Important Thursday info for TOAST in-person learners

City School District of Albany logo with tree

The following message is from TOAST Principal Sophia A. Newell.

Dear TOAST Families,

All students in the City School District of Albany will have a day of distance learning Thursday due to the weather forecast, which is calling for the first significant snow of the season in the Capital Region.

Materials

Students will come home with a “grab and go” bag that contains the following to support the instructional environment:

  • Wonders ELA resources
  • Math enVision workbook
  • Fusion workbook (K-1)
  • Chromebooks and cords (if one has been issued to your child) 

Google Information

The Google Classroom is the cornerstone of our virtual learning environment.  Your child can access their personal Google Classroom in three ways:

A link to the Google Meet session will be located in the banner at the top of the Google Classroom page.

Below you will find information on how and when your child can engage in instruction with their teacher, encore (art, music, physical education and library), and support services.

Core Instruction Guidance and Schedule

All students are expected to engage in instruction daily. Teachers will provide live instruction for their class each day in Google Meet. They will offer the same instruction in a morning session and an afternoon session per the schedule below. If your child is unable to engage in live instruction, they must engage in asynchronous instruction and submit the required assignments. A recording of instruction will be available as a part of asynchronous instruction.

Encore Guidance and Schedule 

All students are expected to engage in Art, Library, Music, and Physical Education. Teachers will provide live instruction for each grade level/class on the dates and times indicated below. If your child is unable to engage in live instruction, they must engage in asynchronous instruction and submit the required assignments. A recording of instruction will be available as a part of asynchronous instruction.

All students should login to their Google Classroom by 8 a.m. Download a live instruction schedule for each grade here.

Reading, ENL, Speech, Counseling and Related Services

Students who receive support services will continue with the services and providers will. Service providers will work with families on the student specific schedule. 

Attendance and Engagement

Attendance and active participation is required daily and throughout the week to ensure continuity of learning during temporary and extended school closures 

There are multiple opportunities on a daily basis to show your child’s attendance and participation.

Attendance is taken daily in live, large or small group times, and also captured in responses to daily posts.  If you cannot attend the live large group time, please comment or respond to the recorded instruction to show that your student did watch and participate in that learning activity.

Submitted responses to questions, activities and projects will be utilized to demonstrate participation and mastery of the learning standards. Please follow the direction from your teacher on how assignments can be submitted. 

We thank you for your continued partnership during this challenging time and are available to help with any questions or concerns that you have to support your child during this virtual learning experience. If you have any questions, please contact me at school at (518) 475-6875 or snewell@albany.k12.ny.us. 

Thank you in advance for all of your support and assistance.