May 29, 2020 1 p.m.

Each week, we take more steps toward creating a better version of the Continuous Learning model that we've been using. During the Community Forum on Wednesday this week, I heard that parents would prefer a weekly summary of what students can expect to see for the week (we'll call this a "weekly drop") and that having a single online platform (rather than several separate programs) would be helpful. Our team has settled on the use of Class Dojo as the central "home base" for instruction for K-3 and Google Classroom for 4-12. We'll be using Zoom as our platform for group meetings and also be providing video lessons that students can view. Everything will be accessed through the "Home base" (Dojo or Google Classroom).

Our goal is to create a system that is easily managed by students and places less and less reliance on parents for support as we move along. We're also planning to provide support for parent learning with these platforms so that parents can more easily interact.

Many of us are planning to engage in professional development through the summer in order to be ready to support children and families in the Fall in whatever way is necessary. We're imagining that we'll be in a system that includes some face-to-face with protocols for safety and some online interaction. Depending upon circumstances, we may be prevented from having face-to-face interaction, so we want to be able to provide high-quality instruction at a distance. Our motto is "prepared, not scared", so whatever circumstances come our way, we want to be prepared.

Lewis County is in phase 2 of the Governor's reopening plan, however that plan does not address school operations. We are still precluded from using our facilities to provide any recreational, social or educational services under the Governor's proclamation 20-08. I've asked for clarification from the State that that is their intent and I'm hoping to hear back next week or during the Governor's next briefing. In the meantime, TSD may not use our gyms, fields and other venues for any activities.

We've heard that most parents are looking forward to their children coming back into the school building and picking up their studies. We've also heard concern about disinfecting and protocols for safety. Our team is working right now on establishing our protocols guided by the experts at the CDC and the Department of Health. We're preparing our order for PPE and sanitizing supplies as well as creating our plans for adapting our buildings to our new circumstances. As these are created, we'll keep you informed.

Friday 7:30 a.m.Grades, Wellness

Grades

One of the most difficult decisions we've faced both in Toledo and the State is how to assign grades for this trimester. There were so many issues related to this that OSPI stepped into territory that is usually left to local decisions, to provide guidance and direction. In a communication earlier this month, Chris Reykdal stated that our primary directive is to "do no harm". Toward that end, he directed that no student would receive an "F" or "No Credit" for work they've done during this term. In addition, no student could have a grade reduced. OSPI gave us options of offering "Incompletes" or A-D grades and any combination of those.

Prior to the direction from OSPI, Seattle made the decision to record an A or incomplete for all students in their system. Incompletes would carry no credit and would need to have a plan attached that would allow the student to remove the incomplete and replace it with a passing grade at a later time. Other districts have chosen every option allowed by OSPI. The most common system is A-D+ Incomplete.

In Toledo, our team talked about equity for our students. Some students are in circumstances where parents are available to help and they have reliable internet access and devices. Their family may not have had anyone become affected by the virus or by disruption to income or business. Those students will not have the same experience as students who need to help in the family business, don't have reliable internet access or are home alone during the day.

In addition, our team felt that while we got off to a strong start and our families report that they are pleased with the service they're receiving, this is new work for all of us and we're not providing everything we could if students were with us for 6 hours daily. Our team felt that it would be wrong to judge students based on our current ability to deliver instruction and assess learning.

Because of this and many other issues, the decision was made that we would track progress as we ordinarily would, but at the end of the term, we would change all grades for students K-5 to a "3" and all grades for students grades 6-12 to an "A".

We are not going to use the "Incomplete" grade. Our team felt that this was just delaying a burden until a future date uncertain and that it wouldn't be helpful to our students or families.

No one is going to give any meaning to these grades. Colleges, military, NCAA and scholarship committees have all stated that these grades are not going to be factored into any decisions that will affect admission or acceptance. We are required to record some mark on the transcript that will also  have a designation indicating it was recorded during this time.

I've spoken to parents who are concerned that their child will disengage because they're "getting an A anyway." Students don't work for grades. Students work for approval of their family. Parents use grades as a way to determine their satisfaction with their child's effort. There are other ways to measure your satisfaction: by completed assignments, connections to teachers, time spent learning and any number of other ways connected to school. By staying up-to-date on your child's performance through contact with your child's teacher and through Family Access online, you can still motivate your child to continue to engage in learning just as you have in the past. I'm imagining a dialogue that would go something like this,

Child: "Why should I do anything? I'm getting straight A's anyway."
Parent: "I'm really not interested in your final grade right now. I expect you to work on your assignments just like I always have. Missing assignments aren't acceptable in our family. You can do better. 
Child: "Okay, I'll do it this afternoon."
Parent: "I'll check on your progress with your teacher tomorrow by email. If you haven't completed at least one Math assignment by then, there will be no video games until your teacher lets me know that you've completed one assignment."

Another scenario involves asking questions, listening to the answers and then asking more probing questions. Questions such as:

"What is the most surprising thing you learned today?"
"What is one thing you did today that was fun?"
"What is one problem that you solved today?"
"What is a problem that you'd like to see solved in the future?"

Wellness
Loss is difficult. Whether its a family member, a job, a prized possession or a way of life, loss brings feelings of grief. There are some predictable stages of grief. According to Kubler Ross and Kessler, there are five stages: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. We are all experiencing loss right now and can predict that we will all experience all of these stages. They won't all come at once and they won't come in order, but they will work through. Like the weather in Toledo, if you don't like it now, wait five minutes and it will change.

It is important that we're sensitive to these emotions in ourselves and also that we watch for them in our kids. Like the weather, it will pass. Also like the weather, it can do damage if we don't prepare for it. The State has put together a list of resources that can help with grief and the losses that have caused it. I encourage you and your family to reach out to these people sooner rather than later. These are the resources that our staff are drawing on for referrals. Resources

There is nothing more important right now than your mental, emotional and physical health. Please be well.

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