How often do teachers need to assess and provide feedback for student tasks?

In the event of a school closure and on-line learning:  

• Teachers will continue to assess and provide feedback to students through Google classroom as the curriculum prescribes
• Teachers will provide instruction on-line as outlined via the on-line learning schedule
• Teachers will attend school daily and hold weekly office hours to support student learning and offer feedback
• Attendance online is mandatory. Teachers will attempt to contact those who are not participating via phone calls and emails.
• Teachers will take attendance on PowerSchool.

Responsibility: NM Teaching Staff

• How/how often will collaborative teams meet?  
  • Collaborative teams will meet virtually or in-person each week
• How will administration and coaches contact and support teachers?
  • via email and weekly staff meetings

Responsibility: NM Teaching Staff

• A daily (during the regularly scheduled school week) connection will be required (e.g., short announcement/email or video),
  • Teachers will connect with students through Google classroom daily.
• Expectations for feedback or outreach to individual students
  • Teachers will hold office hours to support student learning and offer feedback. 
  • Teachers will attempt to contact those who are not participating via phone calls and emails.
• Expectations for students to communicate or participate in-class activities,
  • students will be expected to participate and complete assigned work
  • grades will be assigned during the school closure
  • teachers will take attendance 
• Expectations around “office hours,” or when teachers will be available to students for live chat or video conferencing,
  • Teachers will hold office hours to support student learning and offer feedback weekly
• The legal and ethical aspects of student-teacher communication (see
  4. Ensure Professional Development/Teacher Competency), and
• Home visits by school personnel will not happen during a closure for COVID-19 unless otherwise authorized by the administration

Responsibility: NM Teaching Staff

• There may be a combination of teacher-generated (e.g. video lessons), and teacher curated content from web resources.  Teachers should be interacting with students via Google classroom and also providing students with instruction and assignments that will be evaluated. 
• Essential learning will continue as teachers follow the curriculum to meet standards and graduation requirements.

Responsibility: NM Teaching Staff

• Teachers will have some flexibility in day-to-day decisions.
  • Tight: At a minimum, teachers will have every other day contact with students but will be available daily, check and respond to emails daily,  weekly collaboration, weekly office hours, SDI minutes will continue
  • Loose: Teachers will have the flexibility to group like classes together for instruction, vary instruction time, coteach, Specials and elective classes may meet weekly
• Student flexibility in their learning, and where expectations are set by teachers
  • Reduced hours for instruction
  • flexible due dates/time for assignment completion

*Note that typically online learning relies on higher student agency over learning than face-to-face learning does.

Responsibility: NM Administration

• What policies are needed for appropriate technology use?
  • This will require an acceptable use policy signed by parents and student

• If there are consequences for behavioral concerns, are there accommodations to be applied that don’t take away a student’s access to learning?
  • Teachers will provide permissible sites to the IT staff for the district internet filtering.

Responsibility: ITS & Administration

• PE teachers will provide weekly videos/activities  
• Teachers will continue Social Emotional Learning lessons
• Teachers will limit screen time by providing online instruction followed by offline activities

Responsibility: NM Teaching Staff, LE, Dimetri

• Teachers and administration will ensure that programs required for graduation (CPR ) are completed early in the year in case of school closure. 
• No additional license to consider at this time. 
• Wonders and EDM are both available online to students.

Responsibility: NM Teaching Staff, ITS, Admin

• 1:1 devices will go home in grades 7-12, We will use a check out system for elementary according to need
• Technology may also be provided for those students who do not have at least one device (other than a phone at home). Fifty hot spots are available for internet access for those students who do not have internet access. If the district firewall will be an issue,
  • Work with ITS to problem-solve
• Internet filtering, and
  • There were no identified problems with Google classroom during recent closure
  • iBoss filtering for off-site 
• How devices will be retrieved and maintained.
  • Check-out system for students without devices at home.

Responsibility: ITS 

• Technology for video recording and virtual conferencing (e.g., Zoom, Google Hangouts)
  • Consider purchasing iPads/Document Cameras for teachers to use at home during the delivery of on-line instruction. 
  • Google Classroom, Google Meet

Responsibility: ITS

• Using paper materials, offline activities, tele-teaching, and
  • Students can take home textbooks, notebooks, etc.
• Reaching out to local internet and cellular providers for additional access opportunities 
  • Reach out to local US Cellular, local businesses, etc. to purchase internet/hotspots for those without access.

