Dear Serra Families,
I know many people are anxious to get started tomorrow with what the district refers to as a Soft Opening. Please remember, that soft means really soft. This change of platforms (from a real classroom to a virtual one) may be easy for some teachers to manage and really hard for others. It’s a very broad spectrum of experience coupled with meeting their own family needs that won’t be easy to manage. We need everyone to take a deep breath and not expect that a full day of school work is going to be delivered immediately. So please be patient.
There are deep levels that we are tackling right now and the first is to get the technology out to you, which will not be easy. The district will be sending you a plan; they may send it directly to you or through me, but you will get it. For Serra, it shows that we will be picking up devices at Scripps Ranch, Friday April 24, AM: A - L; PM: M - Z, but it could change as they begin rolling it out. As principal, this date and time concerned me as it is the very last day. I want you to know that no child will have anything counted towards a grade until April 27. If you are in need of technology and you see this date and begin to stress because you think other students will be getting ahead of yours......STOP. As principal I am guaranteeing you that your child can pick up their technology on that last day and not miss a beat. Nothing starts until April 27th other than light engagement.
The survey was VERY helpful in giving us a ballpark of the need, but I know things are constantly changing at home. I really need you to respond to the survey (whether it's a yes or a no) for all of your Serra students so I know you’re aware of the option. I will be getting my staff to call anyone who does not respond starting next week. So answering the survey helps me by limiting an extensive call list (thank you!). However, you can pick up the Chromebook even if you said you didn’t need one on the survey; you wont be turned away. So if you’ve responded at least once, you are good to go. If you haven't responded, the following link will let me know that you're aware of the option to get your technology needs satisfied. Please respond by April 7th:
Secondly, the soft opening schedule is still in draft form and I want our staff to discuss it one more time before we create something that we will stick to. That’s part of this all being a soft opening. Will you have every class everyday? no. So here’s a preview. Each teacher has designed a webpage with assignments and information on how to connect with them. Some have already sent out messages to their students. The goal for this first week is to check in with students and explore perhaps one enrichment option or finish setting up their virtual classroom. I know that sounds like nothing much will happen, because some may not be ready to open their doors yet (that is part of a soft opening), but if a teacher is ready, you should meet with them and begin doing some enrichment work!
Grading is also different in our virtual world, and this is critically important information for everyone. The district is adopting a “No Harm” grading policy. What does that mean? It means that students who worked hard the first 6 weeks of school have grades established. During the soft and true opening (April 27th), those grades cannot go down. The rationale behind that lies with access, support for EL and Sp. Education/504 students, and the background each student has with using some of the platforms. No one should be penalized for not knowing how to use the tools we are providing nor lacking the proper equipment at home to complete a task. That being said, I’m really excited about the next 2 months, we are all going to take a large step into the digital world. For now though, focus on doing the teacher’s assignments and truly practice your skills to improve and impress your teacher knowing the grades will only help you.
If your grade at the 6 weeks wasn’t as strong as you wanted it to be, here is your chance to bring it up by doing the work and showing each teacher you do care about your learning. Your teachers will respond to you if you respond to them. They will create fun learning opportunities for you if you engage and challenge yourself by participating. The same concern shows up for math, science, history, electives, and world languages. We need the students to learn the concepts so they’ll be ready for next year. It doesn’t matter if the grades are “harmless” because the students have topics to learn that will help them next year. Please encourage your students to participate in the activities that our teachers are providing. That includes all of the classes, not just some. Students are experiencing a loss, and challenging their right and left brains to engage in activities is important for them during their school time. So though it may feel like we’re on an extended break, learning has to happen otherwise the “harmless grading period” will cause holes in their education.
This grading concept came out in the news a few days ago, and is an agreement between the teachers and the district through contract negotiations. Many of the colleges are using the same philosophy. Some of our teachers are hearing this for the first time in this letter. They need time to think about what that means to their overall plan they were creating prior to this agreement. That will take some time as well.
I am going to have a meeting with my staff on Tuesday, which may affect plans they set up with you for Monday. Please be flexible as we create a plan that works for everyone.
After our meetings, and by Friday, I’ll send you another communication on what I’ve learned from them and how we want to progress through our soft opening towards our distance learning program, and what that plan looks like with outlines for Grading/Citizenship/IEPs and how to access your student's classroom. The goal is to create a parent/student handbook with everything you need to know in one easy accessible place.
This truly is a journey, and though some of you have been participants in distance communication for a long time, this isn’t how we are wired as educators. We thrive on working with people in a social and collaborative setting. To say this pandemic has turned our world upside down is true for education in many ways, let alone our economic and social settings. I never, ever imagined a world without school, open beaches, work, and companionship with teachers. This is hard for us to do in so many ways, and it won’t ever be perfect, but if we stick together we can stop the spread and continue what we started this semester. I appreciate your continued support, your partnership in teaching and learning, and your patience as we figure it all out.
In summary:
1. Please take the tech survey
2. April 6-24 is a soft opening
3. If needed pick up technology April 24 at Scripps
4. Grading does not exist until April 27th and is "Hold Harmless"
5. To get started engage with the teachers that have already reached out. By end of week you will have a list to contact all of them provided by Serra Admin.
We are in this together. Most Sincerely, Dr. Erica Renfree
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