ALCDSB REMOTE LEARNING - A Guide For Parents and Guardians for Learning at Home during COVID19 - Algonquin & Lakeshore Catholic ...

ALCDSB REMOTE LEARNING

A Guide For Parents and
 Guardians for Learning
at Home during COVID19

On Monday, April 6, 2020, all schools in the Algonquin and Lakeshore
Catholic District School Board transitioned to teacher-led instruction
within a remote learning environment.

On March 31st, the Ministry of Education announced the extension to the school closure period as a
safety precaution to help minimize the spread of COVID-19 in our community.

The Ministry has indicated that the closure will be extended to at least May 31, 2020 as necessary to
protect the health and well-being of students, families and staff.

TECHNOLOGY:
In April, ALCDSB successfully completed two deployments of technology devices to students who
required it due to no access at home. Free wifi is also available to our students outside of all ALCDSB
schools. Families who received technology devices will be receiving further instructions next month
regarding their return.

We are proud of our Learning Technology Services team who worked diligently to provide devices to
students in need. If you or your child require technology support, please email help@alcdsb.on.ca.

What is Remote Learning?
•   Remote learning is instruction that takes place outside of a traditional classroom
    setting. While some of the instruction may be conducted online, students are not
    expected to be on a device for all of their learning. We encourage students to read,
    communicate and engage in all types of learning experiences.

•   We have created a Learning and Caring Plan and Resource Page to support this
    remote learning implementation process. Included in the plan are a number of
    steps to support all educators to make a smooth transition to online learning.
    There are also instructions to assist families in accessing the various online learning
    platforms such as D2L and FreshGrade.

•   Remember to stay in touch with your school and contact your child’s teacher(s) if
    you have any questions or concerns about their learning plans or activities, or need
    assistance. Resources for Families

Hours of Remote Learning Instruction:

Sample Week at a Glance - Elementary
Elementary teachers have been busy communicating with their students and many are
using the Week at a Glance (WAG) format that outlines a week of activities, by day, with
instructions and links. Here’s a WAG sample:

Elementary Learning:
Staff at ALCDSB have been working diligently to create a robust
plan to best support our students academically, including WAGs.
Our staff have created four elementary document links that can
also be used to supplement and support at-home learning.
​Primary Resources for Students in Grades K-3
 ALCDSB Home Learning Support - Primary Resources
Junior Resources for Students in Grades 4-6
ALCDSB Home Learning Support - Junior Resources
Intermediate Resources for Students in Grades 7-8
ALCDSB Home Learning Support – Intermediate

French as a Second Language (FSL) and English Language Learners
ALCDSB Home Learning Support - FSL and ELL Resources

Elementary Assessment/Evaluation:

For elementary students, educators will use formative assessment
approaches to gather evidence of how students are progressing in their
learning. It is expected that educators will provide feedback to their
students on their progress. In determining final grades and marks for
the final report card, educators will use the evaluation information
gathered before March 13th.

When in the best interest of students, educators will include evidence
of learning completed during the school closure period in their
determination of final grades.

Secondary Learning:
Staff at ALCDSB have been working diligently to create a robust plan to best
support our students academically. Secondary students are continuing to
receive instructions and assignments from their teachers.

Secondary students will be assigned learning tasks, projects and culminating
activities that will be marked for purposes of formative and summative
evaluation (see next slide for evaluation and assessment information)

Our staff have created the following secondary resources link for students in
Grades 9 – 12 that can be used to supplement and support home learning.

ALCDSB Home Learning Support- Secondary

Secondary Assessment/Evaluation
•   Grade 12 students have received a mid-term mark, which the school will send to the
    Ontario Universities' Application Centre and the Ontario College Application Service.
    The Ministry has mandated that the mid-term mark be determined based on
    evaluations conducted up to March 13, the day prior to the start of the March Break.
•   Grade 12 students will continue to be evaluated this semester in a manner that is
    reasonable. We encourage our students to visit their virtual classrooms daily and
    strive to complete the work requested by their teachers.
•   On April 26, the Minister of Education announced that all remaining professional
    activity days and examination days will be used for the instructional program. On
    these previously scheduled days, students can expect to continue their learning
    program and the use of culminating assignments will replace the exam components.
•   For students who are in Co-op, OYAP or SHSM programs consultation with your
    guidance counsellors at your individual schools is key. As face-to-face opportunities
    are not currently available, options such as online experiences are being explored for
    each area.

Grade 12 Graduation
Two graduation requirements have been waived by the Ministry of
Education:
    • a passing grade on the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test
       (OSSLT),
    • the completion of 40 hours of Community Service work. Each
       student will have a record made of the community service hours
       they have completed by the end of the semester.

Secondary graduation ceremonies are still under consideration and
further information will be provided later in May.

Mental Health and Support:
Your health and well-being is our number one priority
during this pandemic. The Board has created long lasting
partnerships with local community service supports that
can help if you are feeling stressed, overwhelmed or just
need to talk.

Please click the link for additional information:
      Health and Well-Being Resources

Frequently Asked Questions:

Please take a moment and review our FAQ page or
contact us by Email for additional questions.

          Frequently Asked Questions

Stay in Touch:
•   Website: www.alcdsb.on.ca
•   Twitter: @alcdsb
•   Facebook page: ALCDSB on Facebook
•   School Messenger: If you aren’t receiving
    important updates through SchoolMessenger,
    please contact your school to ensure that you
    are added to the list.

We remain committed to working with public
health partners, the Ministry of Education and
community agency partners to ensure that all
families within ALCDSB have the academic
resources, mental health supports and community
needs during this difficult time.

Stay safe and we look forward to seeing everyone
soon!