Welcome to the 2020-2021 school year! I am very excited to be your child’s third grade teacher this year. 2020 has been a crazy year so far. We will be starting school virtually and the school board will continue to monitor the situation monthly to decide when it is safe for us to return to the classroom. In the meantime, we will be continuing online learning, but there are some changes.
We will be using a Learning Management System (LMS) called Schoology. This will be where all of our assignments and materials will be housed. This is also a place for communication between both students and parents with the teacher.
We will also be using a new video system. Zoom will be our site for all video meetings. I will send these links in Class Dojo and email to start because Schoology is not completely up and running yet. When it is, I will switch over to using this more, but I will still try to keep communication on Class Dojo open as I know this is something many of you are comfortable with.
Even though this year is very different than our other school years, I am looking forward to teaching and having fun. Please remember, just as parents and students are learning all sorts of new things for virtual learning, so are teachers. Schoology, Zoom, and Benchmark (our new reading program) are all completely new to our district and teachers are trying to take this week to learn as much as they can about all of these different things. Please remember to be kind, good things take time. Instead of posting messages to my blog, once Schoology is up and running this is where my posts will be.
This week McDonald has our belongings pickup both today and tomorrow (June 1st and June 2nd). Please make sure that one parent goes up to the school to gather your things. No students allowed. Here is our schedule for this week. It is also and Class Dojo and all assignments can be found on Google Classroom. I cannot believe how close we are to the end of the school year. Keep working hard!
On June 1st, students will be bringing back school materials and receiving all of their belongings from their desks. Our 3rd grade time slot is 11:30-1:00. One parent only will come up (NO STUDENTS) and drop off any library books, classroom books, or book bag books that they have. A staff member will then get them their belongings.
I have a bag of supplies from each desk as well as animal report posters that will be returned to you. Mrs. Torres has also put together some art projects to be returned.
Please make sure that you bring ALL BOOKS that belong at the school. This includes books that I used for our reading groups (these would be in the book bag) as well as library books and books that I loaned out of my reading corner. The black and white books need to be returned to the school. The chapter books we used for groups need to be returned to school. If you have any questions about what to bring please contact me on Class Dojo.
Here is a link that gives more information and translates if needed.
In case you missed it, here is our schedule for this week. All assignments are due by Sunday night. Please make sure that your are working daily and not trying to cram everything in one day. If possible, try to finish by Friday so that you can enjoy your weekend, school free!
Be on the lookout for a special envelope coming your way!
Since our school buildings closed on Friday, March 13th there have been thousands of positive interactions between students and teachers via phone, e-mail, and on-line. This is why I am so deeply troubled and concerned about a few individuals who have taken advantage of our new school environment, made poor choices, and become disruptive to the learning process.
These disruptions occurred at the middle school level while teachers were trying to provide instruction to students during a Google Meeting. Unfortunately, these disruptions crossed a line and became threatening and obscene. It has also been discovered that, in some cases, students willingly gave their user information and password to these individuals allowing them to gain access to the meetings. Students are responsible to protect the confidentiality of their district issued accounts and passwords. It is a direct violation of district guidelines and protocol to share passwords with anyone and we will not tolerate those violations as we ensure the security of our network in order to protect our students.
The behaviors that these students exhibited are not acceptable at any time but especially now, as we all deal with a worldwide crisis, the district will not permit this type of disruption to learning. It is our responsibility to protect instruction and we will be enforcing every disciplinary action allowed by our Student Code of Conduct. For those individuals who violated the law, we will involve the Dearborn Police to issue tickets, and if needed, take further and more serious legal action.
Although teachers and students have been safely using Google Meetings, I asked our Instructional Technology Department to temporarily suspend all student access to Google Meeting on the District network. We are also working to have staff use a platform for on-line meetings that has been used in the District for several years and is specifically developed for use in the classroom. The software gives teachers more control over a meeting including ending if someone attempts to gain access without permission.
I proudly started my career as a teacher and, like many of you, my wife and I are also adjusting to working at home and supporting the learning needs of one middle school and one high school aged child. The actions that took place this week disrespects the efforts that all of you are doing to support your child’s education. As Superintendent, and as a father, I am sorry this occurred and apologize to the students who were the victims of these behaviors.
Just as my wife and I have taken an active role in our own children’s learning and on-line activities, I ask all parents to use this experience as an opportunity to talk with your child about proper behaviors while on-line including protecting your personal information such as usernames and passwords.
Since March 16th, I have heard many encouraging stories of student learning taking place at all grade levels. This past week has been a shift for all of us as we transitioned to the new learning plan. Of course there has been a learning curve for everyone involved including staff, students, and parents. We understand this transition to “Continue the Learning” is going to create frustrations and questions. Please know that our teachers, principals, and administrators are here to help all of our families during the weeks ahead. Our continued goal is to be supportive during this very difficult time. Remember, we are all in this together and together we will become an even stronger Dearborn community.
Stay home. Stay safe. Save lives.
Regards,
Glenn Maleyko, Ph.D.
