Month: March 2020

A long week of Virtu-School

Believe it or not, we have been virtually learning for almost a week. This message is a long one, but I want to make sure I reach out to you and share some pertinent info:

​Current closure status: is unknown. We do know that Gov. Kemp ordered all schools closed through the end of March, but please keep in mind that the situation is fluid. We could open school a couple of days before Spring Break – we could finish the year online. We don’t know. Teachers have been asked to prepare at least 3 weeks of work at this time.

​Tele-school expectations: We are physically closed, but virtually open. Teachers are expected to “teach” and be virtually available – at the very least – from 7:45 am – 3:45 pm daily. Please email teachers if you are having any questions or issues with technology. They have been asked to be understanding of the varying situations that students are dealing with at this time.

​Grading and workload: The expectation for grading remains the same – a MINIMUM of one grade per week. Teachers have been asked to be in constant communication with your students and to be mindful of the workload. We are actively monitoring this and still calibrating.

​Standardization of assignment communication: Teachers have been asked to standardize assignment postings to help students organize their work. The following was shown as an exemplar (Thanks Ms. Marion-Landais for the suggestion):

ASSIGNMENT:
DUE DATE/TIME:
LINK/ATTACHMENT(S):

​Late Assignments: Since these electronic platforms have been understandably overloaded, there have been several challenges with logins, upload/download speed, access, and so on. Teachers have been asked to be flexible with due dates as many of our students have expressed difficulty in dealing with the platforms. Teachers have also been asked to communicate with students and parents if they see assignments are coming in late.

​Standardized turn-in times: I have asked that all due times be changed to 11:59.59 pm on the date in which assignments are due. This will give our students one uniform time to turn assignments in versus eight different times for their classes.

​Check-ins: ​Please be sure to check-in with teachers if you are having issues, questions, or just to see how they are doing. Trust me, tele-work is hard. Especially if you have kids of your own at home and have to teach classes. Remember, the first line of communication is to the teachers, then APs, then the Principal. Please give our teachers a chance to fix issues, make changes, etc. first, then reach out to admin if you are not getting a response.

The list will continue to grow as we continue to communicate with teachers and students to help calibrate virtual learning expectations. I know this is tough, but we are resilient. Please remain engaged with your teachers and share your experiences. These are loving people who are passionate about their calling to teach and are willing to work with you and our students. We will get through together, with patience and understanding. If anything, I hope this helps us grow as a (virtual) community.

Arts will save the world!

Enjoy this video of the arts actually saving the world: https://youtu.be/SIFbhwJY01E

SAT and ACT Exam Cancellations

The DeKalb County School District (DCSD) has received the following updates from the Georgia Department of Education regarding the scheduled SAT and ACT Exams.

From College Board (SAT):
In response to the rapidly evolving situation around the coronavirus (COVID-19), the May 2, 2020, SAT administration is canceled. Makeup exams for the March 14 administration (scheduled for March 28) are also canceled. Registered students will receive refunds. College Board will provide future additional SAT testing opportunities for students as soon as possible in place of canceled administrations. The June 6, 2020, SAT administration is not yet canceled, and the College Board will continue to assess its status with the health and safety of students and educators as the top priority.

From ACT:
The safety of students and test center staff is ACT’s top priority. ACT has rescheduled its April 4th national test date to June 13th across the United States in response to concerns about the spread of COVID-19. All students registered for the April 4th test date will receive an email from ACT in the next few days informing them of the postponement and instructions for free rescheduling to June 13th or a future national test date.

As DCSD receives additional information, we will forward further updates.

Please continue to follow DeKalb Schools, DSA Instagram, DSA Facebook for updates from DCSD and DSA.

Suspension of State Testing and Accountability Requirements

According to a press release notification received today from the Georgia Department of Education, due to the COVID-19 outbreak and the closure of many public schools, State Superintendent Richard Woods is suspending the following until further notice:
·        State assessment window/administration (including Georgia Milestones End-of-Grade and End-of-Course assessments, the Georgia Alternate Assessment/GAA 2.0, and all other required testing),
·        Teacher and leader evaluation (TKES/LKES) requirements and reporting, and
·        State-level attendance-related consequences (including CCRPI, TKES/LKES, School Climate Star Rating, and make-up day requirements).
Also, at the State Board of Education meeting on March 27 (which will be conducted via teleconference), Superintendent Woods will recommend the approval of a package of waivers, including suspension of the 20% course grade requirement forthe Georgia Milestones End-of-Course assessments.
Due to the ever-evolving situation, the Georgia Department of Education will seek the maximum authority and waivers afforded by the U.S. Department of Education and other federal agencies. The most recent guidance from the U.S. Department of Education regarding assessment and accountability during the COVID-19 outbreak is attached for your review.

Attachment: COVID-19-OESE-FINAL-3.12.20

March SAT Test Administration

Many students were scheduled for the March 14, 2020 SAT Exam at one of our DCSD school sites. All DCSD test sites have been canceled for the March administration. The next available test administration date is May 2, 2020.  Students should be encouraged to register for the May 2, 2020 SAT date as soon as possible to ensure a seat.  If seats are still remaining, the final deadline to register for the May 2^nd test administration is April 3, 2020. 

