Semester Ends on Thursday the 28th

I hope you have all had an enjoyable and peaceful long Memorial Day weekend.

I just wanted to remind everyone that my grades are due the morning of Thursday the 28^th this week. That means that online work will need to be completed by Wednesday evening. I will check Edgenuity on Thursday morning to make sure I have the latest and most up to date grade for each student before I upload grades.

A reminder of how this is going to work. The students all completed three full nine weeks grading periods prior to Spring Break. Those three report card grades are set in stone and will not be changed. The fourth nine weeks grade will be either the Edgenuity online learning average OR the third nine weeks average (used again), whichever is higher.

If your student did not do well on the third nine weeks, it is imperative they complete and do well on the online lessons. Otherwise, I will have to use that poor third nine weeks grade again. 

The clock is ticking and time is running out. I would really like it if none of my students had to attend summer school (by the way, summer school will be conducted virtually and online). 

I will be monitoring Edgenuity more often over these last few days (I usually check it three times per day). I will check twice in the morning hours, twice in the afternoon, and once in the evening (likely around 7:00-7:30). I want there to be as short a delay as possible should a student need me to unlock a quiz or have a question. Should anyone have a question, emailing me via Edgenuity is going to be the fastest way to get a hold of me.

Stay well,

Coach

Weekly Update: Grade Calculation and Summer School

Hello, I hope everyone out there is doing well and staying healthy. I hope you have not been bothered by my lack of updates over the past couple of weeks. The fact of the matter is there simply has not been much of anything new to pass along to you. Having said that, I will try to do better and at least reach out and touch base once a week.

Two things to discuss today:

I would like to make absolutely sure that everyone is clear as to how the end of the year grades will be calculated. It will work like this: the first three report card grades (unaffected by the Covid-19 closures) will be used. For the fourth nine-weeks grade, I will use the online Edgenuity average IF it is higher than the third nine-weeks grade. If the online Edgenuity grade is lower than the third nine-weeks grade, I will count the third nine-weeks grade again (as the fourth nine-weeks grade. Here are a couple of examples that I hope will make this clear.

Student #1

1^st Nine weeks grade:     76                            In this case, I would throw out the 55 and use

2^nd Nine weeks grade:     80                           the 74 from the 3^rd nine weeks again. I would

3^rd Nine weeks grade:      74                           average these four grades and the final grade

Online Edgenuity grade:  55                           for the year would be a 76.

Student #2

1^st Nine weeks grade:        70                         In this case, I would use the online/Edgenuity

2^nd Nine weeks grade:       72                         grade of 75 as it is higher than the 3^rd 

3^rd Nine weeks grade:        65                         nine weeks average. I would then average those 

Online/Edgenuity grade:   75                           four grades and the student would finish the 

                                                                         year with a: 71.

On a different note, there is a rumor swirling about that there will be no summer school this year. I have been told there WILL be summer school. The summer session will be conducted virtually and students will have to complete online lessons in order to receive credit. The bottom line is that a program similar to Edgenuity will be used for the summer school curriculum and students will have to complete the work from home. At this time, I do not know any details regarding what students without access to technology will do. I assume that a check-out of laptops or tablets will be available similar to what was done for the current grading period, but I do not know that for sure. I just need to make sure everyone understands that there WILL be summer school for students who failed for the year AND that it WILL be conducted via an online curriculum.

I will update again next week or sooner, if something should come up. Until then, stay well.

Coach

                                                                        

Latest Update: End of the Year, Grades, Etc.

Welcome to yet another week of online learning. I hope things are going well for each of you and you are all well.

The big news from this past week, of course, is that the Governor has declared all Texas schools will remain closed for the remainder of the school year. This means we will not be meeting again in the school building and that the online work will be the curriculum for the rest of the year.

There are many questions that remain unanswered at this time (at least to my knowledge they remain unanswered): Will school start on time in the Fall? What about summer school? Etc. I simply do not know…

What I can tell you is how the online work will figure into your student’s final grade for the year. The fourth nine-weeks average can only help a student. For example, if a student made a 75 on their third nine-weeks report card and make a 65 for the fourth nine-weeks (the online work), the 75 will be entered again. If a student makes a 75 on the third nine-weeks and then an 85 on the fourth nine-weeks, the student will get the higher grade. 

