Boothbay Region High School
Boothbay-Boothbay Harbor CSD
2023-24
REMOTE SCHOOL DAYS OVERVIEW
Calendar
Boothbay Region High School will still have traditional snow days when there is extreme weather and/or widespread power outages. These days may not necessarily be the first snow days of the year, depending on the weather and other circumstances as determined by the Superintendent of Schools. The hard end date of the school year shall be, at the latest, the day before the Juneteenth holiday.
Notification
Remote School Days may be called by the Superintendent instead of canceling school for a snow day, health and safety, staffing shortages, or other similar reasons. It depends on many factors, and we won’t know until the time arrives; however, we can all be prepared in case the necessity arises. The staff and students will be notified the day prior whenever possible to any potential remote day. Most of our regular media outlets have a “Remote School Day” option. In addition to using our internal messaging “all-call” (phone, text, and email to notify parents between 5:30 - 6:00 am), we will post the Remote School Day message in local media outlets. We will also post the message on our websites.
GENERAL PROCEDURES FOR REMOTE SCHOOL DAYS
Schedule
All teachers will be available for “office hours'' between 8:00 – 8:50 am and 2:30 – 3:00 pm. Students can email a classroom teacher or advisor with questions during office hours or set up a Google Meet.
All school counselors, social workers, the nurse, interventionists, and librarians will be available for “office hours'' via email and Google Meet between 8:00 – 3:00 p.m. Students can email with questions during office hours or set up a Google Meet.
Special education staff will be on hand in co-taught classes and resources rooms as per the regular day's schedule.
Special Education Related Service providers such as Occupational Therapists, Physical Therapists, Speech and Language Therapists, and Social Workers may provide services via Google meet on Remote Days.
All Remote School Days for grades 9-12 will be virtual, and the day will replicate an in-person school day as closely as possible. If a Remote School Day is a Gold Day, students will need to follow their Gold Day schedule and attend classes virtually at the regularly scheduled times (e.g. Period 1 starts at 8:50 am).
Attendance
Attendance will be taken at the start of each class as it would on a normal day.
Students who are absent will be expected to make up any missed work.
If a home is without power, students must communicate this to their teachers as soon as possible. “Classwork” will be due at a reasonable time as determined by the school’s policies.
Class Expectations
All class materials will be available in Google Classroom on the day of a Remote School Day, including the Google Meet link to their online class.
If students cannot access the online material, they need to check in with their teachers before the next scheduled class.
Course instructors will be providing live direct instruction for a minimum of 20 minutes each period. For the remainder of the period, the instructor will be available live inside the Google Meet for any questions or clarifications.
Completed classwork is due and expected to be turned in on the day of the Remote School Day.
Student needs related to established additional school supports (ELL, 504, IEP) will have their work modified based on their needs. This will happen prior to the Remote School Days and may include additional time and resources for these students upon their return to school. (Additional supports and considerations reviewed in the Planning for Students with Significant Disabilities document)
Student Use of Technology Expectations:
To be considered present for class students are expected to have their cameras on and be visible during the instructional time. Students have the option to blur or use other images for their background. Any alternatives must be arranged with prior approval.
Respect: Refrain from taking photos, screenshots, recordings, or audio during conference sessions.
Respect: Chat only with the teacher during virtual meeting(s).
Honesty: When utilizing technology, do so only to represent yourself, log in as yourself, and complete your own assignments (unless it is a collaborative project).
Responsibility: Find a quiet, private, and appropriate place to view and participate in virtual sessions.
Responsibility: Have all necessary materials with you for your lessons, including fully charged devices.
Responsibility: Log in to the meeting at least two minutes prior to the start time.
Engagement: Turn your camera on and verbally respond to your teacher when asked to do so
Technology Access and Support
Every class has an associated Google Classroom that is accessible to all students via their school Gmail account.
All BRHS students are comfortable using Google Classroom, as all use technology in the classroom and at home.
Boothbay-Boothbay Harbor/ BRHS technology staff will offer limited support for hardware, software, and account-related issues from 8:50 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. on Remote School Days. Students should email their questions or problems to techsupport@aos98schools.org
It is important to note that it is a civil offense (fine between $200 - $500) to distribute or retransmit a recording of a teacher providing remote instruction. (Chapter 383, LD 864)
Substitutes
We will not have substitute teachers on Remote School Days.
If a teacher cannot participate in a remote school day for any reason (e.g. out sick, no power, no internet), the expectations for students will be posted in Google Classroom for each class period.
Maine Department of Education Required Instructional Days Guidance Each school administrative unit (SAU) is required to maintain at least 180 days for all of its schools with at least 175 days used for instruction. Rule Chapter 125 defines an instructional day as: A day during which both students and teachers are present, either in school or in another setting, and engaged in a portion of the day that is devoted to the teaching-learning process. An instructional day must be a minimum of three hours in length for K-12, and for grades 1-12 must average five hours in length over a consecutive two-week period. Other minimum requirements for public preschool programming can be found in Rule Chapter 124. SAUs that provide meals to students and adhere to the requirements for an instructional day may count a remote day toward the 175 instructional days requirement.
Given this guidance, Boothbay-Boothbay Harbor CSD Schools are permitted to continue with Remote Snow Days, as long as we continue to meet the instructional day requirements as outlined in this plan. |