eLearning News for Pasco Parents
Stay connected with tools, tips & info to support eLearning
March 19, 2020
Learning Continuity Planning
This plan outlines how we will support students with learning in the event that our schools close for a short or extended amount of time. It is important that our students continue to learn and grow so we have a solid plan for them when our school facilities have to close.
Pasco's Plan:
We have a long-term distance learning plan to support you and your students when schools are closed. This plan will support our students for the currently scheduled two weeks of distance learning and is built to support any extensions that may be announced by the Governor or Commissioner of Education.
PCS Learning Continuity keeps students on track, from wherever they are! PCS Learning Continuity is designed to meet your student's needs and can provide classroom access to standards-based content. As a result, teachers can easily and effectively guide students in the virtual environment.
Our plan allows for the transition of all students from traditional in-school instruction to virtual and distance learning. We will provide a recommended daily schedule and pacing information for learning as students are still expected to participate in the eLearning regularly as they would in their traditional school environment. Additional communication, details and video orientations will be provided prior to launching instruction.
The Pasco Plan includes:
- An online curriculum in an easy to navigate environment for the majority of our students and families.
- Frequent and regular access to teachers via messaging in myLearning and on-going grading, feedback and learning check-ins.
- Immediate access to online course content for core classroom instruction for teachers and/or students to support regular daily attendance and participation that is still expected for all.
- Curriculum and assignments that are mapped to standards not yet covered in this school year to keep students on track and on pace for continued coursework and learning.
- The ability to securely deliver all student-learning content using a single username and password in our myPascoConnect and myLearning Platforms.
- Grade appropriate instruction delivered through myLearning courses for core content subjects and select electives.
- Access to additional learning tools, platforms and resources that will keep students engaged in their education while at home.
- All Pasco county teachers will be trained in online and distance learning to support this transition.
Action & Info
Actions you can take now:
- Access the tutorials below in order to be certain you and your students are able to access all the tools and learning resources for all circumstances.
- Check the district's webpage for updates and listen to School Messenger calls and read emails that are sent to you.
- Start to think through what a learning environment and routine will look like in your home. Access tips for learning how to manage the time.
- Connect with the school district's social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Information to come:
- Detailed plan for device distribution for students who do not have device access at home
- Additional information and guidance for ESE students and families specific to services, supports and method of instruction for students pursuing ACCESS standards.
- Follow-up information from Florida Department of Education related to numerous different programming, promotion, and service guidance.
- Digital Resources and Materials to orient parents/caregivers to the specifics of distance learning.
myPascoConnect
Learning Tools & Suggested Routines for Students
Learning Tools
"myLearning" will be the primary tool we will use to deliver core instruction for students during eLearning periods; however there are additional tools that are available to supplement your students daily learning tasks.
Click the myLearning icon for an overview of what Canvas (myLearning) is all about.
Check out the list of resources available for our students!Managing Learning Time
How To Guide
Device Distribution
The District is finalizing plans to provide devices to those students who do not have access to a computer or tablet at home. It is important to note that the District does NOT currently have enough devices to issue one to every student in our schools. The content that is being developed is designed to work on a multitude of digital devices, so parents should only check-out a device from us if their student has no other reliable way to access digital content from home. We understand that some parents have one home computer, and multiple children in our system. In these cases, parents may check-out additional devices from us so that each of their enrolled students has a device to use during the implementation of our distance learning program.
Device check-out is scheduled to occur at each of our schools on Monday, March 30, 2020. Devices can only be issued to enrolled students in our system, and device check-out must occur at the school in which your child is enrolled. To reduce the potential for crowds, a schedule for check-out will be communicated to parents as we get closer to the check-out date. While high school students will be permitted to check-out a device on their own, a parent will be required to check-out a device for all middle and elementary schools students. Please note, that all check-outs will require acknowledgement of the District’s acceptable use and loss/damage policies prior to devices being provided. Parents of charter schools students should refer to communications from their individual school regarding student devices and distance learning.
Any parent or student needing to come on campus to check-out a device for their student should practice the social distancing practices recommended by the CDC to the maximum extent possible.
Internet Service
Charter Spectrum is offering free Wi-Fi access for 60 days to households with K-12 and/or college students who do not already have a Spectrum broadband subscription at any service level up to 100 Mbps. To enroll call 1-844-488-8395. Installation fees will be waived for new student households. Wi-Fi hotspots across Spectrum’s footprint will also be available for public use.
Other service providers, including AT&T, CenturyLink, Comcast, Cox Communications, Google Fiber, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon have agreed that for the next 60 days they will open Wi-Fi hotspots to all Americans who need them, not terminate any services to residential or small business customers who can’t pay their bills due to complications from the pandemic, and also waive any late fees those customers might incur due to economic disruptions prompted by the coronavirus.
News for Elementary Families: Eureka Math
On Friday, March 13, 2020 all Kindergarten through Grade 5 Eureka Math student materials were sent home to prepare for the possibility of virtual learning. All materials should return to school with students when schools reopen. Please keep these materials in a safe place as students WILL need them for potential virtual learning. Please refrain from having students work ahead in the materials.
There are three workbooks for each module, Learn, Practice, and Succeed; however, some schools may have sent the pages already separated from the workbooks. All remaining modules for the school year were sent home in case there is a need to keep schools closed for a prolonged period of time. Below are the modules that were sent home for each grade level, as well as information regarding the materials included in each workbook.
Career and Technical Education (CTE)
District CTE staff is currently matching course offerings with existing digital content and platforms and will be working with teachers and schools to facilitate instructional planning and delivery for your child's Career and Technical Education course(s). Your child's teacher will be in touch with you and/or your child directly on how to access any of your child's Career and Technical Education courses. In addition, your child will still have the opportunity to participate in earning an industry certification. Industry certification exams have not been cancelled. Please be on the lookout for information from your child's teacher regarding a date/time when your child can participate in earning their industry certification(s).
Dual Enrollment
- For students taking DE courses at PHSC - All face to face classes previously scheduled to move online on March 23, 2020 are delayed and will now begin March 30, 2020. Online classes will continue until the end of the Spring Semester. Classes currently taught online will continue as scheduled. More information can be found here: https://phsc.edu/
- Dual enrollment courses on the high school campus will continue virtually beginning March 31st. Dual Enrollment teachers will utilize the PHSC Canvas course for content delivery and continue to put grades in WISE.
- Pasco County Schools will send out information related to summer dual enrollment registration as soon as we have it.
AP/AICE/IB
- We are actively monitoring the College Board (AP), Cambridge and International Baccalaureate websites and are in contact with our Florida liaisons for these organizations to stay up to date on their plans related to end of year assessments. At this time no announcement has been made to cancel these exams, but the organizations are reviewing their protocols related to exam administration and deadlines. We understand our students’ and families’ concerns and will share information as it comes available.
- AP/AICE/IB teachers will utilize myLearning (Canvas) to deliver content beginning March 31st until April 15th. We will work to ensure all students continue to be prepared for their upcoming exams through this virtual delivery method.
- More information on how College Board (AP), Cambridge, and IB are planning for and supporting schools can be found at:
- College Board (AP): https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/about-ap/news-changes/coronavirus-update
- Cambridge (AICE): https://help.cambridgeinternational.org/hc/en-gb/articles/360006532458-Novel-coronavirus-Information-for-schools-about-the-COVID-19-coronavirus-outbreak
- IB: https://www.ibo.org/news/news-about-the-ib/covid-19-coronavirus-updates/.