Source: Santa Barbara Unified School District
Welcome back message Spanish/EnglishDear Families of SB Unified:
We extend our heartfelt care and concern to you as we navigate this global crisis together. We can announce that SBUnified schools will remain closed through Friday, May 1. Based on that decision, and in the face of unprecedented constraints, we as educators have the opportunity to provide our children and young adults with experiences that connect them to the world beyond themselves. We can comfort young people through new routines and a continuing sense of community, and we can challenge them to grow academically even as they learn from home. Thank you for your patience during Phase I, our initial week of school closure, from March 16-20. During this time we found new ways to continue serving meals to students, aggressively pursued the expansion of our already robust technology infrastructure, and made interim learning and social-emotional support resources available to families. Teachers worked to submit report card grades and participated in training in order to prepare to facilitate remote learning, even as we collaboratively generated a comprehensive plan to support remote learning after Spring Break.
As we launch remote learning during Phase II, March 30-April 3, we also ready ourselves to sustain our efforts for as long as is required.
Monday, March 30 and Tuesday, March 31 will function as Teacher Work Days during which teachers will collaborate remotely in Professional Learning Communities to prepare lessons and instruction. Wednesday, April 1 will function as our first day of a new kind of school. Teachers will begin to interact with students to create new understandings of routines and procedures and may begin to assign academic work. We will communicate procedures for collecting any necessary items from school, such as devices, instruments, or personal items, next week.
For secondary schools, we will be following a weekly schedule of classes that is wholly different from our traditional schedules. To inform your planning, please review this Secondary Remote Learning Master Schedule and Guidelines. High school teachers of college-level courses (AP/IB/Dual Enrollment) may resume instruction beginning March 30 so long as they adhere to new norms to ensure access and appropriate pacing.
For elementary schools, students and families will receive printed learning resources through the mail. These materials will serve as a bridge until more personalized instruction is available from your child’s teacher. These resources will also be added to the Learning At Home website that our district has created. We anticipate the continued use of print resources, as determined by age-group and overall need, as part of our blended learning approach. We are also actively working on plans to provide devices to students in preschool through second grade. To inform your planning, your child’s school will release a schedule and guidelines document this coming week of March 30th.
We deeply appreciate the attitude and efforts of our staff, who are committed to using technology, as well as other available resources, to maintain positive connections to students and to optimize learning. At the same time, we want to advise families of the reality that many teachers will encounter limitations as they balance the facilitation of remote learning with the need to attend to varying personal circumstances. Our teachers, administrators, and staff will continue to be available to all students and families via phone, email, and other technology platforms when applicable. We are prepared to provide specific additional support for students who may need them. Students with IEPs will continue to be supported by their case managers and service providers. During the week of March, 30 families of students with IEPs can expect to be contacted personally by those who work directly with your child to share what you can expect from remote learning and how it will address the IEP. Students served by a 504 plan will receive their accommodations through remote learning to the greatest extent possible.
We recognize that many questions remain about the future of our academic and co-curricular programming. We will increasingly turn our attention to these important pending matters in Phase III, beginning April 6th, and we will provide information as we have it. In the meantime, we ask that you direct any questions about our remote learning plan to your student’s teachers and administrators. Thank you again for your support and partnership; it’s more valuable than ever.
Sincerely,
Raul Ramirez, Assistant Superintendent of Elementary Instruction
Shawn Carey, Assistant Superintendent of Secondary Instruction
Details and Information / Detalles e Información
Remote learning starts this Wednesday, April 1: families were sent messages about this from their principals as well as from the district.
Secondary Schools- Secondary Remote Learning Master Schedule and Guidelines
Teachers will be reaching out to students with expectations and support around remote learning.
Students MUST check email to be sure they are responding to their teachers.
Elementary-
Elementary students will be receiving paper homework packets this week. If families have questions, please contact your student(s)’ school or teacher.
Free meals (breakfast and lunch) are being offered to all SBUnified students ages 18 and under during school closure. Both meals are being served at the same time – 11:30-1:00 pm – at the following Grab n Go sites.
WiFI/IPADs/Communications via ParentSquare:
WiFi: We are offering assistance to our families who need WiFi to access online learning. Call 805-696-2700 for support in Spanish/English.
IPads: We have iPads for every 3rd-12th grade student and are working to get all PK-2 students one as well. If a student’s iPad is broken or lost, we can supply you with a new one. Call 805-696-2700 for support in Spanish/English.
ParentSquare: We communicate with our families in both English and Spanish through Parentsquare. If a parent has any trouble with this, they can also give us a call at the hotline number.
Our Technology Department is prepared to offer telephonic assistance during this time. If we cannot answer, please leave us a voice message, and we’ll contact you as soon as possible. Our team can also offer assistance in Spanish.
Student mental health: If a child is experiencing anxiety or extreme sadness, please contact their school counselor or principal for assistance.
Aprendizaje a distancia comienza este miércoles 1 de abril: Se enviaron mensajes a las familias acerca de esto, tanto por conducto de los directores, como por parte del Distrito
Los maestros comenzarán a interactuar con los estudiantes para crear nuevos entendimientos de rutinas y procedimientos y podrán comenzar a asignar los trabajos académicos.
Escuelas secundarias:
Para ver el itinerario de escuelas secundarias por favor repase el Horario general y directrices para el aprendizaje a distancia de las secundarias y preparatorias
Los maestros se pondrán en contacto con los estudiantes para informarles de las las expectativas de aprendizaje a distancia.
Los estudiantes deben revisar su correo electrónico y asegurarse de responder los correos de sus maestro(a)s.
Escuelas primarias: Los estudiantes de primaria recibirán sus paquetes de tarea esta semana. Si las familias tienen preguntas, por favor contacten al maestro(a) o escuela de su estudiante.
Comida gratuita (desayuno y almuerzo) se ofrecen a todos los estudiantes del distrito SB Unified menores de 18 años de edad, durante la clausura de las escuelas. Ambas comidas se sirven al mismo tiempo – 11:30AM – 1:00PM – en los siguientes lugares.
WiFi, IPads, Comunicaciones via ParentSquare:
WiFi: Estamos ofreciendo apoyo a nuestras familias que necesitan WiFi, de manera que los estudiantes puedan acceder al aprendizaje en línea. Llame al 805-696-2700 para obtener ayuda en español/inglés. Encuentre aquí un volante con información acerca del programa Connect to Compete.
IPads: Tenemos iPads para cada estudiante de grados 3-12 y estamos trabajando para también obtenerlos para los estudiantes de grados PK-2. Si el iPad de algún estudiante se descompone o pierde, podemos ayudarlos a conseguir uno nuevo. Llame al 805-696-2700 para obtener ayuda en español/inglés.
Parentsquare: Nos comunicamos con nuestras familias tanto en inglés como en español a través de Parentsquare. Si un padre/madre tiene problemas con esta aplicación, nos puede llamar a nuestra línea telefónica de ayuda.
Nuestro Departamento de Tecnología está preparado para ofrecer apoyo telefónico durante estos momentos. Si no podemos responder inmediatamente su llamada, por favor deje un correo de voz, y nos pondremos en contacto con usted a la brevedad posible. Nuestro equipo está disponible para ofrecer apoyo en español.
Salud mental del estudiante: Si un estudiante se siente ansiosa o deprimida, por favor, conectarse con su consejera o directora de su escuela.