I can also tell you that the report card grades for the first, second, and third nine-weeks grading periods will not be changing and will be used to figure the end of year average. The rumor that a student cannot be failed for the year due to the Covid-19 closures is incorrect. The school closures would have had absolutely no effect on these first three grading periods.

Some students are going to read this and think, “Why should I do this online work?” The possible reasons are simple. If the student needed to pass this nine-weeks to pass for the year, then they need to do the work. Another big reason is that they are going to take a Social Studies STAAR Test next year in the 8^th grade. The material covered in these online lessons will be on that exam and will not necessarily be covered in the 8^thgrade History course.

I hope that provides some clarity. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask.

Stay well,

Coach

Monday Update

 I hope everyone had a great long Easter weekend. Certainly, this year was different than Easters past, but it’s my hope you had a good time with your families.

Students should have been back at their online lessons today. I realize the novelty of online school has worn off by now and your student may be wishing for “the good ol’ days” of regular classes. This is just the way it has to be for now and we must all do the best we can under the circumstances. 

Many students are not logging on because they find the lessons too difficult. Please help get the message across to them that they are going to have to deal with this sort of module-based learning from here on out. I am willing to bet that many of you have had to complete similar type activities for training purposes at your jobs. This is also the way online college courses are done, credit recovery programs in high schools are completed, etc. The students are simply going to have to get where they are not intimidated by these module-based lessons. Even when all the virus stuff is over, these types of lessons are not going to go away completely.

I realize many of your students are having to take on more responsibilities than usual. There may be multiple students in the house and only one computer, making keeping up with the lessons difficult. I totally get it. I really don’t mind a student who is a bit behind as long as when they do the work, they do the best they can. I have far too many students who are taking far too little time on the work and who are typing in answers that ridiculous, make no sense, and, at times, inappropriate. Students need to understand that when they choose to answer questions in this way, I will not allow a retake. They will be stuck with the grade they earn.

I have been asked whether or not we will be returning to school at all this year. The answer is, I don’t know. I do know the Governor has extended the disaster executive order an additional 30 days. Personally, I think it is more likely than not that we will not be going back this year. Understand, that is just my best guess; but, in the case that I am right, it makes the online work that much more important. I hope I am wrong and that we do get back.

I will update again when if I hear anything new. Until then, stay well.

Coach

Too Many Not Working

Welcome to a new week. I hope this message finds you all healthy and in good spirits. 

I need to ask all the parents reading this to make sure and check on your student’s progress in Edgenuity. There has been a steady decline in the number of students getting their assignments done or, in many cases, even logging on to the program. In order to be up to date on their Texas History assignments, students should be finishing up the third module in the “Texas in the 20^th Century” unit titled “Civil Rights and Equal Rights Movements.” By the end of the day tomorrow they should be starting the second unit titled “Contemporary Texas.” The first module in this second unit is called “Texas Leaders in Politics.” If you do not know how to get into the program have your student show you exactly where they are. Far too many students have gotten behind on things.

There is a rumor circulating that may be contributing to the lack of participation on the part of many students. The rumor being, “They are going to pass everyone no matter what.” While it is true a LOT of leniency is going to be shown regarding averages when it comes to whether or not a student is promoted, this rumor is not true. A student who does little to nothing online and who has not contacted school officials regarding a lack of technology in the home, could end up failing the fourth nine weeks. Something else students need to be taking into consideration is whether or not they had failed previous nine weeks. This nine weeks there is going to be a LOT of latitude given. It is a great opportunity to make a decent grade to balance out a rough previous grading period. If a student was already failing when the school closure took place and does little to nothing in the way of work during this time they could be held back. 

Some students have said to me, “I’ll just go to summer school.” There is a VERY real possibility that there will be no summer school this year. Students really need to take that into consideration when they are deciding whether or not to log on and do these online assignments.

Finally, as this is a problem not unique to KISD, the TEA is considering requiring students to have "made some progress" before allowing them to promote to the next grade. This is a very vague statement, but I do not see how a student who does not log on and attempt to complete their assignments could be thought to have "made progress." Do not allow your student to put their fate in the hands of TEA or district administrators. Please, encourage them strongly to do their work.

I know this is a strange time and we all have other worries and matters on our mind. These school assignments should not be #1 on your family’s list of concerns; however, they should at least be ON the list. Again, please have your student show you their progress. If you have questions, please do not hesitate to let me know.

