Hello Bishop Families!

On Wednesday, Superintendent Dr. Kathleen Bodie sent out a letter explaining that
the district is transitioning from a remote learning model that emphasizes enrichment,
review, and deeper learning, to a model that emphasizes new content based on
updated essential learning standards from the MA Department of Education.

Going forward, many of the aspects of remote learning will stay the same, and also,
you will notice some changes. We will continue to ask students to check their Google
Classrooms daily to review expectations from their teachers. We will continue to use
live interactions to maintain a sense of connection and community with students, and
answer questions they may have about weekly expectations from their teachers. We
will continue to use a range of media (recorded video from teachers, Google slides,
voice and text, approved web resources) to support home instruction for families who
need flexibility with their schedule.

We have also made some changes in how we are organizing remote learning based on
feedback from our community and staff.

First, activities for the week will be shared on Sunday night in the form of a “Weekly
Work Grid”. These grids give families a sense of expected activities across the week.
We will also be adding recommended time requirements that will better support
families in organizing a 3 hour engaged learning day, which we are still
recommending to the extent possible. Teachers will be adding more assignments that
students will be asked to turn in work, in all grades. These assignments will help
teachers monitor students progress.

As an example, here is a sample “Weekly Work Grid” for mathematics for a second
grader. Notice the recommended time and focus for each day. Also, live links to
asynchronous resources that will support the introduction of new material, as well as
optional enrichment.

FOCUS FOR
WEEK Review Videos How to
play
-Addition -Comparison Capture
Fluency Within and Addition 5 (video) OR go back and work
100 (video) Problems on anything you didn’t
Assigned lessons get to finish earlier in
will have a blue the week, including the
 seal. Complete by -Comparing 3 optional enrichment
WORKBOOK the end of the Digit Play below
PAGES week. Numbers Capture 5
Online
-Adding Tens
and Ones
Paper &
-Adding On in Pencil OR
Parts
Unit 5 Packet

Paper &
Pencil

Capture 5
Problems

Equations
for Capture
5
• More Dreambox ;)!
• Fact practice online with Factor Pairs
• Elevenses Problem

Q&A

We wanted to answer the following questions that have come up

from families/students:

1.) When will students receive their assignments for the week?

Students and families will receive weekly Work Grids and assignments on Sundays in
their Google Classrooms.

2.) How can my student get help with an assignment if they need it?

Each teacher will have two days that they offer office hours. During this time teachers
will be available by either email, phone, or a Google Hangout for instant feedback.
Office hours will be communicated to you by your classroom teacher.

3.) If my child does not participate, are there negative consequences?

No. Of course we highly encourage all students to participate. However, there are
students who are struggling with remote learning due to computer access, increased
anxiety, and family challenges. Each family must make the decision of how much their
child will participate during remote learning based on what is in the best interest of
their child. We are fully aware that remediation and reteaching will be required once
school is back in session.

4.) Will teachers be having live classes?

We are continuing to encourage our teachers to use asynchronous resources when

presenting new content to their students. Overwhelmingly, families have stressed a
need for flexibility in schedule. We have also heard from families that
synchronous(live) instruction is difficult for households that have shared devices,
limited bandwidth, and scheduling obstacles related to work lives. Also, the
Department of Education is continuing to encourage districts to use an asynchronous
approach to offset opportunity and equity gaps present in our communities. Teachers
will continue to offer live Google Hangouts for their students, but this will not be the
primary way that we are teaching new material.

5.) When can I pick up my child’s medicine from the nurse’s office?

Please contact me or Nurse Martin and we will figure out a plan for you to pick up
medicine.

6.) When can my child pick up their belongings left in school?

After the COVID-19 surge in Massachusetts has subsided, I will communicate with
families about a plan for distributing belongings.

7.) How are the teachers doing?

Right now, the staff has a lot of the same feelings that are being reported by families
and students - increased anxiety, cabin fever, new family dynamics, etc. Also like
many families and students - THEY MISS SCHOOL!!!.

You will be receiving classroom specific communication from your teacher in the near
future. Within the classroom communication, teachers will provide Office Hour days
and times, along with Hangout times.

Finally, this next week and the weeks to come, will be much different as it relates to
moving the curriculum forward, student engagement expectations, assigned lessons,
AND, this new plan will lend itself to flexibility for families, introducing new content,
and improved structures.
It will take a couple of weeks to adjust to this next phase, however, I’m confident that
we will come out of this stronger than we are now!

I appreciate you and am proud to be a member of this incredible Bishop community.

My Best

Mark