Herndon Happenings
September 25, 2020
Purpose
Please help share this information with parents of Herndon students so we are getting the word out to all of our families.
Make-Up Work Opportunity
All assignments given from August 24 - September 18 will be open in Canvas for students to complete and submit no later than midnight on Thursday, October 1, 2020. Teachers will have until Friday, October 16 to update grades for these assignments in JCampus.
This is a one time, school wide opportunity for all students. As middle school students are returning to four days a week beginning October 5 and we all have a much better understanding of Canvas than we did on August 24, ALL students (traditional, A/B hybrid, 4 day traditional with 1 day virtual, and full virtual) will be held to due dates for all assignments given beginning 9/21/2020.
The midnight, October 1, 2020 deadline will not be extended. Please don't wait until Thursday to try and submit your make-up work in case you have technical difficulties.
Virtual Back-to-School Night
If you have questions about grades, attendance, behavior, Zoom meetings, assignments, etc... please contact the teacher first. Give the teacher a chance to respond and answer your questions and concerns. If you want to schedule a parent teacher conference, contact the counselor.
Kellie Carlisle - kmcarlisle@caddoschools.org
Kioki Ross - ksross@caddoschools.org
Reminder from Mr. Thomas
CANVAS and Chromebook Help
Each week our students, teachers, and parents are learning more about maneuvering through Canvas and using our new learning management system. Third through eighth grade teachers are beginning to organize their Canvas pages and assignments in modules by week. Students will click on modules and then see weekly labels with daily labels and assignments underneath. We believe that having all teachers organize their pages in the same way will help students and parents better navigate Canvas and ensure they are able to find all assignments.
Here are some helpful links and videos for some of the more common questions and errors that we are seeing:
- Google Chrome is the only browser you should use with Canvas
- Make sure your Chrome is up to date - here's how
- Clear your cache - click here for directions
- Do you have the Canvas parent app? Have you set up to observe your student? No? Here's how to do it.
- You don't need a phone to take a picture of written work. You can take a picture with your Chromebook. Find out how, here!
- What if you need to take a screen shot on your Chromebook? You can do that too. Go here to see the steps.
- Want to split the screen so you can see two windows at the same time? For instance, your Zoom screen and your handouts or work? Press Alt + [ to move left, or Alt + ] to move right. Here's a quick youtube video showing you how too.
What do I do if...
- I can't upload an assignment? Take a screen shot of the error and email the teacher within the Canvas app or send them a message via their preferred method of contact (DOJO or Remind), immediately.
- I can't get into a Zoom meeting? (1) Always try to log into the meeting 5 minutes early so you can correct the problem before the meeting starts. (2) Log out and log back in. (3) Take a screen shot or picture of the error/screen and email or message the teacher immediately. Don't wait until 2PM to send a message that says, "I couldn't get into your meeting at 9AM this morning." It's too late to correct the problem.
- I can't load a test in Illuminate? (1) Clear your cache (directions above) (2) make sure the student is logged into the device, then class link, then Illuminate. (3) Take a screen shot or picture of the error and email/message the teacher immediately.
- I can't make things work? (1) Try all the above options - clear cache, shut down and restart, update Chrome, log-in correctly, etc... (2) screen shot or take a pic of the error and email/message the teacher.
Communication is key. Please be mindful of the time when emailing or messaging teachers. Teachers cannot respond to emails or messages while they are teaching their in class students. Additionally, teachers are not expected to respond to messages in the evenings, middle of the night, or on weekends. You may not receive a response until the teacher's next planning period.
CANVAS Resources:
If you can't find an answer after reviewing the help guides, you can call the Caddo Canvas help desk for parent and students at 318-295-0440 between the hours of 11 AM and 7 PM, Monday through Friday and speak to a technician directly.
Students can also complete an electronic ticket through the Virtual Help Desk.
If you need general technical support, you can call 318-603-5489 between the hours of 11 AM and 7 PM, Monday through Friday.
Virtual and Hybrid Attendance
- Daily attendance is required for all students - virtual, hybrid, and traditional.
- Virtual and hybrid attendance is taken by the homeroom teacher via the Canvas app.
- Students must log into ClassLink, click on the Canvas app, and participate in their homeroom class by 8 AM each day for virtual and at home days for hybrid.
- In order for homeroom teachers to see student's activity, students must click on their homeroom course in their dashboard and then click on modules/assignments/buttons within the homeroom course.
- If you do not log into your homeroom class by 8:05, you will be marked absent. If you log in later, your absence will be changed to a check-in at the time you logged into your homeroom course.
- Attendance is compulsory in Louisiana for all students - virtual, hybrid, and traditional.
Grades
Progress Reports are now available in Student Progress Portal. If you have trouble creating or resetting your account, please call 221-7676 and Mrs. Sparaco can help you.
Jean/Spirit Day vs. Free Dress Day
- Jean days mean students can wear denim pants, shorts, or skirts (no more than 4" above the knee) without holes showing skin with a uniform or Herndon shirt.
- Free dress days are ONLY on the last school day before a school holiday. Last year we had free dress every Friday as a reward for the previous year's test scores.
Middle School Chromebooks and Personal Devices
- Hybrid students must bring their device to school every day. Even when we return to 5 days a week on campus instruction, we will still use Canvas daily and students will be required to bring their devices daily.
- ALL devices need to have 100% charge EVERY day when students arrive at school. Most of our classrooms only have 2 or 3 outlets in the room making it impossible for students to be able to charge their devices.
LIVE Lesson Schedule for Middle School
ELA - 8:15 - 9:05 AM - Harrell, Rice, Miller, Barr
Math - 9:15 - 10:05 - Allen, Corbell, Wiley, Dickerson
Science - 12:15 - 1:05 - Woodell, Jennings (6th & 7th @ 12:15, 8th @ 12:40)
Social Studies - 1:15 - 2:05 - Boddie, Murphy (6th & 7th @ 1:15, 8th @ 1:40)
ALL 7th Grade Students will receive a Life Skills handbook during PE. Virtual students will pick up the handbook with their other texts this Friday, September 4. You will have LIVE Life Skills Lessons at 10:15 on the following Fridays: September 11, 18, 25, October 2, 9, 16, 23, 30, November 6, 13, 20, and December 4. This is required and part of your PE grade.