…our VIRTUAL CLASSROOM that is! The district may have had to suspend the use of Google Meets but Ms. Wooton and I have a new way for us to continue to meet virtually. We are so excited to try out the new program with all of you on Wednesday, April 29th at 10am and then again at 1:15pm. Check your iLearn for the information. Please attend the session that works best for your schedule as this is one of your graded assignments.

And speaking of assignments, this week’s ELA work is now available on iLearn. You may work on it at the suggested pace or at your own pace as your home schedule will allow. Remember, all work is due on or before Friday, May 1st. (Can you believe Friday is already the first day of May?)

So many of you did a tremendous job last week! Congrats on working so hard and getting yourself into a routine. But don’t worry if you’re still struggling to settle into a routine where you’re able to complete all of your work at home. I, like all of your teachers, am here to help you establish the self discipline it takes to complete all of the work on your own. All you need to do is reach out via email when you are confused, have questions or need any help OR ask your questions during our virtual class this Wednesday. We want you to be successful!

As we start week 6 of our ROL (remote online learning), I hope you’re finding time to get outside and enjoy the sun (when it does finally make an appearance) and some fresh air. Please continue to take good care of yourself and stay healthy.

After yesterday’s disappointing Google Meet experience, I am thrilled to let you know that, with the help of the ever-knowledgeable Mr. Kenniburg, Ms. Wooton and I will be able to continue our virtual class meetings on Mondays and Wednesdays!

We will be spending today, tomorrow, and the weekend getting everything ready! Just be sure to check your iLearn course on Monday morning for all the information.

We can’t wait to see many of you on Monday at 10am! (And remember, if you can’t make that session, you could try Monday at 1:15pm, or Wednesday at 10am, or Wednesday at 1:15pm. Choose the session that works best for your schedule with your family!)

Keep up the great work everyone! The assignments for week 5 are all due by tomorrow (Friday, April 24th). Email if you need any help.

Stay safe and be well!

There is a certain level of trust between a teacher and his/her students. I teach and work with my students to help them be successful in language arts. Our discussions, lessons, activities, and communication are because I care about all of my students. I want to know they are well. I also want all of them to know that, even though we are not seeing each other everyday in the classroom, that I am still here to help in anyway I can. I trust that they will receive my instruction with the knowledge that I care about them passing ELA and that I care about them as unique individuals.

One way for me now to communicate with students is through our Google Meet sessions. In order to maintain the sessions for just our 7th grade ELA students, we are only sharing the Meet nicknames (codes) on our iLearn courses. That way, the only people who have access to the Meet information are our students who are enrolled in that course.

This afternoon, however, it was obvious that some of our ELA students broke that trust and shared the Google Meet information with other students in the district. Those students, in turn, interrupted our Google Meet session. It saddens me that one (or a few) students would ruin an activity for so many more just for their own enjoyment. It was a very selfish and irresponsible thing to do.

Sadly, we know that today’s Google Meet experience is not unique as Mr. Oke has shared out the consequences for inappropriate use of technology during these next several weeks. These consequences include (1) warning/Parent Phone Call, (2) No credit for work/participation for a specific assignment, (3) Loss of technology privileges (accounts can be suspended), (4) Issuance of a paper packet to be completed in lieu of online learning and/or (5) Possible Summer School.

In regards to our specific incidence this afternoon, the names of the disruptive students were recorded; they will be contacted by the district and/or their individual schools for follow up. Once it is determined which of our Stout student(s) gave them access by sharing the login information, the Stout students will also face consequences.

Ms. Wooton and I will not allow a few students ruin the opportunity for the rest of the group. We appreciate so many of you who were supportive and participated in a polite, respectful and responsible manner. If you have any questions about this message, please feel free to reach out to me.

As always, please stay safe and be well!

WHO: Every Stout student is eligible

WHEN: Monday, April 27, 2020 from 1 – 4pm

WHERE: in the front drive at Stout

Each student at Stout is eligible for a Chromebook but we need to know who is coming so there are enough Chromebooks ready for pick up. During the first distribution, Chromebooks were distributed one per family. If your family did not get a Chromebook at that time but now needs one, please complete the form. If you family did get a Chromebook but there is more than one Stout student in your home and you need one (or more), please fill out the form.

REMEMBER, each Stout student who will be getting a Chromebook needs to complete this form: 4/27 Stout Chromebook Check-Out

If you have other questions regarding picking up a Chromebook, please contact Mr. Oke (okeg@dearbornschools.org) or Mrs. Faraj (farajf@dearbornschools.org) for assistance.

Mrs. Wiacek’s afternoon office hours are today from 4-5pm. You can start a Hangout chat (lower left on your email page) or send an email.

Let me know how I can help you!

The district’s Continuity of Learning plan will be implemented beginning tomorrow. It provides for continued instruction for all students, grading of assignments, minimum work amounts according to grade levels, teacher/student contact requirements, and teacher accessibility. You will find the district’s plan by visiting the Dearborn Schools website or directly through this link: Dearborn Continuity of Learning Plan.

