We are partnering with you in your child’s education and we appreciate your support. Some students will need home-based oversight as they establish a routine. To support our distance learning efforts and set your child up for success, we ask for your help in promoting the following:
Establish routines & expectations for school participation
Wake up at a reasonable time before Morning Meeting or Homeroom
No eating during synchronous classes (water ok)
Be dressed for school before sitting down at the Learning Space
Be present and engaged during classes
Use a timer, if needed
Help your child personalize their learning space so that it is comfortable and inspirational. Post words of encouragement, a special photo, or a piece of art. Have an effective listening tool/fidget available, etc.
Utilize non-screen time
For asynchronous classes that do not use computers, close laptops to avoid temptation
Step away from the computer during designated breaks
Take a proper lunch break
Go outside when possible
Have a designated learning space for the school day
Set up the area with all materials needed (pens, pencils, calculator, ruler, paper, computer, charger, headphones, water bottle)
Be at a desk, table, or flat service – no working from couches, beds, etc.
Make sure your child’s chair is comfortable and their feet touch the floor. (Add a pillow or footstool, if needed.)
Consider distractions – face a wall, away from windows, away from household noises, different location than siblings
Have school schedule posted in learning space
Help minimize distractions
No cell phones or other devices in the learning space
No pets in the learning space
No video games or toys
Discuss not multitasking during class and staying present and on-task
Small group instruction will occur on a daily basis during core instruction, specialist instruction and during office hours. In-person meetings are contingent upon Alameda County meeting the criteria mandated by the state to allow schools to open for in-person instruction. We are still awaiting guidance from the county regarding our ability to have small groups on campus for short periods of time.
RDConnects@Home will begin on Monday, August 17, 2020. The program will be in place until Alameda County meets the requirements to allow schools to reopen in-person for instruction.
Attendance will be taken on a daily basis in Lower School during Morning Meetings which occur daily between 8:30-9:00 a.m. Students will be marked: present, absent, or tardy. This information will be recorded in the Redwood Day Portal and can be accessed by parents/guardians at any time. When you know in advance that your child will be absent or tardy, please email your child’s core teacher and cc: Jill Nesbitt, Front Office Coordinator/Registrar, at jnesbitt@rdschool.org
Middle School
Attendance will be taken during each synchronous class meeting. The synchronous class meetings are incredibly valuable to the student’s learning experience and delivery of course content. This synchronous time also allows students to engage in a discussion about the course content and further their understanding. Students will be marked: present, absent, or tardy. This information will be recorded in the Redwood Day Portal and can be accessed by parents/guardians at any time. When you know in advance that your child will be absent or tardy, please email your child’s advisor and CC: Jill Nesbitt, Front Office Coordinator/Registrar, at jnesbitt@rdschool.org. In the event of an absence, students should review the course agenda for the day and connect directly with the teacher to view the recording and/or make up any required assignments.
It is not developmentally appropriate for lower school students to be on screens for seven or more hours per day. Our academic schedules are designed to balance screen time, with offline work periods, much-needed breaks, physical activity, and social emotional wellness. It is important for students to be able to connect socially with their peers as they would during in-person school days. It is also important for students to get outside and exercise regularly as they would, three times a day during recess, at in-person school.
The Middle School schedule follows a similar pattern to the in-person schedule. The in-person Middle School schedule follows a 4-day rotation. This 4-day rotation is maintained in distance learning with the addition of a “Community Day.” Students will take the same classes on days 1 & 3 and 2 & 4 as they would if they were meeting in-person. The Middle School schedule provides synchronous and asynchronous time for students to work on assignments and projects given by the teacher. Each class period will be 70 minutes; this timeframe includes 20-40 minutes of synchronous time per class with the remaining time dedicated to asynchronous learning. This division of time allows students to balance daily screen time and assists students in organizing and managing their time. The RDConnects@Home schedule also incorporates a Community Day on Wednesdays. Community Day provides students with developmentally appropriate time for the socialization of academic subjects with students outside of their classes. This day also provides students time for one-on-one check-ins with advisors, drop-in office hours, office hours by appointment, and three community activity periods. Community Activity periods will include Gathering, Assemblies, Equity and Inclusion groups, student-led activities, and several other important opportunities for students’ social and emotional growth.
