LCS Distance Learning in the High School
Any circumstance that would require a closure of the LCS Campus represents not only a disruption in normal daily routines, but may also create additional stress for students, parents, and teachers. In light of this, the first few days of distance learning will be focused on:
Relationships and Connecting with each other
Simplicity and Success
Empathy
We wish to reconnect students and teachers and ensure everyone knows how to access the online tools we will be using in the upcoming weeks.
High School
High School students will access their distance learning through the LCS HS Online Instruction Hub. Please find a short video of the HS Hub here. We aim to provide students with a consistent and high quality online learning experience, based on our existing curriculum, during periods of non-attendance or school closure.
Even though HS Students are quite independent, when online instruction begins, we encourage you to sit with your child and have them show you the links to their classes online. If your child has any difficulties, he or she should email their individual teacher using their LCS Gmail (their @lincoln.edu.gh address).
Technology Platforms
The following represent our main platforms for distance learning. Some classes may require additional technology tools.
Synchronous and Asynchronous Sessions
Supporting students in feeling connected to their classmates and their teachers is an important component of our distance learning plan. As such, teachers will host Office Hours (a specific time set for each block- all times are Accra times). During Office Hours each teacher who teaches in that particular block will be available online via email, Google Hangouts/Meet or Zoom in order to advise, answer questions, work with individuals or small groups and provide feedback. Teachers may also use the times to schedule group discussions, etc.
Time Expectations
All students are expected to be available during Office Hours whenever possible. If a student's location and timezone precludes this, the student should inform his or her teachers ahead of time.
The majority of High School students' work will be asynchronous, meaning students do not all need to be working online at the same time. High School students should expect to work approximately the same amount of time each day that they would have been working with classes and homework if working face-to-face at LCS. They should set up a weekly schedule that takes into account both scheduled 'Office Hours' and the amount of time it will take to cover the activities and assignments: this latter component should never be less than the equivalent of 4 x 80-minute blocks per day, the standard classroom load without homework. It might also be a good idea to add an appropriate amount equivalent to a standard homework load.
Students are expected to undertake online course work on a daily basis Monday to Friday. Parents will be requested to communicate with the teacher if this is not possible. If families are not responding to teachers, the principal will reach out to the family.
Advisory
Advisory teachers will 'meet' with their advisory groups on Wednesdays via Zoom. These are important sessions to ensure students are able to ask questions, share concerns, and connect with their advisors and classmates.
In High School, we have additional support from the following individuals
HS Counselors
Our HS Counselors will be available to students by appointment and have created HS Counseling Google Classroom pages to support student wellbeing.
MS/HS Librarian
The Librarian will work with faculty and students on research, citation, and locating digital resources. Students can consult with the Librarian via LCS Gmail, and video conferencing sessions can be set up as requested. The Librarian will continue to update the MS and HS Library website.
Student Support Teachers and Teaching Assistants
The Student Support Faculty will provide support to students who are on Individual Learning Plans, as well as to be present as co-teachers in classes in order to offer support to the teacher and all students as needed through differentiation, modification, small group support, and interventions. The HS Learning Support staff will be meeting with students through group and one on one sessions as needed for success. Learning Support teachers will continue to meet with the Counselor, Principal, and Director of Student Services to identify students of concern.
Screentime
The amount of time students spend looking at a screen is an important consideration in our lesson planning. Whenever possible, teachers will plan lessons that are a combination of online and offline tasks, and in relatively short chunks.
Student Support Services:
Our Learning Support Teachers will be working closely with classroom teachers to support the design of instructional activities. In addition, our Learning Support Teachers will be in regular contact with our students who receive EAL or learning support.
Student Feedback:
As teachers and students are working in different time zones, we are committed to providing feedback within a 24 hour window M-F.
Attendance Policy
The school's instructional program is based on the assumption that students will 'attend' school regularly. Daily 'attendance' is a condition for fulfilling High School requirements, completing coursework, and general academic progress at the school. Any 'absence' detracts from a student's depth of understanding of the missed subject, and is recorded.
Instead of taking attendance by seeing faces in the room, attendance will be determined on the basis of students being 'present in the learning'. Being 'present in the learning' will be determined by the teacher based on:
- Participation in all on-going activities, e.g. posting to a discussion thread, being present at a Zoom video conference, evidence of collaboration with peers in group work, etc.
- Submission of all assignments as per required deadlines.
- Appropriate communication with the teacher via email.
As a result of online instruction invariably being slightly less intense than a face-to-face learning environment, in order for a student to warrant being granted credit for learning when online during a school closure they must complete all assignments within published deadlines and participate fully in all ungraded online class activities, e.g. discussion threads, Zoom meetings, etc.
Should a teacher feel that any student has not been 'present in the learning' for any given week, they will email the parents at the end of the week, copying the student and either the Principal (grades 9 and 10) or Assistant Principal (grades 11 and 12). The administrator will communicate with all parties and then determine how many days absent should be debited from the student: this debiting will be based on a determination of missing work and participation only, and will not contain any punitive element.
If a student is unable to undertake online learning work for any reason, the parents or guardian must inform the child's teachers as soon as possible, providing any available evidence as to the reason for the 'absence from learning'.
In the event of a pre-planned absence during the closure period, parents are asked to notify the Principal in advance.
The Lincoln App
The Lincoln App is one of the most important vehicles for school-home communications during any school closure. It can be downloaded by LCS Community Members from both the Apple Store and Google's Play Store: once downloaded, please send an email to communication@lincoln.edu.gh This will then be set up and you will be emailed your unique password.
Information webinars
The school will be investigating how it might use appropriate technologies to run virtual meetings and information sessions for the parent community.