CLHS Remote Learning Guidelines

March 16, 2020

Dear CLHS Student, Parents, and Staff,
 
Peace, comfort, and confidence to you and your family, from our Lord, Jesus Christ. Concordia is here and Christ Jesus is with us! Be reminded that each of us are held in the loving and caring hands of our Savior. 

The Concordia Lutheran HS faculty has just concluded planning meetings for home-based remote learning for our students during the next several weeks.  Please carefully review the following information:
  1. Students, parents, and teachers alike have not experienced a situation like this before.  We are all learning as we go and our process for home-based remote learning will be continually refined.  Your input is needed and would be very helpful! Concordia will send a survey on Friday seeking feedback.
  2. The details for home-based remote learning are found below this summary. 
  3. Home-based remote learning will start tomorrow, Tuesday, March 17 and will continue on March 18, 19, 20, 23, 24, 25, 26, and April 6, 7, 8, 9. We continue to use our A, B, C, D rotation. There will be no E Days during remote learning.
  4. Remote learning will require the same laptop, iPad, or similar electronic device that students use at school. The use of phones is highly problematic. 
  5. All virtual classrooms will be using Zoom, CLHS email, and OnCampus. Directions for installing Zoom were emailed to students earlier this afternoon. 
  6. Third-quarter report cards will be posted next week. An email will announce when report cards are posted to OnCampus. 
  7. CLHS REMOTE LEARNING SCHEDULE
Our Fort Wayne community is going to need your inspiration and bright light of God's promise in the coming weeks and months. A tremendous amount of care, empathy, understanding, and support are and will be needed in our community. Only God knows the impact Covid-19 will have on our community and world. We each play an important part in the body of Christ, which carries over to the important roles each of us has as citizens of the earthly kingdom in slowing the spread of Covid-19 by washing our hands often, covering our coughs, staying home, and exercising social distancing. Get sleep. Eat well. Say thanks. Be kind!

Concordia will continue our education programs as we meet ‘in the cloud’ as a learning community. Every student needs to participate in our community to be successful! Later in this letter, you will read expectations for students, parents, and teachers. Every student will need their laptop/tablet/iPad and reliable internet access. Comcast is offering Free Internet to households during the next two months. Concordia will communicate with students and parents through email, OnCampus, and Zoom. 

Remote Learning is different than an eLearning Day. We utilize an eLearning Day when weather forces a school campus closure for a short period of time of 1-3 days. The No. 1 goal for our school community during a period of Remote Learning is to maintain and strengthen relationships through the interaction between our students and teachers. 

We expect and are planning for an extended period of time (4+ weeks) of activities that promote academic learning for our school community. Remote Learning will use a modified time schedule, built upon our current A-D daily schedule. There will be no E Days during Remote Learning. There is no school on Friday, March 27. Teachers will lead class activities that include individual student and group activity through a remote conference service such as Zoom, and strongly lean upon our OnCampus and Google Apps for Education platforms. Our school will move into “the cloud.” 

The school day will begin at 9:00 AM and will end by 12:30 PM. Class periods are 40 minutes. Homework will be limited, as we expect many of our high school students to have responsibility for younger siblings in their household during this extended time of school campus closure. Concordia will continue to emphasize the importance of relationships and being in a community of Christians during this difficult time. We will maintain Koinonia group meetings. Devotions and prayer will be critical to our progress individually and as community. 

During stressful and pandemic events, sleep is vitally important to remain healthy and strengthen your immune system. Flexibility, grace, and understanding are needed in such a time as this! Our School Counselors and Study Center Teachers will be engaged with their students on a regular basis throughout the duration of Remote Learning.

Setting Up for and Supporting Student Success at Home During Remote Learning 

Students will need: 
  • Their laptop/tablet/iPad and reliable internet access. Comcast offers Free Internet
  • A dedicated place to focus on their learning, free of distractions. 
  • Attend all class sessions via Zoom at the time schedule for Remote Learning.
  • Keep the camera on when Zoom is used for a class session.
  • Breaks & opportunities for social engagement, as they would have in school!
  • To communicate directly to teachers and school counselors about homework. 
  • A responsible adult to support learning; this may include providing structure to the day, general encouragement, or assistance in processing learning. 

Parent support is requested: 
  • Notify the school when their child is ill and unable to participate in Remote Learning, as they would for any school absence. 
  • To provide reliable internet access in the home as libraries and other public venues are probably closed. Comcast offers Free Internet

Teachers are asked to: 
  • Post school work on OnCampus.
  • Keep homework expectations reasonable. 
  • Use email to communicate with students and parents.
  • Start each class with a Zoom meeting following the time schedule for Remote Learning.
  • Be flexible and supportive during Remote Learning. 
 
In Christ,
Patrick Frerking, Principal