CMSD Back To School Checklist For Parents!

Cleveland Metropolitan School District, Posted September 18th 2020

Establish Good Night and Good Morning routines

Just as you would in a more typical year, help your children establish their Good Night and their Good morning routines. Work together to set and review set times for:

• Waking up
• Taking a bath or shower
• Going to bed

Like adults, children are comforted by routines. Parents and caregivers know better than anyone the time it takes for their children to wake up and eat breakfast or what routines best prepare them for a good night’s sleep. Keep in mind that routines can still be flexible (e.g., bedtime is between 9:00 and 9:30 pm) the goal is to set a pattern of normalcy for your child’s school day.

Create an appropriate learning work space.

For remote learning, children will need a desk or table and chair, access to an electrical outlet to plug in or charge his device and hotspot when needed and space to keep school supplies, workbooks and other learning materials in one place.

If your child will be participating in an academic learning pod or other out-of-home care facility during the school day, share these guidelines with the care provider and make sure you have a transportation plan in place.

Work with your child to create a school-day schedule

In addition to establishing Good Morning and Good Night routines, create set times that align with your child’s remote learning schedule so they get into the habit of waking up, eating breakfast and gathering their materials to prepare their workspace to start class on time.

Review the schedule provided by your child’s school. If your child is unable to participate in the school day schedule provided by your school, create an alternative plan to complete the scheduled work when it is more convenient.

Review the Student Attendance Guidance for additional information about notifying your child’s teacher in the event of absence and how attendance is taken and reported when the student misses the teacher-led class and attends a recorded video of that class.

In setting the school day schedule, set appropriate times for lunch and snack breaks and for homework that aligns with your child’s class schedule.

Review the Remote Learning attendance guidance with your child.

Keep in mind that your child will not be attending classes on a computer screen for five straight hours. Instead, there are two kinds of attendance:

• Attending scheduled remote learning classes in Schoology, which will be staggered throughout the day, and
• Completing homework which, in Remote Learning, will also count as attendance.

Help your child determine when your child will complete the asynchronous homework.

You know your child best. Does he require the structure of completing the assignments as part of the scheduled class time? Perhaps she does better by having several brain/stretch breaks and then tackling assignments all at once in the evening? For example, a sixth grade student may be scheduled for English from 8:30 to 9:20 am. What your child may actually experience is a face to face class with his teacher from 8:30 to 9:00 am and receive an assignment that he may work on from 9:00 to 9:20 or complete at a later time in the day.

Ensure your child is able to logon to Clever and access Schoology

Create a parent access account for Clever so that you are able to monitor and support your child’s work

Review Guidance on internet safety with your child

Establish meal plan pick-up schedule (if you have chosen to participate)

Create a “snow day” plan for any time when your internet or device does not work.

Low-tech learning packages are available at your child’s school and can be picked up during meal pickup hours (10:30 am to 2:00 pm). Your child’s teachers will also be providing lessons for your child to use if you encounter a technology problem.

Establish an agreed upon time and method for staying in touch with your child’s teacher(s).

Keep in mind that children will not have synchronous classes on Wednesdays. Each Wednesday will be an asynchronous homework day so teachers can provide extra tutoring or small-group instruction, hold office hours for students or parents who need to reach them and have time to communicate with parents.

If your child has an IEP, your child’s intervention specialist will be reviewing the IEP with you to ensure we can support your child’s learning goals in the remote learning environment.

Review and keep these resources and contact numbers handy

Complete information is available here.