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2021-2022
REMOTE LEARNING GUIDELINES FOR PARENTS
Office Hours
Although students and teachers will not be returning to school in person until January 24, 2022, our offices will be open Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 8:00 AM -3:00 PM. If you have any questions or concerns we can be reached by phone (973) 622-1613 or email (see SVA Directory). If you need to come in for any reason, please call ahead. If you need to report your daughter’s absence on a day that the office is closed, email kgray@svanj.org by 8:30 AM.
Please hover over each image to read important information.
Homeroom
Every homeroom teacher will set up a Google Classroom for that homeroom. Each morning homeroom will be a “live” class. This will afford the students the opportunity to pray together, connect with one another and their teacher, and get mentally and emotionally prepared for the school day. At this time attendance will be taken and announcements made.
Schedule
Each student will follow her school schedule for the day. Teachers will host “live” classes or have assignments posted for each class on each day. Students will have a scheduled lunch and, where applicable, free mods during which they can take a break or work on their assignments.
Please note that teachers are expected to host a certain number of “live” classes per week. For example, if a class meets 5 times a week, there will be a minimum of 3 “live” classes that week, depending on the curriculum. Teachers will also be sharing/posting the schedule for each week in order to help students prepare, plan and manage their time.
After School
Extra Help
Teachers will be available for extra help after school until 3:30. Students can email their teachers or schedule a Google Meet with their teacher to ask questions, address concerns and get whatever support they need in a given area. If a student emails a teacher after this time, she should not expect a response until the following day.
Homework
All homework will be posted on Plus Portals daily. Teachers will be mindful of the amount of homework they assign, as we understand that remote instruction/assignments tend to require more time than they might during in-person learning.
Tests and Quizzes
In order for teachers to preserve the integrity of administered assessments, as they would in their classroom, students will take most tests and quizzes during a “live” class session with their teacher supervising. Students will be required to have their camera on and their work area clearly visible and cleared of any material other than the items needed for taking the test. We rely on the integrity of our students to cooperate in this process.
Attendance
Attendance during remote instruction is mandatory. Attendance will be taken each morning during the “live” homeroom session through Google classroom. Each student is to report to this class as they would report to homeroom in school. The Google homeroom will be open at 8:05. Any student who enters the Google classroom after 8:25 will be marked late. Any student who does not report to her Google classroom “homeroom” will be marked absent. Your daughter must also “sign in” using the chat feature when she enters each “live” class during the day.
Absence
If your daughter is ill and unable to attend classes, the parent must call SVA by 8:30 am (973-622-1613) to report her absence or email kgray@svanj.org on the days the main office is not open.
In place of a traditional absence note, please be sure to email jkennedy@svanj.org during the day of your daughter’s absence, stating the date and cause of her absence. Failure to do this will create difficulties for your daughter and SVA staff and will interfere with her smooth transition back into her classes when she returns to remote learning. Please take these two-parent actions seriously, as they are vital to a smooth educational experience for your daughter. The student must contact the teacher of any class missed to make arrangements to make up the work, just as she would during in-person instruction.
Mental Health
We are extremely concerned about the mental and emotional health of our students. This is a time of great uncertainty and we realize that remote learning is not the ideal way to “go to school”. We are aware of the strain that can be put on our young women and want them to know that they are supported in every aspect of their development, especially during this time. Therefore, counselors will be making appointments with students to check in with them and offer their support in this area. Students can also email their counselor to request a meeting at any time. For a scheduled remote meeting, the student should be able to communicate in a private setting with her counselor so that her confidentiality can be preserved. Counselors will do their best not to schedule appointments with students during class time.
Technology
We would like each student to have an appropriate computer (with a separate or built-in camera and microphone) for her school work. This could be a desktop, laptop, or Chromebook. If your daughter does not have an appropriate device for her use, we will do our best to provide her with one. Though we placed a large order in March, the devices are on backorder due to high demand. We are also trying to purchase personal hotspots for students who do not have access to wifi.
If either of these situations apply to your daughter, please read and submit the Technology Lending Agreement here.
The students will come to school on September 10th to collect their books (schedule will be communicated by email). As supplies allow, devices will be made available to students when they pick up their books, so please communicate your need as soon as possible.
Lunch
We will be offering a “grab and go” lunch to any student who needs it. Lunches will be available for pick up every day between 12:00-1:00. Please fill out the Google Form here to decline lunch or to agree to picking up lunch for your daughter each day. Each student will receive a form to apply for free or reduced lunch when she picks up her supplies. We need a signed return form back from every student, whether you choose to apply or not for this school year. Please follow the instructions on the lunch application form. If you do not qualify for free or reduced-price lunch but would still like to pick up lunch for your daughter, you will be required to pay the $2.85 fee. If you qualify for reduced lunch, you will be required to pay the .40 cent fee for each day you desire a lunch. Please note that if you request lunch for your daughter, you need to pick it up during the available times or her name will be taken off the list.
