Website: http://stweb.gresham.k12.or.us
Location: 1440 SE Fleming Ave, Gresham, OR, United States
Phone: 503-261-4600
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SpringwaterTrail/
Twitter: @STHS_Titans

Hello Springwater Students and Families,

We are down to our last 4 weeks of school! Hang in there and stay engaged in all of your classes! We continue to reach out to students and families who are struggling with distance learning. While some students have an "Incomplete" in their classes right now, it is NOT too late to turn things around! But it must start now. Please reach out to your teachers to identify the fastest way to get back on track to earning credit for each class. For those of you who are keeping up with your classes, continue the good work and do not let up these last 4 weeks!

For 12th graders who are still working on classes: you only have a few weeks left (less than 3) to get everything done. Now is the time to put the pedal to the metal so you can cross the finish line.

This newsletter contains updated information about our Graduation Celebration for the Class of 2020. As mentioned previously, the Oregon Department of Education along with the Governor has forbid gatherings of 25 people or more. However, STHS will still be conducting a safe graduation celebration on June 9th. Students (and their families) have been waiting years to hear the traditional Pomp & Circumstance graduation music, listen to their name called, and have the opportunity to walk across the stage to get their hard-earned diploma. Our ceremony will include all of these critical pieces! Please see additional details below.

REMINDER: All parents have the option of receiving daily or weekly updates from Google Classroom. These updates provide an overview of assignments past due and a peek at the assignments coming due the next week for all your student's classes. If you are not receiving these updates, please contact the office and they can help get you set up.

Please reach out if you have questions or recommendations for things we can add to this newsletter.

Take care,

Ryan Blaszak

Springwater Main Office: 503.261.4600

We are so sorry that we will not be able to host a traditional graduation ceremony this year. But we will celebrate your wonderful success! In accordance with the state's requirements for social distancing, we have updated our graduation celebration. Below are the details for ensuring a safe celebration for each of our graduates:

Time:

Tuesday, June 9th from 6pm - 8pm

Location:

Mountainview Christian Church

1890 NE Cleveland Avenue

Gresham, Oregon 97030

Details:

• Students and families will sign up for a time slot between 6pm and 8pm (you will receive an email to sign up for a time slot soon).
• Families will be limited to 1 car (no more than the graduate and 4 family members).
• Upon notification from staff, each student and their family will enter the church to receive their diploma.
• The graduate and family will enter the auditorium to the traditional Pomp and Circumstance music.
• The student's name shall be read aloud and the student will have the opportunity to walk across the stage to receive their diploma.
• Families will have the option to take a picture.
• There will also be a professional photographer on site taking pictures. A professional picture of each graduate will be available for free to the graduate and family.
• Students and families will then return safely to their car and depart the church to continue to celebrate elsewhere, as they desire.

Question: I received a call from the school letting me know my student has not turned in assignments. What should I do?

Answer: If you received a call from the school regarding missing assignments, it means your student has not turned in assignments for one or more classes. It is critically important they complete and turn in assignments if they want to earn credit for a class. Please call the office to create a plan for your student.

Teachers are taking attendance weekly by determining whether a student has completed and turned in their assignments and participated in class. If a student has done neither of these things, the teacher will mark the student "NC" for "Needs Contact" and you will receive a call from one of our case managers.

Question: What if my student receives an "I" in one of their classes this semester?

Answer: Our first hope is for all students to do the best they can and turn in as many assignments as possible this semester so they will earn a "P." However, a student must earn the "P." A student who earned a "P" for the first 6-week grading period is not guaranteed a "P" for the semester. The student must demonstrate learning during this period as well. If a student earns an "I" for "Incomplete" the student will be required to make up additional learning standards and assignments in the future. This will be in addition to their future course load. For these reasons, we strongly encourage students to do the best they can in all of their classes this semester.

Question: I am not receiving weekly email updates regarding my student's progress in Google Classroom. What can I do?

Answer: Please reach out to the office ASAP and they can help get you set up. You will have the option of receiving daily or weekly updates. The email will contain assignments from all of your student's classes this semester.

Question: What if I still need a chromebook?

Answer: If you were unable to check one out over the past couple of weeks, please contact STHS at 503.261.4600 and we can schedule a time for you to check one out.

Question: What if I do not have Internet access?

Answer: If you are without internet or just lost your internet, please reach out to the office.

