Parent Newsletter

Parents and students,

We hope you and your family are doing well, staying safe and healthy during this school closure. As we shared last week we plan to use our newsletter to keep you up to date and also provide support for the Remote Extended Learning Opportunities. These are very different and challenging times for our students, teachers, families and community. It is our hope that by providing information, encouragement, and access to these Remote Extended Learning Opportunities that we may be able to engage students into the learning process during this unprecedented time. Please look at the topics below that we will provide in greater depth in this week's newsletter:

- Update and School district information for Covid 19

- Remote Learning Guidelines

- IT Remote Services to help with laptop issues

- Accessing and Understanding how to Check Canvas

- Where to begin on Monday April 6th - Mapping out a Learning Plan

- Food Services Information

- PTO

- Counselors Corner

Thank You for your patience and understanding. We hope you and your family are healthy and remain safe at this time.

Phil Cox, Principal

Chris Layton, Vice Principal

Jenifer Laurendine, Dean of Students

We want to make sure that our students and families understand that we are here to support during this unprecedented time in our history. The Oak Ridge Schools system has made a link for information and resources that you can access here for more information: https://www.ortn.edu/information-regarding-coronavirus/

A few reminders:

- Oak Ridge Schools are closed during this time through April 24th. If there is an update to that status and date it will be communicated through multiple channels by the Oak Ridge Schools system

- Related Special Services - Related service providers (i.e., speech, OT, PT, vision) will be reaching out to discuss the most appropriate way to serve your child during the closure. ORS will be providing all services remotely during the COVID-19 closure.

- If you receive a phone call from Oak Ridge Schools, please listen to the message. At this time there are updates often and we are working in the best manner possible to communicate with our students and their families by phone, email, social media and resources like this newsletter.

- The Remote Extended Learning Opportunities and program will begin for your students on Monday April 6th. This newsletter has information on how to access the learning opportunities and a series of resources to support students and teachers.

- What if my students device has technical issues? There is a section below labeled "IT Remote services for laptops" that will help explain the process if your student experiences issues with their laptop during the closure.

- We are working to collect information from our families about their access to internet during this Remote Learning time. Please complete this short survey in order for us to best collect information. If you do not have access and are looking potentially to get access check out the information below about some area companies offering special access during the Covid-19 crisis.

- What if I do not have access to broadband or wifi? Check out the information and resources below:

Internet Access

Do you need internet access for online learning?

Comcast – https://corporate.comcast.com/covid-19

• Open Wifi-hotspots to all users, even non Comcast subscribers.
• No Data Caps – 60 days of Unlimited access
• No Disconnect or Late Fees
• Internet Essentials Free to New Customers – 60 days of Internet access for free – normally $9.99/month

AT&T – https://about.att.com/pages/COVID-19.html

• No Disconnections or Late Fees for customers
• Free open wifi hotspots
• Unlimited Data
• Limited/Fixed income residents and sign up as a New customer for $10/month.

Charter/Spectrum – https://corporate.charter.com/newsroom/charter-to-offer-free-access-to-spectrum-broadband-and-wifi-for-60-days-for-new-K12-and-college-student-households-and-more

• Free broadband/Wifi for 60 days to home with K-12 and/or college students that do not already have a Spectrum Account (Call 1-844-488-8395)
• Spectrum will open it’s wifi hotspots for all public use.
• No Data caps

TDS Internet (large portions of East TN) – https://tdstelecom.com/about/news/categories/tds/CoronavirusStatement.html

- I need help knowing where to start to help my student in Remote Extended Learning Opportunities - There is a section below listed as "Mapping out a Learning Plan: Where to Begin on April 6th" and also look into "Accessing Canvas and Understanding how to Check Canvas"

In addition, please continue to read the parent newsletters that will be sent to you. This will be a place where we will work to promote communication and information to support students and families. If you are on social media, please follow us on our Twitter Account @JMS_Eagles. We will be working through all of our communication tools as we receive information to be shared with our students and families. As always, we want to make sure to support you and your student(s) and in abundance of caution our schools will remain closed. Please check all of our communication tools and the website listed above for more details.