HOW PARENTS/GUARDIANS CAN HELP PREPARE YOUR STUDENT FOR REMOTE INSTRUCTION
We have been hard at work preparing for the upcoming year, which will begin on remote instruction. There are ways that you, too, can help prepare your daughter to make this the most educational and positive experience possible. As always, we know that when we work together with our parents and guardians, our students feel supported and that contributes to their success and development. You are an integral partner in creating and setting the tone for your daughter’s learning this year and she needs to know that we are all on the same page. The following is a list of suggestions that will help you to prepare yourself and your daughter for this unique learning experience.
Treat this experience as you would any other school year. Have your daughter wake up, eat breakfast, dress appropriately for school and be ready for the day prior to the start of homeroom. See "Permissible Dress for Remote Learning" here.
Set up a designated, quiet work space where your daughter can participate in “live” classes uninterrupted. Provide proper lighting and a desk/table and chair for her work space. Students may not attend class from their beds nor from a car; they must be at their home workspace.
Contact your WIFI provider to be sure that your service can support the number of people in your family who will be working online during this time. Purchase or rent a wifi booster if needed.
Set up your SVA Parent Plus Portals account and become familiar with how to navigate the site. Remember that the content is available in many languages with just a click of your mouse. Not only will all homework assignments be posted here but also valuable community resources and important announcements. If you have not set up your Parent Plus Portals account and need activation instructions, please email mnolan@svanj.org
The primary contact parent must have a working cell phone number and email address which matches what we have on file, in order to maximize communication. We will send communications and announcements via email and text messaging. You must check your email and voicemail frequently and be sure your cell phone mailbox is not full. Teachers, counselors and administrators must be able to leave you a voicemail if you do not answer your cell phone, and anticipate that you will listen to and respond to the message in a timely fashion. The same is true of your email, which should be checked frequently. We recommend adding your email to your cell phone so that you are alerted when an email message comes in. Timely, effective communication with parents proved to be a stumbling block during the last portion of the school year on remote instruction. Please be sure you are a reliable partner in communicating with SVA.
HOW TO PROPERLY ADDRESS CONCERNS
Opening school remotely is an entirely new experience for all of us and we expect that there will be some bumps in the road. We have done an in-depth evaluation of our remote instruction experience this past spring and have implemented new requirements and expectations in order to avoid some of the pitfalls we ran into during that time. However, in all probability, there will be situations that arise which we did not anticipate. The following gives you guidance as to the proper steps to take to communicate any concerns you may have.
If your daughter or you have a question or concern regarding a particular class:
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Encourage your daughter to email the teacher with her concerns or to request a “live” meeting with her teacher to discuss the issue, if it is more complex.
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If you feel that the issue has not been resolved or you would like further clarification, email the teacher with your questions or to request a “live” meeting with the teacher.
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If the situation persists and no resolution is found, please email Ms. Tyburczy, jtyburczy@svanj.org or Ms. Nolan, mnolan@svanj.org for further assistance with the matter.
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You may reach out to any teacher or administrator by email. All email addresses may be found in the ‘Directory’ on SVA’s website. Please refrain from emailing after 6:00 p.m., unless it is a very urgent matter. E-mails received after that time will be answered the following day. We are aware of the stresses of remote instruction for all involved and the importance of establishing procedures that will allow for some “off duty” time for teachers and administration to tend to their personal and family lives, as well as their evening lesson planning and teacher duties. Together as parents, students, faculty and administrators, we must engage in best practices to safeguard our emotional and mental well being, especially during these challenging times. We appreciate your cooperation.
If your daughter is having technical difficulties with her device or your WIFI that prohibit her from attending class:
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Parent should email Ms. Tyburczy jtyburczy@svanj.org to explain the situation, including how and when it will be resolved. If we can be of assistance in the matter, we will help in any way that we can.
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The administration will notify each of your daughter’s teachers regarding the situation.
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Once the situation is resolved and your daughter is back online, please email Ms.Tyburczy with this information so that your daughter’s teachers can be updated.
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Your daughter is expected to email her teachers to schedule time to make up any work missed.
Any questions regarding Scheduling, Attendance, Plus Portals or Counseling should be addressed to Ms. Nolan.
Any questions regarding Curriculum, Instruction, Technology or Tuition should be addressed to Ms. Tyburczy.