HHS Remote Learning 4/2/20

I want to take a moment to bring everyone up-to-speed on school closure, and our plans moving forward.   

Initially, a State Government mandate closed all schools from Tuesday, March 17^th until at least April 6^th.  During this time, it was an expectation of the State that schools offer only enrichment materials and activities to students, rather than new lessons.  Enrichment would be optional to students, ungraded, and focused only on pre-learned content and skills.  During this time, Hanover High School educators developed innovative, new, and thoughtful ways in which to engage students and ways in which to connect with students.  I’m proud of all of our educators, and all of our students, for this work. 

Now, as you know, Governor Baker’s current statewide order extends school closures until at least May 4^th.  To help schools prepare for this extended period of time, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education has provided some additional guidance regarding remote learning plans for schools.

Hanover High School will once again create innovative, new, and thoughtful ways to remotely teach and to remotely learn in an unprecedented digital environment. 

To that end, we’ve developed an academic plan designed to move teaching and learning forward.  Right now, our current anticipated return date is May 4^th.  However, given the real possibility of the State extending school closure a third time, we developed the plan to span from April 7^th to the end of the school year. 

Primarily through Google Classroom and school email, all educators will be reaching out to students – if they haven’t already – to initiate our new remote learning plan.  Teachers will be providing weekly lesson plans, weekly assignments, and weekly criteria for assessing these assignments.  As we move forward, please know that any work assigned by our teachers is NOT optional.  Assignments will be “graded” on a “course credit/no credit” system. 

Our teachers will be checking in with students on a daily basis, providing lessons, feedback, and continued support.  Students who do not engage in this work, who do not complete this work, or students who complete this work – but fail to meet academic expectations – will lose credit-points for the course.  In this event, students will need to seek out credit recovery opportunities over the summer and perhaps into the following year. 

In the rare event that a student is unresponsive throughout our remote learning, the teacher, guidance counselor, and administrators will make every effort to connect with the student or parent.  We will exhaust all outreach efforts necessary to communicate with the family. 

These times require compassion and understanding from all of us.  Quite simply, we’re in this together – no doubt.  We’ll make mistakes.  We all will.  Nevertheless, we’ll continue to define and communicate expectations for students, for teachers, and for all of us; at the same time, let’s all recognize the importance of flexibility, choice, and empathy as we all work to meet these expectations.  In this remote learning environment, let’s – together – choose presence.  Let’s be there for one another.  Our kids are craving connection, and so are we – so let’s provide it, together.

I’ve attached a document that outlines many of the major points of consideration as we move forward with remote learning.  There are some questions that we can’t quite fully answer or address just yet, but I promise to keep you informed throughout this ever-changing situation.  I will be communicating again soon, with a follow-up to the attached academic plan.  Thank you for your support, patience, and understanding. 

In these moments, we have an opportunity to shine as individuals, to shine as a school, and to shine as a community.  Let’s shine. 

That’s it for now.  Be warm.  Be safe. 

Matthew Paquette
Principal