It is vital that all of us in the school community acknowledge that our students and families are coming from very different places in terms of digital access, learning resources and at-home support. This is why we are not aiming to replicate a typical in-class learning experience from home. Our goal is to connect students with learning that meets them where they are at and focuses on developing skills and competencies. We know that the best way to engage students off-site is to provide flexibility, multiple access points and student choice. We know that our learners thrive when they are engaged in meaningful tasks and challenges and that is what we intend to provide in the coming weeks and months.

We also know that many of you are very concerned about how this will impact grades, path to graduation and post-secondary readiness. We want to reassure you that we are committed to ensuring every student gets access to the coursework they need. Students will be credited for the work they have completed so far, as well as what they are able to access and engage in off-site. To be clear, students are still required to engage in learning, specifically, that addressed the curricular skills and competencies they need moving forward. 

For Parents: 

First, thank you for your patience and understanding. It is very important that we work as a team moving forward. You know your kids better than anyone and you know what form of learning will work best in your home. We trust your judgement and will work with you to meet those needs. We also want you to know that we are not asking you to replace the role of teacher and you do not need to worry about 'falling behind.' As you read this, 90% of the world's students are currently trying to find a way to continue their learning from home. 

If structure and routine are what you need right now, let us know and we will work to set daily / weekly goals and expectations with a student. If flexibility and freedom are needed, we are happy to oblige and find ways to connect to curriculum. We will figure this out together. See below for the general framework for how we hope to continue learning with your child. 

For Students:

Virtual Home Room:

By now, every family should have been contacted by a member of our teaching staff. If you haven't connected yet, it is likely that we have made several attempts, left messages or do not have updated contact information. If this contact has not been made, please give us a call. 

The teacher that has already reached out to you will now be your Virtual Home Room Teacher. That teacher will be your primary school contact and should be connecting with you on a weekly basis. You can let that teacher know how you wish to communicate. The purpose for these check-ins is to see how you are doing, help you access any support you may need and problem solve any challenges you might have accessing coursework. They are there to guide you through this. As you complete course work, they will keep an updated student file, tracking the coursework you complete. Don't hesitate to reach out to them for guidance: If they can't help you directly, they will connect you with the right person.

Coursework:

Our focus in the coming weeks is to extend learning tasks and challenges that focus on learning that suits the needs of students and families. Your teachers have posted an array of coursework options and will continue to add new items in the coming weeks. Browse through and select coursework that aligns with the subject areas you were working on prior to spring break and aligns with your learning interests, needs and goals. 

Once you have selected coursework, the teacher who created that offering will be responsible for providing support, guidance or answering any questions about the unit. Reach out to them for help! They will guide you as you complete assignments and tasks in that unit. They will also collect the completed coursework, provide assessment and feedback and return it to you. Each teacher's format might look a little bit different, so connect with them first if you have questions. The tabs "Middle School" and "Grades 10-12" will serve as a launch pad for connecting to that coursework.  As you complete coursework, our staff will make sure an updated record is kept in your student file.