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100% Online Home Learning Model
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Jan. 20, 2021
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In the 100% Online Home Learning Option, what can we expect? How much interaction will our student have with a BISD teacher?
Each student will be assigned a BISD teacher and these students will be the teacher’s “class.” There will be weekly contact between the teacher and students but the purpose and extent of contact can vary by grade or course and student need.
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How will BISD teachers provide instruction to students enrolled in this educational model?
Like their colleagues teaching in the Hybrid model, BISD teachers instructing students in 100% Online Home Learning will use the BISD CORE FOUR −
HOMEBASE: This is where students find assignments, questions, materials and teacher announcements. The platform will depend on the grade level of the student but will either be Google Classroom or Seesaw.
VIDEO CREATION: The application for recording video of the teacher using a webcam (or screen sharing) for instruction. This will be handled through the Screencastify platform.
LIVE DISCUSSION & OFFICE HOURS: The application where students and teachers gather for synchronous interaction/engagement. This will be accomplished via Zoom.
CONTENT ORGANIZER: The application where teacher and student files are kept, worked on, and organized for learning. These documents will be housed in Google Drive. -
If I select online-only for my child, can I change my mind later and have my child enroll in-person school?
If you choose to enroll in 100% online home learning for your student, that is the model your student will stay in for the 2020-2021 school year, unless circumstances change and more space becomes available. This is due to the complexities of assigning students into each model and ensuring we have proper staffing.
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My child will participate in the 100% online home option. Will he have a cohort of BISD peers to interact with online?
Selecting a 100% online option limits the level of social interaction between students and peers. With this in mind, the teachers will work to try to connect students with similar courses and/or interests so they might work, collaborate or socialize together. This would be an option for families as not all families may be comfortable with that level of interaction. Teachers can pull together students with similar needs and/or interests via zoom meetings and help families arrange optional out of school meet-ups for academic and/or social purposes.
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With the 100% online home option, will my child be assigned a grade-level teacher from his/her school?
A BISD teacher will be assigned to each student. This online school option will operate at the district level and will not be directly tied to an individual district school. For example, an elementary teacher may be working with a group of 3rd and 4th graders from across the district. A secondary teacher could be overseeing a group of 7-12th grade students participating in many different courses.
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Will my child’s teacher be grade-level qualified?
BISD teachers will be assigned to students according to their endorsement on their teaching credentials.
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Will students' designated teachers provide expectations, learning targets, plans and deadlines and occasional check-ins to make sure students stay on track? Will the teacher contact parents if a student is falling behind and/or stuck?
Yes, each student’s teacher will closely monitor both the rate of progress and the level of understanding and proficiency shown in the work the student is doing through the Edgenuity program.
Some assignments are automatically scored (multiple choice, etc.) but other assignments and assessments require the teacher to evaluate and provide feedback to the student.
The program is designed to require a set level of proficiency before the student progresses to the next lesson.This serves to prevent a student from going through it quickly without showing proficiency and alerts the teacher when a student may need support.
The program has a built in feature that once the timeline for a course has been established by the teacher and student/parent, the program will indicate if the child is “on track” with the timeline, falling behind, or working more quickly.
Students are able to proceed at their own pace if working more quickly than the timeline originally indicated, or time timeline setting can be adjusted by the teacher if needed.
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If I select the BISD’s 100% online home option, will my student be assigned a principal and school counselor?
A district administrator will be assigned to oversee the 100% online home option. A student in the online program will be provided access to a district counselor if requested.
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How will students select their classes? Will guidance be given by counselors/special ed staff?
Yes, students will work with their assigned teacher, with counselor and/or special program teachers input as needed to select courses. This will take place prior to the beginning of the school year (date TBD).
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If a student selects 100% online, can they participate in after school activities and sports?
Yes, all BISD students will have access to all clubs and interscholastic athletics, assuming that it is safe to hold the activities and sports.
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Are classes like BHS band available for Edgenuity students?
At this time we are considering students enrolled in 100% online learning and those in the hybrid model as separate and only able to access courses within their program/site.
