A Note About the Learning Models

Greetings Eccles Parent!

If you're receiving this email it means that you have indicated that you would like your child to participate in the Online Learning Academy for the 2020-2021 school year. As many of you know, I have two kids in the Canby School District so I can relate to the decision making process that you've had to go through.

I have talked with many parents this past week and I know that we're all having to figure out what works best for our kids and for our own personal situations- I also know that these conversations have been helpful to many I've talked with. With the Online Academy option being so different than what most of us have experienced, I wanted to reach out and try to explain both models a bit more for you.

Connected at Home Option

This will look completely different from last Spring's distance learning. It will largely depend on online learning with interactive experiences built into each day. This model is based on three components:

-The first component are the online learning 'map' resources, which are Odysseyware (K-5) and Edgenuity (6th). These are the programs that are considered the platform/curriculum.

-The second component is a variety of digital tools that will both allow kids to practice skills on their own as well as provide the teacher some feedback on student performance (these are programs such as Dreambox for math and Lexia for reading).

-The third component is the teacher- the teacher will be doing live meetings and recorded lessons to give instruction to kids, as well as assigning online work (or possibly even paper) to see where kids are at in their learning.

This is a very summarized example of how a typical day may look:

Online group meeting in the morning to check in with kids and to set them up for their learning for the morning.

Assigned independent tasks- i.e. watch the teacher video on a reading strategy, respond to the video, practice Lexia, and read independently for 15 minutes, and possibly meet in a small group (online) with the teacher and/or tutor related to their needs.

Then another whole group check in mid afternoon that, again, would set kids up for the next section of learning- i.e. a math lesson, practice Dreambox, possible small group, etc.

Then a final whole group check in for the day.

We're working to try to create some routines in this model that provide some support, but also have some flexibility- i.e. if a student can't attend the live time, they'll be recorded to watch later. We're also working to embed some possible supports, such as an instructional assistant who would be available for an 'online study hall' if a student needed to check in to get some help.

Online Academy Option

This option will have some support available, but it really is a self-paced option, so that support will be less than the connected at home option. There will be a Canby School District teacher who will be available to respond to questions, but the support will be available on a more limited basis. In my belief, to be successful, this option really needs to have some at home learning support available to the student.

Of course the advantage in this option is that it's self-paced, which can allow for students to work when they want to, at a pace that works for them.

Please let me know if you have further questions. I know this is a stressful decision to have to make under a tight timeline.

Regards,

Mr. McKean