Dear Jackson Students and Families,

I hope this letter finds you well.  You all have been in my thoughts daily and I wish we could be together in person. Despite our distance from one another, I am eager to share how we intend to stay connected with our students, staff, and community through Distance Learning. LJMS staff is looking forward to resuming instruction through virtual learning on Wednesday, April 15th. We have worked collaboratively with our staff to plan digital lessons to support the continuity of instruction as best we can!

During the remainder of the school year, each of us will be engaged in distance learning. What is distance learning? A learning experience where teachers and students are separated by place. They communicate synchronously (through live face to face classes using virtual meeting technology) and asynchronously (through print or electronic media). 

Face to face virtual meetings will be held primarily on a tool called Blackboard Collaborate Ultra. All classes will be recorded and posted to your teacher’s Blackboard site for your reference. All class materials will be posted in FCPS 24/7 Learning (Blackboard) for distance learning. This may be a bit different than the regular school year. Teachers can still use Google Docs/Google Classroom to communicate with students and collect work, but it will not be the primary communication tool for parents. 

Each week your student will be mailed a distance learning packet (the first packet should be at your house later this week), have access to materials in FCPS 24/7 Learning (Blackboard) and will be expected to participate in synchronous online classes on Wednesday and Friday to review concepts, review the packet, and learn and practice new concepts as instructed by your classroom teachers. The fourth quarter of the remainder of the school year will begin the week of April 13th with classes beginning Wednesday, April 15th. Your classroom teachers will be in contact with you with their schedule and expectations within the next week. The end of the fourth quarter will be June 12, 2020. 

New Schedule for Distance Learning

Below is the Distance Learning schedule that our school will implement. It includes  a schedule on Wednesday and Friday for when each class period will meet in an online synchronous session. Currently at the middle school level, synchronous sessions will occur once a week in your student’s Math, English, Science, History, and HS credit World Language classes. Electives and PE classes will provide activities for students to complete in the asynchronous (non- face to face) environment. Your student will be expected to complete teacher-directed assignments and activities on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday. 

In addition, your teachers will have office hours on Tuesday and Thursday. These office hours will be communicated with you by each teacher soon. Office hours are a time when you can sign on to Blackboard Collaborate or email with your teachers to consult with them regarding your assignments, questions, and concerns.

On Wednesday and Friday during class periods where your student has an elective class or PE, this time can be utilized to complete the asynchronous activities assigned by the teacher or to complete assignments for other subjects.  Our elective and PE teachers will be reaching out to their students with additional details.

Expectations for Distance Learning

Your student’s Math, Science, English, Social Studies and HS Credit World Language class will have 45 minute synchronous, face-to-face online sessions every Wednesday or Friday. Outside of the scheduled class times for 45 minutes/week, students  will be expected to work independently on assignments, activities, and coursework. The work assigned may be independent or collaborative and can include watching pre-recorded video lessons, reading for a purpose, participating in an online discussion, and completing assignments posted on Blackboard or Google Classroom. 

Distance Learning Attendance

All students are expected to participate in the virtual face to face classes. Teachers and our counselors will follow up with families of those students who do not attend class each week. Attendance is important for students to maintain a continuity of learning and to acquire new content form the 4th quarter, to develop ongoing connections between teachers and peers, and to establish a sense of normalcy and routine during a stressful time. Please feel free to reach out to a member of the Administrative or Department of Student Services staff at any time if you have any questions or concerns about your student’s ability to engage with this distance learning model. 

Grading 

The 3rd Quarter closed on March 13. Student work that was due after March 13 will not be graded or required to be submitted. Work assigned prior to March 13 will still be accepted up until April 24 in order to be applied in the calculation of students’ third quarter grades. Teachers will not be assigning any new work for the 3rd quarter. 

Additionally, it is the intention of FCPS to use maximum flexibility in assessing and evaluating student learning for the remainder of the school year. To that end, middle school students will be assigned a “no mark” for the fourth quarter, with assignments submitted being allowed to positively influence the student’s overall grade for the year based on mastery of learning concepts, in accordance with FCPS grading policy. Only final grades will be shown on transcripts; a “no mark” will not show on a student’s final transcript

Student Supports

The Department of Student Services staff is working hard to prepare distance learning materials to ensure that all students have access to educational materials and activities, including our English learners and students with Individualized Education Programs and 504 Plans. Numerous supports, modifications, and services may be effectively provided online and our team will be contacting students and families with additional details and resources. 

Counselors and Student Services

As we transition to this Distance Learning model of instruction, we are also focused on supporting the social and emotional needs of our students. Our Student Services team will be collaborating with our teachers during this transition, but please do not hesitate to reach out to your student’s counselor if you need any assistance. 

What To Do Between Now and April 15

Before we get started on April 15th, there are a few things you will need:

✓    Your computer

✓    Access to the internet

✓    A place where you can listen and learn

✓    If you have a headset or earphones, that would be helpful

This is also a good time to familiarize yourself with Blackboard and to have your student show you the Google Classrooms that they have been working with this year.  Before the end of this week, all of your student’s teachers should be sending a message or doing a class activity where each student needs to respond. If your student hasn’t heard from their teachers, please feel free to contact them. 

Distance Learning Classes Begin on April 15

We are all excited to begin this new learning experience with you and to “get back to school.”  I look forward to hearing about your first week back. If you have any questions, concerns, or just want to say hi, please email me. 

