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COVID-19 Instructional Plan

Spring 2020

March 16, 2020

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Being prepared for anything that may occur is something that Holy Cross tries to teach our students everyday.  We feel that this is a hallmark for true success in both academics and life itself.  We are happy to announce that, though no one envisioned a viral outbreak to be the occurrence that highlights this, we are fully prepared to begin online instruction with minimal adjustment on March 18, 2020.

THE PLAN

Holy Cross teachers are ready to implement instruction in a manner that includes online Apex assignments, projects, teleconference sessions, recorded lessons, and Google Classroom functionality.  The plan is simple and is meant to minimally disrupt the blended learning culture that has been already established in Holy Cross classrooms.

What can a family expect?

• At least one two hour block of time dedicated to real-time ZOOM "office hours" each day with one of your student's teachers
  • It is highly recommended that your student logs into the zoom session to ask questions and seek any clarifications that are needed
  • Schedule can be found in this article
• Teachers are available by email as well
• Steady and purposeful contact with teachers through RenWeb, Google Classroom, and Apex (if used)
• Assignments that have specific deadlines and monitoring points
• Teachers checking in with students via Google Classroom, email, and phone
• Clear and honest communication with teachers and administrators

What should teachers expect?

• Students checking email, Google Classroom, and Apex multiple times throughout the day
• Students to adhere to the established timelines that are set forth for each assignment
• Students to show up to Zoom Office Hours in order to get their questions answered
• Emails from students and/or parents at the first sign that there are any extenuating circumstances that will prevent a student from completing an assignment by the established deadline.  

Attendance, how?

• Rather than looking at attendance like we usually do as a daily issue, we are instead going to look at it as chunks of time
• All of the following will contribute to a student's participation grade and help measure attendance
  • Timely submission of all assignments by the established deadlines
  • Participation in the Zoom Office Hours and any Zoom work sessions that teachers schedule 
  • Responsiveness to the teacher check ins

No one envisioned that we would be at this point this school year, but here we are anyway.  Luckily, while other schools are spending a week to figure out what we have been doing for 2 years now, we are ready to implement this plan, monitor its success, and adjust for any issues we find along the way.  We appreciate the trust, patience, support, and dedication to the Holy Cross Mission that our families are extending to us at this time.  Working together we will make sure that all of our students are academically successful in this unprecedented point in our history.

If you should have any questions or concerns, please contact our Dean of Academics, Richard Vasquez here or our Principal, Dr. Rene Escobedo here.