Virtual Learning - Families

Sustained periods of virtual education are successful when students have a routine to follow and a space in which to work and learn.  As you consider how to support your child's online learning, be clear about the time of day any online live learning will be held as well as the extent of the assignments your student will be asked to complete.  If you are unsure, please ask your child's teacher(s). Once you have an idea about daily time commitments, plan a schedule for your child to follow.  Stick to as predictable a daily routine as possible.  Don't forget to include times for breaks and lunch.  Various sites offer similar advice such as this Common Sense Media site. 

In addition, developing a daily learning schedule, it is important to identify an at-home learning space. Ideally, this space should have:

• A computer or other device
• Good lighting
• Ready access to learning materials and tools

A dedicated learning space for virtual learning should ideally be located in a shared area of your home such as at the kitchen table, a large kitchen counter, or a desk in a living room or family room.  When your student's learning space is separate from their bedroom and distanced from the television, it sets the expectation and tone that the space is for work and not play.  Additionally, an online learning space in a shared area allows parents and guardians to readily support learning while also monitoring online activity.
 

Our Virtual Learning Approach

In general, learning activities should be designed so that students will spend an amount of time which aligns to the recommended times below.  There should be a balance between teacher-led synchronous learning, independent asynchronous learning and supplemental activities, and time for students to meet daily nutritional and wellness needs such as breakfast, lunch, snacks, and recess/exercise.

What is synchronous learning?  Synchronous learning takes place in real-time with groups of learners.  There is interaction between the teacher and students with more immediate feedback.  These sessions will occur in Google Meet.

What is asynchronous learning? Asynchronous learning is more learner-centered. It enables the learner to complete courses without the constraints of having to be in a certain place at a certain time. Asynchronous learning can look different depending on the student’s age.  For the elementary level, this could be watching teacher videos, looking at/reading books, working on a puzzle, or completing a practice page.  At the middle/high school level, students would work independently on preparation work for the next live lesson (watching videos, reading texts, adding to a collaborative activity) or completing follow-up activities from a live lesson (science lab work, readings, creation of videos, etc.)

Please access our Instructional Expectations for Online Learning document for a more comprehensive view of online learning for the 2020/2021 school year.

Elementary Approach

All instructional learning activities for grades 4K-3 will be pushed out via Seesaw to students and families.  Grades 4 and 5 will utilize Google Classroom for all instructional learning activities.

Middle School & High School Approach

Students in grades 6-12 will utilize Google Classroom for the majority of their classes.  Students and families should continuously be directed back to Google Classroom to access content, Google Meet links, and assessments.  Teachers will be assessing student work, providing feedback, and collecting student data on a regular basis.  Families may utilize this quick start guide (video version) to gain a better understanding of Google Classroom.

Continued, daily communication is essential for a successful virtual learning environment.  Students should check their school email accounts daily for any potential messages from their teacher(s).  Upper elementary age students may need help checking their accounts for messages.   

Please know that student email addresses for grades 4K-8 cannot receive emails from outside of the @mhasd.k12.wi.us domain.  This means that students can only receive emails from district staff and students, not from anyone external to the district such as parent personal email addresses.

Families are encouraged to call the school building when needing an immediate answer to a concern.  All school building offices will be staffed to answer parent/guardian phone calls.

Teachers are asked to also check their email accounts twice each day to ensure timely responses.  Students and families should expect a response from a teacher within 24 hours.  In addition, teachers have been asked to set up phone calls or virtual appointments for students and families that may have questions on specific learning activities and outcomes.   

Instructional Support: A "Vikings @ Home Learning Hub" has been developed to provide families with more information on the various platforms and applications students will be accessing this school year.  Please consider viewing the "Tour of Learning Hub" video on the Home page.

Access: If your student needs access to a device or a mobile hot spot to complete academic work at home, please contact your building principal.  Families should make their best effort to take good care of the device, including keeping it safe when not in use, protecting the screen from scratches or cracks, and using the device only for appropriate academic use.  Please see this Chromebook Device to Families Agreement to learn more.

Several agencies are providing information regarding internet access and service.

Department of Public Instruction

Public Service Commission of Wisconsin

Please go to this webpage to access the Mental Health and Wellness for Families information.