Below you will learn more information about how Remote Learning will work and how our teachers will utilize Canvas to give students learning opportunities. We want to continue to provide engaging lessons, skills, and supports for all of our students. In an effort to help support our students and families, we will continue to provide information, resources and tools like this newsletter.

Our library management system, Destiny, generates and sends out scheduled email notices of late books. Mrs. Haverkamp is working on getting this turned off. She apologizes for any extra emails. Books returns will be an area we will address later.

In observance of Easter Sunday, teachers, counselors, and administrators will not have virtual office hour on Good Friday April 10th. Remote Learning will resume on Monday April 13th and so will virtual office hours. Thank you and we hope you have a wonderful weekend

During this time of remote learning our teachers will post daily lessons to their Canvas pages in the Announcement section. Students will be able to see their daily assignments in this section along with any helpful resources for the lessons. Please check Canvas Announcements daily for the lessons in your students classes.

As we transition to the remote learning model, our teachers will work to keep Canvas announcements updated daily. In their announcements they will explain the lesson for the day and/or provide information about assignments and projects etc. In addition, Canvas allows for teachers to embed and include any resources, videos, links etc. that can be used to help provide instruction for students.

Our students are very familiar with using Canvas and know how to go about checking announcements for information. This will be the starting point for students and where to access information for the lessons being designed by teachers. Below is a video on how to use Canvas for parents. Please take a moment to watch and get a better feel for how Canvas is used by our teachers. Information about extended learning opportunities will be found in the Announcements section in Canvas.

We want to provide some ideas to help prepare students and parents for Remote Extended Learning Opportunities that will begin on Monday April 6th.

Step # 1 - Get a routine in place

It can be very helpful to map out your day and create a routine. When we are in school you have a routine and a schedule. You know when you need to wake up and you understand that third period is from 9:35 - 10:25 etc. It's important to create a routine. You need to make sure to have a routine that mirrors school hours because those will be the office hours your teachers will be available to help.

Step # 2 - Check Canvas Announcements Daily

During this time of remote learning our teachers will post daily lessons to their Canvas pages in the Announcement section. Students will be able to see their daily assignments in this section along with any helpful resources for the lessons. Please check Canvas Announcements daily for the lessons in your students classes.

Step # 3 - Build a Schedule with your Teachers Remote Office Hours

Your teachers will post information about their "remote office hours" in Canvas Announcements. A great strategy would be to build your time on Canvas around those remote office hours. Think about a schedule like this:

If your ELA teacher has office hours from 9 am - 12 pm, Math has hours from 11 am - 2 pm, SS has hours from 8 am - 11 am , and Science has hours from 10 am - 1 pm. This allows you to work to set up time to work on those classes during those office hours. You may not have questions for ELA, but you may have a question for SS so it would be important to work on SS during that window 8 am - 11 am. Think about the hours your teachers are offering in order to set up a schedule that gives you the best opportunity to complete your work.

Step # 4 - Reach out to your teachers if you have questions

Your teachers will have office hours where they will be available to assist and answer questions etc. If you don't understand an assignment reach out to your teachers. You can message them in Canvas or send them an email in outlook. Keep in mind, that you may not be the only student messaging a teacher, so do not expect an instant answer. This is new for you as students and this is new for us as teachers. Once you send them a question, just wait. They will respond to you and work to help you. If you contact a teacher outside of office hours, they may not see it until later in the day or until the next day.

Step # 5 - Give it your best! Learning Opportunities are critical for you

You have seen the guidelines, assignments can't be required or graded and this is going to be much different than school as you know it. However, keep this in mind. Education is about you taking advantage of opportunities to learn. So if you choose not to an assignment, to not even give your best effort, then you are choosing not to provide yourself with a chance to better you.

Your teachers are going to provide you with opportunities to learn and grow. To F.A.I.L. should be to have a First Attempt In Learning. Look at the assignments and resources your teachers provide you, give it your best effort and wait for your teacher to provide you with feedback.

