DISTANCE LEARNING
New! Please click here for academic and recreational resources for the summer.
As we navigate through this strange and complicated time, we are reminded that Stokes School is a strong and loving community. Our three school rules: I will take care of myself; I will take care of others; and I will take care of my community, will help guide us through this challenging situation. We recognize that there will be plenty of challenges in the days and weeks ahead, and your first priority is the health and wellbeing of your family. Please feel free to reach out to us if you have any needs that are not being met that you think the Stokes community can help with:
Erika Bryant: erikab@ewestokes.org
Brookland: Bobby Caballero: Bobbyc@ewstokes.org
Constanza Rosas: Constanzar@ewstokes.org
East End:
`Abdu'l-Karim Ewing-Boyd: karime@ewstokes.org
David Bravo: Davidb@ewstokes.org
Over the last few weeks, our administrators, teachers, and staff have worked tirelessly to create a viable educational alternative for our scholars. Below is a guide to our approach to Distance Learning, officially beginning on Monday, April 6th. The Stokes School Distance Learning platform is designed to keep our scholars connected to the Stokes School community, provide engagement with their classmates and teachers, allow for access to grade level content and instruction, and provide routine, structure and appropriate support for scholars.
To help ease some of the anxiety associated with the change in your family’s routine we recommend that you:
· Establish a regular schedule with your child and stay engaged with their learning
· Create a quiet learning space for your child
· Stay in communication with your child’s teachers
· Help your child maintain remote social contact with peers
· Encourage physical activity and movement
· Monitor stress and anxiety
Though we are not in the school building, we aim to provide an alternative learning experience that will allow for academic and community engagement. We appreciate your patience and flexibility as we implement this new format of learning. We expect that there will be some initial technical challenges, and as always, we welcome your feedback.
The Google Classroom is your child’s central link to all communication for distance learning. Their teachers will post links to zoom meetings, pre-recorded lessons, activities, and assignments. You can expect more information about daily schedules and lesson formats from teachers in the next couple of days.
Login through a browser:
Go to www.google.com. Click “Sign In” at the top righthand corner. If you are already logged into a google account on your browser, click on the initial button in the righthand corner and click “Add Another Account.” Enter your child’s login info, click on the nine squares next to the initial, and click on “Classroom”. Your child’s classroom should already be added.
Login through an App:
Download the Google Classroom App. Enter your child’s login info, and you should see your child’s classroom.
Students with Special Education needs may have an additional Google Classroom created by their Learning Specialist. That log-in information will be provided by the Learning Specialist directly.
All classes will meet at least once online in real-time daily. All live lessons will be recorded and posted to the Google Classroom for maximum flexibility of access or for families with multiple scholars who share technology. Monday through Thursday scholars will receive at least one Language Arts Lesson and one Math Lesson, along with additional learning opportunities that include writing, units of inquiry, and art/music/movement. Fridays will be more flexible based on the grade level and class, and may include small group or project check-ins.
Pre-K through second grade students can expect a maximum of two and a half hours of provided learning experiences daily, while third through fifth grade can expect a maximum of three and a half hours each day. This may be achieved by live lessons via Zoom, by pre-recorded lessons available in the Google Classroom, or through activities, projects, and independent work. Teachers will record and post all live lessons so students can view them at another time. If families prefer that their child not be recorded, turn the camera off in Zoom during the live lessons. Each teacher will also be responsible for holding one hour of “office hours” or live interaction per day. Teachers will provide these office hours so that families and scholars can contact them to get help with content and other pedagogical issues. Ask your child’s teachers for more details about how they will be scheduling their office hours.
If you’re having issues with technology or access to the learning platforms, please e-mail: distancelearning@ewstokes.org
Below are some answers to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):
Q: How will my child’s learning be monitored or assessed?
A: Students’ progress will be monitored based on responses they provide to assignments, written work they submit, participation during live lessons (or engagement with recorded lessons), and conversations they engage in during one-on-one conferences with teachers. Standardized tests, including PARCC, have been cancelled for this school year.
Q: What resources are available to students if they begin to face challenges with learning?
A: Initially, please set a time to discuss these challenges with your child’s teacher during their office hours. Teachers will coordinate support for your child depending on their needs.
Q: What options are available if my child is struggling emotionally during this time?
A: For Brookland, our School Counselor, Caira Temple, has Zoom office hours. Click here to sign up for a session.
For East End, our School Social Worker, Angela Ewing-Boyd, has Zoom office hours. Please click here to sign up for a session.
Additionally, the Mental Health Hotline for DC Children and a Families is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week: 888-793-4357.
Q: Prolonged screen time sometimes causes a negative shift in attitude in my child. What should I do if they need the screen time to stay engaged in their learning?
A: Make sure to provide your child with frequent breaks to break up the screen time. Lessons will be pre-recorded and available if your child cannot join class during its scheduled time. If your child is unable to complete an assignment or needs an extension, discuss the situation with their teacher.
Q: Will this situation effect my child’s ability to be promoted to the next grade?
A: No. We are hopeful that students will continue their learning throughout this time, and we are actively planning for ways to support students when they reenter the school building.
Q: My child has an IEP, how will they receive all of their services during this time?
A: Students will continue to receive the majority of their services during this time. Learning Specialists will hold pull-out sessions with their students using Zoom and other online programs. Learning Specialists will also plan with general education teachers to ensure that the assignments students receive from their teachers are modified and accommodated for individual needs. Learning Specialists will also hold office hours for students and parents should they require additional support.
Where appropriate, students who receive Related Services will be offered Teletherapy sessions by our contracted Related Services Providers, including Speech, Occupational Therapy, Behavior Support Services, and Physical Therapy. Please keep in mind that some students’ services require face to face direct support which cannot be done online. In these cases, service hours will be made up once we return to the school building.
We will offer meetings through Zoom for students whose annual IEP review meetings are due during the time that we are out of the school building. We will also offer eligibility meetings through Zoom for students whose evaluations were completed prior to closing of the school building.
Please direct any specific questions you may have about your child’s IEP to their Learning Specialist.
Q: My family does not have the capacity for my child to attend live classes either because of lack of devices or lack of bandwidth. Will they be penalized?
A: No. We recognize that during this challenging time, families will have differing schedules and ability to support scholars with their learning activities. Lessons will be recorded and posted in the Google Classroom so that students will have flexibility in accessing the material. If your family needs additional access to technology, Stokes school has some resources to lend. Please email distancelearning@ewstokes.org to inquire.