AACPS will utilize virtual learning from home in the event of inclement weather or other extenuating emergencies. All weather related announcements can be found here: https://www.aacps.org/weather

 

 The following information is provided as a guide should this become necessary.

 

SNOW DAY DECISIONS:

AACPS has three snow days built into the school calendar. In order to help minimize additional days being added to the school year, the state of Maryland has approved a plan for our school system to opt for virtual instruction in the event of inclement weather. Notification will be made through the normal channels and the following will be the options used in the event of inclement weather: 

• Code Blue (schools closed for students; offices open)     
• Code Red (schools closed for all; offices closed)                                        
• Synchronous Instruction or Asynchronous Instruction (see descriptions below)

 

SYNCHRONOUS INSTRUCTION: 

During a Synchronous Instruction day, students will log in for live instruction with their homeroom teacher. Instruction will start at 9:00am and end at 2:15pm (including a 45-minute lunch). Students will attend cultural arts on these days as well. Attendance will be taken and students are expected to be present throughout the entire synchronous day. The school system will publish a schedule for this day; however, your child’s teacher will post their schedule on their Brightspace pages. 

 

ASYNCHRONOUS INSTRUCTION:

During an Asynchronous Instruction day, students will receive work to complete independently at home. No live instruction will take place outside of an hour of optional teacher support. Directions for students will be posted on their teacher’s Brightspace page. Teachers will have all activities for the day posted prior to 9:00am. Attendance will be taken based on students logging into their Brightspace page before 2:00pm. All students must log in by this time in order to be counted present. During an Asynchronous Instruction day, teachers will be available from 10:00-11:00am to support students who may have questions and need support on the day’s activities. Students will access this “office hour” on their homeroom teacher’s Google Meet link.

 

CHROMEBOOKS:  

All students have been assigned a Chromebook. Students in kindergarten, first and second grades have devices at home. Please ensure these at-home devices are charged and ready throughout the winter. Students in grades 3-5 should bring their devices back and forth to school daily. If internet access at home is a concern, please make your child’s teacher aware ahead of time. 

 

BRIGHTSPACE:  

Every teacher has a Brightspace page. Students have been taught how to locate this page through ClassLink. 

On the main page, teachers will post messages under Announcements. This will include directions for the students and a Google Meet link for connecting with the teacher. During a Synchronous Instruction Day, students will use a different Google Meet link for their Cultural Arts teacher. All classrooms are accessible to students by clicking on the waffle (nine dots) on their top toolbar.

 

LOCATING THE DETAILS:

AACPS has a webpage dedicated to the Virtual Day Instruction Plan. You can locate that HERE. 

They also created a page with synchronous grade level schedules and details of asynchronous instruction. You can find that page HERE.

The most important information will be found on your child’s Brightspace page where their teacher has posted their schedules and details specific to their classes.

 

GENERAL REMINDERS:

• Locate your child’s device, headphones, and chargers so they are ready.
• Students in PreK through 2nd grade have been issued a Chromebook for use at home upon enrollment. These should remain at home and be used for virtual learning instruction days. Please be sure that student Chromebooks are charged and used at home regularly so that there are no problems when a Virtual Instruction day is decided upon. 
• Students in 3rd–5th grade are expected to take their Chromebooks to and from school daily so that they will be able to use them for Virtual Instruction Days  should the need arise. 
• Log into your child’s Brightspace page now so that you are familiar with the format and procedures used during an Virtual Instruction day.
• If your family has extenuating circumstances, please check in with our school team ahead of any virtual instruction days.

 

IMPORTANT CONTACTS:

Principal

Brandon Haslun: bhaslun@aacps.org   

       

Assistant Principal

Carla Buonassisi:  cbuonassisi@aacps.org

 

Secretaries:

Kelly Huntzberry: khuntzberry@aacps.org                                                   

Kelly Oxyer: koxyer@aacps.org  

Megan Stower: mstower@aacps.org