FAQs

Remote teaching simply means that the teacher and the students are in different locations. For KIPP Newark, KIPP Cooper Norcross Academy and KIPP Miami students this means we will be employing live instruction via Zoom lessons and Google Classroom to support your child’s learning outside our classroom. There may be instances where some of us cannot physically in school, but learning doesn’t stop!

Yes, students will receive a specific schedule from their school with the times of each core block Students will then log in to their different content blocks throughout the day.

We understand that this is a stressful time and that many parents work outside the home. Please share information about your child’s Remote Learning with whomever is caring for your child while you are at work and let your child’s teacher know so they know whom to contact to speak and support your child. We are all in this together and we’re here to help!

We value both presenting grade-level aligned content and meeting students where they are, at their levels, in reading and in math. Students will be learning on grade-level instruction, but will also receive targeted support at their level in small groups and blended learning.

Students will be graded under the following categories this year:

• • • Work Habits (building independent habits in work completion & submission)

    • Mastery (how students perform on assessments)

    • Participation - MS & HS ONLY (participation & effort in live classes)

How will I know how my student(s) is doing in school?

• • Progress reports will be sent every other week - families can access this in the DeansList parent portal

More information on grading policies can be found under the Elementary, Middle & High School Pages on this website.

Your child is always encouraged to reach out to his or her teachers for support with assignments during school hours. Our teachers will remain in regular contact with students and families, and you can expect responses from your child’s teachers within 24 hours.

For students in the 100% Remote Model, daily attendance will be based on joining virtual live advisory/homeroom/morning meeting block at the start of each day. If a student is more than 10 minutes late to live advisory/homeroom/morning meeting OR advisory/homeroom/morning meeting but attends the remainder of lives sessions for the day they will be marked as tardy.

We value both presenting grade-level aligned content and meeting students where they are, at their levels, in reading and in math. Students will be learning on grade-level instruction, but will also receive targeted support at their level in small groups and blended learning.

• Be prepared with all materials you will need - charged laptop, paper, pencil, etc.

• You should have your laptop in a common space of your home (e.g. kitchen, living room, etc.) or a quiet space like your bedroom, to concentrate and do your best.

• Focus and engage. It is easy to get distracted on your computer or your cell phone. Remember that this is class. You are responsible for the material presented in class. Make sure that the platform you’re on is your main screen.

• For math class, often students find it helpful to use manipulatives to help them solve. You may not have these at home, but here are some examples of items around your house that your student can use to solve!

  • Counters - About 30 small items to use as counters such as dried beans, beads, paper clips, cheerios, tiles, Legos, wood blocks, etc. Any small object can be used to help students count, add and subtract!

  • Egg Carton - cut off one strip to make it 2 rows of 10. This will be a helpful ten-frame for students learning sum and differences to 10. Can also be used to solve multiplication and division problems by representing equal groups.

    • Ex: Model addition with different-colored counters. “What’s 6 + 3?”

    • Model multiplication by putting equal quantities of counters in each egg cup. “If I have 6 groups of 3, how many counters do I have?”

  • Hundreds chart or place value chart - draw it on a piece of paper!

  • Crayons/pencil + paper - help students show their work!

We are committed to ensuring that students have access to remote learning and we will work with families individually to address obstacles to their access to computer hardware. Contact your child’s school directly for more information.

There are a number of internet providers providing free or low cost internet during this time. Please visit our Tech Support page for more information.

• Go to https://clever.com/in/kippnj

• Log in using your google apps account (username@teamstudents.org)

We are asking for your help in working with your child to read all directions carefully and to assist with tech glitches. Click here for the instructions on how to set up Google Classroom.

The teachers are happy to answer any content related questions. Student comments in Google Classroom should be limited to direct questions about the assignments. Please visit our Tech Support page for any tech issues. We know we are all navigating another extraordinary year and we appreciate your patience with us and your support of your children at home.

Families should ensure the proper care of student Chromebooks, which includes keeping them safe when they are not in use, protecting their screens from scratches and cracks, and using them only for appropriate instructional purposes. There is no expectation of student privacy on our Chromebooks. Students are advised to not do anything on the Chromebooks that they shouldn’t be doing at school.

1. Mute your microphone immediately. As soon as you log in to the platform, mute your microphone. This will prevent any excess background noise. Release the mute button when it is your turn to speak in the virtual class.

2. Everyone is visible in a videoconference. Students don’t have to wear uniforms, but all participants should wear appropriate clothing. You should have your laptop in a common space of your home (e.g. kitchen, living room, etc.) or a quiet space like your bedroom, but not in a bathroom or other inappropriate setting.

3. Focus and engage. It is easy to get distracted on your computer or your cell phone. Remember that this is class. You are responsible for the material presented in class. Keep your video conference platform open and do not navigate to other tabs or web pages unless directed by your teacher. Make sure that the teacher is your main screen. If needed, you can pin the teacher to be the main focal point to ensure that you do not get distracted by your peers

4. Respect. Seeing yourself on a screen can bring up vulnerabilities. Do not take a screenshot, picture, Snapchat, etc of your teacher or fellow students. Do not make any audio or video recordings. These behaviors violate our Internet Safety, and Social Media Acceptable Use Policy and will result in disciplinary action.

5. Students are still subject to the Student Code of Conduct and will be held accountable for any infractions, including bullying other students.

6. Support one another. Students should not interfere with their teacher’s instruction and/or their classmates’ learning. Please do all you can to support this process. Remember that each student and the teacher are responsible for effective learning, just as you would be if we were together in school.

• Use the 20-20-20 rule: To protect against digital eye strain, kids should look at an object that is at least 20 feet away for about 20 seconds once every 20 minutes. By giving their eyes a break, kids help protect and preserve their vision.

• Practice good posture: Promote good posture by teaching kids to sit upright with their feet on the ground. Position their laptop screen about 25 inches away from their face and at a height that does not require them to strain their neck to see.

• Get up and move around: Sitting for long periods can eventually lead to back problems, joint pain and other health issues. Encourage children to get up and move around at least once every hour they are using a laptop. For younger children, taking breaks every half-hour may be beneficial.