Each K-3 teacher is sending home a schedule that includes: 

• English Language Arts: 2.5 hours per week
• Math: 2.5 hours per week
• Specialists: 2.5 hours per week (including Art, Music, Gym, Technology, Guidance)
• Science: 1 hour per week
• Social Studies: 1 hour per week 

Web Apps

In Web Apps, you'll be able to find many of the apps from the sample schedule (like Raz-Kids and DreamBox) and others that your child enjoys. There are literacy, research, math and even computer programming apps that your child can use an and explore.

To get to Web Apps:

1. Select your school.
2. Click on tab “Links and Resources”
3. Scroll down to Web Apps
4. Enter Page Passkey: 123

General Resources

Should you find that you have additional time to dedicate to exploration and learning, click on a link below to visit one of theses websites:

• 12 Best Youtube Channels for Kids and Teens
• Best Websites for Learning (CommonSenseMedia.org) 
• 9 Great Virtual Field Trips for Early Learners
• 300 Online Digital and Virtual Museums
• PBS Learning Media
• Engineering Activities Easy to Do at home
• 50 Indoor Activities for Kids to do while at Home
• Alphabet Fitness Bingo
• 30 Virtual Field Trips with Links
• NextLesson Free Project Based Learning Resources
• Imagine Learning at Home

Web Apps

In Web Apps, you'll be able to find many of the apps from the sample schedule (like Raz-Kids and DreamBox) and others that your child enjoys. There are literacy, research, math and even computer programming apps that your child can use an and explore.

To get to Web Apps:

1. Select your school.
2. Click on tab “Links and Resources”
3. Scroll down to Web Apps
4. Enter Page Passkey: 123

Click here to go to Google Classroom!

 

Web Apps

In Web Apps, you'll be able to find many of the apps from the sample schedule (like Raz-Kids and DreamBox) and others that your child enjoys. There are literacy, research, math and even computer programming apps that your child can use an and explore.

To get to Web Apps:

1. Select your school.
2. Click on tab “Links and Resources”
3. Scroll down to Web Apps
4. Enter Page Passkey: 123

• Click here to go to Canvas!
• Click here to go to Google Classroom! Students: Make sure you're signing into your browser with your CSD Google account in order to be able to access everything! 
• Click here to go to PowerSchool! Remember to use the student's log in, not the parent/guardian log in!

For access to additional online resources and apps, go to your school website, click on "Links and Resources" and then choose "Web Apps." Enter the page passkey: 123 

 

During this next phase, students will notice that they will move from reviewing old material to learning new material. This material will be determined as our teachers identify learning standards instrumental to their academic growth. Students will also notice that teachers will be assessing and grading them during this next phase of our plan.

Teachers will be communicating with students via the Learning Management System they have been using this year (CANVAS, Google Classroom, PowerSchool, etc.).

There will be no live lessons taught. Students will be able to access instruction and complete assignments/assessments at convenient times; however we do recommend students do their best to stay current with their grade-level schedule.

Minutes listed in the schedules below represent the maximum sum of minutes required for a student to experience the instruction and associated reinforcement for that lesson on the assigned day Teachers will date their instruction/reinforcement in alignment with the schedule below to avoid confusion for students.

Teachers, counselors, and principals will be available to answer students’ and parents’ questions/concerns through email, their Learning Management System, or other means as determined and communicated by the teacher. We will always be available via email and will respond to questions within 24 hours.

If you have any technology concerns, click here to email tech support. 

Grade 6

Monday

Math (30), English/Language Arts (30), Science/History (30), Sustained Silent Reading (15)

Tuesday

Unified Arts(40), Health/P.E.(40), Reading/World Languages (40)

Wednesday

Math (30), English/Language Arts (30), Science/History (30), Sustained Silent Reading (15)

Thursday

Unified Arts(40), Health/P.E.(40), Reading/World Languages (40)

Friday

Math (30), English/Language Arts (30), Science/History (30), Sustained Silent Reading (15)

Grades 7 & 8

Monday

Math (30), English/Language Arts (30), Science (30), History (30), Sustained Silent Reading (15)

Tuesday

Unified Arts(40), Health/P.E.(40), Reading/World Languages (40)

Wednesday

Math (30), English/Language Arts (30), Science (30), History (30), Sustained Silent Reading (15)

Thursday

Unified Arts(40), Health/P.E.(40), Reading/World Languages (40)

Friday

Math (30), English/Language Arts (30), Science (30), History (30), Sustained Silent Reading (15)

 

• Click here for Enrichment Resources.
• Click here for the Digital Library Collection. (Sign in with your @student.colonialsd.org account.)
• Click here for free online reading options.

