​Olathe North Families, 

 I wanted to take some time and share some items around the online and remote learning for our students as we approach the start of school.  First, it is important to know that our staff has been working tirelessly to plan for best start of school we can in the remote/online learning environment. We know that no matter the format we miss our students and cannot wait to see them, laugh with them, and get them going again on their academic journey.
 We also know that we cannot simply have them be in front of a computer screen for 90 minutes 4 classes a day.  We must continue to be creative and engaging in our approaches so that the students continue to be engaged and excited about what they are learning.  With that in mind we wanted to share just some examples of what you can expect from this format as we start school next week.  Please keep in mind the computer may be on for the 90 minute class so that the instructor is available, but our students can still do things in a non-screen format as we progress through the opening of school. 
 Some things that our teachers are currently working on to incorporate are things like:

• Live, Zoom mini-lessons for a portion of the hour and/or paired with another activity.
• Create informal, pre-recorded videos with direct instruction for a portion of the hour, along with independent work time.
• Offer information you might have provided during a lecture through various formats:  links to articles, infographics, and videos.
• Create a lesson which allows students to change activities frequently.
• Use tech tools to create engagement and low-stakes practice opportunities.
• Nearpod
• Quizlet
• Padlet
• Kahoot
• And many more… 

Regardless of the activities and tools used, teachers will be instructing on Zoom with students for roughly 40-60 minutes or less each class period; students can then choose to minimize Zoom to work on assigned activities independently when directed.  The structure may change per teacher, so it will be important for students to self-monitor so they can be back on Zoom for their next class period or activity.  Below are two possible examples: 

• Example 1: Students may begin a class in Zoom with 30 minutes of teacher-lead instruction/activity, minimize Zoom for 40 minutes to work independently, and then return to their zoom class with the teacher for the last 20 minutes for a closure activity.
• Example 2: Students may be on Zoom with the teacher for 45-60 minutes and then minimize Zoom for the remainder of the class to work independently.  

 Of course anytime you have questions or concerns please do not hesitate to contact your student’s teacher. Clear communication will be more vital than ever in ensuring student success.  Ultimately the classroom format may have changed for right now but our passion for a quality engaging education has not. I will continue to send information and that will be helpful to understand Zoom and Synergy.  Please let me know if you have any questions.

Jason Herman 
Principal 
​Olathe North High School 

ON Families,  As we kick the school year off I wanted to give you a few tips that may help you at home as we start System On-line Learning and Remote Learning.  We will see you next week. 

Below you will see the Olathe North bell schedules and Block schedule.  "Green" schedule is the full in-person schedule.  "Yellow" is the Hybrid Schedule.  "Red" is the Remote/School Wide Online Schedule.  The last document is the A/B block schedule for the month of September..  

Just a reminder if you are in need of a home internet mobile hot spot the school district has them available to use.  Simply fill out the application here.  More information on the flyer below.

​https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=f8IlL4QKYEmIamhcur6jq34hANJ-BohBovjW7YTdLPJUQ1NCWk1CTEtCTlU0SFpLWUZJQU5VVjVTSy4u

Dear Olathe middle school and high school parents,

We wanted to make sure to answer additional questions we have received from parents. We will continue to communicate regularly in the coming days and weeks to make sure our families are prepared for the coming school year. You will also receive additional information and details from your child’s principal and later their teacher. Communication and details for families who chose remote learning at registration will be coming in a separate message.
As we have mentioned in the past, Systemwide Online and Remote Learning will be vastly different than the Continuous Learning Plan of last spring. Students will receive more direct instruction, greater accountability with daily interactions with staff, required attendance, assignments, feedback and grades. Students will also be able to participate in small group work and independent projects.
Due to the challenges involving the development of two master schedules; one for in-person and one for remote, student enrollment, and to ensure accuracy, student schedules will be released on September 4.  

Learning Options:

Systemwide Online Learning
Students that selected in-person learning at enrollment will participate in our systemwide online learning environment until we transition to in-person learning.  While on the systemwide online learning, students will participate in instruction in a seven-hour day at the middle school level and a block schedule at the high school level, as they would for in-person learning. Students that chose the in-person option will move fluidly between learning environments depending on the gating criteria. Teachers will utilize the learning management system in Synergy (ParentVue/StudentVue) as well as district adopted resources to master priority standards. Students must maintain a daily learning log documenting 360 minutes of daily learning activity. This daily learning may include time for direct instruction, group work, individual practice, and project-based learning. 

Remote learning
Students that selected remote learning at enrollment will learn through an online learning environment.  While learning through a remote environment, students will participate in instruction in a seven-hour day at the middle school level and a block schedule at the high school level, as they would if in-person learning. Students will receive direct instruction from their teachers. Teachers will utilize the learning management system in Synergy (ParentVue/StudentVue) as well as district adopted resources to master priority standards. Students must maintain a remote learning daily log documenting 360 minutes of daily learning activity. This daily learning may include time for direct instruction, group work, individual practice, and project-based learning.   Students selecting remote learning will remain with this option until the end of the first semester. Those students that selected remote learning at enrollment will be receiving a separate communication from the online learning administrator that includes the schedule, attendance, grades, and other information specific to the remote learning environment in the coming days.

