Dear Parent / Guardian,

    We hope that everyone is healthy and safe during this difficult time.  As always, we are thinking of you and your families.

    As you have received communication from our district superintendent, Mr. Wally Schlegel, and are aware that school will be closed for another extended amount of time, we will be starting online learning on Monday, March 30, 2020.  Please have your child/children check to make sure they can login to their chromebooks and/or their Google accounts, especially their teachers’ Google Classrooms.  

We wanted to take this time to share with you a few pieces of information that are important for you and your child to know as we move to online learning.  We are working hard to make this a smooth and supportive transition for everyone. Please bear with us as we work out any issues that may occur.

• All classes will be Asynchronous, which means that students will not have to be online during the exact time that teachers are online.  Therefore they do not have to be available for a “live” broadcast of a lesson. This allows for flexibility with everyone’s changing schedule.

• Teachers are available each day from 9:00 to 12:30 and from 1:30 to 3:15 to answer any questions you or your child may have as they complete their assignments.  Students and parents are encouraged to email their child’s teacher if they are confused or unsure of an assignment or have a question about something they are working on.

• We have provided a daily schedule for you to use if you would like to have your child stay on a structured schedule.  As a family, you have the flexibility to create your own schedule that will meet the needs of your family.

• If your child is working on their assignments outside the 9:00 to 3:15 window, please email the teachers.  The response may be delayed until the next day.  

• Our expectations for our students.

  • Log into Google Classroom each day for each class

  • Read objectives, activities, and assignments for the week

  • Each day watch/read the presentation and complete the activity

  • Use Google Classroom or email to initiate questions to your teachers

  • Complete and submit all assignments by due dates

• Student work for the first week will consist of review and practice and will not be graded.  We want to make sure students remember how to use their Google Classroom and to allow the teachers time to make sure every student is able to login and submit their assignments properly.  New lessons that will be graded will begin on April 6th.

• The administration team will be monitoring and providing support throughout the duration of the online learning.

• Your child’s teachers are the first point of contact for any problems that your child or you may encounter with technology.

• If your child’s chromebook is not working properly, please go to the Pen Argyl Area School District website and click on the Chromebook  Hardware Support Link. This will help us get your child’s chromebook fixed as quickly as possible.

Thank you for your cooperation, flexibility, and understanding!  We are here to help in any way as we navigate this new and unique situation we are all living through.  

Yours in Education,

Sherri McNamara                Shan Smerdon

Principal                              Assistant Principal