Prep and Lower School Distance Learning Guidelines

The goal of the Prep and Lower School Distance Learning Plan is to keep children engaged so they may learn and grow. We will strive to create significant opportunities for connection and community. By guiding students through opportunities to read, write, share ideas, explore, create, play, and move, we hope to create days that mirror a typical school day as much as possible. We will continue to build community and structure a school day that provides comfort and routines to our young learners. 

Due to their varying stages of development, our youngest learners will require assistance from an adult throughout their days of distance learning. Navigating the nuances of technology used to support distance learning will require parents and caregivers to be present when children are engaged in their workday. Additionally, we hope to partner with families to hold children accountable for completing assigned work and attending live virtual classes.  

Distance Learning Delivery

• For Beginners-Prep II, teachers will provide instruction and suggested activities to allow students to continue cognitive, physical, and social-emotional skill-building. Learning engagements are playful, inquiry-based explorations. Children will also participate in synchronous lessons designed to support their academic readiness and growth. 
• For Grades 1-3, instruction and assignments will be provided through Seesaw.
  • ​How to Access Seesaw: Children may login in to Seesaw using the QR code provided by homeroom teachers. If you have more than one child using Seesaw on the same device, you will need to toggle between their accounts using the QR code. Children may login in to Seesaw using a smartphone, tablet, or computer. Devices with a touch screen allow the children the best opportunity to manipulate their work on the screen. 
• For Grade 4, instruction and assignments will be provided through Google Classroom. Assignments should be completed by the due date. Please reach out to the teacher via email if your child is unable to participate in distance learning due to illness.​
  • How to Access Google Classrooms Using Your Home Computer:
    • ​​Go to classroom.google.com and click Go to Classroom.
    • Enter your username and click Next.
    • Enter your password and click Next.
    • If there is a welcome message, read it and click Accept.
    • Click I'm A Student.
    • Click Get Started.

Setting Up a Workspace
We suggest taking time to set up a workspace that remains dedicated to school work that will be coming to you from your homeroom teachers. Your child’s workspace should be comfortable and free from distracting materials.

Support From Teachers
Your child’s classroom teacher will be available to you, via email, during regular school hours. Teachers will be available for academic support as well as technical support. Additional school staff will also be available to help you troubleshoot any technical difficulties that you may have. 

Grading and Assessment
In the Lower School, students' work will be regularly assessed, and students in Grades 3 and 4 will receive letter grades, whether we are in the building, learning from home, or a combination of the two. Prep and Lower School assessments, formal and informal, will be administered by their teachers using grade-appropriate methods, and teachers will provide regular feedback to parents and guardians. During distance learning, data gathered from assessments will be used to evaluate learning and inform instruction just as it would in the classroom.