Responsibility: NM Teaching Staff, Admin and NM PACT (possibly help with outside resources)

• Be familiar with the overall plan of implementation of Return to Learn
• Know how and when teachers will be delivering instruction through Google Classroom. This can be synchronous or asynchronous.
• FAQ for parents and students
• Revisit the communication policy – how to direct questions
• Be informed with the latest DE and IDPH guidance – ongoing

Responsibility: Administrators

Follow the communication policy – district communication flow chart

Responsibility: Admin, Classroom Teachers, Central Office Staff, School Board

• Email or Google Classroom
• Parent meetings via online or phone

Responsibility: Classroom Teacher

The communication will be ongoing to ensure clarity and provide parents with an opportunity to ask questions as they arise. Changes to the schedule or format of learning will be communicated throughout the year as the need arises for in school and out of school learning. Parents and students will need frequent reminders about the process as things change. Communication should be simple and easy to read. 

Responsibility: Administration, Classroom Teacher

• The importance of empathy and care during unsettled times of the global pandemic,
• Deliberate communication around what is required vs. what is optional, and why optional activities are beneficial to learning, and
• Reinforcing that online learning is a temporary effort and that there will be adjustments as time goes on
• Flexibility is key

Responsibility: Administration, Classroom Teachers

• Technology tutorials, guidance and overall support,
• Professional learning modules in online pedagogy
  •  (OLLIE)
• Access to other teachers’ work for idea generation.
  • staff shares their own ideas

Responsibility: Administration

• Ensuring that Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), 508 compliance is followed for websites;
• Reinforcing and monitoring of ethics and safety in the online environment;
• Reviewing what being mandatory reporters might look like in an online environment;
• Strategies related to building social presence and the sense of community in a digital space;
• FERPA or privacy compliance issues;
• Copyright training or guidance; and
• Local policies in regards to social media usage.
• Training for para assistance for students

Responsibility: Department of Ed, Administration, ITS 

Non-classroom teachers will assist teachers in their work to deliver instruction and support students in learning.  

Responsibility: Paraeducators & Administration Support

• To what extent can the student work independently? What is developmentally appropriate for the student’s age and grade level? How will the needs of those students with executive function and self-regulation challenges be met? (Google Classroom/Meet will meet this needs / Each individual teacher will help ensure support for students’ instructional needs)
• Are there assistive technologies any student may need? (Teachers can include links to other websites or content through Google Classroom)
• What supports are needed to establish a learning space in the home environment (e.g., desk or quiet space)? How will they be provided? (Communicate with parents about recommendations for learning spaces at home)

Responsibility: ITS, NM Staff

We will follow the identified IEP or 504 plan to ensure students with disabilities are able to access the curriculum. 

Responsibility: Guidance, TAG & ELL Teachers

We will follow the student’s identified plan to ensure exceptional learners have their needs met. 

Responsibility: Guidance, TAG & ELL Teachers

• Will need to teach staff and students how to use Zooms/Google Meets so they can collaboratively work together as needed

Responsibility: NM Staff

Parents may request technical support by calling and/or emailing the school office at 641-637-4817.

Responsibility: ITS & Administration

Counseling will be provided on an as needed basis.  Students, parents, and teachers may refer students to the guidance counselors for check-ins and/or counseling services. Guidance counselors will provide online resources and lessons to support students, families, and staff. The Elementary School Counselor will meet with students through Zoom and/or Google Meet or Google Classroom. 

Career planning and scheduling of classes will continue through a closure. The guidance counselors will meet with students through Google.  

The 7-12 School Counselor will meet with students through Zoom and/or Google Meet to discuss scheduling of classes. The 7-12 School Counselor will provide websites and resources concerning career planning (Kuder, ICAN, access to virtual college visits, etc).

Mental health supports will continue to be provided via telehealth from our licensed social workers.

Responsibility: Elementary School Counselor, HS Counselor, Licensed Social Workers

Yes, we are planning to make these services required for students.  We have adequately considered all of the questions above and have completed all of the assurances on the department of education’s webpage.  North Mahaska’s Return to Learn Plan has been approved by the Iowa Department of Education.