September 2, 2020
Good afternoon,
This week the GMS staff has been hard at work preparing for the virtual arrival of this year’s students on September 15, 2020. We have all been getting trained on the technology platforms we will be using, learning some new tips and techniques for teaching in the digital world and preparing our Plusportal pages to share with you information we feel is important to know to help you and your student have a successful start to the 2020-2021 school year.
Plusportals is the digital gradebook that is used by all teachers and students at GMS. Both students and parents have accounts. These accounts allow you to access your student’s schedule and grades in all classes, can provide direct email contact with your student’s teachers and is how Progress reports and Report cards are distributed. Please make sure that we have an updated email address for you so you have access to this resource.
Plusportals will be open and accessible to students and parents this afternoon. Parents of this year’s 5th grade students, and the students themselves, will also be receiving emails today that ask them to activate their accounts. Once the account is activated, the information will be accessible.
The Remote learning schedule for GMS has been finalized. The scheduling documents are linked below and are being sent as attachments with this letter. Please review the schedule with your student. Some of the changes you will experience this year include:
- A set schedule of classes and times that all students will be expected to attend
- Daily, live, virtual lessons presented by the GMS staff
- Teachers will share expectations with families around the mandatory work assigned in their classes.
- Daily attendance in each class will be taken and monitored
Grade 5 Remote learning schedule
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1FepLF_WSHO95jc8sw_DiXb1mJ65Cgl8SnulKMjQmNw8/edit?usp=sharing
Grade 6 Remote learning schedule
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1RAKyP29pr7CKQhh2UOyby8l8kV0sGwnyedwal28I7gM/edit?usp=sharing
Grade 7 Remote learning schedule
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1MeRIMtJjBm-IdW7ls5PugGJSStD84IAXWR7SQe_S7BI/edit?usp=sharing
Chromebook pick-up:
Chromebooks will be available for pick-up for GMS students who will need to borrow them. Curb-side pick up will be held in the front of Gardner Middle School on Tuesday, September 8th and Wednesday, September 9th from 3-7 pm.
Please note that students will need a device with a camera and microphone to be able to fully participate in the learning. If you have a device at home, but it does not have these capabilities, please plan to borrow one from GMS.
Also, students who have not yet returned a device that was borrowed in the spring will not be able to pick up a new device. If you still have a school issued Chromebook, it needs to be returned ASAP.
Please do not hesitate to call if you have questions or need help.
Keep Smiling and Go Wildcats!
Arthur Murphy, Principal
Gardner Middle School
murphya@gardnerk12.org
(978) 632-1603