Simmons Elementary School
January 20, 2021
Inauguration Day 2021
As we do every four years, elementary classroom teachers discussed the significance of Inauguration Day. Through our social studies curriculum, we focus on the roles of the President and Vice President and the ceremony that marks the peaceful transition of power from one President to the next. Students learned about President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. Today, we also recognize that Kamala Harris is the first woman to take the vice presidential oath of office and the first Black person and first Southeast Asian person to hold the second highest office in the United States.
Changes to the Monday Schedule for Grades 1 to 5
We are making some adjustments to the instructional day schedule for Mondays for students in grades one through five assigned to both the in-person hybrid model and to fully remote Hatter Academy program. The goal for the adjustments to the Monday schedule is to provide families with more streamlined times for synchronous connection throughout the day and more flexibility in completing activities and assignments. This schedule also provides a common lunch time for children in all grades on the remote learning day.
Each Monday will begin with the Morning Meeting at 9AM as has been in place. Following the Morning Meeting, each classroom teacher will provide instruction and direction for the morning content-related activities and assignments. Students will then have from 10AM until the scheduled lunch period to engage in posted activities and complete any related assignments. There will be a second synchronous block of time after lunch for teachers to preview and provide direction for the activities and assignments for the afternoon core classes. Information about these activities will also be posted on Canvas/SeeSaw.
The activities being provided for both morning and afternoon core classes will be thoughtfully designed to be both engaging and interactive, and students should be able to complete them independently. These activities might allow for a wrap-up from the week of Hybrid before or could be something that will kick-off the upcoming learning for the week. They could include a pre-recorded video, interactive games, students recording and sharing with teacher their understanding of previously taught content, or a similar type of activity.
Students will also be receiving synchronous instruction from special area teachers and for library according to their grade level schedule. In addition, students who receive small group or individual support services (ESL, Special Education-related, etc.) will continue to receive those services on Mondays.
Below are the expectations for students/families for the instructional day on Mondays:
EXPECTATIONS FOR STUDENTS/FAMILIES
· All students should be logged on and ready for the Morning Meeting by 9 A.M.
· Students will remain on-line during the explanation and launch of the activities for their morning classes. Students should be sure to ask any questions about what they will be doing for their morning classes during this synchronous time as teachers may not be available after this time for individual questions.
· Students should have all needed materials for the assigned activities and will need access to their devices.
· Ideally, activities should be completed and anything that is to be submitted done so during the scheduled block of time for each specific class. Activities should be completed, and work submitted by the end of the day on Monday at the latest.
· Students must log back on to their devices for the afternoon block of time to receive information and instruction from their teacher for the afternoon activities. The same expectations exist for engagement and completion of work for this afternoon block as for the morning block.
· Students/families should check Canvas/Seesaw if they need additional support in completing the activities after the scheduled synchronous time.
· Students are expected to log-on for all special area classes and any pre-arranged small group or individual sessions.
This schedule and structure for MONDAYS will begin on January 25th.