 

April 24, 2020

Plymouth Whitemarsh High School Families,

On behalf of the Plymouth Whitemarsh High School staff, I would like to thank you for your support and flexibility as we continue with remote learning. Below you will find updates on a few items pertaining to the Class of 2020 Commencement ceremony, remote learning updates and online expectations for our students.

Class of 2020 Commencement ceremony:

Dr. Christian and PWHS’ administrative team wanted to update you on our plans for this special senior class. This week, Dr. Valerie Arkoosh, County Commissioner, addressed the 22 Superintendents from Montgomery County to discuss the current pandemic and large group gathering restrictions within our community. Dr. Christian, the School Board and I want to assure this special Class of 2020 that our goal is to have a layered approach to recognize our seniors adhering to the restrictions and with your safety at the forefront. Presently, large group gatherings are prohibited, and we will use the most up-to-date information to develop our contingency plans and work with the local authorities. 

Each Monday morning, Mr. Azcona, Mr. Bretz and I meet via Zoom with your Class Sponsors (Mrs. Delaney and Mr. Zehren) and nine Class of 2020 students who hold a leadership position (Student Council, Class Officer and/or Principal's Leadership Council). This past Monday, we brainstormed creative ideas to recognize this special class in June and then potentially later in the summer. Ultimately, we are developing contingency plans using the ideas generated by the students. We will be sharing our graduation contingency plans in the very near future in order to recognize this prestigious class — so please be patient! I would like to personally thank the nine seniors for their involvement and input: Jackie Arcaro, Ben Felgoise, Jonah Kaufman, LeAnne Khuu, Nate Sfida, Samantha Suchsland, Patrick Wainwright, Jake Weikel, and Max Wittenberg.

Remote Learning:

I would like to thank and recognize the teaching staff for their hard work planning remote instruction and to our students for the outstanding job keeping up with the work in all of your classes. Moving forward, one enhancement you will notice is the increase of synchronous (live) learning opportunities while blending with asynchronous (self-paced and recorded) lessons. Our teachers will continue to use tools such as Zoom (live or recorded), Screencastify, ShowMe, and Kami. We know how much it means to our students to “see” our faces and “hear” our voices so expect at least one time a week of synchronous learning. As a reminder, teachers will post assignments on Mondays using their Learning Management System platform for all students. Please reach out to your child’s teacher(s) should you have any questions or need support.

Parent/Guardian Access to Platforms & Power School:

We appreciate your support at home monitoring your child’s progress and ensuring academic work completion. Below are two steps to keep parents/guardians up to date in terms of assignments and grades.

1. In order to help facilitate this team approach, we are providing instructions on how to access your child’s platform(s). Mr. Adams, Media Specialist, created a support video (Canvas access) and how-to document (Google Classroom). The links to these videos are at the top of the page. If you have any questions regarding technology, please click here to email Mr. Adams.
2. Beginning this evening, parents/guardians will receive an e-mail alert from PowerSchool with current course grades. We recommend parents/guardians review this information with your child to stay current with assignment submission/completion. Our teachers, counselors and administrators are consistently monitoring this as well. Do not hesitate to contact your child’s teacher should you have any questions about an assignment or grade.

Online learning Expectations:

Below are a few expectations/reminders:

• Please have your child dress appropriately when videoconferencing, and make sure there are no distracting materials or backgrounds. We recommend our students find a quiet space to work to avoid distractions.
• Recording Zoom sessions: We encourage teachers to record live sessions and post for students on their platform (Canvas or Google Classroom). Students/parents/guardians should not take photos, screenshots, record any video, or audio from the live sessions. We appreciate your support with this since the recording of sessions is a violation of the Colonial School District Acceptable Use Policy.
• In order to facilitate safe and secure Zoom sessions, we implemented appropriate precautions as a school district. Security features such as the waiting room, locking a meeting after all participants enter, and adding a password to each meeting are just a few of the strategies we employ.
• Lastly, the same rules of conduct and behavior will apply as they would normally in the classroom as we continue with remote learning — aligned with the Plymouth Whitemarsh High School Code of Conduct. We appreciate your support with this.

