Greyhound Newsletter 9/25/20
Getting into a routine...
From the Desk of the Principal
The Normal, For Now
1. This Newsletter, sent out each week on Friday. The format of it will start to look familiar and will include sections from the Counseling Office, the Career Center, and the Activities Department. If you'd like to see additional weekly features, please let me know!
2. Week worth of content opening each Thursday. We'll be working to help students PACE themselves so they aren't overwhelmed by what rolls out each Thursday. Teachers will make suggestions for what to do on Thursday, on Friday, etc. We don't want students to feel pressured to do it all immediately, but we certainly don't want them to wait until Tuesday to start!
3. Regular daily routines for students. We sent a suggestion last week, but here it is again:
Complete attendance in Infinite Campus EVERY day (tutorial here: bit.ly/2Rah4o7)
Check your teachers’ Canvas modules and to-do lists
Set out your weekly plan to complete the work
Work on course module assignments
Check your email twice daily (school Gmail & Canvas messenger)
Morning email check
Afternoon email check
4. Frequent feedback from teachers. By now, students should be active in ALL of their Canvas courses. If they are still having trouble getting connected, please contact the school or their teacher right away!
Celebrations
As of September 24, 2020
12 days in Distance Learning so far
Duluth East High School
By the numbers...roughly...
1632 students on the books
85 certified staff members
142 staff members total
215 courses
1659 sections built in Infinite Campus (includes WIN)
390 courses built in Canvas
1,170 modules built in Canvas so far
111,024 attendance records by period
9,252 teacher-student contacts
6,000+ textbooks bagged up and handed out
1232 cars through the line for materials pick up
I just can't even get a handle on how many hours of work that has been, how much student feedback that included, how much time they've spent figuring out how to do things completely differently, how many times high-touch surfaces have been sanitized, how many bottles of cleaner, how many boxes of gloves and masks, how many breakfasts and lunches prepared, instruments checked out, Chromebooks distributed, hot spots distributed, forms collected, schedules changed, IEP meetings done, IEPs amended, counseling contacts made, I could go on forever! I am so grateful for the volunteers, staff members, students, and families who make this Greyhound family strong.
Tech Tips and Tricks: Canvas Survival
- Visit teacher's front page in Canvas daily- links to Infinite Campus for attendance, the teacher/class calendar, google meet links, etc.
- CARD VIEW in Canvas vs. the list view: many students have reported feeling overwhelmed by viewing the list of "tasks" in Canvas. Switch to the Card View for a more streamlined view by course and then by module.
- Look for comments: teachers are working hard to give high quality feedback for students - watch for it and read it, it will help you succeed!
- Go through instruction before assignments or quizzes: many questions students ask of students related to being "unable" to complete an assignment. Most often this is because they haven't gone through the actual instructional tasks.
- GO TO CLASS! Show up for the Google Meet class times, 1-2 times per week, per teacher, as often as possible.
- Remember that CITS courses may require attendance in Google Meets.
Counseling Office Notes
SENIORS
Join the MN Association for College Admissions Counseling for a zoom event which will help you work through the college application process, financial aid, scholarships, and more!
Event will be held via Zoom on Saturday, October 3rd 11am-3pm
Register and learn more by visiting the following link: http://www.mn-acac.org/SCS
Counseling Office Contacts:
218-336-8845
Jenn LaBelle, Registrar: ext2143, jennifer.labelle@isd709.org
Jamie Savre, Counselor (A-G): ext 2154, jamie.savre@isd709.org
Jessica Forsman, Counselor (H-N): ext 2041, jessica.forsman@isd709.org
Robert Gagne, Counselor (M-Z): ext 3032, robert.gagne@isd709.org
Career Center Updates
Make sure you click the link below to see what the Career Center is offering this week and to read any reminders of deadlines and tasks.
Career Center Contacts
218-336-8845 ext 2195
Sandra Rich: sandra.rich@isd709.org
Colleen Holiday: colleen.holliday@isd709.org
Activities Office Updates
Some of our extracurricular groups will be allowed for very limited in-person experiences this fall. In addition to girls' tennis, boys' swimming, soccer, and cross country, volleyball and football will begin competing for a limited season starting in October.
Our musical has been tentatively moved to the spring and our advisors have found a fantastic option that will work with COVID restrictions. Watch for more information coming soon about how to attend one of our drive-in performances! It's exciting!
We are also anticipating additional activities, such as our extracurricular music groups and robotics, beginning in the near future.
We all still anxiously await the ability to return to school in-person and hope to add even more in-person activities then! Many of our clubs and organizations are already planning for fully virtual activities this year.
Activities Office Contacts
218-336-8845
Alyssa Thompson, Clerical/Treasurer: ext 2304, alyssa.thompson@isd709.org
Shawn Roed, Activities Director: ext 2151, shawn.roed@isd709.org
SENIOR REMINDER
The school purchases the cap, gown, hat, and tassle for you but we need to order the correct size. Contact Darcy in the office with questions.
Duluth East High School
Assistant Principals: Jon Flaa, Kyle Rock
Activities Director: Shawn Roed
Email: darcy.motschenbacher@isd709.org
Website: https://www.isd709.org/duluth-east
Location: 301 North 40th Avenue East, Duluth, MN, USA
Phone: 218-336-8845
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dulutheasthighschool