Dear Parent/Guardians,
On behalf of the entire Bronx River High School faculty and staff, I would like to welcome our students and families back for the 2020-2021 school year. This is surely a school year like no other, and I am committed to helping us create the best learning experience possible for all of our students. Remote Learning will begin for all students on Monday, September 21 and In-Person Learning for students who chose Blended Learning will begin on Thursday, October 1. Student schedules are now available to view on PupilPath.com. Students will be expected to follow their schedule and log into their virtual sessions at their specific class times.
As the 2020-2021 school year begins with both blended learning and fully remote learning, we have created the following guidance to ensure rigorous and engaging learning experiences for all students. We have taken what we learned from this past spring, consolidated our learnings and takeaways, and aligned our expectations to strengthen core instructional during this time of distance learning. In order to ensure the most rigorous and engaging online remote experience for all students, we have incorporated the following guiding principles:
- Teachers will continue to teach the subject they teach best, regardless of modality. An SBO was voted on and approved that allows teachers to teach across modalities (In-person, Blended Remote, Fully Remote). For example, our English 9 teacher teaches both In-Person students as well as remote students everyday.
- Rigorous & engaging online learning is our top priority. Currently, 80% of our student body is Fully Remote. Of the 20% who are Blended Learning, 66% of student learning days are remote. Therefore, remote learning must be rigorous and engaging.
- All Math, Science, Social Studies and ELA class will have at least one live, synchronous period daily. During the spring, all classes were asynchronous as the Bronx was hardest hit by COVID-19 and we wanted the greatest flexibility for our students and families. However, our parent, student and teacher surveys tell us that our community wants live instruction daily with a teacher for the core classes.
- Social-Emotional Support will be structured into the weekly schedule. Advisories will continue to meet with their advisor each week remotely to support social-emotional learning, track academic progress and create a community between students and advisor.
- Special Education support will be structured into the weekly schedule. Students with disabilities will receive SETSS support in core classes. SETSS support is offered in Mathematics, ELA, History and Science courses both during the time of remote instruction and in small group sessions throughout the day.
- ENL Support will be structured into the weekly schedule. English Language Learners receive mandated ENL services through Free-Standing ENL in core ELA and History classes. Students that are entitled to Standalone ENL classes receive the services during 5th and 8th periods from ENL teachers.
- Professional Development will focus on sharing best practices for remote learning. Professional development is facilitated by Bronx River High School model teachers, Dan Herguth and Shivanie Ramnarine. PD is focused on best practices of remote instruction and includes training of teachers on these best practices. Google classrooms and synchronous learning platforms across contents will be showcased.
- Seat time requirements for Remote Learning should be appropriate. In order to minimize the amount of time a student is required to sit in front of a computer, Physical Education will be asynchronous and students will submit weekly fitness logs.
Thank you to all our families for all your support. We will get through this together! As allows, please feel free to reach out with any questions or concerns.