Our goal will be to continue to maintain engagement, provide supports and keep our students safe. We will continuously communicate with all families throughout this process. Remember to watch our weekly morning announcements posted on YouTube for other information! Please reach out to us should you have any questions or need support.

Proudly,
Dr. Jason Bacani
Principal, Plymouth Whitemarsh High School
610-825-1500 x1901
jbacani@colonialsd.org

---

April 3, 2020

Plymouth Whitemarsh High School Families:

I would like to thank you for your patience, flexibility and support as we transition from traditional teaching to a remote learning environment. We recognize that there are various circumstances at home and appreciate your support as we navigate through remote learning. This was a successful first week of remote instruction through our learning management systems, assignments completed by our students and a time for students to once again engage in lessons with peers and teachers. In addition, we were able to distribute countless devices and food for families the past few weeks. This week was a time to ensure all of our students were equipped to begin remote learning, for students to re-connect with teachers, and begin new instruction.

We recognize that this is a transition in terms of workload, managing time during the day/week and participating in multiple Zoom class meetings. The department chairs, curriculum supervisors and administration continuously meet via Zoom to reflect upon current practices, discuss areas to address and identify solutions to best meet the needs of our students. Our teachers continue to work vigorously at home preparing instruction using new tools such as Zoom, Show Me and Screencastify. We will continue to plan, refine and collaborate as a team in order to provide high quality remote instruction.

At the conclusion of the day today, our students and staff are officially on spring break. Please note the following academic expectations over break and other updates.

Academics

Assignments over break:

Teachers will be posting homework, review tasks or long-range assignments that will require them to spend time engaged in work during the break. Work from various classes will be posted and communicated through the class Learning Management System (LMS) — like Canvas or Google Classroom — and due by Monday, April 13. Our goal is to maintain the academic momentum!

*Please note: A Canvas maintenance is scheduled for the beginning of the Spring Break week. This process will create disruptions for both student and teacher Canvas users. We apologize in advance for the intermittent disruptions.

Communication and Support:

Please have your child continue to check his/her school email and the teacher LMS page. Our counselors will continue to work with current 9th,10th and 11th grade families as part of the 2020-21 course selection process. Please do not hesitate to reach out to your child’s teacher, counselor or an administrator should you have any questions or need support.

Advanced Placement Exams & College Counseling Support:

Mrs. Lynch, our college counselor, will be sending our plan for the upcoming online AP exams. This communication will be sent on Monday, April 13 (which is after an April 10 webinar update from the College Board). In addition, Mrs. Lynch invited all juniors and seniors to her Canvas page in order to communicate updates and information. Do not hesitate to contact Mrs. Lynch should you need support with college planning.

Zoom Challenges:

In order to rectify the challenges our students are having in terms of class Zoom scheduled meetings, we created an organized schedule by block for the teachers to follow. This will ensure that class Zoom meetings will not conflict with one another.

Note: Class zoom meetings are not mandatory since the teacher will post this information on their Learning Management System. We encourage our students to participate in the live Zoom class session; however, we understand that there are scheduling conflicts. Students will be held accountable for that information presented and posted.

Classes Resume:

Formal virtual instruction resumes on Monday, April 13, 2020. We remain committed to high quality yet flexible teaching and learning plans to honor and respect families as we educate students in their homes.

Activities

In addition to academics, the hope and anticipation of springtime make us think about the myriad of events that takes place as the school year ends. Concerts, trips, dances, proms and graduation — all the events that create special memories for our students and their families. As Dr. Christian shared this week, the situation is ever changing so once we have information and a status of the planned events, we will communicate this with you. We thank you for your patience.

Thank you to our class sponsors and senior class officers for organizing our Virtual Spirit Week this past week on social media. It was energizing seeing our students participate wearing their college gear, showing off their athletic team uniforms and sporting their red and blue to show PW pride. We will continue to implement ways to energize our students at home! Please be on the lookout for weekly PW announcements with some special guests! This will be a way to communicate information and have our students “see and hear” from our staff.

To close, thank you to our parents/guardian s— whether you are working in the healthcare industry, law enforcement or other essential services where your own health may be at risk. Many of our parents and staff members are at home caring for young children while also trying to work and assist school-aged children with assignments. It is not an easy task for all of us so we thank you for your flexibility and support. Please take care of yourselves and each other and know that the safety, well-being and overall success of our students remain our priority. Have a safe, healthy and restful Spring Break.

