October 29, 2020 RCSD Educator Blog
Thank you for your work as we come to the close of the first trimester. Be sure to snap a photo of your class or classes, because this will be quite the story twenty years from now!
As I shared previously, I read a book called Burnout, which discusses the difference between stress and stressors. A section resonated with me this week as the district office and site office staff have returned to full capacity. I share the section because going from working with control of my home, children, and world brought me comfort during this unprecedented time to back to my workspace at the district office has raised my anxiety. I must set new routines that include shutting my door that has previously always been open. Now I am wearing my mask and not forgetting to move it to sip coffee and staying back from others that I would typically want to be near and lean into their conversations. With moving into more stimulation and new stressors, I have to remember to check-in with my feelings, take time to appreciate seeing valued colleagues again, and take time at night to get enough sleep. And, every morning, reflect on yesterday's successes and plan strategies for the new day. I do not want to be stuck, but I want my actions to be safe and productive.
― Emily Nagoski, Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle
We must use technology to engage as adults even when we are working together on campus. Substitute teachers will be needed if a teacher is not on campus, and all districts in Placer County have had a decrease in their substitute pools. If four third-grade teachers meet together in a PLC, even if socially distanced with a mask on, and one of the teachers is confirmed positive in the following days with COVID, all of the teachers in the PLC will be sent home to quarantine as well as the class of the positive teacher. This will take an entire third-grade teaching team out for at least two weeks and take three substitute teachers out of the pool to be with their children at school while the teachers are at home. Again, we can all Zoom, and meeting in-person is unnecessary at this time.
If a group of teachers wants to meet in-person in a PLC, we ask that you go outside, sit at last six feet apart at minimum, and wear your masks at all times.
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Trimester 1 Report Cards
A reminder report cards will be sent home by the District tomorrow 10/30. Teachers you do not need to send anything, the PDF will come through Swift sent by DO staff.
Once again here are samples of what the report cards will look like:
If for some reason you needed to update a report card after the cutoff date (Noon on 10/29), it will not run in the email that will go home to everyone. Please email the person that is responsible for your site and they will rerun the report card and send you the PDF. You can then email that PDF to the families.
If you need to update grades after a student is removed from your class (example student moving to Champions, these changes start on 10/31) you would need to add them back to your class, update the grades, then email the Ed Services team member responsible for your site to have them rerun the report.
Joe Clark- All Middle Schools
Megan Spears- Orchard Ranch, Spanger, Fiddy, Junction, Thomas Jefferson
Brandon Blom- Sargeant, Diamond Creek, Crestmont, TK
Jennie Ruvalcalba- Kaseberg, Woodbridge, Blue Oaks, Stoneridge
Julie Murdaugh- Cirby, Brown, Riego Creek, Gates
Otus
The plan is for information to be released from PowerSchool to Clever which feeds into Otus on Friday afternoon and then have the system sync Saturday morning. That means teachers should be able to see their classes and students Saturday morning.
If your class section is staying the same with new students:
Bookshelf: The Bookshelf resources are already shared with that class
Class Board: New students are able to see previous Class Board posts
Assessments: If you have an assessment that was assigned to students who were in your class Trimester 1 and you want the same assessment to be assigned to any new students, you would need to manage assignees in order to assign to those new students. Here is a link to an article with step-by-step instructions about how to manage assignees of an assessment:
Lessons: If you have a Lesson that was assigned to students who were in your class Trimester 1 and you want the same Lesson to be assigned to any new students, you would need to manage assignees in order to assign to those new students. Here is a link to an article with step-by-step instructions about how to manage assignees of a lesson.
If your class section is staying the same with no new students:
All information will be there.
Students removed from your class:
These students will not have access to your class anymore but would still have access to any items shared with them to their Bookshelf
Champions or if your class section is changing (there is no way for us to know if a class section changed, the staff member at the site did scheduling would be able to tell you if your sections changed or stayed the same):
Bookshelf: You will need to assign your bookshelf items with your new class. A reminder that creating a folder and sharing that folder is an effective way to share with your class.
Class Board: You will need to post new Class Board announcements.
Assessments: Any assessment you created will be in drafts and you would just need to reassign
Lessons: Any lesson you created will be in drafts and you would just need to reassign
Edit a Lesson in Otus
Technology Update
As the District transitions to in-person instruction for some students, we thought it would be helpful to share the following updates around student access to technology:
Middle School Chromebook Information
Middle School students will be expected to bring either a Chromebook or laptop to and from school with them each day.
The Student Mobile Device loaner program will remain optional. Students that wish to use their own device, must complete the District’s Bring-Your-Own Device Policy agreement prior to the first day of in-person instruction, and return the completed agreement to their school site.
Students should be reminded to ensure devices are fully charged and ready for use, and bring their charger with them.
Elementary Chromebook Information
Elementary School students returning to in-person instruction will be asked to return the device issued to them to their home school between November 2nd - November 6th. Principals will be communicating with staff and families what this plan looks like. When students return devices it is important staff puts a sticky note with the students name on the device so we know who that device belongs to.
To support CAASPP, 3rd through 5th grade will remain one-to-one with devices remaining on campus.
The District is currently working with each site to identify available inventory to see if the District can support one-to-one Preschool through 2nd grade.
Please plan your lessons around not having access to technology in the first few weeks students return, as we collect inventory and re-wire charging stations.
Re-wiring Chromebook Charging Stations and Carts
As devices and chargers are returned Technology Services will begin rewiring Chromebook charging stations and carts to ensure each classroom has a secure option to charge devices nightly.
Technology Services is unable to do this ahead of devices being returned, due to the chargers being issued with the devices.
Please understand this will take some time to complete, and feel free to use the available surge protectors within your classroom to charge Chromebooks as needed.
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