Daily Schedule Suggestion

I'm going to suggest you  keep your day to the bell schedule at school.  I'm doing it myself just to stay on track.  Do your HW for me during your class period, and anything you don't finish do after as "HW" like you normally would.  DO the same for all your classes.  Here is how I'm doing it:

I get up at my regular time, shower, get dressed.
1st Period: 7:25-8:10

• I have ISS Duty.  I send this time doing a chore I hate because ISS is supposed to be a punishment for kids, right?  So I clean the bathroom, wash dishes, clean, etc.
• Do you have a class 1st period?  Do that HW or other assignment.

2nd Period: 8:15-9:00

• That's my free period.  I check my emails, TEAMS, figure out what I'm gong to do for you for home, etc.
• Do you have a class 2nd period?  Do that HW or other assignment.

3rd Period: 9:05-9:50

• I have US History.  I work on things to post for Per 3.
• Do you have a class 3rd period?  

4th Period: 9:55-10:40

• I have US History.  I work on things to post for Per 4.
• Do you have a class 4th period?  

5th Period: 10:45-11:30

• I have US History.  I work on things to post for Per 5.
• Do you have a class 5th period?  

6th Period: 11:35-12:20

• I have lunch.  I eat my lunch, check emails, and do things I normally would do during lunch.  For you, that may mean taking a 40 minute break, getting on your phone, paying a game, whatever.  Just be sure to stop at 12:20 & "start" Period 7.

7th Period: 12:25-1:10

• I have Global History.  I work on things to post for Per 7.
• Do you have a class 7th period?  Do that HW or other assignment, ESPECIALLY IS IT'S MY CLASS!!!  :) :) 

8th Period: 1:15-1:55

• I have Global History.  I work on things to post for Per 8.
• Do you have a class 8th period?  Do that HW or other assignment, ESPECIALLY IS IT'S MY CLASS!!!  :) :) 

At 1:55 take a break - however long it takes you to get hoe by bus or if you walk.  After that, start on your HW, like you should any other day.  If you manage your time wisely, you may get all of your work done by 2 pm, and if you finish, for example, my work before your class time is up, start on the next day's work.

Consistency is important here.  It's easy to fall into the trap of sleeping all day & paying video games all night.  This is still school, you still need grades, you still have a Regents to pass.  

Email if you need me...

Dear Parents & Guardians

Dear Parents & Guardians,

I hope this post finds you healthy.  I want to be sure your student has given you the updates on his/her expectations regarding my class.  We have no idea how long school will be closed but "virtual school" is open!

First & foremost, please know that education is not stopping.  In fact, we are doing everything we can to ensure this is a constant in your student's life right now.  Their HW was posted as usual before the closure, and they are expected to do it (how it will be collected or graded has yet to be figured out but I'm working on it!)  Test had moved online before the break, so Castle Learning will be fully used for that.  There are options for online vocabulary quizzes that I am finalizing.  I am posting review videos at least daily for them of me lecturing to watch in conjunction with their notes.  As of now these are all pre-recorded & cannot be done "live," but your student has been encouraged to post ANY questions he/she may have about the content below that video for me to answer for all.  IF there are other questions, my email is always available & checked frequently throughout the day as this is the way we are receiving updates from school & administration.

Currently, your student has the following available & will be using until we are back in the school building:

• Our blog, where everything has been posted all year.  I will continue to post assignments & due dates there.  I will post new handouts here as well, thought have had some trouble with it.  If that continues, I will post the handouts in TEAMS.
• Office 365 TEAMS - prior to the unexpected closure & just as a precaution, students were advised by Admin on all levels to know their username & passwords.  I am posting PowerPoints with audio files & video lectures once they are authorized for the kids to listen to while reading their notes & highlighting, just as if we were in class.  I am making these myself.  Students are encouraged to post questions about content there for me to answer, and this also shows they are doing classwork as well.  Student content questions should not be emailed.
• Castle Learning - we started using this for all content exams, and that will continue
• Quizlet - will remain active & open - students are encouraged to study here, and use it with their notes to answer the questions on their online exams.
• Email - if students have a question not related to content, they are welcome to continue emailing me.  But again, all content-related questions must be posted in TEAMS.
• Thinkwave - is still our online grade book.  All assignments will be recorded there as usual.
• Vocabulary.com - for vocab & quizzes.

