Olivia Johnson
This week Fern Ridge Middle School added instructional videos to our Distance Learning program. While students will not be submitting work online or interacting with teachers or other students online, we want families to be able to utilize the instructional videos that teachers have posted online.
We are committed to making our distance learning for all available digitally to our students as widely as we can.
Fern Ridge Middle School will begin our Chromebook Loan program this week. The first round of Chromebooks will be made available to families that indicated a need for a device in our Household Technology Survey.
Our first round of handouts will take place from 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM on Wednesday, April 29th.
In order to be sure you receive a Chromebook on this first date you must have completed the technology survey and indicated need, or have called the school by 10:00 AM Tuesday morning and completed the survey.
Families that have not completed the survey and need a device can still receive a Chromebook on Thursday, April 30th from 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM. We do ask that if you haven’t completed the technology survey that you contact the school to share your information with us or complete the survey on Thursday when you come to get your device. Chromebook pickup will at the middle school and we ask that you maintain proper social distancing while waiting to receive your Chromebook. A use agreement (link to: http://www.fernridge.k12.or.us/emergency-closure-info/wp-content/uploads/sites/79/2020/04/FRSD-Chromebook-Loaner-Agreement.pdf) will be included with the device and is also available for you to view on Covid-19 Closure page on the FRSD Website.
- In the packets there is a typo on the class code and an extra w was added. It should be: ywq6wxf
- Your child has to be signed in and using their school Google account to access the Google classroom. If they are in any other Google Account, they will need to sign out of that account first.
- There is only one Google classroom for Fern Ridge Middle School. It is called FRMS Distance Learning. The first time that they access the FRMS Google Classroom, your student will need to open Google Classroom, click on the plus at the top of the screen, then click “Join”, and then put in the class code ywq6wxf
- Once in the FRMS Distance Learning Classroom, to access the instructional videos click on Classwork. Each subject and grade level should come up i.e. 6th Grade Language Arts. Below the grade level/subject they will find the videos. As we progress over the next seven weeks of distance learning, each video will be labeled by date. For example, the videos for this week are labeled 4/27.
- Don’t forget that teachers are available if your child has additional questions or can’t access the videos online.
- Google IDS and passwords: Google ID would be their initials and their lunch number followed by @student.oregonk-12.com For example for John Smith whose lunch number is 12345, their Google ID would be js12345@student.oregonk-12.com If students can’t remember their password, have them look in their planners as many students wrote down their password in their planners. If that doesn’t do it, call the school office for assistance.
FRMS is happy to announce that our FRMS Google Classroom is up and loaded with instructional videos for language arts and math for the week of 4/27/2020. Students can access these videos from any cell, tablet, or computer that has the Google Classroom App.
A few reminders:
1. These are videos only. They are not interactive and students will not be submitting any work digitally. Packets still need to be picked up or mailed and then returned.
2. To access the Google classroom, students must be signed in to their school Google accounts. Using other Google accounts will not work. At the bottom of this post we’ve posted again the information on Google IDs and passwords. Students must also have the Google App on their device- whether that deice is a cellphone or a tablet or a computer.
3. To view the videos, students must first join the class by clicking on the plus sign, then join, and then entering the class code: ywq6wxf
4. Click on classwork and then the grade level/subject to access the video. If needed there are also links to the learning packets as well.
Since the supplemental Science and Social Studies packets don’t include new concepts or skills, we are not posting instructional videos for those subjects. If your child has a question or needs help, please feel free to call the teacher for that subject. Our teachers are available and happy to help. In addition, if your child can’t access Google or the internet to view the video, please call the teacher and they will be happy to help your child by phone.
Below are the links to this week’s Distance Learning materials. If your child has Mr. Brummet, Ms. Pryor, or Mrs. Gardner for Language Arts or Math, those teachers are distributing their packets separately.
Picking up new packets or dropping off completed packets from your car takes place on Mondays from 8 AM to 3:30. Packets can also be picked up from tubs in front of the building or returned to boxes in front of the building from 8 AM to 3:30 the rest of the week.
Our Google classroom with instructional videos is now “live.” Directions for accessing it have been posted to the website.
Don’r forget as well that teachers are available Monday thru Friday to help you or your child work through the packets or answer any questions you might have. We are not including answer keys, so please take advantage of teacher’s availability and call them if you get stuck. To make things easier for families, we have included the link to the teacher contact in this post. Student guides are included that explain what is expected of your child in each subject area.
The office is open from 8 AM to 3:30 PM if you have any questions.
4-27 6th Grade Distance Learning Packet
4-27 6th Grade Science and Social Studies Packet.
4-27 7th Grade Distance Learning Packet Part One
4-27 7th Grade Distance Learning Packet Part Two
4-27 7th Grade Science and Social Studies Packet
4-27 8th Grade Distance Learning Packet
4-27 8th Grade Science and Social Studies Packet
4-27 8th Grade Algebra- Only for Students in the Algebra class
Students enrolled in Algebra should switch out the math in the Distance Learning Packet for their Algebra assignment.
Band Practice for the week of 4-27
Since school closed before the end of third quarter, we have been waiting for guidance from ODE on how to grade third quarter. That guidance came last week. All students who had an A, B, C, or D in a class when school closed, will receive a “Pass” for third quarter. Students who were failing a class will receive an “Incomplete” for that class. Students will be given the opportunity over the next few weeks to turn in missing assignments or complete alternative assignments to bump that “Incomplete” into a “Pass.” Teachers will be connecting with students who were failing with details on what they need to do.