Have you ever feared to submit an assignment because you feared a bad grade? Guess what? That fear should be gone now. Use this as an opportunity to give your best efforts to improve your skills in order to improve you. These Remote Extended Learning Opportunities are a great chance for you to work to improve.

Did you miss out on a skill earlier in the year? If you teacher reviews that skill, give it a second shot. Remember the focus during this time is for you to challenge yourself. Find these extending learning opportunities as a chance for you to improve yourself with no thought about grades. Can you learn, understand and show mastery of these skills? We tell you all of this because as you grow older and you move away from school, having skills will be important to your future. Use this time to reflect and improve your skills.

The goal is to provide review or extended learning opportunities, not replace missed face-to-face class time.

• Accessibility: No assignments can be required or used for student grades at this time. The materials in home lessons should be prepared so that students of all levels of ability will be able to complete the work. Plans should contain translated materials for English Language Learners if there is a need. For additional guidance on ensuring students’ civil rights with online learning follow this link. **All dual enrollment and dual credit courses follow partnering institution guidelines for assignments, grading, and credits.

• Type of learning: lesson plans can include small amounts of new learning, but should focus primarily on concepts or principles that students have already been exposed to in your subject area.

• Timeliness: Course content should be posted daily.

• Length: Extended learning lessons should include an instructional component to accompany an assignment. Examples of instructional components include, but are not limited to, video lessons, self-recorded videos, readings, etc. Students should be able to complete the assignment in approximately 30 minutes.

• Resources: All materials for the home lesson plans should be uploaded to Canvas for grades 5-12. Students and Parents will be able to find this information in the Announcements section in Canvas.

• All teachers must post daily office hours and contact information for students. Teachers may use email, phone, Canvas or other online tools for office hours. A minimum of three office hours should be offered daily and can be offered at multiple times or in a single block.

• Our Instructional Technology Coach, Mr. Ben Fowler will be available by email for technical support. His email address is bjfowler@ortn.edu

Technology Department Remote Support for Extended Closure

Faculty/Staff/Students

· Create a ticket using https://support.ortn.edu or if you don’t have a working device (or cannot login), call 865-425-9039 and follow prompts

· Technician will schedule a support time for call back

· Technician will fix the device starting with voice commands

· If needed, technician will start a Zoom session to gain remote access

· If all remote support fails, technician will schedule student for drop-off of laptop and pickup of spare.

Drop-Off (All at Oak Ridge High School – TD Portable 3):

· Must have a work order so that we can prep a spare machine

· TD Tech will open a Work Order and collect

· Username (and password)

· Contact phone number

· Brief description of issue

· Drop off will be at TD portable 3.

· Drop-off times will be from 9:30a-10:30am on Mondays and Thursdays, and 3:30-4:40, TBD

· Students can pick-up a loaner device at this time (see pick-up section below).

· No drop-offs outside of this time. *Unless a special circumstance requires an alternate drop off time scheduled with technology employee

· Drive-thru lane setup for users to pull up and drop off device as quick as possible.

· Maintain Social Distance of 6ft.

· If you are sick, inform us immediately.

· We will verify appointment info (only those scheduled).

· User will keep their laptop case, adapter, line cord, stylus, or other accessories that are not needed for the repair.

· Users will remain at curb. They will NOT come to the doors or ramp at portables.

· User may leave.

Pick-up:

· After dropping off laptop, user pulls forward to pick-up table.

· Tech at Drop-off table will alert pick-up table.

· User to verify login, apps, and OneDrive setup.

· User may leave.

Cleaning and Repair (TD Staff):

· Wipe down laptop

· Bag laptop

· Write date on bag

· Attach contact info to bag

· Place laptop on cart for delivery to quarantine area

· Device will remain in quarantine for 5 days

· After day 5 those devices will be brought to the Image room.

