Dear St. Joan Antida High School Community,
What an exciting week it has been for our students! SJA launched our virtual learning program this past Monday, March 30, and ended our week with our first "open mic" virtual assembly. This interactive format was a fun opportunity for students to ask questions of both administration and faculty about their online learning and what to expect going forward. We are so blessed that we are able to reconnect with our students and continue to engage in learning!
In preparation for virtual learning, our incredible teachers quickly adapted their traditional classroom instruction to an online delivery method. The preparations consisted of uploading assignments, creating videos of their lectures, and reconceptualizing assessment methods. We were very fortunate that over the last year our generous donors had purchased enough Chromebooks for every student in the school. We had already begun using Google Classroom in the traditional setting. So when we were able to send a Chromebook home with each student, we already had the benefit of the Google Classroom platform with which students were already familiar. Right away in our first week we were able to make sure that even classroom discussions could now take place in a virtual setting!
Many of our students are helping to take care of their siblings at home and others may be taking on roles as essential workers, supporting their families during these challenging times. We have therefore created a virtual learning model to accommodate all of our students to ensure that their academic learning continues. Students have the option to complete their learning in “real time” with immediate access to teachers. Or, if their home obligations demand immediate attention, they can complete learning at a more flexible time in the day that works better with their responsibilities.
