In the event of an untimely emergency closing (pandemic lockdown, weather related emergency, etc.) St. Thomas the Apostle School will follow the below: 

Goal of the Plan

St. Thomas the Apostle School has identified the following goals relative to its Continuity of Education Plan:

Communicate guidance and expectations for faculty, staff, students, and parents in using the Remote Learning Model

Effectively deliver education using a fluid (synchronized) or asynchronous format.

Provide optional opportunities for students to engage with the faculty and staff in synchronous meetings. 

Recognize that this model of instructional delivery is new for some and be patient and understanding as faculty, staff, and students develop agency.

Each faculty member will make a strong effort to deliver the curriculum in the most effective manner.

Ensure that students are provided with the appropriate devices, tools, and background information to complete assignments. 

OVERVIEW OF THE PLAN:

St. Thomas the Apostle School remains sensitive to the evolving faculty, staff, and family situations in our community as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, weather emergency, or other unforeseen events, and seeks to provide an educational experience for our students, faculty, and staff that furthers continuity of instruction while being understanding and flexible in nature. 

Faculty will continue to deliver instruction in a synchronized format via the Google Classroom Platform. By 8:30 am each morning, instruction will begin via Google Meet or Zoom dependent upon the notification from the educator. Each class will run for the duration of 50 minutes as slated in the regular schedule (unless otherwise noted)

Asynchronous learning: In the event of the inability of the educator and class to go into a live (synchronized format) asynchronous learning will take place. As of 8:30 am, instruction, which can include lessons, assignments, projects, assessments, activities, etc., will be delivered to students.  Students will then have flexibility throughout the course of the day to use periods of time that are conducive to them to complete the instruction. This approach understands that a student may have a myriad of other educational and personal demands on their time throughout a day.  

Faculty, as they design the learning experience for students, will provide the appropriate amount of instruction, guided and/or independent activities, and types and frequency of assessments.  Each faculty member will make a concerted effort to deliver the curriculum as it is intended, understanding that it may not be possible to get as detailed as would take place in the physical classroom setting.

Instruction will be announced as either synchronous or an asynchronous format.  Students are expected to fully participate in the planned instruction provided by their teachers and will be assessed accordingly.  

Students are considered present at school each day unless an absence excuse email is submitted by the parent by 8:00 am on the day(s) in which the student will not be able to participate in the instruction. This email must be sent to the school office email at staoffice@staschoolnj.org.  Make-up of student work as a result of an excused absence will be consistent with school policy. 

Student Expectations

Students are expected to participate in learning every weekday.  In accordance with Planned Instruction and in order to receive grades and credit, students must attend regularly and complete the course requirements.

General expectations for students include:

• Logging into Google classroom first thing in the morning to check postings for the day
• Logging  to any live Zoom or Google Meet sessions and actively participating in the lessons
• Communicating with every teacher for plans/routines
• Following learning schedules, daily/weekly routines
• Engaging in critical thinking and knowledge sharing discussions among classmates
• Completing assignments, assessments, interactive partner/group projects

The school will act on planned instructional strategies. Planned instructional strategies are instructional strategies similar to a regular classroom setting and provide the most beneficial learning experience for their students. Teachers will use planned courses of instruction of new concepts/skills aligned to grade level standards. In addition, teachers will incorporate a variety of instructional strategies that embody differentiated instruction to enhance engagement and increase motivation in learning for students. Students will be assessed on their learning by their teacher. Any modifications, accommodations or areas of improvement needed will be indicated through assessment. The teacher will make adjustments according to the individual needs of the students. In order for students to receive appropriate grades and credit for course work completion, students must have regular attendance and complete all of the course work requirements. 

In order to maintain active engagement amongst students incorporating differentiated learning will allow for the continuum of active engagement and motivation to learn. Differentiated instruction provides students with the support they need. Instead of having students in big groups, students will have the opportunity to work together in smaller groups and independently to make it easier to see who has mastered the lesson goals and acquired skills. Some examples of ways in which differentiated instruction may be incorporated are as follows: educational videos, interactive educational websites, educational applications, creative and engaging activities, and virtual field trips. All of these learning tools may be incorporated both in person and through a virtual setting.

Access Devices:

St. Thomas the Apostle School has identified the following access points for devices, platforms, and handouts:

The school has a 1:1 Chromebook initiative. All students requesting a Chromebook were provided a school-issued Chromebook. Multiple distributions have taken place in order to satisfy the needs of our students. Replacement Chromebooks were made available for lost or damaged devices.

Students were provided with digital handouts along with hard copies, if needed. 

Grades PreK-8 use Powerschool to communicate with parents and students about planned instructions and grading. The school also utilizes Google Classroom as the main platform for its Learning Management System to facilitate student learning.

Critical communication with families is occurring through phone calls and  email blasts and information placed on the Facebook and Instagram page.  The school’s web-site is another component of the communication plan.

Instructionally, communication about Planned Instruction activities occurs through faculty posting information in Google Classroom.  Teachers use Google Meet and the Remind app as a means of communication. Class Parents are another tool to communicate with other parents in class.

Resources and Links:

ABCYA- www.abcya.com

IXL- www.IXL.com 

IXL Login example for students:

First initial/last name @stthomas 

Ex: John Doe- jdoe@stthomas

Password is standard as: STA 

Raz-Kids-https://www.raz-kids.com

Epic Books-https://www.getepic.com

NWEA Map Test- https://test.mapnwea.org/#/lockdown

ICivics- www.iCivics.com

Kahoot-www.Kahoot.com 

Code-www.Code.com

If at any time a student needs assistance logging into their Google Account or IXL, the parent/guardian should email the office at staoffice@staschoolnj.org. A reset message will be sent to the student within two hours of submission during the school day.