PCMS Anchor Days
Please make sure you select the appropriate grade by hovering over it with your mouse.
Anchor Day Plans for Parents/Guardians
Define
-
Anchor (NonTraditional Instructional, NTI) Days will be used when major roads are clear and only a few side roads keep buses from traveling safely.
-
Anchor Days will be announced as early as possible by School Messenger, the district website, Facebook page, and broadcast media.
Students will not report to schools, but buildings will be open for questions, walk-ins with concerns, or homework help.
-
Teachers are on call from 9-11 and 12-3 on Anchor Days.
-
Principals will have agendas planned that allow for helping students on these days.
Staff will provide rigorous and relevant student work.
-
Digital communication through the source that teachers, students, and parents are accustomed to (ex. Google Classroom, Website, Remind 101). Communicate the digital location via hard copy Anchor Day folder.
-
Teachers will provide hard copies of assignments for those students needing them, based on class survey.
-
Teachers confirm the needs of students for their class.
-
Make communication clear that if Internet “goes out” in rain/snow then parents should inform teacher paper copies are needed.
-
-
When hard copy work is assigned, it should be current, relevant, and enhance learning. (ex. K - 5 may receive a list of options in reading and math to choose from.)
-
K - 5: Student working time - 2 hours maximum
-
MS/HS: Student working time - 20-30 mins per class; 3 hours maximum
-
District will provide information for parents to access Google Classroom.
Considerations for lesson/assignment creations
-
ACT prep, CERT prep, and overall writing activities for appropriate coursework and grade levels.
-
Collaboration with other teachers for interdisciplinary projects/activities.
-
Skill review--not a worksheet focus
-
The typical student may have work from several courses. Collaborate with team.
-
Families may have 3 or 4 students yet few connected devices to share among them.
-
Make the work realistic and high quality, not high quantity. Be creative.
-
Dual credit teachers should collaborate in advance with other dual credit instructors and structure assignments to avoid overwhelming students and parents.
Anchor Day Folder information to include
-
Contact information/methods- a district wide form will be used
-
3 days of lessons & clear directions
-
Software/hardware assistance resources
-
Passwords, tip sheets, and/or step by step directions for Google classroom and other digital media.
-
Paper-based versions of all lessons prepared.
Students will have up to three days to complete work for a single Anchor Day upon return to school.
-
Upon return to school from an Anchor Day, communicate the timeline for turning in completed work to students and parents. Remind them often until the work is received.
-
Make sure that students needing assistance after the return to school receive support that is not perceived as a negative consequence (no lunch/in-school detention to catch up).
-
If a student is absent the day before an Anchor Day is used, the student may be able to complete and return the work when students return to school. Ultimately attendance for Anchor Days is determined by the ADA for the year.
-
Once the work is collected, teachers have 5 days to grade, score and record in IC or individualized grade book--principal will provide details on the naming of assignments.
-
Credit/grading for student work should be given in the same way as regular school days.
-
The work samples, grades, and/or reports from computer-based work will serve as the attendance documentation for the student.
-
Principals will collect documentation for KDE reporting in Google Classroom.
-
Make sure students understand teacher expectations for quality work on these Anchor Days are the same as any other school day.
Students with disabilities
-
Co-teachers modify work for special needs students and provide differentiated assignments in their folders as appropriate.
-
FMD classrooms will be working closely with Director of SpEd.
-
Related services staff (OT, PT, Speech) will be making up service time when students return to school.
Other Notes
The district will survey parents, students, and staff after the first Anchor Day to improve the system.
We welcome your insight and feedback. Please let us know if you have questions or concerns.
Thank you for making Anchor Days successful for our students.