Synchronous Learning Update

From The Principal

Family:

Following a meeting with FCPS leadership today, high schools received new directions to get our Distance Learning Plan back up to speed. I am pleased to announce we have made significant progress.

What will be different now?

  • South County Teachers teachers are creating individualized secure links in Blackboard Collaborate Ultra (BbCU).
  • Each student has a unique link affiliated with their FCPS gmail and student ID.
  • The link does not require additional logon steps or access to the Blackboard 24-7 portal.
  • The steps for using the new link are outlined in this video which will be shared with students.
  • The process has been successfully piloted.
  • Synchronous classes, office hours and meetings can occur easily with BbCU.

What will my child know?

  • A message will be posted to students early tomorrow morning in Google Classrooms on the Class of 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023 message boards.
  • The message will include the video above.

What is the plan for the rest of this week?

  • Teachers will continue creating unique personalized links for students.
  • Teachers are continuing to post asynchronous learning activities as they have all along.
  • Students still have the ability to work on third term assignments.
  • Teachers have the ability to hold office hours via email tomorrow and Friday.
  • Teachers have the autonomy to decide how to best use time this week to bring classes into alignment given the recent disrupted learning. It is OK if different teachers have different approaches this week since many are in different places.
  • Assuming all goes as planned this week, our Distance Learning Plan fully resumes as scheduled next week.

How does all of this impact FCPS third term grading and reporting?

  • New FCPS due date for students to submit, make-up, retake 3rd quarter work: May 1
  • Parents can view 3rd quarter grades until April 24 and then again starting May 9. The downtime is for teacher to complete entering 3rd quarter grades

 

By every indication, these revamped directions will yield success.

 

Each of our teachers did a heavy lift today and will continue to do so tomorrow. I am proud that synchronous efforts may resume sooner than expected. South County teachers deserve our utmost gratitude for staying focused on what’s most important- your children and their learning. If by the end of this week you continue to have questions specific to your child’s needs, please do not hesitate to reach out to a counselor, administrator or teacher.

 

Thank you for your ongoing patience and support. #OneStallion

 

Gary