LCMSD Distance Learning Plans, Request Form, & Parent Meetings

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Dear LCMSD Community,

As you know from previous communications, the District will be starting off the school year in distance learning through at least September 8 by order of Governor Newsom. As much as we are anxious to see our students in person, we will not be able to open in-person school until the county is off the state watch list and we are given the go-ahead by the Marin County Department of Public Health.

When we do open in-person, it will be for stable cohorts to minimize mixing and potential exposure should a child or adult get sick. We have been busy developing safety and cleaning protocols, purchasing protective gear, creating outdoor learning spaces, reimagining classroom spaces to provide safe distancing, and developing schedules to minimize mixing between cohorts. 

Distance learning will be different from what it was in the spring when all schools were thrust into it with little preparation or experience. Almost immediately following the school closure, we began the stakeholder engagement processes through surveys, a state of the district Facebook Live session, Board Meetings, parent meetings, staff meetings, and we also created the LCMSD Distance Learning Team. The team met weekly last spring to discuss the structure and frequency of distance learning activities, as well as the digital platforms used to meet collaboratively, provide direct instruction, share assignments, and collect student work.

We are excited to share our refined and robust LCMSD Distance Learning Program with you. Here is the link to our distance learning plan and here is a video explaining our program. 

Core components of the distance learning program include:

  • Regular live instruction 
    • Elementary students will receive an average of 100+ live instructional minutes per day plus small group instruction as identified by their teacher (along with independent work)
    • Middle school students will follow a distance learning bell schedule with an average of 175+ live instructional minutes per day plus small group instruction as identified by their teacher (along with independent work)
  • Weekly feedback
    • Students and parents will receive weekly feedback via Alma (our student information system) and/or Google Classroom/Google Suite
  • Common platforms
    • Grades K-1 will use the Google Suite for assignments and feedback
    • Grades 2-8 will use Google Classroom for assignments and feedback
    • Clever integration will allow you and your students to sign in to accounts and programs from one location without having to enter a password each time. Younger students can also hold up QR codes to the camera to sign into accounts (no more passwords for K students!). 
    • Zoom and/or Google Meet for live session delivery
  • Attendance and participation are required
    • There will be attendance and engagement requirements for all students - distance learning is not an option
  • Middle school electives
    • Will be offered through our seven period distance learning schedule 
  • Elementary school specials (art, music, physical education)
    • Will be offered virtually
    • Specialists will also provide student support, intervention, and outreach
  • Special education, intervention, and English learner services
    • Will be provided virtually and in person as permitted
  • Stable cohorts
    • We will create stable classroom cohorts in the event that we can transition to in-person instruction
  • District provided student devices
    • An email will go out shortly to request student devices (hotspot, iPad/Chromebook)

Requesting Distance Only for August - December 2020

If you would like to request full distance learning for this fall (August-December 2020) please complete this form by August 7th at noon. This means that if we resume in-person learning in any format (hybrid or five days per week) you prefer your child remain in a full distance learning program. We will provide another survey in November or December regarding Spring (January-June 2021) full distance learning. Only fill out this form if you are requesting full distance learning. 

Parent Meetings

If you want to learn more about our distance learning plan, please watch this video and/or attend our parent meetings next week.

These will be webinar style meetings. To ensure equity of voice, please submit your questions in advance using this form. 

Elementary Distance Learning Parent Meeting - Tuesday, August 4th at 4:00 via Zoom

Hall Middle School Distance Learning Parent Meeting - Wednesday, August 5th at 4:00 via Zoom

 

Thank you for your patience and flexibility during these unprecedented times. We look forward to seeing (virtually) you and your students in August! 

 

Take care,

 

Brett Geithman, Ed.D. 

Superintendent

 

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