Stay well,

Coach

4/2/20 Update: Some Concerns

There is not much in the way of news today, but there are a couple of concerns I have that I would like to share with parents and students.

First, students are really struggling with the 2-3 essay questions that are included in each learning module. It is true that the computer grades based on a pretty tough algorithm; however, far too many students are exhibiting too little effort in attempting to answer these questions. The bottom line is that if a student answers these questions using sentence fragments or by writing only one line, they will not get credit. Also, students are writing in answers that have nothing at all to do with the question being asked. This is simply a matter of paying a attention. You will not get credit unless you answer the question that was actually asked.

Second, I am starting to see students copy and paste answers to these essays from other internet sites. Wikipedia seems to be a popular source. Plain and simple, this is called plagiarism and is illegal; it is also blatant cheating. I will not give credit on these questions who have obviously plagiarized another source online. Students need to use their own brains and come up with their own answers. Period.

Third, I have students who are not trying to answer the questions at all. They are writing “IDK,” or worse, “IDFK’ in place of answers (if you don’t know what these acronyms stand for, ask your student). This lack of effort is totally unacceptable and I will not give credit for the questions to any student who answers in this way. If students believed I would not monitor their answers, they were mistaken. The bottom line: if you don’t try, you don’t pass.

I know we are in unusual circumstances, but we all must do what we have to do. That is just the way it is. We are all a bit like sponges. Outsiders cannot see what is inside of us; however, when we find ourselves in crisis – when, in other words, we get squeezed – whatever is inside  us is going to come oozing out for the whole world to see. I am beginning to see some concerning things coming out of too many students during this time when they are  feeling squeezed. Fix the effort problem.

Having said all of that, I know many students are having to balance different roles right now: babysitting, cooking/cleaning, etc. I get it. The truth is that I would rather see a student who is a day or two behind, but doing good work when they can versus a student who is simply rushing through their work and putting forth little to no effort. 

Many of you are working hard and doing your best. I appreciate each of you very much and I know who you are. For those who are coasting, I hope I do not have to address these particular issues again.

Stay safe.

Coach

3/31/20 Update: Day 5 of Online Learning

Hello, everyone. I hope this finds you all well.

Important news out of Austin today. Governor Abbott has extended social distancing protocols and mandated that all schools remain closed until at least May 4^th. A letter from Dr. Craft will be coming to your email inbox soon. In it, several subjects are touched upon that could affect your student (prom, graduation, lunch and breakfast availability, etc.). I have attached the letter below just in case you missed it in your inbox.

For EHMS students and parents, this means that you are going to have to get comfortable with the online learning platforms (Edgenuity and Schoology) as they are not going anywhere anytime soon. Everyone must realize that this time out of the building is not the start of an extended summer break. School is in session and, just like when they are in the building, students are expected to do their work in a timely fashion to the best of their abilities. If you have questions about how to log on to the learning platforms, about accomodations, what to do if you have no technology access in the home, etc. please let me know. Remember, unless you contact me, a student who is unable to log on to their lessons due to having no technology in their home looks just like a student with online access who has simply decided not to do their work. Please communicate effectively. Learning packets are available from the school; we just need to know you need them.

Back to accommodations… Ms. Stall, one of our counselors, sent this out to teachers today. I now pass it along to each of you. I hope this helps.

“I have had many parents reach out to me about how to access accommodations on Edgenuity. Please share this information to parents who have students receiving accommodations under 504 or Special Education.

CC (closed caption)- can be found at the bottom right of screen

Headphones- allows the text to be read aloud (has speeds of normal, fast, slow)

Stop button- allows the video to stop

II button- allows video to be paused

Highlighter- allows you to highlight text

Abc- allows access to online dictionary”

Finally, I have been getting a lot of email from students and parents who are very concerned about the grade showing up in Edgenuity. I felt like it would be easier for me to talk to you directly (rather than try to type it out), so I made a couple of short videos you can view. If you still have questions after viewing them, please let me know.

More tomorrow and/or as needed. Stay well.

Coach

3/30/20 Update: Day 4 of Online Learning

Welcome to week 2 of KISD online learning. 