The following websites will provide parents and students updated information pertaining to the College Board test administration site closings and how to register for the next test administration.

https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/sat/register/test-center-closings

https://pages.collegeboard.org/natural-disasters

 

School Closing – Virtual Learning Assignments

Good day DSA!

Please see the following message from DCSD:

“Teachers will provide students with a virtual learning assignment that is content-specific and relevant beginning March 16, 2020 until further notice. Each assignment will be aligned to the standards and what the students are currently learning. Assignments may involve reading, writing, conducting research, performing mini labs, completing practice problems, taking notes, and/or answering questions. Virtual learning access will be made available to students in grades 1-12 through VERGE. 

Also, parents/guardians may visit the schools to pick up their child’s personal belongings and hard copies of assignments if needed.  The school will be open until 4:00 p.m. today. The school will be open from 8:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. on Monday, March 16, 2020.

Please continue to visit the school district’s website for current information.”

Links:

www.dekalbschoolsga.org

www.facebook.com/dekalbschoolofthearts

www.instagram.com/dekalbschool_arts

School District Closing

Please see the message from DCSD below regarding school closure:

“SCHOOL DISTRICT CLOSING
March 12, 2020
We have been committed to keeping our community updated about the rapidly developing situation with COVID-19. Throughout the process, we have relied on the guidance from the Georgia Department of Public Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, DeKalb County Board of Health, Georgia Department of Education, as well as our state leaders. During today’s 3 p.m. press conference, Gov. Kemp communicated the following, “Given the rise of the coronavirus, I am going to issue a call to action. If local communities feel it is prudent, you should consider closing day cares and schools as early as tomorrow through the next two weeks.”

As a result, Mrs. Ramona Tyson, Interim Superintendent of DeKalb County School District (DCSD), in collaboration with other metro area school districts, will close the school district on Monday, March 16, 2020, until further notice. All employees will continue to be paid and will work remotely from home. Student learning will continue through virtual learning assignments in the VERGE platform.

We are exploring options for providing emergency meal service for students. All district and school sponsored events, activities, meetings, and competitions are cancelled until further notice. It also includes athletics, extracurricular, school events and systemwide events.
More information will be forthcoming to our stakeholders. Please follow the District’s website and social media channels for more information. www.dekalbschoolsga.org”

As always, we will provide updates as we receive them.

Thanks

-GG

COVID-19 Information

As we are all aware, we are currently dealing with a pandemic known as COVID-19, also known as Coronavirus. This particular strain – as we have been told – originated in Wuhan, China and has since spread around the world. As of 4:00 pm on March 11th, the CDC reports that there are 938 confirmed cases in 38 states and the District of Columbia, with 12 confirmed cases in the state of Georgia. There are no confirmed cases in DeKalb County at this time.

We will continue to receive guidance from the School District and local health agencies to not only combat the threat of COVID-19, but also other diseases. At DSA, we are:

• Disinfecting all door handles, push plates, and water fountains before and after school and all class changes.
• Mopping all floors daily and disinfecting desks and tabletops
• Utilizing best practices with general cleanliness and hand washing procedures – school nurse has offered her expertise and has created handwashing instruction sheets for distribution.
• **Currently accepting donations of cleaning supplies, disinfectant sprays and wipes** THANK YOU TO THOSE WHO HAVE ALREADY DONATED AND WILL DONATE!

Thus far, the district has offered the following guidance:

• Travel: out-of-state and international field trips are cancelled until further notice. In state trips will continue and be reviewed on case-by-case basis. New requests will not be approved.
  • Re-entry protocol: have school nurse check students for symptoms. Students showing flu-like symptoms and/or with fever over 100.0 will be sent home and cannot return without doctor’s note.
  • Employee travel: mirrors student travel. In-state travel will be reviewed on case-by-case basis. Those with flu-like symptoms will not be permitted to travel. Re-entry: employees are to inform supervisor if they or anyone in the household is traveling to aforementioned areas and Washington State, New York state, Florida, and California (list is changing and growing) – principals send to Regionals and Core Team.
• Employee attendance: those not reporting due to coronavirus – or any illness – MUST provide written documentation from their healthcare provider (Board Policy GBRI). Must provide documentation saying that it is safe to return to work – do not take their word
• School and district-sponsored events: at this point, no restriction on competitions, gatherings, shows in state. DCSD is working with public health officials to receive guidance. If any further restrictions come down, schools will be immediately notified.

More info will be provided on DeKalb website and the school’s social media pages.

Additional resources:

DeKalb Schools: https://www.dekalbschoolsga.org/news/cdc-guidance-on-coronavirus/

DeKalb Co. Facebook page: www.facebook.com/ItsInDeKalbGa

CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/cases-in-us.html

NASP guidance on talking to children about COVID-19: https://www.nasponline.org/resources-and-publications/resources-and-podcasts/school-climate-safety-and-crisis/health-crisis-resources/talking-to-children-about-covid-19-(coronavirus)-a-parent-resource

Marquee Events – Week of March 9-14

Happening this week at DSA!

Thursday, March 12th

• SPAuction – DSA Cafeteria 5:30-7:30
• Pre-LGPE Concert – First Baptist Avondale Estates 7:30

Friday, March 13th

• NO SCHOOL! Teacher work-day