Sincerely,

Dr. Jason Bacani
Principal, Plymouth Whitemarsh High School
610-825-1500, ext. 1901
jbacani@colonialsd.org

---

March 25, 2020

PWHS families:

First off, I hope your family is safe and healthy at this time. As Dr. Christian shared in his message, Governor Wolf and the Pennsylvania Department of Education announced that all schools in the Commonwealth will remain closed to students and staff for two additional weeks as a result of the COVID-19 response efforts. This clearly influences how we plan to deliver instruction moving forward.

Up until March 27th, our teachers posted review and/or enrichment assignments using their Learning Management System (LMS) — either Google Classroom or Canvas. For the past week and a half, administrators, curriculum supervisors and department chairs have worked collaboratively to discuss and determine the academic plan moving forward for all of our students. While we would prefer to have your children — our Plymouth Whitemarsh High School students — with us for a typical school experience, we are faced with the challenge of continuing their education through an extended statewide school closure.

This week, PWHS teachers have been collaborating using the video conferencing system, Zoom, to determine learning objectives, develop lessons, and create activities reflecting new learning focused on “big ideas” in our curriculum. I applaud our talented and dedicated staff for thinking “outside of the box” to try and replicate the high quality of teaching and learning we provide each day for all of our students. Each staff member has placed countless hours planning and preparing for next week.

Please review the distance learning guidelines below set to begin on Monday, March 30th. (The Extended Closure Hub on our website includes resources as well an overview for parents and students.)

• Assignments: Each Monday, teachers will post an update on their Learning Management System with an overview of the learning objectives, activities and expectations.
• Curriculum: Teachers identified "need to know" content based on our curriculum and standards. These “need to know” standards will determine the content being delivered during the school closing dates.
• Accountability/Check Ins: Teachers will check in with students every day using various online methods (virtual classes, posting on discussion boards, email, submitting assignments, all constitute as check ins). Our goal is to ensure that our students are completing their assignments and checking if they need support. Do not hesitate to reach out to your child’s teacher if you have any questions or need support.
• Grading: While we understand this is an online learning environment, your child’s teacher will be monitoring work completion and holding students accountable for performance through grading of assignments, which will be posted on Power School.
• Communication & Support: Communication is critical in a distance learning environment. Please communicate with your child’s teacher if you encounter any challenges. Administrators, school counselors, and other staff are also available via email should you have questions. If your child needs a device or access to the internet, please click here to e-mail our tech team or call my number listed below. We are here to support!

The next few weeks will be a true TEAM effort since we are increasing academic expectations and accountability within a different environment. We are asking students to check his/her school e-mail account as well as the teacher LMS pages consistently throughout the day. We thank you for your partnership, as we remain committed to supporting students and their learning.

Other Updates:

• At this point, all extra-curricular activities and athletics are canceled up until the state mandated closure date. When we have more information pertaining to special end of the year activities (such as the Florida trip, proms, etc), we will communicate with you ASAP.
• The PA Department of Education has announced that the Keystone Examinations have been canceled for the school year. The High School administrative team is monitoring other standardized assessments such as Advanced Placement with more information to follow. (Up to date information can be found on the College Board and ACT websites. Click here to go to the College Board. Click here to go to ACT.)
• Our counselors will be working with students and parents to complete the 2020-21 course selection process. Again, please check your e-mail since your child’s counselor will contact you if your child’s course requests are not complete for next school year.

We appreciate your support and flexibility as we navigate through this uncertain time. Our school team will be collaborating on an ongoing basis to reflect upon distance learning and how we continue to best meet the needs of our students. It will take all of us working cohesively during this closure to make a difference--we are a strong school community and will get through this together!

Proudly,

Dr. Jason Bacani
Principal, Plymouth Whitemarsh High School
610-825-1500 x1901
jbacani@colonialsd.org

• Click here to go to Canvas!
• Click here to go to Google Classroom! Students: Make sure you're signing into your browser with your CSD Google account in order to be able to access everything! 

Parent/Guardian Links:

• Click here for steps on how to become a Parent Observer for your child's Canvas Courses.
• Click here for information regarding Guardian Summaries from Google Classroom courses.
• Go to the video links at the top of the page for a summary of Canvas.

PWHS teachers will create assignments and post on their Learning Management System (LMS) — Canvas or Google Classroom — each Monday morning and will include all lessons and instructional activities for students to complete during the week. Assignments and expectations will be posted to the Canvas or Google Classroom pages by all teachers by 9 a.m. Each class should have learning activities that take approximately 30-45 minutes to complete, which may include a multiple-day activity. Submission times will be set by the teacher but should not be before 3 p.m. on the same day that the assignment is posted. 