There seemed to be a lot of students and parents having some trouble with the system today. My personal theory is that it being the beginning of the week, a lot of students were up and at it early in order to get a jump on the week’s work. With so many online at once, I’m guessing the network slowed down and had issues with the workload. It is possible the number of students online will spread out a bit throughout the rest of the week. Do know that no student is going to be held accountable for work if the network crashes or becomes inaccessible. If you do find yourself having issues with Edgenuity or Schoology, just email me and let me know. Good communication is the key to my knowing whether a student is having network issues or just did not log on and do any work that day.

There was surprisingly little information from the district today, especially in light of President Trump’s announcement this weekend that social distancing protocols and shelter in place orders would be extended until at least April 30^th. I was asked a couple of times today what this meant for the rest of the school year. The quick answer is I just do not know. I do know district personnel are meeting with state officials over the next couple of days. I am sure these meetings will yield more information. I will update you here once I know more.

Please let your student know that the target for this week should be to finish up the World War II module and begin the Civil Rights & Equal Rights module. It is important that the students keep up and do not get behind. Remember, it is always easier to keep up than it is to catch up.

3/27/20 Update: Day 3 of Online Learning

 We have now wrapped up the first three days of online learning and made it to the weekend. Students should have completed the first topic by now (The Great Depression) and be ready to begin the next topic (World War II) on Monday. Many students have already completed the first topic and are well into the second already. 

I want to tell all of you how proud I am of each of you who have logged in and started rocking and rolling on these online lessons. It is quite a change, I know, but you are handling things very well. There have been a few issues with some students trying to move too quickly, but I think we have those ironed out. By now you all have likely figured out that you are going to get multiple attempts to pass each exercise, including the end of the topic quiz. What I am looking for is your best effort. That’s all. Understand, however, I can see how long each of you are spending on each topic. When you fail a ten-question quiz and took 57 seconds to take it, well, I think we can all agree that is not your best effort. Slow down, read each question carefully, consider your answer choices, pick the one you think is right and move on. You can handle this.

The following message was sent out earlier today on the Remind app, but I realize that not everyone signed up for that at the beginning of the year so I am including it here. It is a flier detailing how students can get free internet during this time of school closures. 

I’ve had some questions about grades; it seems I was not alone and to address this the district sent out the following information:

“Parents and students are used to seeing grades in the gradebook that never change, unless another grade is entered. Edgenuity tracks your grade every day plus your daily progress.  For example: Yesterday you received a 100 for the day’s work and you open up the program today and have a 50 and a new grade has not been entered. This occurs because you have not made any progress today. Once you complete the day’s assignments your grade will reflect your current grade.”

I hope that helps.

I will be compiling a list of students who have not yet logged on to Edgenuity and started their work. I will be attempting to contact the parents of those students this weekend. I will also be sending this list to our Principal, Mr. Key (per his request). Students who have not yet logged on and started the work should take this weekend and use that time to catch up. Again, the first topic on The Great Depression should be finished and students should be ready to start the World War II topic on Monday.

If anything new comes up I will be sure to update here. If you have any questions or problems, please feel free to contact me. I will do all I can to help you figure it out.

Have a good weekend,

Coach

3/26/20 Update: Day 2 of Online Learning

 Day 2 has now come and gone and things seem to be going well, for the most part. The students who are logging on are working well and making fast progress. I spent my day monitoring them, sending them emails asking them to try an exercise or quiz again if they did not pass it, and unlocking exams so they could be accessed.

The students who are logging in all seem to be doing just fine. The concern are those students who have yet to log on and begin work. At the end of the day tomorrow, I will be compiling a list of all my registered students who have not yet started the online work for my class. There could be extenuating circumstances as to why this is, but the parents of these students will be getting an email from me as a reminder to get their kiddo in gear. I have also been asked by our Principal, Jeremy Key, to turn in the list of those names to him. That being the case, parents of these students may be hearing from him as well.

That is really about it. I have nothing new from the district to share. As always, if you have any questions please feel free to contact me via the blog, the Remind app, or my school or Edgenuity email address. I will help in any way I can.

Stay well,

Coach

3/25/20 Update: Day 1 of Online Learning

The first day of online school is now in the books. For the most part, the issues were small (wrong login information, forgotten passwords, etc.). I think once the students were in the right place and got going they did just fine. Remember, you can email me directly via Edgenuity or via regular school email when you have a question. I am monitoring things most of the time during regular working hours. I will also check in a time or two (at least) in the evenings as I know some of the kiddos will be working in the evening instead of the morning.