· Cleaning and repair performed

The district will continue to provide “Grab & Go” meals to any student each day through the Stay at Home Order. The sites will continue at Robertsville Middle School, Oak Ridge High School, Glenwood Elementary School and the Preschool each day from 11am – 1pm. The sites at Teller Village Apartments, Mackenzie Apartments, Manhattan Apartments and the Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge will by daily from 12pm – 12:30pm. Just a note there will be no food distribution on Good Friday (April 10, 2020). There will be extra food distributed with meals provided on April 9th.

Have you heard your student talk about OneNote? Have you wondered what it is and how it can be used? Think about OneNote as a digital Trapper Keeper (Remember Trapper Keepers?). Many of our teachers work to post assignments, notes and information about class in OneNote. It really is a great place for information, collaboration and resources that can't be lost or misplaced.

Check out the following information about OneNote and how it can help students stay organized, stay informed and have access to class information to be better prepared. The video below gives a great description as to all of the tools that can be utilized in a classroom through OneNote.

Remember the days of taking notes? Did you ever miss some items? What if you had access to them again after class? OneNote allows teachers to post notes to their Canvas page and allows for students to have access to information on their devices as it is being given to them. One goal of this is to allow students to have deep discussions, ask questions, and work to review as they learn content.

Next PTO Meeting: The next PTO meeting will be held electronically on Thursday, April 16 7:45am. If you would like to join the meeting, please email or text Sandy Pelletier sandy@issi.net 865.323.8212 and you will be sent instructions to login.

PTO Elections: PTO elections will be held soon. The PTO organizes events throughout the school year including an annual fundraiser drive, teacher luncheons and end of the year luncheon for 8th graders. We could not do all of this without parent support and involvement. If you are interested in running for one of the board positions or for more information as to what they entail, please contact Sandy Pelletier sandy@issi.net.

How to Keep Kids’ Brains Sharp During Quarantine

Good Evening from JMS Counseling Office! We hope that everyone is well and are taking precautions with COVID-19 outbreak! JMS is here to help and assist in any way possible. School counselors can be contacted by filling out the counselor form online under “Academics” on the JMS website. https://www.ortn.edu/jefferson/academics/counseling-center/

Counselors Remote Office Hours:

Mr. Magee 9 am - 1 pm

Ms. Castle 1 pm - 4pm

Additionally every student will have access to School Counseling 5-8 in Canvas. You will be able to find everything you need there at all times in regards to school counseling resources.

AdventHealth suggests that it is very important to keep our students on a schedule and keep their brains active. Our kids’ social lives, usually full of events with friends like birthday parties, sports and play dates, have suddenly come to a halt.

School At Home During Quarantine

We are lucky compared to many school nationally for the reason that we already have our students have a 1:1 device where remote learning is not a hard transition for our students other than learning a new software if introduced. Many of you may have it difficult with juggling remote work with caring for young children or supervising remote learning with older kids. But don’t despair. Whether you’re helping your child with their schoolwork online or creating it all from scratch for younger children you can keep your children engaged and their brains sharp by using some of the tips below.

Allow for Transition Time

If possible, give your kids the first few days to a week to adjust to this new reality. We are in unprecedented times, and they may have some worries and concerns about coronavirus and its effect on their lives and the quarantine itself. The best idea is to talk to them by answering their questions honestly and calmly without overloading them with information. Coronavirus resource hub link below to help give you answer some questions you and your child may have. Reassure them that coronavirus is generally mild in children. If their schedules and yours allow, let them decompress for a few days and do whatever they want, including overindulging a bit in screen time (but not the news, which may only fuel their anxiety).

Develop a Schedule for Your Days

After the initial adjustment period, life will feel more normal if you stick to a routine. Use the first few days while everyone is unwinding to brainstorm some ideas for a schedule that works. DON’T be afraid to adjust the schedule as needed. The best way to help your child adjust to remote learning at home as well as transition back to the school setting is to follow their normal schedule at home. If you do not have a schedule already in place it may help your child to use their normal everyday schedule for JMS: https://www.ortn.edu/jefferson/academics/class-schedules/. If you notice that teachers are not assigning work on a consistent basis to fill the whole class period then you can use the Wednesday modified schedule.