Teachers will be available to support throughout the school day and will get back to students within 24 hours; it is important that all students frequently check their school email account since our staff will be sending messages this method along with using their Learning Management System. Teachers will be assigning grades for some activities so it is important for our students to do their best, to give their best effort and complete the assignment in a timely manner. 

Communication is critical in an online learning environment. Please communicate with your child’s teacher if you encounter any challenges. Administrators, school counselors, and other staff are also available via email should you have questions. If your child needs a device or access to the internet, please e-mail our tech team at CSDsupport@colonialsd.org or call 610-684-7135. We are here to support you! 

Materials and Assignments to Meet Student Needs

To the greatest extent possible, students with disabilities will be provided the special education and related services in their IEP. This also includes specially designed instruction (SDI) based on a student’s unique needs created to ensure the student makes progress in the general curriculum and toward meeting IEP goals. In all of our in-class resource settings, special education teachers will plan and consult with general education teachers and ensure the modifications and accommodations are afforded through remote instruction. In all other settings (e.g. learning support courses), special education teachers will be the primary driver of instruction, along with IEP modifications. 

IEP/GIEP/504 Considerations

Teachers will be providing work/instructional activities with appropriate accommodations within this distance learning format. Special Education and Gifted Support teachers will work in conjunction with regular education teachers and communicate directly with parents of students on their caseload. Services that can take place by phone may still take place. Families will be contacted regarding delivery of individualized services. We intend to continue holding IEP, GIEP, and 504 meetings, and families will be invited to participate by phone. Specially Designed Instruction (SDI) will be met to ensure we are meeting our students’ needs. 

Counselors, mental health specialists, and special education teachers will be available for consultation throughout the day via District email. Conference calls can be arranged as needed. 

Counselors will continue providing services to their caseloads, primarily in a one-on-one format, throughout the course of each work day. Counseling staff will be available to help support students who are absent/cannot participate, and may choose to lead small groups online for personal support. Counselors will work with the Administration to communicate with families about attendance/participation concerns and support students in getting back on track. 

The CARE team will meet on a weekly basis using video technology (Zoom) with a standing agenda and minutes maintained. This will ensure we continue to monitor and support students academically and behaviorally. 

Lastly, the counselors will work with students and families as part of the 2020-21 course selection process.

Signing In

To avoid any sign in and access conflicts, make sure that you are signing in to browsers and Google Drive with your Colonial School District Google credentials.

All credentials to log into applications are the same as when in school.

Accessing Resources

If you encounter a broken link or cannot access a resource, you can do a few things first to make sure that there really is a problem:

• Check to see if you are logged into Chrome or your browser with your school credentials and not a personal account

• Reload the page

• Try a different browser

If you still cannot get into the resource, notify your teacher via email and please report the problem, in as much detail as possible, by sending an email to csdsupport@colonialsd.org using your CSD GMail.

Zoom

If your teacher is using Zoom, they will send you an invite to a Zoom session with a Meeting ID and Password. Click the join meeting link and input your Meeting ID and Password, follow the prompts.  

• *Prior to the time the session is to start, you will want to make sure that you have Zoom installed on your device and are ready to go. 

  • If signed in to Chrome with your CSD Google credentials, check your Google Extensions to see if it is not already there. (The icon is blue square with a white video camera in it.) You can launch the extension and put in the credentials there.  

  • If not using the Chrome extension, you can download the application. You have a few options to get Zoom, if needed  

  • When you click on the link provided by your teacher, follow the prompts to install. (Will download automatically or visit https://zoom.us/download)

 

To avoid conflicts, teachers who use Zoom during the week will be following the schedule below:

Block 1:  9:00 A.M. - 10:00 A.M

Block 2:  10:00 A.M. - 11:00 A.M.

Block 3:  11:00 A.M. - 12:00 PM

Lunch/Free:  12:00 PM - 1:00 P.M.

Block 4:  1:00 P.M. - 2:00 P.M.

Block 5:  2:00 P.M. - 3:00 P.M.

If a student is unable to attend a class Zoom meeting due to work, family commitments, etc., then they can access this information via the class's Learning Management System.

To access online learning at the tech school, go to https://www.cmths.org/programs. If you need IT help please email ithelp@CMTHS.org.