Hello, Upper Schoolers,
Congratulations on making it through the first day of our distance-learning program! I know there were a few hiccups along the way. We’ve found a solution for the Youtube issues that we were experiencing. (Videos may now be uploaded directly into the Google Classroom pages as mp4 files instead of linked to Youtube itself.) We’re also getting used to Zoom more and more, though we still may experience issues with it because of internet bandwidth limitations. Remember always to consult Google Classroom for basic instructions if Zoom is not cooperating.
As we head into our first enrichment hour, here is what you need to know about that: Most students have been placed into their 2-4 enrichment groups now. (PLEASE email your advisor NOW if you still haven’t indicated your selections.) Some teachers have already created Google Classroom pages for those clubs and invited enrolled students to join them. Other teachers may need a bit more time to get those pages set up. Don’t worry if you haven’t seen those invitations yet.
Students are free to work on whichever enrichment activity they desire on any given day. In addition to those 2-4 clubs, you also may have work to do in Art, Music, Band, or Choir. It’s up to you how to divide up your time. On occasion teachers may request brief Zoom check-ins for those activities. (Choir members, be sure to see Dr. Antista’s message from today with specific Zoom times.) Otherwise they are self-paced. Instructions for how to pursue those club activities will be available on the respective Google Classroom pages. You can always work on enrichment later in the day or use the enrichment time to complete academic assignments. But that hour is the best time to connect with the teachers leading the groups or with other students involved in the group.
Each day, hopefully, will go more smoothly than the last as we get used to our new system. Be patient, and take advantage of the flexibility of this new schedule to make things manageable for yourself and your family. Please email your advisor, teachers, or me with any questions or concerns. On to Day Two!
Alex Hawes
Upper School Division Director
ahawes@stmichael.net
Addendum:
Hello again, Upper School students and families.
Just a VERY brief addendum. In an effort to bypass future issues and improve student ability to upload work more easily, we are going to remove the restrictions placed on student devices related to camera and YouTube functionality. We will also provide open access to email communication so that parents and students can email one another. This means enabling the receipt of emails from outside the stmichael.net domain. With the removal of these restrictions comes the need for diligent parental monitoring. Student Chromebooks (and iPads) will continue to filter for spam, but please remind students that their devices are to be used for schoolwork only, and that they shouldn’t open or reply to messages from unknown sources.
We appreciate your support at home!
