March: We're going to do an extended spring break, your show won't be impacted but just kidding, we're not reopening so your show is impacted and in fact we are going to shut down everything, no prom, no graduation, come get anything that might die if you leave it here, like a plant or a fish, and you'll finish the semester on google classsroom, hopefully you already have that set up but if you don't, do it and you can use google meet for class do you know how to make a link? if not you can use chat or just post in classroom it will be fine by the way there are no grades, we mean there are grades but they won't matter, whatever they had when we shut down will be their final grade if they don't turn anything else in we are now living in "no harm grading" which really means no grading and also means the seniors are going to bail on classes but good look try to do something interesting to engage them and get them excited about coming to virtual class where the grades don't matter it's like Whose LIne Is It Anyway? where the points don't matter, hahaa just make sure you click into the meet or the chat or whatever you use so you are present every day in case a studnt shows up.
June: If you're tired of being home we need help schlepping the kids' stuff out of the lockers the custodians cleaned everything out and put it in the theatre, come down to the building and kids will drive by and return their text books we hope they'll slow down first and not chuck them out the door and we'll throw their backpack into the car as they pass wear a mask and here are a thousand google classroom classes you can take for free from the district and they count toward your license renewal but you do not need to learn all of it don't worry if you can only figure out google meet then use that you don't need all of this stuff but we are offering free classes so you can use it if you'd like to but you do not have to and the district is dropping google meet links into your classrooms for the fall because the plan is go hybrid at least possibly open we'll see.
July:Okay, we are not opening hybrid we're staying remote we'll go hybrid in October or maybe in September and here are some more google classes but don't feel like you have to take them or use any of it it's just there for you and here is the new schedule instead of quarters we're going to sessions so you will have to teach a semester in 20 days, meeting with two classes three hours a day for 20 days each and grades matter again but here is a thousand hours of SEL training to explain how to be human and kind and build relationships with students but no ideas as to how to do that online and also good luck teaching a single class for three hours online four days a week because Fridays are A synchronous and Monday through Thursday are synchronous and you're going to hear those words so much that memes of Samuel Jackson threatening people who utter them will flood social media by August but don't panic but you have to know this technology but you don't have to use it but you need to be aware of the social emotional well being of your students and connect with them but we don't know how you're supposed to make them turn on their camera but you'll figure it out besides we'll probably be hybrid in September except for electives which means gym and performing arts and computer tech and art but you guys are fine online, right, this is temporary we'll be back by October except for electives which we've now decided are remote all year but don't panic all these google classroom classes have interactive elements that will engage your students who signed up to play tuba in band but instead are on their computer for three hours without an instrument but Pear Deck will engage them.
August: Allrighty then here we go we are fully remote we've handed out Chrome Books to all of our students and you can teach from home it'll be great, we'll be back in the building in some kind of hybrid arrangement by Sept or October at least, except electives who are online all year and some sports are practicing because they're outside and choir and theatre can be outside of you get your CPR card and coach training because performing arts are dangerous if you move to the field and you can't be off school property because then it's on you if someone gets sick because you have forced breath and you can't be inside even though other performing arts teachers in other buildings and districts have purchased massive air purifiers that make their rooms safe and even managed to follow protocol and rehearse but you can't unless you want to do it outside and get your CPR card and do some coach training and don't forget to be engaging and get kids to turn on their cameras and excited about coming to school Pear Deck is everything and remember you have class for three hours and if you have two classes you have a two hour break between them so that's nice you'll have time to plan adn cry and smoke and eat lunch and follow up with attendance daily there are two attendence forms you need to report anyone who has missed more than three classes as well as daiily attendance and there's a form for you to fill out if you think a student is suffering emotionally and don't force them to turn on their cameras but they should turn on their cameras but SEL training says you shouldn't force them to do anything but their grades count and they should log on to A Synch Fridays and do that work and you have to report attendance by 3 pm on A Synch Fridays even though you aren't in class and class is supposed to last until 3.30 in fact get your attendance in every day by 3 and a kid is present even if they click on for five seconds and then off or if they log on but do not engage at all they're still counted present and grades count so make sure you are assigning work and checking in on their mental health and reporting any issues with their behavior and remember to take care of your own mental health and look at your google calendar so you do not miss staff meetings or IEP meetings or PLT and Department meetings and additional meetings about meetings and attendance is due by 3 even though class ends at 3.30 there's a form for students who log in after 3 pm but should still be counted present but weren't by the time attendance was due at 3pm also Pear Deck is a great way to engage students and check in with their social emotional well being and remember to take care of your mental health.
Sept:Okay, so even though you are remote we want you to come teach from the building admin are there and secretaries are there and sped and ELL students are there and sped and ELL teachers and Peras are there and custodians are there even though the building is closed so come teach from there but do not interact with one another follow protocol and social distance and wear a mask if you aren't in your room but sports are practicing and playing games and taking buses but the lockerrooms are closed and the weight room is closed go sports ball and we know you're trying to engage your students have you tried Pear Deck and remember to take care of your own mental health.
October:So there's a Covid outbreak in the building you still have to come in and teach from here follow protocol and make sure you attend all Friday meetings virtually and load A Synch work and Pear Deck is a great way to engage students we know they aren't turning on their cameras try to be more engaging and report the three day absences in the document and be attentive to their social and emotional health and give them work grades count now we know they didn't before and the kids are confused and we also know changing from a quarter system to sessions and online were difficult for them but if you're enaging they will turn on their cameras and they will not be confused wait the city is having a spike so we're going to go ahead and close all the schools again you don't have to teach from here any more go home until after Thanksgiving we're not going hybrid but after Thanksgiving we might so stay tuned and take care of your mental health.
November: We are remote through the end of the semester, which is not a "semester" but "session 4" and the building is closed, closed, not "closed" we sent the sped and ELL students home and the secretaries are working from home when their internet works turns out the wifi is crappy for students and adults who knew oh just kidding we know you knew which is why we said come in the building even though we lost wifi for a day that was pretty annoying but everyone just go teach from home and also students can make up work from past sessions so even though you have not seen them since September if they turn something in that was due in August you have to give them credit but you can't chang the grade it has to go through the registar whose wifi at home is sketchy and make sure you take care of your mental health.
December: Happy Break, take care of yourselves and your families but get your grades in which we know is jacked because the system only acknowledges two quarters and we're in four sessions so do it right you keep doing it wrong but we are showing grace and it's fine but really this is the fourth time try to do it right and by the way we're going hybrid in January when we return and what we called "Sessions 1-4" are repeating starting in January but we're calling it "Sessions 5-8" which is not confusing at alll but turn in your grades OK and take care of your mental health over the break and also is anyone willing to work over the break and give students another chance to turn in to their work?
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