It is important to note that some band activities are extracurricular in nature, and in these instances students in the online option can participate in extracurricular activities in the same manner that those in the hybrid model can access. Any specific requirements for extracurricular band participation can be discussed with the school.
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How will students with special education be served in the 100% online model?
For students with special education services accessing the 100% online model, the IEP team will work with the student and his/her parent(s) to determine how IEP services can be implemented.
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Will grading practices return to how they were prior to COVID? Is it the same for both learning options?
The current plan is for all students K-12 to return to the traditional grading model. The 100% Online Home Learning model using Edgenuity will track student progress by percentage of content mastered that will be converted to the grading scale by the supervising teacher.
Last year, the Superintendent of Public Instruction issued specific guidance on grading policy during the school closure. If this were to occur again, BISD will align grading policy with State requirements.
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Can the students who are participating in the 100% online home model receive meals?
Students enrolled in 100% Online can access BISD Food Services.
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Will those students who are participating in 100% online cover more ground?
The learning standards remain the same. The hybrid distance learning model that includes both in-school and distance learning has more flexibility to be adapted by teachers to meet the needs of students. The Edgenuity program is a fully online program designed for the grade level or course and students progress through the content at their own pace. Both models will deliver instruction to meet the standards. It will be a parent/guardian decision on which model would work for the students’ learning needs and family circumstances.
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Will 100% online students participate in standardized testing?
Yes, students will participate in state and district level testing and have access to optional district assessments like the PSAT and the World Language Proficiency Test.
State level testing was canceled in Spring 2020 but is currently scheduled for administration is Spring 2021, so 3rd-11th grade students would participate in the required grade-level Smarter Balanced testing. For grades K-6, the Fastbridge assessment monitors student progress in fall, winter, and spring.
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Will the 100% online Edgenuity option be available for BISD students worldwide?
BISD cannot guarantee that the program will be available in other countries, nor can it guarantee that BISD-issued technology will work outside of the United States. Countries vary on what internet content is allowed and it should not be assumed that Edgenuity would work worldwide. However, the Edgenuity program is hosted on the Edgenuity website with a student login and password and may work in other locations.
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Can a student partially enroll in Edgenuity and partially in the hybrid option?
No, at this time we have to enroll students in one program or the other in order to plan for classroom groupings in the buildings and assign staff into the online program.
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If my student enjoys the program, can they continue with it even if schools fully reopen? This year and in future years?
At this time, we don’t know. When we are fully able to return to school, BISD will determine if we continue to offer an online school option for students.
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My student is involved with the El Velero Spanish Immersion Program. Can I select the 100% online option?
The El Velero program is not a program that can be utilized independently at home. However, the Edgenuity program has a feature that can translate content into several languages including Spanish, so a student could continue improving Spanish skills while working in the Edgenuity program if the family wished to utilize the program with that feature.
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Will students who select the 100% online home learning model be able to participate in a graduation ceremony?
Absolutley! Students who choose to participate in the 100% online home learning model and graduate in 2021 are still graduates of the Bainbridge Island School District and will be able to participate in commencement exercises.
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Can high school students who select the 100% online home learning model remain in honor society?
Yes, students in the online option can participate in extracurricular activities in the same manner that those in the hybrid model can access.
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Will 8th graders who select 100% online home learning be able to participate in Eighth Grade Banquet (if there is one)?
Students who have attended WMS but choose to participate in the 100% online home learning model are still students in the Bainbridge Island School District.
Additional information about the Eight Grade Banquet will occur as the year progresses, however, we want to clarify that this event is a parent sponsored event.
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Why should I enroll my student in BISD’s 100% online option when there are other programs available?
By selecting this option through BISD, your student remains connected to the BISD community which includes:
- Allows students to participate in a BISD-sponsored Washington State standard-based instruction from a home setting.
- Having a designated BISD assigned teacher to oversee the student’s progress and provide academic and technical guidance to the student and parent
- When applicable, your student would have the option of participating in BISD-sponsored programs & services.
- If your student is a senior and you select the BISD online option, your student will graduate from BISD. If you select an alternative online choice, your students’ diploma would be from the other institution.
- As a parent, you will remain part of our system and will be included in district communications.