Big Lake Elementary Remote Learning
March 26, 2020
Accessing Learning and Instruction from Home
Remote Learning for Students
BLE Families,
Since the announcement from Governor Dunleavy closing schools until May 1st, the staff at BLE has been working diligently to identify meaningful instructional activities for students to do while they are at home for an extended period of time. Our goal is to provide students with activities that are aligned with the activities they would be typically engaged with during the school day, recognizing it will not be the same as being in the classroom.
Many of our staff and students are involved with blended learning opportunities (face-to-face instruction blended with online learning) so the transition to remote learning may not be as daunting as it seems. Our initial efforts may need refinement as we get feedback from students and parents/guardians on their remote learning experiences. As a starting point, we've worked to provide enough instruction for each student to be engaged in academic learning for approximately two hours each day. This may be adjusted as needed depending on how long students may be out of school.
BLE teachers will use Google Classroom as the platform for delivering remote learning and the Zoom conferencing app (https://zoom.us/) to meet with groups of students. Google Classroom will be used as a place where students can access most instructional activities. Parents/Guardians can also access Google Classroom to see what their student is working on. Teachers have real time access to assignments and will be able to help students when they need it.
Please know that the staff at BLE realize that there is a lot going on for families right now and there are many things families are attempting to prioritize. We also know that students may not be able to complete all activities assigned in a given day. This is completely fine and understandable. Our intention is to provide resources to keep students actively engaged in learning and prevent regression while away from school.
There are additional educational resources for families on the MSBSD website. Students have free access to these resources. These resources can be found in Student Quicklinks.
We appreciate your partnership as we navigate this unknown territory together. Please feel free to reach out to any of our staff members through e-mail if you have any questions or concerns along the way.
-Brenna Reintsma
WHAT IS GOOGLE CLASSROOM?
The following video provides a brief tutorial for people unfamiliar with Google Classroom. It's a great place to start for a basic understanding how Google Classroom is used and the capabilities for remote learning.
PARENTAL GUIDE TO GOOGLE CLASSROOM
Though many students at BLE are fluent with Google Classroom, many parents/guardians are not familiar with the platform and/or how it can be used for remote learning. The video below provides more information specifically for parents/guardians regarding to how they can be more engaged with Google Classroom and how their students are engaged with Google Classroom.
HOW DOES MY STUDENT GET STARTED WITH REMOTE LEARNING?
Many parents and guardians want to know how their child or student accesses remote learning, especially Google Classroom. Below are some general procedures and ways to start.
Access to Google Classrooms:
- Some students at BLE are fluent using Google Classroom and know how to access their classrooms. For others, this will be their first experience.
- Access to previous Google Classrooms has not changed for students. They know how to log into these classes.
- There are two ways students can access new Google Classrooms. #1: Students will use an access code provided by teacher. This is typically posted on the teachers website. #2: An email will be sent to each student in enrolled in a Google Classroom. In this case, students will need to check their district e-mail for invitations.
- Parents/Guardians can view Google Classrooms through an invitation
- For questions or problems accessing a Google Classroom please contact the corresponding teacher through email or contact he/she during their office hours.
STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES FOR REMOTE LEARNING
Remote learning from home is new for many BLE students and families. Below are some general expectations and ideas for making it meaningful and most importantly to help ensure our students are still learning. In addition, BLE staff will help with the process. They will answer emails and create office hours to help answer questions and problem-solve during the time students are away from school.
The Following are Expectations for Remote Learning:
- be engaged in activities and assignments (limit distractions)
- develop a routine for learning each day
- participate in your learning (ask questions, seek feedback, offer help to other students)
- initiate your participation (don't rely on parents/guardians or teachers to "make" you learn - it's your responsibility to show up.)
ROUNTINE FOR REMOTE LEARNING
While students are engaged in remote learning, it's important that they have some type of routine each day. This helps to ensure that they stay engaged, have time to practice essential skills, and stay caught up with important activities or assignments. We encourage your to develop a daily schedule for your children to provide structure and purpose to their day. We have posted an example of a schedule to the Big Lake Elementary Facebook page for your convenience.
TEACHER RESPONSIBILITIES FOR REMOTE LEARNING
Not only are students and families adjusting to remote learning, our teachers are as well, especially on such a large scale. We've outlined some responsibilities for teachers as they begin planning remote learning for students. Please know these responsibilities will be refined and evolve as well continue providing instruction for students. Teachers will be monitoring their email and voicemail during their office hours and reaching out to you to provide any additional guidance and support you may need.
The Following are Teacher Responsibilities for Remote Learning:
- design engaging lessons for students
- implement district approved curriculum and tech.apps
- provide assistance with remote learning and logistics of learning outside of school
- be available to answer emails from 8:45 AM - 4:15 PM
- create office hours when parents/guardians a schedule phone/audio conferences to answer questions, address concerns, or provide support
USING A NON-SCHOOL ISSUED DEVICE
If your child or student is not using a school-issued Chrome Book or device, they will need to log into the MSBSD website to access Google Classroom and other applications. Each student has login identification which includes their student ID number. Please see the examples below.
For Accessing Google Classrooms or Google Apps use @apps.matsuk12.us
example: BL01734@apps.matusk12.us
For Accessing Microsoft use @ad.matsuk12.us
example: BL01734@ad.matsuk12.us
Reminders:
- If multiple students are using the same computer, remember to log students in and out.
- When logging into Google Classroom or another application, use @apps or @ad (see example above)
- If a student has issues logging into a device, please contact their teacher during his/her office hours.
We are in this together...
The staff at Big Lake Elementary is committed to providing the best educational plans for students and families during the time students are away from their school building. Please know that teachers will be available to assist with remote learning. The steps we're taking to implement large scale remote instruction are on a learning curve. We will refine our process and procedures based on feedback from staff, parents/guardians, and more importantly from students. Please do not hesitate to reach out to your child's teacher if you need additional support or reassurance. There is no doubt this will be a challenging transition, but working together we can make this the best experience possible for you and your family.
March Lunch Menu
Stay up to date on what's happening at Big Lake Elem or with the PTO by following us on Facebook:
Big Lake Elementary
Big Lake Elementary PTO
About Us
Brenna Reintsma, Principal
Jason Moen, Assistant Principal
Chris Sawyer, Admin. Secretary
Shari Mason, Office Secretary
Email: ble@matsuk12.us
Website: matsuk12.us/ble
Location: 3808 S. Big Lake Road, Big Lake, AK
Phone: 907.892.9700