We're all trying to figure out this very unusual situation.  Personally, I think many of you know that I am not the best with technology so figuring out how to teach by computer has been my own challenge.  I spent Monday & Tuesday trying to figure it out to best get the kids through their courses.  I think I have come up with a plan that best works within the guidelines I have been given, and will update or change them as becomes necessary.  For now, other than using TEAMS & online lectures, nothing is changing for us.  Homework & videos are posted & it is expected that students will do them, and be able to submit proof of that moving forward.  We'll address that if & as it becomes necessary.

If you should have any questions, please feel free to email me at dramo@bufsd.org. If you never requested a parent code for your student's online grade book, please email me & I will be happy to get that to you ASAP so you can monitor his/her progress while home.

These are difficult & scary times.  I believe it is important to have as normal a day as possible for all kids, & I hope my interaction with them will do that.

Please stay safe & healthy!

Handouts

I will be posting your handouts here (with any luck) as we need them.  If I have a problem doing it on this site, I'll post them in TEAMS.  Stay tuned.

UPDATED 3/18 Posted Today by Mr. Loeschner

AN UPDATE ON 3/17 NOW SAYS YOU CANNOT GET INTO THE BUILDING TOMORROW.  CHECK THE BUFSD WEBSITE FOR DETAILS & UPDATES.

HW Updates

Please be prepared.

If we return back to school as planned in 2 weeks, you will have a comprehensive HWQ for the notes due through the date we return.  Each section of each chapter will count as a separate grade.  It is likely I will give you just 1 question (not 2) per section based on what is due & the time limits of a class period.  That means the grade will be 100 or 0.  

There are 18 sections due by then.  Imagine the good (or bad) that will do to your average!

If we are out longer, I will be requiring you to send pictures to my EMAIL of your notes by a specified date & time.  Failure to submit those notes by that deadline will result in a grade of zero for that section. (I will not be accepting them in TEAMS, only as EMAIL ATTACHMENTS.

So if you've blown off your HW so far, now is the time to get started.

We will not move forward with videos & such n TEAMS, except for trial & error, until we have been told if we will return on 3/30 or not.  I have no further information or details from the district, but I am hoping by that time a plan will be in place.  When I know, you'll know.

Stay safe, stay healthy, & do your work!

FAQs from today & answers

Questions I have been asked all day long:

1.  Do we have to do the HW you posted?
YES.  I mean really...do you think I'd post it if you didn't have to do it?  Plus, you always have HW over a vacation.  I am not sending quizzes yet on it, but if you wait until school starts again (in person or some other way), you will not get it done, do it, & cause your class to have no review.

2.  How are we doing the HWQs?
I don't know yet.  I haven't worked out the detail.

3.  Are we using videos?
Maybe.  Let's see how log we're out first. 

4.  I heard we're closed for the rest of the year.
Well I didn't hear that & someone would have told me.  We are closed for the next 2 weeks.  After that, decisions will be made based on the Virus & spread at that time.

5.  I heard Regents are cancelled.
HAHAHAHAHAHA thank you for that big belly laugh, I needed it.

6.  Do I have to be in TEAMS?
Its to soon to say.  ONLY TEACHERS are going in Wednesday and we should have re info for you at that time.  My guess is if we are out for an extended period f time, then yes, TEAMS will be necessary & used in conjunction with the blog.

7.  I heard we lost Spring Break.
We have no official answers as of this post.  But that's my guess since that's what other districts are doing.  

When I hear anything else, I'll update you.  Check the BUFSD website for updates, too.  Sometimes they are posted there before even we know about them.  So again, stay safe, stay away from people, do your work, and this is NOT a vacation.  It is a don't get sick or spread it eve f you think you feel OK week.

DUE 3/16 by 9:30 PM

You have an assignment in TEAMS.  Please watch the video (both if you have 2 in your class) & compete the assignment in it.  It will take you 4 minutes or less, including the video(s.)

You MUST do this by 9:30 pm tonight.

Thank you!

(Yes, I'm counting it as a HW assignment in Thinkwave.)