Parents can check their child’s grades for third quarter in Home Access (make sure the RC box has a 3 in it) and contact teachers directly for more information.
Again out of respect for the difficult situation many of our families are in at the moment, students will be given a second window of time to submit missing or make up assignments in the fall.
Please give us a call at 541-935-8230 if you have any questions or concerns.
Special note to families of 8th grade students taking Algebra: Students with an incomplete grade will not receive high school credit for Algebra.
During this closure, Lane Arts Council has put together a series of “virtual” artist in residency programs that your child can take advantage from home. These range on a variety of topics from drawing to dye making to puppet making to fiddle playing- all designed for students to do at home using easily available materials. Many of these artists your child will recognize from their time as “artists in residence” at Veneta Elementary or Elmira Elementary.
Here is the link:
Beginning 4/27 there will be a separate distance learning packet for students in Algebra. Please make sure you ask for it when you pick up your packets. In order to receive high school credit for Algebra, Algebra students need to return their completed Algebra packets. If circumstances prevent your Algebra student from engaging with the distance learning in Algebra, they will receive an in complete for second semester. No worries however. Students will have plenty of opportunity to complete their packets and turn their incomplete into a Pass in the Fall.
There will be a general 8th grade math lesson in your packet. Algebra students should do the Algebra lesson and skip the general math lesson.
RETURNING
DISTANCE LEARNING PACKETS/WORK: There are several ways this can occur. While teachers would like to get completed work back so they can review it, assess it, and provide feedback to the students, we understand this may be a challenge for some so just do the best you can.
- Families who have been picking up their packets can continue to do so. There will be a “Return Work/ Completed Packets” box at each building. When you come to school to pick up the new week’s packet, please deposit the previous week’s packet in the box. Paperclips will be available if the packet has been taken apart. Please make sure your child’s name is on each page in the packet in the event that the packet becomes separated.
- Families may also choose to scan and email their child’s packet directly to the teacher. Staff Contact Information link.
- For families that are needing to have packets mailed to them, we will have a bus route to collect finished packets every Monday. You can CLICK HERE to see the routes and “stops” along those routes. These routes begin after the lunch/meal drop off routes that occur each day. These “homework pick-up” routes begin anywhere from 11:50 AM-12:30 PM. If a bus does not come by your exact location, and you cannot make it to one of these stops at the designated times, contact Amie at the bus barn at 541-935-1969 and we see if we can accommodate you. Please contact your school as early as possible the week prior to ensure we can make this happen.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out.
Beginning Monday, April 27th we will be putting out instructional videos from our language arts and math teachers using Google classroom. We will only be posting one video at each grade level in math and in language arts each week. The video will give teachers a chance to walk students through their packets and explain any new concepts or instruction.
Students will still have their regular distance learning packets that need to be picked up, printed, or mailed; we will just be adding a video component for language arts and math.
The videos will be available through Google classroom. Students can access Google classroom through cell phones or tablets or computer through the Google classroom app. Each video will be approximately 15 minutes long. We also hope to be able to post links to the videos on the website for those who don’t have access to Google.
To prepare for being able to access these videos, please make sure your child knows their Google ID and password. This is the same information they use at school to log into a chromebook or into the computer lab. Their Google ID would be their initials and their lunch number followed by @student.oregonk-12.com For example for John Smith whose lunch number is 12345, their Google ID would be js12345@student.oregonk-12.com
If students can’t remember their password, have them look in their planners as many students wrote down their password in their planners. If that doesn’t do it, call the school office for assistance.
If your child can’t access the videos, no problem. Just contact your child’s teacher and they will be happy to walk your child through the packet and answer any questions they might have by phone. Click on the link below to get teacher phone numbers and email information.
Only Language Arts and Math will be posted because they are the only subjects where students are learning new skills/concepts. However if your student needs help with the supplemental science and social studies materials, please do not hesitate to contact teachers directly.
Teacher Phone Numbers and Contact Information
New videos will be posted Mondays when new packets are available.
Dear Families,
Because this crisis is affecting so many people in so many ways, presenting a number of serious challenges to many families, and because school is closed and the support and structure of regular school is now very limited, distance learning, while important, should not supersede the needs and well-being of your family and children.
Unless it’s a structure that works for you, don’t feel like you have to rebuild the same 8-3:30 school structure at home. Every kid and every family has a different routine and schedule. For example, if your child does their best work at 4pm, and that works for your family, go with it! Create a schedule that works for the family, and is built realistically around your family’s routines, traditions, values and needs.
Don’t feel like you have to be a teacher’s assistant. If it works for you to answer your student’s questions and guide them through their work, that’s ok. But don’t feel like you have to. Help your student establish and maintain communication with their teacher.
Don’t worry about grades. This is crisis education, and it is impossible to establish a fair grading system when teachers can’t be present, and students are at home dealing with the challenges related to this crisis. The priority is on your child’s well-being, and then on learning, and that is the focus of our staff. Grades are not.
Do what you can when you can to the level you can. For example, if you can’t turn in your child’s work during the set hours on Monday, get them in when you can. Packets at the middle school can be picked up Monday thru Wednesday and dropped off any day of the week.
Please keep in contact with us. Our staff is available all day M-F and are ready and happy to listen and help. Teachers want to be called and they want to help, so please don’t hesitate to contact them. Teacher contact information is included in the packets and is posted on this website. You can also call the middle school and we will be happy to give you the phone number or email of the teacher you need to reach.
Stay well
Olivia Johnson
FRMS Principal
541-935-8230