The one concern I have is that only about half of my students logged on at all today. The Edgenuity program is set up so that the student will do about 20-30 minutes of work in each subject per day. This varies some from student to student, but it is a good ballpark figure. That doesn’t sound like much time, but students need to remember that it means 20-30 minutes per core subject (History, English, Science, and Math). That equates to about two hours of work. I am pretty sure – if they haven’t already – the Elective teachers will be putting out assignments, too. If a student takes a few days off, they are really going to get behind quick. Please make sure your student is logging on and taking care of their business. I want everyone to be successful, but they must log on and do the work. If there is anyone who lacks the technology in their home to complete the online work, if you have not already, contact your student’s English teacher and let them know. The district will be distributing packets for these students. The Shelter in Place order has complicated that a bit, so please be patient. I can tell you that these packets will need to be picked up and dropped off at school when complete. I realize that might be a pain for some parents but do not really know how else we can go about it.

Something else to remember, students will be working in Schoology (for Electives) and in Edgenuity (Core subjects). I had several parents and students contact me today confused as to why they were not seeing my History assignments. It turned out they were in Schoology. Each student will need to check in both programs daily to ensure they are keeping up. 

Again, I know it seems overwhelming, but I really believe the students are going to get rolling and do really well. Once they get used to where everything is and know how to logon, they will knock this work out. Families who will be taking advantage of the packets, just keep monitoring your email and this blog. I will update you ASAP once I know the logistics of how these packets will be distributed (when, where, etc.).

If you have any questions, please feel free to ask. I don’t promise to know the answer, but I will sure try to find the person who does and get back to you. More tomorrow. Have a good evening.

Coach

3/24/20 Update: One Day Until We Start

As you all are aware by now, we are scheduled to kick off our “online learning” tomorrow morning. Again, please stress to your students that there is absolutely nothing to be intimidated, frustrated, or fearful about any of this. Will there be hiccups and issues that arrive? No doubt about it, yes. Will we handle those problems? Again, no doubt, yes. I really believe once the issues with logging on to the system are worked out and the students get orientated, they will find that things really are not so bad at all. I believe I mentioned in an earlier post that I signed up as a student in the TX History course and was able to complete the entire first unit of work in 41 minutes. Edgenuity had that work spread out over three days. So, we are looking at somewhere between 15-30 minutes per day for my class. I am sure the other core classes are set up similarly. Stress to the kiddos that they can do their work in only a couple of hours and then still have tons of free time.

It is recommended that the students get up at a decent hour and do their classwork during the time period that they normally would if regular school was going on. For example, my first period students would work on TX History work from 8:00-8:50, then English, Math, and Science during whatever periods/times they would normally be in that class. There are various reasons this may not be possible for all of you and it is absolutely fine if a student is working on their assignments at different times. Part of the reason the district recommends this strategy is because that is when they are paying the teacher to be online most of the time (regular work hours). As you know, however, there is nothing “regular” about any of this. I will be online and easier to reach from 8:00-4:00 but will be checking in several times per evening just in case anyone needs help “after hours.” Keep in mind, I’m an old guy and won’t be available ALL night long, lol, but I do not mind helping someone in the evening if the need arises. 

If your student has tested their login capabilities and can get into the Edgenuity program without any problems, they may go ahead and start at any time. I have quite a few students who have already started. If you get to a point where you are not allowed to go on, it is likely due to the fact that I have to look over everything, assign a grade, and then okay the student advancing to the next unit. I will be talking to students via their school emails and will be touching base with parents if your students get more than a day or two behind schedule.

One more time, DO NOT STRESS. We have enough to worry about without letting this online stuff become an additional burden. Log in daily, do your best, and then get on with other things. The effort of the student is going to play a major role in all of this. I ask only that the students try their best and do not give up too quickly. Remind the students that I can see exactly how long they remain on line and can print reports off to show the parents. Again, EFFORT is what we are looking for here.

In a strange way, I am looking forward to tomorrow (headaches and all); I have been bored here in isolation. I am willing to bet that many students feel the same way, though they would never admit it, lol. Just remember, it is all new to everyone. If you have an issue and I don’t reply right away, it is likely because I’m trying to help someone else. Be patient, I'm coming.

See you all online tomorrow.

Coach

3/23/20 Update: A Long One

This update is going to be a bit longer than usual, but I think it will cover some ground that many of you have questions about. I’ll take things one at a time.