For the teacher accessibility stipulation, Stout has developed a schedule for Google Meets. Students are asked to participate in at least one of the Meets each week. For 7th grade, the schedule is available through this link: Stout 7th Grade Google Meet/Office Hours Schedule

Our assignments for ELA for this week have already been posted in iLearn. Students may follow the suggested pacing or they may work on the assignments as their schedules allow. All work is due on or before Friday, April 24, 2020.

I will be available for one-on-one Google Meets, communication via Hangout chat [through the student’s district email], or phone conversation during my office hours on Tuesdays from 4-5pm and again on Fridays from 10-11am. If your student would like one-on-one help, please stay in contact via email so that I can schedule those times accordingly.

Again, please stay safe and be well. I look forward to connecting with my students again this week!

Today is Thursday, April 16, 2020! Happy Birthday to Ali K.

I really enjoyed the discussion and chat in our Google Meet yesterday. If you were not able to join us, you’ll have a couple of opportunities to do so next week. During our time online, many of you had questions and I went to work to find some answers. Here’s what I learned…

QUESTION: Where do I find the assignments for PE and how do I turn them in? ANSWER: The assignments are on each teacher’s blog page. You can use this link to get a list of teacher’s blogs that is on the Stout blog page. When on each teacher’s page, take a moment to look around at it for links to activities and scroll down to read their posts. As for turning in the work, you should be emailing your PE teacher directly to find out more.

QUESTION: Is this graded? ANSWER: Yes! All of your online work is now being graded. You will soon be receiving information from the school district that explains how your assignments will be graded so that you’ll receive credit for the 4th card marking. Despite what has been posted on social media in past weeks, YOUR ONLINE LEARNING DOES COUNT and YOU ARE EXPECTED TO DO THE WORK.

QUESTION: Why do teachers call so early? ANSWER: Teachers are required to call home if we haven’t heard from you and/or if you’re not completing your work. Teachers will call as their schedules allow and they don’t know what time you will be waking up. Make sure you still answer or they’ll be calling again!

I hope some of that info helps. If you need help with any of your work or you have other questions, please continue to email me and join our Google Meets so can work together. Have a wonderful day!

Today is Monday, April 13, 2020. Welcome Back!

I hope everyone enjoyed a bit of down time and found ways to spread joy instead of germs.

As a district, we are still finalizing our remote learning plan as required by the state during this closure. While there are somethings to still be decided, one thing that is clear is that LEARNING IS STILL REQUIRED. Whether it be for credit or a grade, you are still responsible for continuing your learning.

You should plan for 15-20 minutes of work per class per day. For ELA, I have posted all of the assignments for this week on iLearn: https://moodle.dearbornschools.org/login/index.php

I have suggested which days to work on which assignments OR you may work on them at your own pace. Please determine what will work best for you in your individual household. This week’s work has a due date of Friday, April 17, 2020.

To help keep you organized, I have started to use the CLASS NEWS feature in StudentConnect and ParentConnect. This calendar will show you the assignment due dates. If you click on the assignment on the calendar, a box will open to describe the assignment. Please check your StudentConnect or ParentConnect when you have a chance.

As always, I am available via email if you need help or have any questions. Additionally, I will offer another Google Meet this week on Wednesday, April 15, 2020, at 2pm. You will need to log onto iLearn just before 2pm that day to get the name of the Meet.

I hope you and your family continue to stay safe and be well. And during this time, please continue to stay connected to us at Stout. We miss you and we care about you!

Today is Friday, April 3, 2020. Happy Birthday to Angeline B.! And Happy early Birthdays to Aya K. (4/4), Ali K. (4/6), and Maria M. (4/10) who will celebrate birthdays while we’re all enjoying Spring Break!

There are two opportunities for you to connect with others today:

The first opportunity is an optional Google Meet with me and other ELA students today at noon. If you’re interested, log into iLearn just before 12 noon; there, you’ll be able to get the link and the name of the chat to join us. Remember, you are not required to attend; this is being made available to you in case you had questions or just wanted to say hi to everyone! So grab your lunch and your computer…I hope to see many of you later.

The second opportunity is an optional virtual class sponsored by ACCESS today from 2-3:30pm. Students from across the country will join to learn about the practice of mindfulness and how it can promote health, well-being, and personal effectiveness. To register, visit http://www.123formbuilder.com/form-5359247/form or email makanan@accesscommunity.org. Remember, you are not required to attend; this information is being provided from our social worker as a service to you and your family.

I hope everyone finds some joy in each day of our Spring Break. It may not be the vacation some people were planning but we can be grateful for our own health and the love of our family and friends. As always, stay safe and be well!

As many of you have heard, Governor Whitmer, in her most recent executive orders, closed all public and private K-12 schools for the remainder of this school year. To read Dearborn’s response to that directive, please visit Dr. Maleyko’s blog or click on this link to access the page: https://superintendent.dearbornschools.org/