Superintendent
بعد التحية،
منذ إغلاق المباني المدرسية يوم الجمعة ١٣ أذار/ مارس جرت الآلاف من التفاعلات الإيجابية بين المعلمين والطلاب عبر الهاتف البريد الإلكتروني وعبر الإنترنت. وهذا هو السبب في أنني منزعج للغاية وقلق بشأن عدد قليل من الأفراد الذين استغلوا بيئتنا المدرسية الجديدة ، واتخذوا خيارات سيئة ، وأصبحوا يعرقلون عملية التعلم.
حدثت هذه الإزعاجات على مستوى مدارس المرحلة الإعدادية، بينما كان المعلمون يحاولون تقديم تعليمات للطلاب أثناء اجتماع Google. لسوء الحظ ، تجاوزت هذه الإزعاجات الحد لتصبح تهديدات وبذاءة. اكتشف أنه في بعض الحالات أعطى الطلاب عن طيب خاطر معلومات المستخدم وكلمة المرور لهؤلاء الأفراد للسماح لهم بالانضمام إلى الاجتماعات. تقع على عاتق الطلاب مسؤولية حماية سرية الحسابات وكلمات المرور الصادرة عن القطاع التعليمي. يتعد مشاركة كلمات المرور مع أي شخص انتهاكًا مباشرًا لإرشادات وبروتوكولات القطاع، ولن نتسامح مع هذه الانتهاكات سعياً منا لضمان أمان شبكتنا من أجل حماية طلابنا.
السلوكيات التي أظهرها هؤلاء الطلاب غير مقبولة في أي وقت من الأوقات وبشكل خاص الآن ، حيث أننا جميعًا نتعامل مع أزمة عالمية ، لن يسمح القطاع التعليمي بهذا النوع من الإخلال والمقاطعة للعملية التعليمية. تقع على عاتقنا مسؤولية حماية التعليمات وسنقوم بتنفيذ كل إجراء تأديبي يسمح به قانون سلوك الطلاب. بالنسبة لأولئك الأفراد الذين انتهكوا القانون ، سنقوم بإشراك شرطة ديربورن في تحرير المخالفات ضدهم ، وإذا لزم الأمر ، اتخاذ إجراءات قانونية أخرى أكثر جدية بحقهم.
على الرغم من أن المدرسين والطلاب يستخدمون اجتماعات Google بأمان، فقد طلبت من قسم التكنولوجيا التعليمية لدينا تعليق/ تعطيل إمكانية وصول جميع الطلاب مؤقتًا إلى اجتماع Google على شبكة القطاع. نحن نعمل أيضًا على جعل الموظفين يستخدمون منصة للاجتماعات عبر الإنترنت التي تم استخدامها في القطاع لعدة سنوات وتم تطويرها خصيصًا للاستخدام في الفصل الدراسي. يمنح البرنامج المعلمين مزيدًا من التحكم في الاجتماع بما في ذلك الإنهاء إذا حاول شخص ما الإنضمام بدون إذن.
بدأت بكل فخر مسيرتي كمدرس ، وكالكثير منكم ، أنا وزوجتي نتكيف أيضًا مع العمل في المنزل ودعم الاحتياجات التعليمية لطفلين في المرحلة الإعدادية والمرحلة الثانوية . الأفعال التي وقعت هذا الأسبوع لا تحترم الجهود التي نقوم بها جميعًا لدعم تعليم أبنائكم. كمشرف ، وكأب ، يؤسفني حدوث ذلك وأعتذر للطلاب الذين وقعوا ضحايا لهذه السلوكيات.
تمامًا مثلما قمت أنا وزوجتي بدور نشط في تعلم أطفالنا والأنشطة عبر الإنترنت ، أطلب من جميع الأهالي الاستفادة من هذه التجربة كفرصة للتحدث مع أطفالهم حول السلوكيات الصحيحة أثناء الاتصال بالإنترنت بما في ذلك حماية معلوماتكم الشخصية مثل أسماء المستخدمين وكلمات المرور.
منذ ١٦ أذار/مارس ، سمعت الكثير من القصص المشجعة حول تعلم الطلاب التي تجري في جميع المراحل الدراسية. لقد كان الأسبوع الماضي بمثابة تحول لنا جميعًا حيث انتقلنا إلى خطة التعلم الجديدة. بالطبع ، كان هناك منحنى تعليمي لجميع المعنيين بما في ذلك الموظفين والطلاب وأولياء الأمور. نحن نتفهم أن هذا الانتقال إلى “متابعة التعلم” سيخلق الإحباط والتساؤلات. يرجى أخذ العلم بأن مُدرسينا ومدراء وطاقم الإداريين موجودون هنا لمساعدة جميع عائلاتنا خلال الأسابيع المقبلة. هدفنا المستمر هو أن الدعم والمساعدة خلال هذا الوقت الصعب للغاية. تذكروا ، نحن جميعًا في هذا معًا وسنصبح معًا مجتمعًا أقوى في ديربورن.
