enCompass Academy

enCompass Academy Remote Learning

Dear Families,

I would like to reach out to you with important information regarding our remote learning plan.  Students will begin this plan on April 1, 2020, and the plan will extend through at least April 16, 2020.  We will continue to monitor the guidance set forth by Governor Sisolak in response to the Chief Medical Officer for the state of Nevada.  This overview is meant to support you in learning how to access the tools for learning during the 2.5 week period.  

The purpose of remote learning is to reinforce skills your child has been developing throughout this school year, and this time will serve as a way to extend that learning. We are not asking you to teach your child new skills and information, only to support your child in strengthening the concepts he/she has already been taught. 

As your child begins working on their assignments at home, staff are here to work virtually with all families and accommodate all the varying circumstances families are experiencing.  The completion of this work will serve to demonstrate your student has attended school, and is eligible for credit.  
 

Of note:

• Students will be using Google Classroom to electronically receive and submit assignments to the teachers.  Alternatively, students can pick up a packet of assignments at the school, that can then be submitted back to the school the following week.  (See below for more information)
• Each instructor and support staff member will connect with families.  All staff members will be available during regular working hours (8 a.m. to 2 p.m.) daily.  They can connect with students and families by having hours of availability on Google Meet, calling home to specific students, communicating via email or text, or touching base when and/or if the student must pick up a packet.  
• This work will not be graded, however it is necessary for students to complete the assignments to be counted for attendance and credit eligibility.  Feedback will be provided for the student.  

To access Google Classroom:

1.  All students can login to their enCompass Academy Google Account.  

4.  Once logged in, you will notice your student’s first initial in the upper right hand corner.  Immediately to the left of the initial is a square shape of 9 boxes.  Click this box.

5.  When you click the box, you will see that it expands to show all of the other Google products students have access to.  Have your student click on the “Classroom” icon to see the individualized classes for the student.  

If you are not able to access Google Classroom, please do not worry.  We have other methods for delivering information.

Packet Pick-Up:

Students or their parent/guardian can pick up a packet on site at 1300 Foster Drive in Reno on Tuesday, March 31, 2020. To account for social distancing, we ask for pick-up times to be as follows:

If getting to the school is a hardship, please let us know.  We can mail packets for those who truly need it.  For those that stop by, we will also provide resources and answer any questions.  We will also provide a schedule for dropping off packets and picking up packets for the following week.  Please note, each packet will account for a full week of classes.

We know that this is an extraordinary time, and that there are many things that we may not be able to foresee.  As such, you can expect to be contacted by a teacher or member of administration next week to see how things are going.  Teachers are preparing about 2.5 to 4 hours of work for students per day.  This means that each class is looking for students to work for about 30 minutes per day.  Teachers will be available through Google Classroom, and via email.  They will also show students how to get onto Google Meet to conduct face to face meetings.

For all updates, and to see additional tutorials on how to access these sites, or email your teachers, please make sure to visit our website at www.encompassacademy.org.  

This site has direct links to our latest Covid-19 updates, our remote learning plan, and our family support listings.  We will also continue to use our phone call system to reach out with general messages.  Finally, as many of us will be calling you from personal cell phones, it is possible that numbers will come up blocked.  This will occur if we are calling using Google Meet, or from our personal numbers at home.  Consider answering those calls at this time, especially during the day between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m.  
 

We are looking forward to the time when we can all be back together face to face.  In the meantime, please know that we are going through this together.  It is our hope that a bit of normalcy through school, both in terms of work and in terms of meeting up together online, may help us all get through this time with a bit more ease.  

Stay safe and healthy, practice social distancing, and keep those hands washed!  We will all be together soon.

With Hope and High Expectations,

Toby Wiedenmayer

Principal