Currently there are many FREE Xfinity guest access hot spots. You can find a list here: https://hotspots.wifi.xfinity.com/

Other Free hotspots: Please check with your cell phone carrier. All the major cellular vendors: Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, and T-Mobile have offered free Hotspots. Most Internet providers are waiving late fees and suspending data usage limits due to COVID-19. Check out your specific company for more information

• www.cnet.com/news/carriers-are-suspending-internet-data-caps-during-coronavirus/

If you need Internet access please contact local providers, many are offering 60-day free access. Here is a list of providers in our area:

· Comcast basic internet is free for low-income customers for 60 days and $9.99/month after that: www.internetessentials.com/Apply

· Comcast: corporate.comcast.com/covid-19

· CenturyLink: news.centurylink.com/covid-19

Question: When did distance learning start for students?

Answer: All students throughout the state of Oregon transitioned to distance learning on Monday, April 13th.

Question: What does this mean for students?

Answer: Beginning on April 13th, the lessons and activities your teacher posted online will be a part of your student’s current classes this semester. It is important for your student to complete assignments and participate in class to earn credit for the semester.

Question: How do students earn credit?

Answer: All students in grades 9-12 will be receiving a "P" for "Pass" or an "I" for "Incomplete" for courses this semester. This is across the state of Oregon and was determined by Governor Kate Brown and the Oregon Department of Education. To earn a "P", students must participate as much as possible in all of their classes (by completing and turning in coursework, participating in class discussions when possible, posting answers to questions, engaging online with their teachers and class peers, etc.). Students in grades 9-11 are not guaranteed a "P" if they were passing at the 6-week mark. They must continue to demonstrate learning during this time of distance learning.

For seniors: We have reached out by phone to all of you and your families should have receiveed a letter illustrating the courses/credits you are still required to complete for graduation (if any). If you did not receive the letter, please contact the school as soon as possible. My hope is you will continue to participate in your courses, regardless of whether you still need the credit for graduation. Springwater is first and foremost a community -- and we want you to remain a part of it for as long as possible!

Question: When do students need to attend class?

Answer: One of the wonderful things about distance learning is the flexibility! Your student’s assignments and lessons will be posted online and be available for students to access any time of the day or night. Teachers will also provide several days for the student to complete and turn in assignments.

Question: How do I know how my student is doing in their classes?

Answer: Teachers will be posting all lessons, activities, assignments, and feedback in their Google classes. Please DO NOT check Synergy StudentVue or ParentVue. Assignments will NOT be entered in Synergy. Parents can request weekly summaries from their students' Google classes. These summaries include missing assignments and upcoming assignment due dates. It is also very beneficial to sit down with your students and have them show you their google classes and the assignments they have completed and still need to complete. Within Google Classroom you will be able to see all the details of the assignment, the date is was assigned, and the date is was due. You will also be able to see when the assignment has been graded and the feedback from the teacher. To learn more about Google Classroom, watch the Google Classroom Overview YouTube video in this newsletter.

Question: How do I contact my student’s teacher?

Answer: Teachers are best reached via email. But you can also call the main office at 503.261.4600 and we can forward your message to them. Additionally, teachers have office hours M-F from 2pm - 4pm. Please keep in mind, teachers may be working with other students or families when you reach out to them and you may need to wait a few minutes or prefer to schedule a meeting.

Question: What if my student is unable to attend class during a live lesson?

Answer: There will be times (approximately once a week per class) when teachers may have a “live” class -- a chance for students to join a virtual class meeting, activity, lesson, or discussion. When these live activities occur, they will follow the schedule below.

Important: The schedule below is not a student schedule for when students must be logged into their classes. The purpose of this schedule is to minimize conflicts between teachers’ live lessons and to provide an overview of when teachers will schedule their live lessons (usually no more than once or twice a week).

If your student is unable to attend a live lesson -- that is ok! Many of these lessons will be recorded for your student to review at a later time.

Still have questions? Please call Springwater at 503.261.4600. Thank you!

· The best place to check how your student is doing is Google Classroom. You can even download the Google Classroom app for your phone. This is even more important now that the state has moved to Distance Learning!

· I would recommend sitting down with your student and have them open up their Google Classroom account for you. The login is their school email and their student ID number is the password.

· Once you have signed into their account, select the class you want. Next, click the “Classwork” tab, and then click on the "View your work" icon.

· There you can see a list of all assignments, due dates, task scores and the current overall percentage for the class. You can also see if they turned it in on time or not.

• Email your teacher with questions or to get help prioritizing which assignments to focus on if you are behind.

• Take advantage of the daily office hours between 2pm-4pm. Teacher are available daily to answer questions, provide tutoring, and give small group help.

• Be sure to "turn in" assignments by clicking the "Turn in" button in Google Classroom.

• Turn assignments in by or before the due date and time.