Good morning. The district’s online learning plan was approved at the end of last week. The plan starts this week. What that means for you: Our assignments and learning from this point forward WILL COUNT and WILL BE GRADED. I am allowed to go back and grade other assignments given as well so don’t feel like you did work for nothing. We will have weekly class assignments all on Google Classroom (and Zearn) that I will be documenting completion for. We will have video meetings for our class as well as special area teachers like art and music. We are still following the Dearborn Schools calendar for the rest of the year.
Here is our schedule of assignments for this week. Today’s assignments to complete are: -Come to our class video meeting at 1:00 (link in Google Classroom) -1 spelling activity on Spelling City -Reading assignment and quiz on Raz kids -Science lesson: Why are some apples red and some apples green? -Math Module 6 Lesson 6 -Zearn -Writing first draft of Sharks vs. Dolphins paper
Press Release #47/2019-20 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 17, 2020 Contact: David Mustonen, Communications Director (313) 827-3006 mustond@dearbornschools.org
Dearborn Schools’ continued learning plan is approved, released to the public
On Thursday evening Dearborn Public Schools received approval from Wayne County RESA to implement its Continuity of Learning Plan. The plan spells out how the District will continue to educate students during the state-ordered closure of school buildings to slow the spread of COVID-19.
Dearborn Schools will continue to educate students using a variety of tools, mostly online. The District will again distribute Chromebooks to families who need a computer to access the work, and the Dearborn Education Foundation has been helping families who need assistance to sign up for Internet service. If families truly cannot connect online, then the District will go so far as to print and mail or deliver paper assignments for students.
“I have witnessed outstanding examples of distance learning and teacher to student interactions over the past month as we work through this unprecedented crisis,” commented Superintendent Glenn Maleyko.
Under the new plan, the District will provide enhanced learning opportunities to students at all grade levels. The work assigned by teachers will be factored into a final grade or credit for students. However, individual family situations will also be considered in any decisions on grading, especially for students facing adversity as a result of COVID-19.
“Parents need to know that we will continue to support their children and their education for the remainder of the school year,” Dr. Maleyko added.
Students who truly cannot do the work will not be penalized. This would apply, for example, if the child or a parent is seriously ill. The District plans to hold its traditional summer school classes for struggling students if the stay-at-home order is lifted in time.
Going forward, teachers will check in with students at least twice a week, via tools such as Google Classrooms, email or phone calls. If a teacher cannot reach a student, then school staff may try to contact the family to stress the importance of completing online work and to help resolve any obstacles that might be keeping the child from participating. Dearborn families who need to borrow a Chromebook are advised to email their principal to set up a time to get a device later in April.
Education for special education students will continue to be individualized as much as possible.
All public schools across the state were required to submit Continuity of Learning Plans to show how they would continue to educate their students during the school closure. Schools that do not do so will lose part of their state funding for the year.
Dearborn’s plan was reviewed and approved by Wayne County Regional Educational Service Agency.
“This is one of the most comprehensive and thorough plans I have read. It was well laid out and easy to follow,” wrote Wayne RESA Superintendent Dr. Randy Liepa.
Dr. Maleyko said, “I want to thank Dr. Liepa, the staff at Wayne County RESA along with our outstanding team in Dearborn for their support and leadership as we developed the Continuity of Learning Plan.”
Late on March 12, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer ordered all school buildings to temporarily close starting the following Monday, March 16. Dearborn Schools opted to close all buildings immediately. The governor later extended the school closure to last the rest of this school year.
“Dearborn Public Schools remains committed to keeping our students at the center of all that we do. The public health crisis has only strengthened our mission,” the District wrote in its plan.
In its Continuity of Learning Plan, Dearborn Schools noted that unlike many districts, remote learning for all of its students started the week of March 16, the first week of the school closure. Principals, teachers, staff and parent representatives all had a chance to comment on the continuity plan before it was submitted on Wednesday evening. The full plan and other related documents are available through the District website at https://dearbornschools.org/services/dearborn-public-schools-continuity-of-learning-plan/
The plan also covers other elements required in the state closure order, such as assuring that all District staff will continue to be paid during the closure. Some staff could be assigned to different areas as needed.
Not included in the actual plan is a new grading system that will be used to evaluate student work since the school closure. The District has established grading criteria for each level that holds students accountable for their work while following the “do no harm” provision of the Governor’s order. Students performing at the lowest level in each category may be required to attend summer school or be prevented from continuing to the next level in the fall, if they do not have a compelling reason why they could not participate.
Parents and students will be able to check their grades through Parent Connect and Student Connect accounts. Teachers will update grades at least weekly, according to the approved plan.
The District still plans to end the school year on June 11.
“Per the governor’s order, we will not penalize students who truly cannot participate in the work,” said Superintendent Maleyko. “However, we are going to great lengths to remove every roadblock we can that would keep students from participating. Teachers will differentiate instruction to help meet students’ needs both academically and with technology. Now we need our parents and students to understand the importance of this continued learning and to do their part to help every child succeed.”
I will be doing a video chat tomorrow, Tuesday, April 14th at 12:00 noon. During this chat I will show students how to get onto Raz Kids as well as be available to answer any questions you may have. I can’t wait to see you! I miss you all so much!
