April 8, 2020
Good morning Parents, Guardians, and Middle/High School Students:
Let me begin by saying how much we miss all of our students and families. These past few weeks have not been easy for anyone. We are here to support students and you through this challenging time. Middle School and High School teachers, along with Administration and the Technology Department,have been working long hours to bring online learning options to students in Grades 6-12 as part of Bald Eagle Area’s Continuity of Education Plan. The Pennsylvania Department of Education describes Planned Instruction as formal teaching and instruction similar to what occurs in the classroom so that new concepts/skills are aligned to grade level standards. Mandatory Planned Instruction will take place online for Grade6-12 students beginning, Monday, April 13, 2020 and will cover 4th marking period content. What follows is a description of the Planned Instruction process that will start next Monday.
Teachers will provide 20 minute online classes on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. Office hours will occur each Wednesday from 8:00 AM – 3:00 PM. The format of instruction will vary, depending if your family has internet access or does not have internet access.
Students with Internet Access: All Middle and High School teachers will post class content (e.g., assignments, instructions, videos) to their Google Classrooms. Any student requiring access to a teacher’s Google Classroom will be provided a class code to join. Students will submit assignments, homework, and assessments via Google Classroom for teacher feedback and grading. Instruction on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday may vary. Teachers may decide to:
• Tape 20 minute lessons and post on Google Classroom.
• Hold live 20 minute Zoom classes during regularly scheduled class periods.
• Use a mix of both Zoom and taped lessons throughout the week.
Please do not worry if your child cannot attend a live class session being offered. All Zoom sessions will be taped and placed on Google Classroom for your child to access at a more convenient time. Wednesday is set aside for Office Hours so no new instruction will occur. This is time for your child to meet with teachers to obtain help, work on assignments, etc. If your child does not require any assistance, that is fine too. Attendance at office hours is not mandatory. They are offered to allow one-on-one and small group learning opportunities from Bald Eagle Area teachers for individualized learning.
Students without Internet Access: Teachers will post taped lesson videos, class content, and assignments to Google Classrooms by noon on Friday for the following week. Students will download that week’s materials from the Google Classrooms onto their school issued Chromebook any time after 12:00 noon on Friday of the week before. School issued Chromebooks are configured to connect to the exterior WiFi near the main entrance of the following district buildings: Middle/High School, Howard Elementary, and Mountaintop Elementary OR the rear staff parking lot at Port Matilda Elementary. Any student requiring access to a teacher’s Google Classroom will be provided a class code to join.All due assignments, homework, and assessments are to be submitted via each teacher’s Google Classroom for feedback and grading by Saturday at midnight following the week of instruction.
• Example:
o Week of April 13th:
▪ Teacher downloadable content ready by 12:00 noon on Friday, April 10th.
▪ Student work due in Google Classrooms by midnight on Saturday, April 18th.
o Week of April 20th:
▪ Teacher downloadable content ready by 12:00 noon on Friday, April 17th.
▪ Student work due in Google Classrooms by midnight on Saturday, April 25th.
Instruction on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday may vary. Wednesday is set aside for Office Hours so no new instruction will occur. This is time for your child to meet with teachers to obtain help, work on assignments, etc. If your child does not require any assistance, that is fine too. Attendance at office hours is not mandatory. They are offered to allow one-on-one and small group learning opportunities from Bald Eagle Area teachers for individualized learning.
Features added to student Chromebooks for online learning:
• TI-84 Graphing Calculator
• Camera (to take photos of homework, projects, etc.)
• Filtering software (similar to what is used in school)
o To be diligent in keeping students safe online. However, please take this opportunity to discuss cyber safety with your child(ren) and monitor them as much as possible.
• Ability to access documents offline with no internet:
o To verify: Go to your Google drive - select the “Gear” symbol in the upper right – there should be a “check mark” next to “Offline”.
If you find your child would benefit from having their school issued Chromebook, please send an email or text to approval@beasd.net. Provide your name, a contact phone number, your child’s name, grade, and homeroom teacher’s name. A school representative will contact you to arrange pick-up of the Chromebook. School textbooks or other materials/resources will be distributed.
As with any new educational implementation, there will be problems and concerns along the way. We ask for your patience and understanding as we travel this new territory together. In this journey, there will also be more successes, hope, and purpose as well. Please do not stress over these new instructional changes as they are intended to keep student minds moving forward. Contact your child’s teacher(s) via email if you need help or have questions.
In closing, we wish you and your family the very best. Stay safe and healthy.
Dr. Joseph Clapper, Interim Superintendent
BEA Administrative Team