Distance Learning
- About Distance Learning
- Elementary Daily Schedule
- Secondary Daily Schedule
- Clarkston Virtual vs. Distance Learning
About Distance Learning
On August 10, the Board of Education approved our Fall 2020 Return to School plan, which included a recommendation to begin the school year in a temporary district-wide distance learning contingency model (as opposed to face-to-face instruction in buildings) for all Y5-Grade 12 students. This is not a long-term plan, but a flexible, robust replacement for in-person learning for a brief period of time. For that reason, we are not setting an end-date for transitioning back to school buildings. We will re-evaluate on a weekly basis and adjust our plans accordingly. This recommendation did not come lightly and was based on a number of factors: community and regional virus trends, the complexities of contact tracing in a school setting, and the many challenges involved in bringing 7,000 students and 1,000 staff members to campus each day in a safe way.
Temporary distance learning puts our school district on the best possible path to return to face-to-face instruction. We know that our plans will not meet the expectations of all families, but you can trust that we will continue to make decisions with the best interest of our students, staff, and families in mind.
About Distance Learning
If it is determined that Face-to-Face Instruction in schools poses a significant risk to our students and staff, our district may proactively move to a district-wide Distance Learning for all Y5-12 students for a period of time. Distance Learning is not the same as our opt-in Clarkston Virtual program (which parents select for a semester or year), it is a temporary, robust replacement for a traditional face-to-face school environment in which classroom teachers would take attendance and lead instruction with students fully engaged at home for a specific period of time.
- 1:1 technology model ensures remote learning shift can happen swiftly and efficiently to maintain continuity of learning.
- Students are still “attending school” but they are attending school from home.
- Assessment, grading, daily attendance, and curriculum progress would remain consistent with in-person learning expectations.
- Set daily login times for teachers and students with more daily, interactive, live/direct (“synchronous”) instruction and frequent real-time contact with students’ established classroom teachers.
- Revised daily schedule that provides a structured learning plan for students and families
- Activities, tasks, and assessments will be scheduled and required.
Seesaw (Y5—Grade 5) and Google Classroom (Grades 3—Grade 12) - Professional learning for technology will be provided for staff.
Access to materials and progress/grades for both students and parents/guardians will be provided.
Elementary Daily Schedule
Remote or distance learning refers to learning outside of school, which doesn't have to be online. In our distance learning sample schedule, instructional blocks do not necessarily represent 100% online time in front of the computer. Engagement, and keeping kids motivated, looks different at home. Prior to the pandemic, very few teachers received training in how to teach online. In the weeks ahead, Clarkston Community Schools' educators will receive substantial professional learning in order to use technology in meaningful ways that engage students to think and apply their thinking in relevant ways. Distance learning doesn't involve heaping tons of digital work on students. Some assignments will be offline, and there will be a balance of real-time ("synchronous") and self-paced ("asynchronous") learning, with intermittent time scheduled for socializing and physical movement. A flexible schedule is key to the success of at-home learning.
Elementary Distance Learning Schedule
| Minutes | Monday & Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday & Friday | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | Morning Meeting | 8:30-8:50 | Morning Meeting | 8:30-8:50 | Morning Meeting | 8:30-8:50 | ||
| 45 | Co-Curricular (Art/PE/Language/Music) | 8:50-9:35 | Co-Curricular (Art/PE/Language/Music) | 8:50-9:35 | Co-Curricular (Art/PE/Language/Music) | 8:50-9:35 | ||
| 10 | Break/Snack | 9:35-9:45 |
Learning Resources, Strategy Groups & Assessments |
9:35-11:25 |
Break/Snack | 9:35-9:45 | ||
| 55 | Math | 9:45-10:40 | Math | 9:45-10:40 | ||||
| 45 | Science/Social Studies | 10:40-11:25 | Science/Social Studies | 10:40-11:25 | ||||
| 60 | Lunch | 11:25-12:25 | Lunch | 11:25-12:25 | Lunch | 11:25-12:25 | ||
| 140 | Literacy Block | 12:25-2:45 | Learning Resources, Strategy Groups & Assessments | 12:25-2:45 | Literacy Block | 12:25-2:45 | ||
| 15 | Community Time | 2:45-3:00 | Community Time | 2:45-3:00 | Community Time | 2:45-3:00 | ||
| 50 | Teacher Office Hours | 3:00-3:50 | Teacher Office Hours | 3:00-3:50 | Teacher Office Hours | 3:00-3:50 | ||
Secondary Daily Schedule
Remote or distance learning refers to learning outside of school, which doesn't have to be online. In our distance learning sample schedule, instructional blocks do not necessarily represent 100% online time in front of the computer. Engagement, and keeping kids motivated, looks different at home. Prior to the pandemic, very few teachers received training in how to teach online. In the weeks ahead, Clarkston Community Schools' educators will receive substantial professional learning in order to use technology in meaningful ways that engage students to think and apply their thinking in relevant ways. Distance learning doesn't involve heaping tons of digital work on students. Some assignments will be offline, and there will be a balance of real-time ("synchronous") and self-paced ("asynchronous") learning, with intermittent time scheduled for socializing and physical movement. A flexible schedule is key to the success of at-home learning.
