for us, but faculty will need the weekend to tweak their plans based on where they are) on PowerSchool, as usual. Faculty members will each have a distance learning page on PowerSchool, where they will show how students are expected to connect during that class period. Faculty, when not using Zoom, will have students check in with them through a Google doc so we can track how students are doing.
Grading Protocols
After much discussion, we've decided that spring semester grades will be based on the work that students completed before Spring Break. If a student's work improves, the final spring semester grade will go up. If not, students will keep the grade they earned before Spring Break, provided that they complete work satisfactorily (i.e., earn a passing grade for work between Spring Break and the end of the year).
Undoubtedly, you have heard stories in the news or from friends of distance learning protocols that are making the parents the de facto teacher. Rest assured, that is not the case for us. We are here to work with your child (and with you) to make sure this goes as smoothly as possible. I thought it would be helpful to lay out some expectations we have for ourselves, some for the students, and then what you can do in support.
Faculty Expectations
- Host at least one whole-class Zoom meeting a week
- Run advisory on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday (Zoom call using provided Google Slides)
- Connect with each advisee at least once a week
- Connect with advisee parents biweekly
- Be available to students for extra help, as needed. Faculty will set their own "office hours"
- Maintain consistency in PowerSchool postings
- Reach out to students if they are missing from required meetings (or if they have fallen behind on assignments); also, connect with parents of the child, if we don't hear from the student
- Attend weekly team meetings for the grade
Student Expectations
- Check PowerSchool for assignments and instructions on how to attend each class.
- Attend required Zoom meetings
- Check email at the beginning and the end of each day
- Ask for help, when needed
- Wear appropriate attire — defined as standard Pants Day attire (your child will know what this means)
- Agree to not be on phones during work time
Parent Expectations
- Be patient with your child — help them find solutions when they are experiencing stress or struggling with the new routine
- Get your child on a consistent schedule, including getting ready for the day, eating breakfast, exercising, limiting screen time, promoting a healthy diet, etc.
- Create a consistent workspace (not working from their bed)
Avoid cellphones while they are in class time (do you see a theme here?) - Check your family's emotional needs and look for ways we can partner in helping you
- Reach out to your child's teacher if you have questions in that class and reach out to your child's advisor if there is something you feel we should know about
I am planning on communicating with each of you as much as possible. Formally, I will use the weekly eNote to conduct a round-up of the past week, discuss any tweaks to our protocol (it is likely that this will evolve), and to share relevant articles pertaining to development or distance learning. Additionally, I will still have Zoom versions of our regularly scheduled Parent Connection Meetings (April 1 for the fifth grade, April 8 for the sixth grade, April 22 for the seventh grade, April 29 for the eighth grade) at 8:00 a.m. Please also feel free to reach out to me directly with any questions. I'll be on email or my regular work phone.
For those students who may need additional support, Jackie Woods, the Middle School Counselor, and Jodi Kupersmith, the Middle School Learning Specialist, are both available for your child (and you). Jackie's letter earlier this week provided some useful resources for all of us.
As a historian, I believe we are living through an unprecedented time in world history. We are here to support you and your family in whatever ways we can.
Be safe.
Best,
Drew