Principal's Note - April 22, 2020

By Margaret Barnes
Principal's Note
April 22, 2020

Good morning, Holmes Families!

I have some updated information for you today that is a supplement to the newsletter I sent on Monday.  The learning continues!  :) 

Message from FCPS about extending the 3rd quarter deadline: 

"3rd quarter has been extended until Friday, May 1, 2020. ParentVUE/StudentVUE access will be turned off to allow for teachers to enter grades from Thursday, April 23 through Friday, May 8. Grades will be available in ParentVUE/StudentVUE on Saturday, May 9. Report card mailings to all parents/guardians who have not opted into electronic delivery will begin on May 12, 2020.

Message posted to grade-level Google classrooms for all students this morning: 

"It is Wednesday, which means you should focus on your BLUE day classes today. Even though there will not be "face-to-face" instruction today, there is still learning to be done. Here's a checklist to help you:

  • Finish up missing and incomplete work from 3rd quarter - you now have until May 1st to complete it!
  • Check your fcpsschools.net email for messages that you may have from your teachers.
  • Every teacher has a new Lesson Grid posted for this week. Every Lesson Grid shows you what you "Must Do" (required) and what you "Can Do" (optional) to help you reach the learning target. Check your teachers' Google Classrooms or Blackboard sites to find the Lesson Grid and start working on the assignments.
  • Email your teachers with any questions that you have.
  • Keep reading! Every single day, you should be reading something! Go to Ms. Haywood's Library Google Classroom for more info or get onto MyOn."

"Face to face" (synchronous) instruction will continue at Holmes (technology permitting): 

We hope to continue synchronous distance learning for students at Holmes.  For some background, you may have heard that other school districts are using Zoom and other video platforms for instruction. You may wonder why we have been trying so diligently to use Blackboard Collaborate Ultra (BBCU). BBCU, when we can access it successfully, provides the most secure video platform allowing only students invited by the teachers into the “room” while allowing the teacher to have full control over stopping video and audio feeds should the need arise. Other platforms do not allow for the same level of control or protection. We hope to have the opportunity to continue face-to-face instruction in this secure way, but it will take teachers time to be trained and to set it up.   

First, I would be unwise at this point if I didn't include a disclaimer: This plan depends entirely on the technology functioning appropriately.  Beginning tomorrow morning (Thursday, 4/23), your students will receive links from their teachers to their fcpsschools.net account.  Each teacher's classroom will have a unique link just for that individual student.  Students will receive another copy of this schedule to help them organize their links.  Some teachers may have it ready to go by Friday morning, and most will likely have it ready by next Wednesday, April 29th.  I will ask teachers to email their classes when they are fully set up and ready to do synchronous instruction.  

No matter what (even without synchronous instruction), the learning continues for your students:

As I shared in Monday's newsletter, our instructional plan is primarily asynchronous and is designed to give you flexibility for your students to work at their own pace and at the time that works best for them.  By Tuesday morning of each week, each teacher will have a new lesson grid posted for their classes. Students should stay in communication with their teachers through email and should regularly check their teachers' Google Classroom or Blackboard 24/7 sites.    

Most importantly: Your students will not fail the grade; they will advance to the next grade level.  If your student is unable to complete every "Must Do" for every class, it's okay.  Your focus has to remain on the health and mental well-being of yourselves and your family members during this time.  Next year, when your students begin a new grade level, our teachers will plan knowing that this year did not end the way any of us envisioned. For my own daughter, we try to complete some of the schoolwork, but I have been more focused on spending quality time with her (taking long walks, cooking and reading together) and helping her to stay connected to friends and family.  

As always, please let me know what questions you have.  Take care of yourselves and each other.  

Margaret Barnes

Proud Principal, Holmes MS

@email​​​​​​​

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