Last week the Auburn School District announced the 2020-21 school year will begin with a full distance learning model. The announcement received mixed reviews, and prompted more questions than it answered. Auburn School District Superintendent Dr. Alan Spicciati sent an update today, sharing initial insight into what families can expect in the fall.
Last week Spicciati acknowledged “the best place for our students is in the classroom with a caring teacher and support staff.” In today’s letter, he recognized the remote learning methods utilized in the Spring were not successful for all students and teachers. Spicciati assured, “the program in September will be very different from last spring.”
According to Spicciati, the district’s full focus is on developing the best possible Distance Learning Program.
Spicciati’s letter provided bullet points of what the district has already determined for its Distance Learning Program.
- “Teachers will teach and connect with their classes daily.
- Students will follow a consistent school day schedule five days per week, and it will include specialists and electives.
- Students will be expected to attend classes daily, and attendance will be taken.
- Grading practices will return to normal.
- Technology will be provided to meet the needs of students and staff.
- We are standardizing on SeeSaw (K-2 option) and Google Classroom (3-12) as standard platforms for learning across classrooms.
- We will have training materials for families to support their students better.
- When health conditions improve to allow for in-person instruction, we will transition when we can meet the Department of Health guidelines.”
The full details of these items were not provided. The district is currently working on sample school schedules and an FAQ.
ASD Superintendent Dr. Alan Spicciati’s Full Letter
Dear ASD Families:
I hope you are enjoying this weather and staying cool. With the decision last week to open school in a full Distance Learning model, we have been working to develop the best possible online education offerings. All of our energy is focused on creating, training and supporting a great Distance Learning program.
The program in September will be very different from last spring. In the spring we did emergency remote learning, it was not planned. Staff across the district stepped up in creative, thoughtful and caring ways. It was a good experience for some students and staff and it did not work for others. The Distance Learning program for the upcoming year will be different and better for students and staff.
Here are some of the components for the upcoming year:
- Teachers will teach and connect with their classes daily.
- Students will follow a consistent school day schedule five days per week and it will include specialists and electives.
- Students will be expected to attend classes daily and attendance will be taken.
- Grading practices will return to normal.
- Technology will be provided to meet the needs of students and staff.
- We are standardizing on SeeSaw (K-2 option) and Google Classroom (3-12) as common platforms for learning across classrooms.
- We will have training materials for families to better support their students.
- When health conditions improve to allow for in-person instruction, we will transition when we can meet Department of Health guidelines.
We are committed to providing clear communication with our community and staff as we make decisions. We are working on sample school schedules and an FAQ. We will continue to keep you informed about the plans.
Sincerely,
Dr. Alan Spicciati
Superintendent
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