Have your child wake up with enough time to eat breakfast, make their bed, get dressed and take care of hygiene tasks. We would suggest that when your child has an elective class and nothing has been assigned that they read a book, do a chore or exercise if weather permits. If the weather does not permit exercise outside then doing exercises taught during their gym class for stretches is also a great idea.

Make sure to include a walk outdoors at least once a day and plenty of time outside getting fresh air, making sure to stay at least six feet away from other people. Consider a designated social connection time each day when they can video chat with friends and family.

Maintain your usual household rules. This will give your kids a sense of normalcy and help reassure them that some things have remained the same. Summarize the rules below the schedule as a reminder.

Post the schedule somewhere everyone will see it, or write it on a whiteboard. You can even enlist your kids’ help in setting the schedule. It helps ease their anxiety when kids are engaged in developing solutions.

Be Realistic

Don’t set your expectations too high — you don’t want to burn yourself out trying to do too much. Realize that there are a lot of stressors for families right now. That will limit how much focused time your kids can give to learning. Doing the best you can is good enough. Focusing on quality time together and staying calm and grounded is the most important thing you can do to get through this time.

Spend Time Outdoors

Getting fresh air and exercise every day is very important to keeping your kids mentally engaged. Taking walks in the neighborhood can be a simple, safe way to make this happen.

While you walk, talk with your kids about whatever catches their attention. If they’re younger, you can narrate what they’re doing and name and describe objects. For example, “You see a caterpillar! He is yellow and black. What is he doing? He is crawling.”

Become a Bookworm

Now is a great time to rediscover books! The American Academy of Pediatrics says that reading together strengthens your bond with your children and helps their development.

JMS library has ebooks with: Destiny: Go to the JMS website and go to online@JMS and select students. You will scroll down and see the Destiny/Follett Tree. Once you are in Destiny you will need to pick Destiny Discover from the left hand menu. Destiny Discover has all the resources in categories. Scroll down and you will see Lightbox. To have access to all the capabilities in Lightbox (and eBooks) you will need to sign in with your normal login information. Students do not need to put @ortn.edu at the end.

Lightbox are all nonfiction books with added embedded resources like worksheets, videos, and maps. They are unlimited and completely free.

eBooks We have 245 eBooks and 35 unlimited eBooks. The unlimited book are available for everyone all the time. To find them from Destiny Discover scroll down to the eBook section. On the right side click on see all. On that next screen on the left is some menu options. Select the availability option. You can then click to see the 35 unlimited eBooks. If your child does not find the book that they want from JMS website most libraries offer the option to sign in online to download e-books. Check with your local library to find out how to access e-books in your area.

Get Creative With Activities

Check out the many online resources that are available and free at this time. Many of these resources already exist for the homeschooling community.Let your children help pick things that they want to do, and be sure you ask them what they’re interested in. If you have the flexibility, consider setting up learning projects that help them explore a topic of interest more deeply. Kids are more motivated when they can follow their own passions and interests.

Getting hands-on can also help kids’ motivation. Educators say that a creative project that allows your child to explore a subject in a hands-on way can deeply enhance learning. For example, to study history, ask your child to interview family members and put together the family story.

Help Them Express Themselves

Make sure to schedule some time for creative activities like making art, listening to music and journaling. Giving kids an outlet for expressing their feelings in healthy ways can help them feel better through this big disruption to their lives.

Some schedule ideas include a coronavirus journal time when kids can write about their feelings about the coronavirus and all the ways their lives have changed because of it. Again, this can help them process their emotions and deal with the stress.

Use What You Have for Supplies

Raid the wrapping paper bin and dig into your closets to find items that can be used for craft activities with your kids. Wrapping paper can be used for origami and many other kinds of paper crafts.

Cardboard boxes are very versatile, and can be used to create cars, airplanes, animals and so much more. Simple household items like shaving cream and rice can be used for sensory play.

Keep Kids Occupied While You Work

Working from home while also caring for your children is not an easy task, but it’s easier the older your children are. While screens can keep kids occupied for hours, too much screen time will hamper their language and cognitive development. It is important that your child follows their school schedule to keep them mentally engaged, help you to complete work at home and keep everyone on their regular schedule.

