GHS Guidelines for Virtual Instruction
The board was put in a very difficult situation at the November 18th Board Meeting. With a heavy heart, the board voted to place the district on “Remote Learning”. The Geneva Area City School District must be nimble, flexible, and responsive to ensure the health and safety of all students and adults.
We will need to have the capacity to operate in various modes at different times - sometimes with minimum advance notice.
When we are operating with students in the building, we will need to adhere to health and safety guidelines set forth by the Ohio Department of Health and The Ashtabula County Health Department. Guidelines may change as circumstances change, which most likely should lead to course corrections throughout the year.
The traditional school experience, as it was known prior to the onset of the pandemic, will be different as will many of the day-to-day practices of schools.
Please allow for flexibility in education-related policies and requirements, instructional delivery, school schedules, number of students in person, attendance, etc.
Student Expectations
Students will log into Zoom every period (see schedule below). The educational value and experience that your teacher brings to the classroom cannot be replaced.
Students will follow their daily schedule for each period and are expected to be on time.
Student attendance will be taken each period. Students do not have to log in to study halls.
Teachers will maintain their regular workday schedule which is from 7-2:30.
Teachers are available by phone, email, or Zoom if there are any questions or concerns. (during regular school hours).
Students will be expected to take all tests and quizzes at the scheduled times. If you cannot take a test or quiz when they are scheduled, YOU must make the appropriate arrangements with your teacher, prior to the assigned test/due date of the assessment.
Zoom links for students are included in each Google Classroom.
Students must check email/google classroom every day. Be sure to check the “Classwork” tab for daily work.
Students that are not doing their work may be considered truant for days that work is missing. If you cannot attend your scheduled Zoom meetings, you may still do your work to receive credit. However, all assignments are due as scheduled regardless if you attend the Zoom meeting or not.
Students are expected to turn assignments in by their due dates. If students turn assignments in late full, partial, or no credit might be given. Teachers shall use their own discretion on late work during the online format, just as they do during in-person schooling. The best way to ensure full credit for an assignment is to make sure it is completed by the assigned due date.
Daily Schedule- Each period will include an open Zoom session. Please note this does not match our current bell schedule exactly, however, this is the schedule we will follow for the duration of remote learning.
Open 7:00 to 7:25
1st 7:25 to 8:05
2nd 8:10 to 8:50
3rd 8:55 to 9:35
4th 9:40 to 10:20
5th 10:25 to 11:05
Lunch 11:10 to 11:40
6th 11:45 to 12:25
7th 12:30 to 1:10
8th 1:15 to 1:55
Open 2:00 to 2:30
Teachers’ Expectations
Teachers will be available to students between the hours of 7:00 am and 2:30 pm. Teachers will be conducting classes during the scheduled time (see above).
Teachers will report to school even if we are out for an extended period. (This may change if Ashtabula County is changed to “purple” designation or if it is determined by the superintendent).
Wednesday will be an open workday. Open time should be used to prep for classes, Zoom with individual students, call students, call parents, post videos and lessons, etc.
Please consider class participation as part of a student’s grade. In other words, a student who attends regularly and participates in lessons should be given credit for their effort.
Tests and quizzes can have scheduled times. Students that do not make appropriate arrangements with the teacher shall receive a failing grade on the quiz or test. If a student cannot take a test or quiz when they are scheduled, they must make the appropriate arrangements with you, prior to the assigned test/due date of the assessment.
Teachers will be expected to hold Zoom meetings daily, except for Wednesday. Teachers may utilize their 40 minute time period with any combination of a small group, whole group, individual, or other blended learning models they see fit; however, each 40 minute time period must include a Zoom meeting with the class to present expectations, teach lessons, provide feedback, explain assignments. You can post pre-recorded lessons and use Zoom as a time to answer questions and work with students instead of presenting new material.
Teachers must provide at least 4 in-person learning opportunities for all of their students per week. Teachers will record and post recorded Zoom lessons to their Google Classroom or post video(s) that gives a review of the lesson.
Teachers need to post 5 days worth of educational material per week. Educational material can span several days and can include Zoom meetings, pre-recorded lessons, videos, homework, reading assignments, gathering of information, worksheets, research, projects, tests/ quizzes, etc.
Students should be given 1-5 graded assignments per week.
Your personal Zoom links can be used (like during conferences) to cut down on transition time. Students will wait in the waiting room until teachers let them in.
Set boundaries when establishing this schedule, because the expectation IS NOT for students, or teachers, to be checking email and communicating with students 24/7.
Attendance will be taken every period.
Please make sure you are following the student’s accommodations and modifications on their IEPs and 504 plans.
Intervention Specialists will work with their students individually to determine meeting times.
The expectation is that you should have individual contact with all students at least once weekly. Individual contact would consist of a student turning in work, live streaming, emails, phone calls, etc.
If you haven’t heard from a student, you must communicate with the parent. Phone calls need to be documented at least once a week.
After exhausting all methods to attempt to contact students and their families with regard to non-attendance or non-completion of assignments, please make administrators and counselors aware of families you’ve been unable to contact or contact that did not result in positive/improving actions. Once students are turned over to the office for the aforementioned reasons, the teacher should continue to make documented attempts to contact the students and their families.