Good afternoon, CCDS Families,
Thank you all for your continued support and communication. A few important updates and clarification are included here today.
Distance Learning or “Virtual School”
At this time, due to the Governor’s orders and our county status on the watch list, all schools must begin in a virtual setting. CCDS will begin the school year as planned on August 19th with all instruction occurring online.
Clarification: CCDS Virtual Academy, all online option
In June, with the prospect that some families may prefer to be online for the semester (before the Governor’s requirements for school building opening on July 17th), CCDS was developing a plan for a fully online model that we called the CCDS Virtual Academy. It became clear throughout the summer that both families and the school needed additional flexibility. Our solution to this is the use of a new learning platform that will allow all students to be fully online or back on campus in our blended (A and B cohort model) that we previously discussed. All students will remain with their classroom teacher(s) and will progress through standards together, whether fully online or on-campus when we are able to offer the hybrid model.
Online Learning Platform: Altitude Learning
Many learning management systems exist, but we chose the one that was created to support Project Based Learning, called Altitude Learning. This is a platform, an organizational tool, and a system that will help teachers, students, and families all manage and receive feedback for the work for the week. Teachers will put their content into this system; it is not a scripted computer-based system. It allows our teachers to do what they do best, create engaging and meaningful learning experiences for our students. It allows students to access their work in a learner-centered environment, encouraging the building of executive functioning skills. The parent communication tools will help you know the progress your students are making toward mastery of content standards.
More about Altitude Learning
Our teachers will begin their professional development on this platform this week. We will spend two days of learning with our implementation coach next week as well. In addition, we will host parent meetings to help orient our parent community. We have continued learning and support throughout the year from Altitude. In all the research we did, this is the platform that fits with Chico Country Day School and what we value for student learning. Students will access what they need and teachers remain as creative professionals who design engaging and challenging work for students.
Hybrid Model: A and B Days
When safe to do so, we hope to be able to offer on-campus learning in our levels 2-5 of our reopening plan. We continue to track your preferences for the A and B cohort days with the survey from July. At this time, 65% of responses were for A (Mon/Tues); we may need additional flexibility from families willing to be on Thurs/Fri once we are permitted to be back on campus.
Fall 2020 Online Learning Expectations from CA Dept of Education:
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In-Person and Synchronous are a Priority: Focus on delivering in-person and synchronous instruction to keep students connected to teachers and peers.
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Daily Live Interaction - Required: Keep students engaged in coursework, providing support, connecting with peers through classes.
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Taking Student Attendance: Attendance based on work completion and participation in synchronous/asynchronous instruction.
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Serving Students with Greatest Needs: Providing for SpEd/504 services, EL support, on-campus instruction when allowed by public health orders.
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Tiered Re-engagement Strategies: Multi-step process for engaging students who have missed more than 3 days or 60% of distance learning.
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Weekly Engagement Records: Tracking work completion of synchronous and asynchronous instruction.
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Estimated Daily Instructional Minutes: (Includes synchronous meetings, asynchronous learning, and task completion times) Tk, K: 180 minutes, 1-3rd: 230 minutes, 4-12th: 240 minutes
As we embark on a new school year during these COVID-19 times, we all must strive to be brave leaders, while guiding our CCDS Learners through strong instructional practices and standards based curriculum. This year will be one of trying new things, being flexible, and building community through new ideas, while providing stability for students and families. We will find the joyful moments, have fun through this, and develop new ways of connection. Thank you all for being a supportive, adaptable, and strong community. We appreciate you!
Warmly,
Wendy, Margaret, Amie, and Claudia
