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Welcome to Churchill!
Start of School Information
& Distance Learning Update
2020/2021
Hello Churchill Families & Students,
We are excited to be back and are looking forward to a new school year! Although we are starting off differently than in prior years, we hope to make the transition as smooth as possible for everyone. I'm sure you have LOTS of questions, so this email is intended to provide answers along with a link to the district information page.For all of the San Juan District updates regarding Distance Learning and enrollment options, please visit www.sanjuan.edu/fall2020.
Chromebook & Textbook Distribution Days, Aug 6 & 7 - Chromebooks and textbooks will be distributed at Churchill using the following schedule which is split up alphabetically and by grade level with specific pickup times. Our team is currently planning this event so that is organized with social distancing and safety procedures in place. Masks will be required while on campus. Please see the attached flyer with more information.
Please note: unlike the spring, you will only be able to pick-up devices from your students’ school. Devices for siblings who attend other schools will need to be picked up separately and pick-ups will not be available at sites where your student is not currently enrolled.
Student Schedules - Individual student schedules will be visible in the Parent Portal on August 10th. If you previously looked at your portal, you may have seen a “Course Plan” that listed courses for your students. This plan has nothing to do with course requests or final schedules and has since been removed to avoid further confusion. Student schedules are currently being built based on students’ course requests from last spring.
First Day of School and Online Instruction, Thursday, August 13 - School officially starts on Aug. 13th and all students will meet their teachers online using Zoom and Google Classroom. Please be on the lookout for emails from teachers with more information just before school starts.
Instructional Time - Minimum daily instructional time for Churchill’s 6-period schedule is equal to 270 minutes. Each period provides for a minimum of 30 minutes of daily synchronous instruction with only certain periods held each day to provide adequate time for instruction in the distance learning model. The first 15 minutes of each period will start with synchronous instruction with a minimum of an additional 15 minutes of instruction during the period’s scheduled time.
Synchronous vs. Asynchronous Instruction - Synchronous refers to when instruction and learning occur at the same time. Synchronous activities may include: live class meetings (Zoom), chats, student conferences, etc., and are structured, coordinated and implemented within the school site’s master schedule/regular school/day.
Asynchronous is when instruction and learning do not occur at the same time. Asynchronous activities may include journal writes, assessments, collaborative student group work, etc. These activities may be scheduled within or outside of the school day.
Distance Learning Bell Schedule - For the fall of 2020, San Juan Unified’s distance learning model for middle and high schools will feature a blend of synchronous and asynchronous learning activities. Students will receive daily interaction with teachers and student peers in each class/subject.
Churchill’s 6-period Block Schedule will be as follows:
Attendance - Attendance will be taken daily based on students logging into Google Classroom and participating in live daily interaction with teachers and school staff. Students who are ill or otherwise unable to attend will need to clear their absence with the school just as they did during on-campus learning. Churchill’s Attendance Line is (916) 971-7692 or by email at ChurchillAbsence@sanjuan.edu.
Students who have excessive absences will be contacted by our office staff or the district’s attendance support teams to identify supports needed to help them be successful. Laws around school attendance remain in place.
Grades - Grading will return to a traditional system. In middle schools, students will be issued letter grades based on their performance in a course and a cumulative grade point average will be calculated at the end of the grading period. Churchill will also be issuing our International Baccalaureate (IB) Grades.
Communication - Regular updates and email communications will be sent to keep you informed and up to date about any changes, important information, resources and supports. We will send out Bulldog Bulletins twice a month and also post information on our website and social media platforms.
Student & Famly Support - We know this has been an extremely stressful time for our students and their families. We are in the process of developing resources and protocols to support students academically and social/emotionally. We will also continue to provide resources to help families and students in need.
Virtual Events - We will continue to look for ways to build community and promote school spirit in a virtual model. The traditional student activities, PTO meetings, School Site Council meetings and Back to School Night will likely be using Zoom to allow everyone to participate in a safe way. Our Leadership Class will continue to work on creating school events that all students can participate in from home.
Yearbooks from last year - Available for pickup - Yearbooks were delivered in June and can still be purchased. If you ordered one but did not pick it up, they are available for pickup. Yearbooks are $35 which will be CASH ONLY. If you aren't sure if you pre-ordered a yearbook please email Mrs. Link (klink@sanjuan.edu) and she will let you know.
School Meals - San Juan Unified will continue to provide an opportunity for students to pick up meals on a daily basis (lunch and breakfast for the following day). More information about the fall 2020 meal program will come soon.
Our entire staff of teachers, classified employees, and school administrators continue to send well wishes your way during these unprecedented times. Your patience throughout this process has been welcomed and appreciated. Please reach out to us if you need any help or assistance.
Our front office email address is ChurchillFrontOffice@sanjuan.edu and our office phone number is (916) 971-7324. Our office is now open from 8:30 am – 3:30 pm.
Please let us know how we can help and be sure to take good care of yourself and your loved ones.