First, a ConnectEd phone call was scheduled to go out today which was intended to cover a lot of the questions I know many of you have. That being said, several communities in our vicinity have now gone to a “Shelter in Place” order. This is going to force the district to change up some of the information that was going to be in that call. Hopefully, they will still be able to make a call today, but it could be tomorrow. As you’ve heard many times by now, things are extremely fluid and are sometimes changing hour to hour. 

On Wednesday, information regarding what to do if you do not have adequate technology in the home to complete online work is scheduled to be released. I know the district is putting together packets for students in this situation but do not know how they will be distributed. The possibility of a “Shelter in Place” order could complicate this aspect of things quite a bit. Hopefully, the Wednesday communication will address all of this. Be looking for it. One thing I did learn today is that your student’s ELA teacher will be your point of contact regarding any technology issues going forward (passwords, no device, no wi-fi, etc.).

Some have asked about accomodations for students who have an IEP or a 504 plan. The accomodations are built into Edgenuity. For example, the course is self-paced, reading passages and questions are read to the student, the student will have multiple opportunities to take and pass tests, etc. I really believe most students will be getting the support they need directly from the program. If your student is struggling, I will figure out a way to tutor and help them get where they need to be. Yet another email is supposed to be going out soon that should address many of the questions in this area.

Some have asked if the students have to work during regular school hours. That would be preferable as that will be when I am online and available to help the most. That being said, I know there are families that have multiple children who will need to share one device. I get it and it is no big deal. The main thing is that the student keeps up and gets the work done. Whether they do it at 8:00 a.m. or 8:00 p.m. doesn’t really matter all that much. I will be checking in during the evenings as well should you run into any problems. You can also send me your questions via Remind, via the comments section on the blog, or via school email (Michael.mayes@killeenisd.org).

Another question was how long does the online work take? I set myself up as a student and completed the entire first unit (3 days of scheduled work in the system) in 41 minutes. The daily expectation will be no more than 15-20 minutes for Texas History. I am assuming the other core subjects will be set up in a similar manner. The time it takes to complete a day’s work will vary student to student, obviously, but most will be able to do everything required in a day in 90 minutes to 2 hours. That makes the necessary sharing of devices less of a problem. Maybe schedule Sibling 1 for morning hours and Sibling 2 for the afternoon. A third and fourth session could be added in the evening hours for additional siblings. The schedule could be flipped daily so no one student always has to be the early bird or night owl.

Attendance is another concern I have been asked about. Basically, attendance will be based upon log-ins. If your child fails to log-in to their course on a particular day, they will be considered absent. I would caution that just logging in, staying for 60 seconds, and logging out will not be sufficient to earn credit for attendance that day. The exception will be once a student completely finishes their coursework. At that point, there really is no point in logging in to the system. We have a way to go before we get there, though. The bottom line is that attendance requirements are going to be greatly relaxed during this time. I don't think your student is going to have any issues with the district even if they log-in only once a week IF they are up date on their work.

TAG students, you will not be required to turn in your projects this year. This is the big TAG project you were dealing with Ms. Wooden and Ms. Ortiz about, not a regular class project. You are officially off the hook, lol.

There are rumors that students will pass the 4^th nine weeks whether they do the work online or not. I have been told that is not the case. Understand, the grading policy will be loosened up a bit out of necessity, but a student who fails to log-in and do any work can and will fail the 4^th nine weeks which could affect whether or not they pass for the year and earn promotion to the next grade. That is why it is so very important for families without adequate technology to contact your student’s ELA teachers and let them know your situation. If you are communicating with the district about technology matters, you WILL be okay. The district is preparing alternate assignments for you that will take the place of the online work. You just have to make your situation known for that to happen. Again, the ELA teacher will be your point of contact for this particular issue.

It is my understanding that both Spectrum and CenturyLink are providing internet free of charge to students without wi-fi in the home for up to 60 days. I realize that internet without a device doesn’t help much, but if you were thinking of not asking for a school loaner laptop or tablet because of lack of internet at the house, this could solve that problem.