Helping You Juggle

You’re wearing many hats right now, and we’re here to help. For more ideas for how to get through a quarantine at home with your children, please visit our Coronavrus Resource Hub.

Take Care, be healthy, and keep us informed if you need our assistance.

Mrs. Castle mccastle@ortn.edu

Mr. Magee ajmagee@ortn.edu

Important Information:

-State TNReady Testing has been suspended for the 2019-2020 school year

- Ridgeview continues to maintain regular outpatient clinic hours at all of our county locations. As we continue to monitor CDC recommendations, our response will continue to evolve. All Ridgeview facility locations are being maintained per CDC guidelines.

For all school-based services STAR therapists will begin contacting their current Ridgeview clients the week of March 30th to discuss continuing care and treatment at home via phone or telehealth. During periods of heightened stress and anxiety around your overall health, please know a variety of services remain available to you. Ridgeview understands the need for ongoing accessibility to services and the importance of meeting people where they are by offering timely access to care and treatment. If there are any questions regarding school-based services, please contact Amy Olson at 865-441-8470. To learn more about our walk-in clinic hours, please visit https://www.ridgeview.com/services/same-day-access-availability.

-Covid-19 Screening Tool –Help you to understand what to do next https://www.apple.com/covid19

-Continuous Updates from TN Deaprtment of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services: https://www.tn.gov/behavioral-health/covid19.html

-If your child or youth under the age of 18 is experiencing a mental health crisis, please call the statewide crisis line or the regional phone number. Your call will be routed to a crisis specialist for help.

24/7 Statewide Crisis Line: 1-855-274-7471 If not an emergency call helpline at 1-800-560-5767

Mobile Crisis Youth Villages 1-866-791-9224 (East Region)

Suicide Prevention 1-800-273-8255 (TALK)

Area Mental Health Services:

Helen Ross McNabb Child and Youth Services: www.mcnabbcenter.org 1-800-255-9711 (adult and child services)

100 Adams Lane Oak Ridge, TN 37830 (865) 483-7743 M-T (8am-8pm) F (8am-5pm)

600 Arthur St. Knoxville, TN 37921 (865) 523-8695

After Hours: (865) 637-9711

Mobile Crisis (all ages) 865-539-2409

Ridgeview- www.ridgeview.com 1-800-834-4178 (adult and child services)

240 W. Tyrone Rd Oak Ridge, TN 37830 (865) 482-1076 (8am-5pm)

Adult Crisis Services 24hr Psychiatric Emergency 1-800-870-5481

Please continue to check for our newsletter in your email, answer Skylert phone calls, read district wide emails, and check our social media Twitter account @JMS_Eagles for more information. As this is a very different time for our students, families, community, nation and world we expect information in reference to schools will change based upon updates. We will work to communicate those changes and provide updates as we receive them in reference to school closures and providing students and families with needed resources.

We want you to know, we are here to support you! In an unprecedented time, we are going to work hard to provide your students with opportunities to continue to learn, grow, and regain some sense of normalcy in their lives to the best of our abilities. We are especially thankful for our teachers, many of whom have spent time over spring break becoming students, learning how to design in a remote learning educational world. Also, a huge shout out to so many of our staff members who have volunteered their time to distribute meals to our students.

Please be patient, please be kind, please be collaborative and please let us know how we can help. We are excited and hopeful that this will only be a temporary closure, but we also want to take time to prepare our students and families to the best of our ability. In a time of uncertainty, we wanted to provide as many resources as we can to provide some type of help.

Thank you for all that you do to support our school. We hope you and your family are able to stay safe and healthy during this time. We are here to support you and we look forward to the learning opportunities so we can work to help support our students.

Be safe and be careful.

Thank You,

Phil Cox, Principal, pcox@ortn.edu

Chris Layton, Vice Principal, calayton@ortn.edu

Jenifer Laurendine, Dean of Students, jllaurendine@ortn.edu