AAPS Learning Plans, Guidance: Focus will be on connections and engagement

From Ann Arbor Public Schools

First and foremost, teachers will be reaching out the week of March 23rd with a daily, positive morning message from teachers to students.  Continuing the connection between our staff and our students and families is important to us. We know that many of our students will be feeling isolated and disconnected during this time.  We will be carefully monitoring student engagement during the closure and will reach out personally and directly to students as needed. If you have any concerns about the wellbeing of students, please reach your child’s principal who can connect students and families with the necessary resources.

Our teachers have been hard at work this week preparing online classroom spaces for students to connect with their classmates and teachers. Beginning March 23rd, teachers will begin providing both a daily positive message to our students and a learning opportunity focused on review and enrichment.  This will take place through one of three classroom platforms (SeeSaw, Google Classroom or Moodle) and/or email.

On March 20th, this link to access your child’s school directory will be accessible with your teacher’s classroom platform link and email.  We know that families are likely inundated with communication and we are working to streamline and coordinate to mitigate this.  Thank you for your patience.

It is important for our community to understand that we have an obligation to ensure that each and every student has full access to each learning opportunity prior to providing any form of forward instruction. This will take time and many questions regarding the provision of educational services will need to be answered.   We also understand the impact of this pandemic on our working families and loved ones facing medical challenges. For these reasons and many more, we will remain focused on continuous, daily online connections as our first priority. There is no requirement for posted learning activities to be turned in and our teachers will not be recording any grades during this time.

Technology Device Distribution

Over the past several days, we have been surveying students and families about access to a device and Internet connection. Parents and guardians who have requested a device through our surveys are invited to pick up a device at their child’s school according to the schedule linked here.   If you are unable to pick up the device at your scheduled time, we will provide additional options for you at a later date.  Any families with transportation or health concerns that prevent them from picking up a device should reach out to 734-997-1222 to arrange for an alternative method.

When picking up a device, please help us to keep everyone around you safe by following these simple steps:

• Do not come if you have health concerns, exhibit symptoms or have been in contact with someone exhibiting symptoms.  This mass closure is intended to slow the spread of COVID-19.
• Stay in your car.  A volunteer will deliver the device, power cord and acknowledgment form to you in your car.
• Give the volunteer your name and your child’s name.
• If at all possible, we want to avoid handing off.  Consider popping your trunk or allowing volunteers to place tech in a back seat to avoid touching.

A parent/guardian does not need to be present to pick up a device, although it is highly recommended.  We will support families as needed.