Another question I am getting a lot is whether or not we will be physically meeting in school again this year. The official (as of now) answer is we are planning on returning to school on Monday 4/6. That has not changed as of the time I am writing this. Personally, I do not feel like the district would have gone to the expense and trouble of setting up this online learning for only 8 school days. I have no inside knowledge; I have not been told anything other than 4/6 as a return to school date; however, I strongly suspect this is going to last longer, possibly all the way to the end of the year. I suppose it might be best to expect that and be pleasantly surprised if things get back to normal sooner. Certainly, I will keep you up on the latest updates regarding returning to school.

Again, please do not stress over any of this. If you have any trouble in any area you simply need to communicate it to the proper district person. If you don’t know who that is, let me know and I will either relay your message or direct you to the correct person. We are all doing this online thing for the first time. There WILL be hiccups; it is unavoidable. Understand, as long as you are making the effort your student will be just fine. We will get through all of this and, hopefully, be back to normal soon.

I will provide new updates as information is made available to me. In the meantime, be good to each other and stay well.

Coach

3/21/02 Update: All Students Enrolled

There is not a whole lot of news from the district to report to you today. It being Saturday, I suppose that is not unexpected. I will continue to update here as information becomes available. It might bear checking up to twice a day (once in the morning and once in the afternoon) to make sure you are up to date.

I have completed enrolling all of my students in the online Texas History course on Edgenuity. I noticed that many of my students have been in enrolled in their Science and Language Arts classes as well. I'm sure the teachers of the other subjects will be getting this done soon as well. IF you have received the district email regarding Edgenuity and how to log in, you should be able to see the number of courses in which your child has been enrolled. If you see that Texas History is missing, please let me know. You can leave a comment to this post, on Remind, or email me at Michael.mayes@killeenisd.org. I will go back int the system and see if I can correct the problem.

I still have no additional information on what to do if you do not have sufficient technology in the home to complete the course work; I'm sure that will be forthcoming. Just hang in there.

Online work is scheduled to begin on Wednesday 3/25, so please make sure to get your child signed up and test your log-in capabilities. Mainly, I am concerned about students forgetting their passwords. The password should be the same one they use to log-in at school when they attend a class in one of our computer labs. If you have trouble, contact me via the means already mentioned and I can have our Campus Technologist reset your student's password. I anticipate a LOT of requests for this, so I highly recommend attempting to log-in to Edgenuity as soon as possible to make sure you do not have any issues. Requests for password resets will be taken in the order in which they are received, so you want to "be first in line," if this is an issue so as not to fall behind once the work starts.

I know this seems overwhelming; I feel it, too. However, as I believe I mentioned a day or two ago, the process is very front-heavy. Once the kinks are worked out and everyone is enrolled and can log-in things should run relatively smoothly. I will be setting up a time early next week when I will be online and available for questions in as close to real time as I can manage. In the meantime, please go through the steps outlined in the emails and try to get your student where they can log-in successfully.

More updates as I receive information. Take care and stay well.

Coach

3/20/20 Update : Nothing New

Nothing new to share today - at least not yet. Just keep an eye out for the that email detailing how to log on and use Edgenuity. If everything stays as it is, we will start virtual classes next Wednesday, 3/25.

Do not be anxious about this. There will be hiccups and unforeseen obstacles. We will tackle them as we come across them. Just remember, these little technology difficulties are small potatoes compared to what is going on in the world. We can handle this!

Stay healthy and I will update here tomorrow  OR later today should something new come up.

Coach

3/19/20 Update

Parents and Students,

I have received word that starting next week (hopefully) classes will resume via an online program called Edgenuity. The district will be sending (if they have not already) an email out to all parents with the details. 

There will be some initial steps parents and students will need to take in order to get online and going. Please do not be intimidated or frustrated by these steps. I have completed about half of the process I need to complete as far as uploading student classes, rosters, and enrolling students in the proper course. It seems to be a very front-end heavy type of thing; once you get rolling, it really isn’t too bad at all and is actually pretty user friendly.

The main thing I need to stress to all my students: you are not on a break or a vacation as of next week. You will need and be expected to take care of your online assignments in a timely manner. Each subject will have the activities for that day neatly mapped out for you. If you do a little bit a day, you will never get behind and stressed. The good news is that you can knock out a full day’s worth of assignments in a couple of hours and then be finished for the day. What you need to understand, however, is that you are going to have to be much more responsible for your own learning than you have been up to this point in your educational careers. If you do not do the work, you will not pass. It is just that simple.