Daily Learning Logs
As we continue to plan for this year, please know that we will also be communicating our plans for student logs. This is a requirement for all students who are learning from home to account for our learning time with the Kansas State Department of Education. This will be sent prior to the first day of school.

System-wide Online Learning schedule for high school:



​

Teachers will communicate when they are available to support students and answer questions outside of regularly schedule class time
 
Attendance

• Attendance is required and monitored by the classroom teacher.
• Entered in Synergy daily
• Students will need to be engaged in learning and families will be asked to fill out a digital time log of student learning.
• Offline work logged daily and signed by parents

Grades/Assignments 

• All lessons, assignments, calendars and grades available on Synergy
• If your child needs help with a concept/assignment, contact your child’s teacher via email and they will respond.

​Instruction
A variety of learning strategies will be provided for personalized learning. Teachers will deliver a combination of live instruction, group work, project-based work, independent work, and opportunities for guided practice. Opportunities for students to receive assistance from their teachers will also be provided.

Access for the First Day of Class (September 8)
Students will receive an email from their teachers on September 4 via their school email address.  The email from their teachers will provide a link and directions on how to join classes on the first day of school.

Materials
Communication regarding any materials including textbooks, novels, etc. needed for instruction will be sent from your child’s building principal.

Technology Support
 If your child is having problems with their school issued device, you may contact the technology help desk via email at helpdesk@olatheschools.org or via phone at 913-780-8058.
If you do not have internet at home, our district has a number of mobile “hot spot” internet devices that will be checked out to families who do not have internet access at home. Please contact your student’s building if you have a need for a mobile “hot spot.”

Special Services
Students with exceptionalities will have equal access to the learning environment that coincides with their academic grade. Specific decisions for students with an Individual Education Plan (IEP) will need to be made by their IEP Team in the rare event that a student needs to have additional consideration based on their inability to make progress in the hybrid or remote learning environment. Case managers would serve as the direct contact for further inquiries.

Food Services
 Students who are receiving remote instruction while the District is operating under any learning environment will have carryout meals available for pick up at their home school.  The MyPaymentsPlus.com site with available mobile app will be available to pre-order these meals.  More information about this program will be available on Food Services' website on August 26.
 
Gating Criteria
The Olathe Board of Education voted to follow the Johnson County gating criteria, which provides operating procedure for when schools operate in-person, under hybrid procedures or in a remote learning format. More information regarding the gating criteria can be found here: https://www.jocogov.org/school-reopening-criteria.
Olathe Public Schools remains committed to a path that returns our students to in-person learning as soon as it is safe to do so. When we are able to transition to an in-person learning environment, more information on temperature checks, mask guidelines, general nursing information on COVID 19, and general school operations for in-person learning will be communicated. Please know that regardless of how or where we teach our students we are committed to doing our best to ensure they receive the high-quality education they deserve.

​Additional information will be sent to families in the coming days and weeks. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Remote Learning Parents/Guardians:
Thank you for your patience as we have continued to plan for your student’s success during this upcoming semester. You are receiving this communication because you selected remote learning for your student(s) during registration/enrollment for the first semester of the 2020-2021 school year. The following communication is intended to give you basics about how our programming will work. Please know, additional information will be coming from your child’s teacher and building level administrator.
As we continue to plan for this year, please know that we will also be communicating our plans for student logs. This is a requirement for all students who are learning from home to account for our learning time with the Kansas State Department of Education. This will be sent prior to the first day of school.
Students with exceptionalities will have equal access to the learning model that coincides with their academic grade.  Specific decisions for students with an Individual Education Plan (IEP) will need to be made by their IEP Team. In the rare event that a student needs to have additional consideration based on their inability to make progress in the remote learning model, case managers would serve as the direct contact for further inquiries.
Schools will be sharing information about device distribution for remote learning if they have not done so already.
With high school, the focus has been on making sure that students have access to all core content classes and a wide variety of electives. Also, making every effort to support Advanced Placement course offerings, honors course offerings, opportunities related to 21st Century Academies, continuation of fine arts, and experiences with Career and Technical Education. In addition, focus has been placed on graduation requirements, GPA opportunities, and NCAA eligibility requirements.
While all electives are not able to be offered, there is a wide variety that will be available to our students. For elective courses, there will be some live courses with direct instruction, some that will utilize prerecorded lessons or learning activities, and some, on a limited basis, that will utilize our online learning platform, Edgenuity. Edgenuity provides instruction through pre-built courses, but is monitored by a certified staff member. A few elective offerings are still being analyzed and will be communicated in the coming days as schools complete their work with student schedules.    
 
​Teachers will communicate when they are available to support students and answer questions outside of regularly schedule class time
 
Please know that regardless of how or where we teach our students we are committed to doing our best to ensure they receive the high-quality education they deserve.