Preparing for Distance Learning Starting April 6 Dear Middle School Families,
Distance learning will begin in all Wayzata Public Schools on April 6. Middle school teachers have created a Distance Learning environment that is based on the regular school day, but does not replicate it. All the classes you would normally take in person will be taken during Distance Learning. Students are expected to complete course work, take assessments, and engage in learning activities. Students are expected to show up electronically everyday and parents are expected to report absences on Skyward Family Access if your student won't be in attendance. Skyward Gradebook will be in use and a report card will be produced at the end of the term.
There are, however, some big differences between the in-person school day and the Distance Learning school day. Here are a few "how to" pointers to help clarify expectations:
For Students 1. Designate an area in your home where you can do your best work. Set it up as your "school" with everything you need at your fingertips. Be mindful of distractions.
2. Develop a consistent daily schedule that works for you and your family. Some students are better at working independently than others. Access to in-home resources should be considered when creating your schedule.
3. Log into Canvas each Distance Learning day. Canvas calendar and updates will contain information about what you need to be doing.
4. Open each class in Canvas each Distance Learning day to check for updates and new learning expectations. If your teacher posted learning activities for several days, new updates may not be posted daily for the course. Reading announcements and other notifications will be important to ensure success.
5. Check your school email every Distance Learning day. Teachers will use emails often as the preferred of communication.
6. Complete the learning activities due that day. Some assignments may be due daily and some may be due in several days. Teachers will build in as much flexibility into their plans as possible to meet learner needs.
7. Reach out to teachers via email or "Canvas Inbox" to ask questions or to get feedback on assignments. Check course Canvas pages for more information about "office hours" and/or times when teachers will be consistently available. Individual conferences may be arranged by individual teachers.
8. Remember to be a good digital citizen. Positive online behavior is always an expectation in WPS. Good digital citizenship is essential during distance learning. As always, be kind.
For Parents
2. Check in with your student periodically to ensure they are progressing through assigned distance learning activities.
3. Encourage your child to reach out to their teachers if they need support. Some students may hesitate to reach out electronically to an adult with questions, and may need your guidance to help them develop this skill.
4. Explore Canvas, Skyward, and the various school iPad apps with your child. Put them into the role of Canvas tour guide. Ask questions of them.
5. Encourage older siblings to share iPads with younger siblings if other devices are not available.
6. Report absences in Skyward Family Access as described in the attendance section below. We will reach out to families whose students seem to be inactive during distance learning to help with solutions.
We appreciate your flexibility as there may be technical challenges with so many students logging into Canvas at the same time across the country. In the event one of our online learning tools is not working, please know it's okay to follow a back-up plan. Your child could choose to read and check back at another time to access the online portion of their assignments. We anticipate there could be challenges, but we know we'll get through them together.
Please reach out to us if you need support or additional clarity about Distance Learning.
See you online.
Wayzata Middle School Principals Clark Doten (CMS), Paul Paetzel (EMS), Dave Lutz (WMS)
Additional Distance Learning Resources Need a book for quiet reading time? The first video shows students how to sign in to and navigate MackinVia. The second video is how students can access Hennepin County Library ebooks through the Overdrive app on their iPads and also to read free ebooks on Project Gutenberg. Also, if you or your student does not have a library card number for Hennepin County Library, they are taking phone applications from 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. They will mail physical cards to people, but will also give the card number over the phone so that people can start accessing online content right away.
Submitting Attendance via Skyward Family Access If your student is not able to participate in distance learning on a given day, enter your child's absence in Skyward Family Access. If you haven't submitted attendance this way before, here are directions. When you are submitting the attendance request in Skyward Family Access, you must be logged in as a parent, not a student. Students will be marked present in distance learning unless they are reported absent using the Skyward Family Access absence reporting process.
Technology Support
Insurance Claim Bring your iPad to SmartFix (801 Mainstreet #3, Hopkins or 952-236-7369) to start the process. SmartFix will submit the claim to the insurance company.
iPad Repair Facilities The repair facilities listed below are provided for your convenience only. Wayzata Public Schools does not warranty the work completed by any repair facility nor does the District promote any repair facility over another. Some facilities may offer a discount to Wayzata Public Schools students; contact the repair facility for more information and for store hours. SmartFix – offers a discount to WPS students Device Pitstop of Maple Grove – offers a discount to WPS students Device Pitstop of Minnetonka – offers a discount to WPS students Broadband Internet Access If broadband access is an issue for households, here are links to resources and options that may be available in the area. Contact your local broadband provider(s). For help identifying providers in your area:
Companies with service options related to COVID-19 response. Note this is not a comprehensive list. Visit the Office of Broadband Development for updates and additions to this list. Wayzata Public Schools Distance Learning Plan |