Rockford Public Schools Outline Remote Learning Expectations Amid Closures

Press release from Rockford Public Schools:

4/17/2020

RPS 205 parents/guardians and students,

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced today that we will finish this school year through remote learning, and students will not return to school. This is a sad update, but it's not unexpected. We'd like to lay out expectations for our students – and what you can expect from teachers – during this unprecedented extended closure.

Grades: Students' work will be graded, but grades earned during this extended school closure can only raise a student's final grade. Students' grades as of March 13 will be the baseline for the rest of the school year.

Elementary students will maintain or improve their scores on the standards-based report card from the March 13 baseline. Middle school students will receive a pass or incomplete during this time, and high school students will receive a letter grade or an incomplete. Students who were failing on March 13 must engage in learning and demonstrate progress to improve their grade. If they don't, they will receive an incomplete for the full second semester and make up that work when this remote learning period ends.

We started this extended closure with at-home learning resources. Then our teachers shared lesson plans through our Distance Learning website with a priority to reconnect with students. Now, with guidance from the Illinois State Board of Education, we shifted on April 13 to Remote Learning. Our Remote Learning plans outline what is expected on a daily or weekly basis from our students, teachers, school staff and families.

Through Remote Learning, all RPS 205 students & their families will do their best to:

• Remain engaged by logging onto the Distance Learning website – now called Remote Learning – and/or picking up a grab-and-go packet at the nearest bus stop
• Check in with teachers as needed during their virtual office hours
• Complete academic work
• Take care of RPS 205 devices

Students in grades 6-12 have additional expectations and will do their best to:

• Submit work in teachers' digital learning platforms each week and contact teachers or counselors via Google Meet phone calls or video calls
• Maintain a routine
• Contact your principal, counselor and/or school social worker for support

High school students should also look for support from counselors for transcripts, FAFSA completion, help monitoring credits and questions about post-secondary plans.

We expect teachers to:

• Connect weekly with each student digitally in Seesaw, Google Classroom, Schoology, or other platforms, or by phone using Google Meet and track those student interactions
• Return student and parent emails within 48 hours.
• Communicate learning progress to families

Teachers will focus on grading and student feedback by:

• Providing regular opportunities to engage in meaningful learning activities
• Illustrating to students what they have already mastered and where they need to grow
• Reteaching and reassessing students to show progress on meaningful learning targets
• Encouraging independent work and longer-term projects for students who are already achieving

Our students are not in school with us to help guide their learning, and that's a challenge for all of us. Our goal is to reach our students where they are and make sure they know that we want to connect with them and continue to encourage and support their learning. Once again, thank you for your patience and support during this time.

Sincerely,

Ehren Jarrett, Superintendent

Heidi Dettman, Executive Director of Academics

This press release was produced by Rockford Public Schools. The views expressed here are the author’s own.