MERSD’s overarching goal is to keep students in meaningful contact with their school community and to provide supplemental and enrichment learning opportunities.  These opportunities will provide students with the structure, routine and academic engagement necessary to make remote learning a successful and productive experience for them.  We expect this learning to take place via a combination of educator-directed learning and student self-directed learning.  To that end, remote learning at MERSD is not synonymous with online learning, as it can take place in a variety of ways, including helping students engage with resources in their daily lives and in the natural world around them.  We are also conscious of the effects of increased screen time and will work to provide learning opportunities to promote students’ curiosity and understanding that provide a balance between learning through technology and remote learning that takes place offline.

Guiding Principles in the Development of the MERSD Remote Learning Plan

• MERSD is committed to balancing the needs of the whole child and academic achievement. The safety and well-being of students, families, and staff is our top priority as an educational community. 
• MERSD believes that equity must be a key consideration in developing our plans for extended closure.
• MERSD believes that maintaining connections between school staff and students is paramount, particularly for the most vulnerable members of our school communities.
• MERSD believes that nothing can replace the in-person schooling experience, and we should not expect that remote learning can replicate the traditional school day.
• MERSD has an obligation to engage students in meaningful and productive learning opportunities through an appropriately structured educational program.

MERSD Remote Learning Expectations General Education Faculty

• MERSD educators will remotely connect with students a minimum of once per week. Remote connection can be achieved through audio file/podcast messages, email, phone conferences,  pre-recorded video messages or lessons, or Zoom/Google Meet/Hangout.
• MERSD educators will collectively assign/provide students with approximately 3.5 hours of educator directed learning per day. Educator directed learning is defined to be remote educator to student contact, assignments, research, project-based work, reading, physical activity, artistic assignments, enrichment, and support.  School teams should coordinate schedules and assignments to ensure that daily workload is within the allotted time. Assignments and workload will be modified as needed to meet the needs of students with disabilities.
• MERSD educators will provide deeper learning opportunities for students that seek to enrich, supplement and reinforce prior instruction. The overarching goal is to provide engaging and meaningful learning while maintaining skills.  It is expected that all students actively participate in remote learning.
• MERSD Educators will provide students with feedback and maintain a record (complete/incomplete) of student participation and completion of work. A running record will allow us to anticipate which students will need additional outreach during closure and remediation when we return to school operations.  Specifics of record-keeping will be defined at each level (Elementary, Middle, High).
• MERSD Educators will provide remote learning during regular school hours, unless individual circumstances warrant time outside of the regular school day; however, please abide by the following guidelines: elementary- no earlier than 9 AM; no later than 4 PM; middle/high – no earlier than 8 AM; no later than 5 PM

MERSD Remote Learning Expectations Special Education Faculty

MERSD special educators will contribute to the development of a Remote Learning plan for each student on caseload in a good faith effort to provide a Free and Appropriate Public Education during the current public health crisis.  Creation of this plan will entail soliciting parent feedback, discussion with colleagues and chairperson, and developing a list of services and supports designed to prevent substantial regression of skills.

• MERSD special educators will contribute to the development of a Remote Learning plan for each student on caseload in a good faith effort to provide a Free and Appropriate Public Education during the current public health crisis.  Creation of this plan will entail soliciting parent feedback, discussion with colleagues and chairperson, and developing a list of services and supports designed to prevent substantial regression of skills.

• MERSD special educators will remotely connect with students and/or parents a minimum of once per week. Remote connection can be achieved through Zoom/Google sessions, pre-recorded video messages or lessons, audio file/podcast messages, email, provision of resources, phone conferences.
• Following prior notice to parents (which is anticipated to occur prior to Wednesday, April 8), MERSD special educators will deliver remote learning plan services, consultation, instructional materials, and other forms of educator directed learning
• Educator directed learning is defined to be remote in-person contact, video modeling, assignments, practice activities, reading, etc.
• MERSD special educators will complete paperwork consistent with their roles as members of the special education Team (e.g., progress reports, data collection, IEP writing). Evaluations will not be conducted during closure due to Governor’s order prohibiting face to face contact.
• MERSD special educators will maintain a log of student and parent outreach and keep records of each student’s attendance and participation in special education remote services.
• MERSD special educators will provide remote learning during regular school hours, unless individual circumstances warrant time outside of the regular school day; however, please abide by the following guidelines: elementary- no earlier than 9 AM; no later than 4 PM; middle/high – no earlier than 8 AM; no later than 5 PM. 

General Communications

• MERSD will continue to utilize the Problem Solving Quick Guide as the protocol for addressing parent concerns.
• MERSD school codes of conduct continue to apply to the Remote Learning Environment.
• MERSD educators will continue to respond to parent/guardian email within the 48-hour guideline
• MERSD educators will use either MERSD issued email (mersd.org and/or meapps.org) or Google Classroom to communicate with students/parents