I realize that there are students who do not have online access, computers, or tablets at home. The district is making allowances for that and you should all be receiving instructions on what to do if you do not have adequate technology in the home to do all the work online. Again, YOU will have to be responsible and take the initiative to let the district/campus know your situation and then do what must be done to get the work completed and turned in on time.

You need to all realize that you are living through an historic event; one that will be documented in the history books of the future. The way we handle this unusual and stressful event is going to be the basis for how our generation is remembered. My grandparents lived through World War II and because of the way they conducted themselves are remembered today as “The Greatest Generation.” We all must rise to this new challenge in a similar manner. I have all the faith in the world in each of you. You CAN do this.

I am here to help in any way I can. Once the Edgenuity is set up and running, we will be able to communicate directly via school email and online message boards. We will get through this.

I will update the blog with the latest news tomorrow. In the meantime, please feel free to leave questions in the comment section below. Also, just let me know how you are doing and if you and your family are well.

Coach

3/18 Update on School Closures

Things continue to change on a daily basis regarding school and the Covid-19 related school closures. Today has proven to be no different.

Dr. Craft and the Board of Trustees have decided to extend the closure of all KISD campuses through Friday 3/27. This means school will not reconvene until Monday 3/30. Below is Dr. Craft's statement:

Parents,

Killeen ISD has made the decision to extend the closure of schools at this time through March 27, 2020. Given the difficult circumstances we are currently facing, this is the prudent decision at this time.

This suspension of normal school operations, taken in conjunction with surrounding districts, is in support of the overall effort to “flatten the curve” of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Killeen ISD is committed to ongoing student learning opportunities while the district is closed.

The District will remain flexible as leaders plan for potential long-term delivery of instruction and continue to navigate the many details of this unprecedented situation. We will continue to update you with details via blackboard and our COVID-19 webpage, www.killeenisd.org/COVID19

Effective immediately, all district events and extracurricular activities are canceled until the District reopens or further notice from the Superintendent.

Our School Nutrition staff will continue our Grab & Go Breakfast and Lunch meals Monday- Friday through March 27, 2020 at the locations listed on the website.

We remain hopeful that staff and students will return to campus soon.

Once again Killeen ISD has extended our COVID-19 closure through March 27, 2020. Please check our district website www.killeenisd.org/covid19 for more information as we continue to engage students in Instructional Continuity.

Thank you for your flexibility during this time,

John Craft

Details regarding online learning opportunities will be forthcoming soon. You can check in daily here or at Killeenisd.org. 

Stay safe,

Coach Mayes

Updates on School Closure

Hello Parents and Students.

I don’t know how many of you might be monitoring this site but I thought I would do my part in keeping everyone informed on what is going on with school during this unusual time.

This morning, our Superintendent, Dr. John Craft, held a press conference in which – among many other things – said that as of now school will resume next Monday, March 23^rd. He stressed that, while this was the goal, the situation remains fluid and the plan could change between now and then. I will keep you up to date here. I would also recommend you check the KISD website regularly (www.killeenisd.org).

Dr. Craft said that, while school will be open, if any parent is uncomfortable sending their child to school during this Corona Virus situation, they do not have to do so. He stressed that, while attendance will be taken, the district would not consider students who do not attend as trua

If you find this entire situation confusing, you are not alone. Please know that we are all simply doing the best we can while navigating a situation the likes of which none of us has ever seen before. Again, I will update here when new details emerge. In the meantime, be well.

My best to you all. 

Chapter 13 Test Tomorrow

Tomorrow the students will take their exam over Chapter 13. The notes for Lesson 3 can be found below. The notes from Lessons 1 and 2 can be found on previous posts.

Chapter 13 - Lesson 2 Notes, Open Notes Quiz Tomorrow

Tomorrow the students will be given an open notes quiz over Chapter 13 - Lessons 1 and 2. The notes from Lesson 1 are attached to the previous post. The notes from Lesson are below.

Chapter 13 - Lesson 1 Notes

Below are the notes for Chapter 13 - Lesson 1. In this chapter we will be discussing the nearly ten year period following the revolution when Texas was a sovereign nation.

Texas Revolution Projects Due Friday

The Texas Revolution projects for both TAG/PAP and Regular Ed. classes are due this Friday at the beginning of the period. Full instructions for these projects are below:

Regular Ed.

TAG/PAP

Chapter 11 - Lesson 1 Notes

Below are the notes for Lesson 1 of Chapter 11.