SMS Daily Schedule
| Monday & Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday & Friday | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Hour | 8:30-9:20 | First Hour Enrichment/Tutoring/Connections |
9:05-9:25 | First Hour | 8:30-9:20 | ||
| Second Hour | 9:30-10:20 | Second Hour Enrichment/Tutoring/Connections |
9:30-9:50 | Second Hour | 9:30-10:20 | ||
| Fourth Hour (no Third Hour PAWS on this day) | 10:30-11:20 | Fourth Hour Enrichment/Tutoring/Connections |
9:55-10:15 | Fourth Hour (no Third Hour PAWS on this day) | 10:30-11:20 | ||
| Lunch | 11:25-12:25 | Third Hour PAWS: Social/Emotional Learning, Health & Wellness Support, Staff Outreach & Education | 10:25-11:25 | Lunch | 11:25-12:25 | ||
| Fifth Hour | 12:30-1:20 | Lunch | 11:25-12:25 | Fifth Hour | 12:30-1:20 | ||
| Sixth Hour | 1:30-2:20 | Fifth Hour Enrichment/Tutoring/Connections |
12:25-12:45 | Sixth Hour | 1:30-2:20 | ||
| Seventh Hour | 2:30-3:20 | Sixth Hour Enrichment/Tutoring/Connections |
12:50-1:10 | Seventh Hour | 2:30-3:20 | ||
| Teacher Office Hours | 3:20-3:50 | Seventh Hour Enrichment/Tutoring/Connections |
1:15-1:35 | Teacher Office Hours | 3:20-3:50 | ||
| By Appointment: Social/Emotional Learning, Health & Wellness Support, Support Staff Outreach & Education | 1:45-3:00 | ||||||
| Teacher Office Hours | 3:00-3:50 | ||||||
CJHS/CHS/RHS Daily Schedule
| Monday & Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday & Friday | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Hour | 8:30-9:20 | First Hour Enrichment/Tutoring/Connections |
9:05-9:25 | First Hour | 8:30-9:20 | ||
| Second Hour | 9:30-10:20 | Second Hour Enrichment/Tutoring/Connections | 9:30-9:50 | Second Hour | 9:30-10:20 | ||
| Third Hour | 10:30-11:20 | Third Hour Enrichment/Tutoring/Connections | 9:55-10:15 | Third Hour | 10:30-11:20 | ||
| Lunch | 11:25-12:25 | Wolf Time with Third Hour Teacher: Social/Emotional Learning, Health & Wellness Support, Staff Outreach & Education | 10:25-11:25 | Lunch | 11:25-12:25 | ||
| Fourth Hour | 12:30-1:20 | Lunch | 11:25-12:25 | Fourth Hour | 12:30-1:20 | ||
| Fifth Hour | 1:30-2:20 | Fourth Hour Enrichment/Tutoring/Connections | 12:25-12:45 | Fifth Hour | 1:30-2:20 | ||
| Sixth Hour | 2:30-3:20 | Fifth Hour Enrichment/Tutoring/Connections | 12:50-1:10 | Sixth Hour | 2:30-3:20 | ||
| Teacher Office Hours | 3:20-3:50 | Sixth Hour Enrichment/Tutoring/Connections | 1:15-1:35 | Teacher Office Hours | 3:20-3:50 | ||
| By Appointment: Social/Emotional Learning, Health & Wellness Support, Staff Outreach & Education | 1:45-3:00 | ||||||
| Teacher Office Hours | 3:00-3:50 | ||||||
Clarkston Virtual vs. Distance Learning
What’s the difference between Clarkston Virtual and Distance Learning?
|
Clarkston Virtual |
Distance Learning |
|
|---|---|---|
|
Curriculum |
These programs have been fully vetted by CCS and approved by the Board of Education. Read more about the Clarkston Virtual curriculum on our website. |
Traditional, established CCS classroom curriculum. (Course schedules will be created for secondary students based on their course selections.) Students will use Seesaw (Y5-Grade 5) and Google Classroom (Grade 3-12). |
|
Instruction |
Certified Clarkston teachers will serve as mentors. Each student will have one mentor (mentor pupil ratio is 1:30). Students will use an online platform with the support of their mentor, and Clarkston Community Schools teachers for content-level support. |
Certified Clarkston classroom teachers. Students will have the same teachers in the temporary distance learning contingency as in face-to-face instruction, making for a smooth transition back to in-person learning in buildings. |
|
Daily Schedule |
Self-paced, engage in learning on your own schedule. Move through curriculum slower or faster as needed. Attendance is not taken but mentors keep a log to ensure students stay on track. Sample Schedules |
Looks much like the school day with a set schedule and assigned login times for live instruction. Daily attendance is taken and students are expected to participate in learning with classmates in real-time. Lunch and other breaks are scheduled. Sample Schedules |
|
Support |
Teachers and teacher mentors are available for real-time support, even after hours by appointment. Face-to-face and virtual meetings with mentors may be held. |
Teachers are available for real-time support during traditional school-day hours (approx. 8:30am-3pm) and by email. All meetings will be virtual. |
|
Assessment |
Grades will be given at the secondary level, similarly to a traditional face-to-face model. Students and parents will be able to track progress through the learning platform. Progress monitoring at the elementary level will be communicated through Learning Feedback Documents. |
Grades will be given at the secondary level, similar to a traditional face-to-face model. Students and parents will be able to track progress through ParentVUE. Progress monitoring at the elementary level will be communicated through Learning Feedback Documents. |