Lower School students will have access to office hours or work periods. These are designated times for students to ask questions and get one-to-one or small group help from their teachers. Students, and or parents/guardians, may also email core or specialist teachers directly to schedule one-to-one check-ins with their teacher.
Middle School students will have several opportunities for small group and individual check-ins with their teachers. Students will have office hours available by appointment every day. In addition, there will be drop-in office hours on Wednesday mornings. Finally, the Wednesday Community Day schedule provides time for students to have one-on-one check-ins with their advisors.
Students can participate in the RDConnects@Home program from anywhere; we ask that you inform us of your particular family situation and that you help your child navigate any time difference that may be associated with your current location.
Lower School families are offered monthly times to pick up necessary supplies during distance learning. The Lower School Director will communicate via email with dates and times for these picks ups. Families are also welcome to purchase their own supplies. The supplies are necessary for students to complete core and specialist classroom activities and special projects.
Middle School families are sent a supplies list at the beginning of the year by the Middle School Director. Some courses may have additional supplies provided by the instructor. The Middle School Director will communicate via email with dates and times for any pickups.
For families who are unable to pick up supplies from Redwood Day, you will need to make arrangements to have someone else pick the supplies up for you and mail them to you.
In the Lower School, we have two part-time Learning Specialists who will provide small group instruction to students that require additional support based on their Learning Plans. This small group support will be scheduled in coordination with the classroom teachers and family.
In the Middle School, the Learning Specialist will work with families and their students to determine what model of support best aligns with their children’s Learning Plans. This may include 1-1 or small group meetings during study hall and/or office hours.
Lower School assignments will be posted on Google Classroom landing pages. Each grade will have a landing page with a daily schedule and assignments with due dates. Any time there are questions, students in Grades 3-5 and parents/guardians in Grades K-2 should email their teachers for clarification.
Middle School assignments will be posted on the Agenda page for each course. Each teacher will share the class agenda with students that will include the daily schedule, links to resources, and assignment due dates. Students should reference their class agenda page or contact the teachers for clarification. Parents will have access to the class Agenda page.
In order for RDConnects@Home to be successful, students will need to interact with their teachers and advisors online via various learning management systems (i.e. Zoom, Google Classroom, etc.). When we return to school in-person, some students will be on campus and others will remain at home to learn. In order to provide an equitable learning experience for all students, we will be using Swivl cameras, other technology, and various LMS’ to support the student learning experience. So that we can achieve our educational goals, we will need the flexibility to record and live-stream classes in real-time. Both of these forms provide more detailed information regarding this topic. If you have any questions, please reach out to John Loeser, Head of School, Johanna Aeschliman, Lower School Director, or Karina Momary, Interim Middle School Director.
Faculty are returning from summer break this upcoming week (August 10). During this week, we will be mapping out the best, developmentally appropriate way to streamline communication so parents/guardians can keep track of assignments that are submitted and missing while fostering student independence.
The Lower School RDConnects@Home schedule provides daily Morning Meetings in order to provide students with opportunities to connect with their classmates and build community. K-5 students are provided with Assemblies and Equity and Inclusion groups on Wednesday afternoons. Students are also offered an optional lunchtime social session with The Lower School Director on Fridays at Noon, and a K-2 Storytime with the Director of Student Life/Dean of Students on Tuesdays at 11:30 a.m. In addition, X-Care Activity Leaders will join some lunchtime sessions to socialize with students and help them build connections with each other.
The Middle School RDConnects@Home schedule provides three Community Activity sessions on Wednesdays. These 50-minute sessions will provide time for MS Gathering, Assemblies, Equity and Inclusion Groups, student-led activities, teacher-led activities, and other important opportunities for community building. These interactive activities will provide students opportunities to connect with their classmates outside of class and build community within grade levels and across the Middle School as a whole.