CLASS NEWS 4/30

Hello there!

GRADES

Grades are updated and I have done my reporting for third period report cards. In my class the progress report is not really a big deal since we are going to continue as we have, trying to improve your grades.

IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A 7 IN ALL CATEGORIES

Let’s get that done, please. Go here.

IF YOU DO HAVE A 7 IN ALL CATEGORIES

You may do the Identity Paper (assignment at Google Classroom), and when I’m satisfied with it, your grade will go up one full level. But let’s get the standards up to 7s first.

BOOK ME FOR A ZOOM MEETING

I sure do love hearing from you and seeing you. Let me help you!

QUESTION BOX

Here are the latest questions sent to me in the question box (you can find it at Google Classroom).

Q. What happens if we get a low score on the AP test?

A. Nothing “happens” except that I will cry. I want you to succeed, and receive college credit! And, if you score highly (4 or 5), and you did not earn an “A” in my class, I will want to hear from you when your senior year begins to see if there is anything I can do for you.

Q. I've heard different things from different teachers and people I know who work within the district, as well as the news. I've heard that we may not go back to school until October, or that we may not come back to campus until 2nd semester. But I've also seen on the news that the governor want [sic] us back by July. I was just curious if you have any info on that or if you could offer your insight as to when you think we'll be back on campus.

A. I can only make educated guesses right now, so don’t quote me. I speak in no official capacity. I do not expect school to re-open before the beginning of August.

In August, I can see the district opening campus but not allowing all of you to be there at the same time. In other words, you would be engaged in distance learning but showing up to campus 1-2 days a week (wearing masks) to see your teachers. I have heard nothing official about masks by the way, so again—don’t quote me!

If they need you to engage in physical distancing, then I really can’t say how they would decide who gets to be on campus which days. If all juniors were on campus at the same time, then junior English classes, for example, would be just as crowded as they always were—so it won’t work to restrict you by year. I don’t think there’s a way to restrict the number of students AND expect teachers to teach like they did before. So I think the only way they can restrict the student population is to train the teachers how to conference with you in small groups, rather than trying to teach whole classes. I’d like to know more about what other teachers are doing with you right now. Is anyone trying to lecture in real time? And if so, what percentage of the class is showing up?

Part of the rationale for opening in July will be that many health experts expect another spike in COVID-19 infections as society opens up, and also perhaps as the weather cools down, as happens with influenza. I’m skeptical that COVID-19 behaves very much like influenza but I am not a medical doctor.

Ultimately, no matter what, I cannot imagine that school will be the same as it was—not in August, not in October—maybe not ever.