• Students will follow ODD/EVEN day schedule throughout the week.
• Also, students will use an online video-conference service called Blackboard Collaborate Ultra, and their teachers will send them a link for them to connect to the video-conference of the classes.
• Students should be checking the FCPS Gmail account (that ends in @fcpsschools.net) and their grade-level Google classrooms regularly.
• At this time, we have disabled the video display feature for students. Teachers will be visible, but students will only have audio capability.
• As courses begin, teachers will share with students specific applications to be used to share interactive activities.

We have also asked teachers to post announcements on Blackboard, and connect their Google classrooms to their Blackboard sites so that parents can view them.  (In order to see the teachers' Google classrooms, please ask your child to log into Google with the their fcpsschools.net account.)  Teachers will also hold office hours for students during the week, and they will publish those office hours.

Sincerely,

Mike 

Es bueno conectarse de nuevo con todos ustedes y espero que estén tan entusiasmados como yo para comenzar el aprendizaje a distancia en LJMS. A partir de esta semana, ha recibido un paquete de nivel de grado por correo de. Del Departamento de Servicios de Instrucción (ISD) de FCPS para cualquier estudiante que se haya matriculado en un aula de K-8. Este paquete es una introducción y preparación para el aprendizaje en línea desde el hogar, además de la revisión del contenido de nivel de grado. Recibirá un paquete como este (desarrollado por ISD) cada semana hasta el final del año escolar. Nuestros maestros probablemente se referirán a estos paquetes con los estudiantes en su planificación.

Los maestros han informado esta semana y están ansiosos por comenzar a trabajar con sus estudiantes. Tenga en cuenta que este es un cambio completo en la forma en que trabajamos como educadores y en la forma en que sus estudiantes trabajan como estudiantes, por lo que queremos asegurarnos de que seamos reflexivos en nuestra planificación para que la experiencia de aprendizaje en línea de su estudiante sea clara y accesible. También es de vital importancia que todos seamos flexibles en nuestra forma de pensar: así como muchos de nosotros estamos aprendiendo a trabajar desde casa mientras nuestros hijos están en nuestro hogar con nosotros en este momento, lo mismo es cierto para nuestros maestros.

• Los estudiantes seguirán el horario del día ODD / EVEN durante toda la semana.
• Además, los estudiantes utilizarán un servicio de videoconferencia en línea llamado Blackboard Collaborate Ultra, y sus maestros les enviarán un enlace para que se conecten a la videoconferencia de las clases. Los estudiantes deben verificar la cuenta de Gmail de FCPS (que termina en @ fcpsschools.net) y sus aulas de Google de nivel de grado regularmente.
• En este momento, hemos deshabilitado la función de visualización de video para los estudiantes.
• Los maestros serán visibles, pero los estudiantes solo tendrán capacidad de audio.
• Cuando comiencen los cursos, los maestros compartirán con los estudiantes aplicaciones específicas que se utilizarán para compartir actividades interactivas.

También les hemos pedido a los maestros que publiquen anuncios en Blackboard y conecten sus aulas de Google a sus sitios de Blackboard para que los padres puedan verlos. (Para ver las aulas de Google de los maestros, solicite a su hijo que inicie sesión en Google con su cuenta de fcpsschools.net). Los maestros también tendrán horarios de oficina para los estudiantes durante la semana y publicarán esos horarios de oficina.

Grading @ LJMS during Distance Learning:

• 3rd quarter is still open, but no new work for 3rd quarter can be assigned by teachers after March 13th.  However, students will have until April 24th to complete missing work that will help them to improve their 3rd quarter grade. More information will be provided.
• Learning activities will be assigned to students for 4th quarter, and teachers will provide students with feedback on this work.  All students will receive a "No Mark" for 4th quarter, due to the unique nature of these circumstances. 

• El tercer trimestre aún está abierto, pero los maestros no pueden asignar nuevos trabajos para el tercer trimestre después del 13 de marzo. Sin embargo, los estudiantes tendrán hasta el 24 de abril para completar el trabajo perdido que les ayudará a mejorar su grado del tercer trimestre. Se proporcionará más información.

• Las actividades de aprendizaje se asignarán a los estudiantes para el cuarto trimestre, y los maestros proporcionarán a los estudiantes comentarios sobre este trabajo. Todos los estudiantes recibirán un "No Mark" para el cuarto trimestre, debido a la naturaleza única de estas circunstancias.

Parent/Student session in Blackboard Collaborate 

https://us.bbcollab.com/collab/ui/session/playback

DISTANCE LEARNING @ LJMS

Distance learning for students begins on April 14.  Students should check their Blackboard accounts for messages and updates from their teachers.  Each teacher will provide the following information prior to April 14.

• Blackboard Collaborate Ultra link
• At the start of each class, students just need to click on the link
• This link will automatically connect them to the classroom
• Office hours times and days
• Classes are Wednesday and Friday

El aprendizaje a distancia para estudiantes comienza el 14 de abril. Los estudiantes deben revisar sus cuentas de Blackboard para ver los mensajes y actualizaciones de sus maestros. Cada maestro proporcionará la siguiente información antes del 14 de abril.

• Enlace de Blackboard Collaborate Ultra
• Al comienzo de cada clase, los estudiantes solo necesitan hacer clic en el enlace
• Este enlace los conectará automáticamente al aula.
• Horario de atención horarios y días
• Las clases son miercoles y viernes

When will online learning begin with teachers and what will it look like?

Online (or distance) learning classes will begin with teachers the week of April 13th.  The schedule for middle school is pictured below. Our model will include "synchronous" and "asynchronous" learning throughout the week. 

Las clases de aprendizaje en línea (o a distancia) comenzarán con los maestros la semana del 13 de abril. El horario para la escuela intermedia se muestra a continuación. Nuestro modelo incluirá aprendizaje "sincrónico" y "asincrónico" durante toda la semana.