Thread by @MrNoreTDSB

Right now, #TDSB staff are reporting on the dynamics of building and launching the virtual school.

https://twitter.com/tdsb/status/1306330013256445952

Thousands of students had to be enrolled manually -- quite literally one-by-one. A total enrolment of 73,000 students -- if I heard correctly.

On the to-do list is a Trustee and School Council protocol, so that parent and community issues are represented in virtual school.

@jenniferstoryTO is asking about parent support for BrightSpace. Describes the platform as "more robust," but points out that many parents may be unfamiliar.

Support information, including video tutorials, will be distributed to parents/guardians.

Discussion has now moved on to exemptions for PPM 164, which prescribes the minimum number of minutes of live synchronous learning each day for virtual learning.

Staff have come up with an exemption model (organized in four levels) that allows students to participate for fewer minutes, or parents may seek a full exemption. As attendance is required, students still have to check in.

If I understand correctly, the less students participate in live synchronous learning, the more time they invest in independent learning.

Parents/guardians continue to be enrolled in the home school while their children are in the virtual school. (The virtual school registration was necessary to build a staffing model.) This relevant for continuing school councils. I assume they retain their local trustee.

A question came up about whether the MoE has said anything about a "pivot" to full time virtual learning as new COVID cases are reported. Staff report that Ministry has said they are following public health guidance and do not have a "magic number."

Personal aside: I find this an interesting question because we now have a virtual school which is preparing to launch -- one which includes its own administrative team. Add BrightSpace to the mix, and virtual school 20-21 looks different from the spring of 2020.

Another aside: There's discussion of the 2ndary in-school launch tomorrow. Being a creature of elementary, as well as a virtually teacher this year, it's easy for me to forget how many other large-scale operations are on-going.

If I forgot to mention, the district is also ramping up to re-launch adult continuing education, which adds additional layers of logistical and equity concerns.

Back to the relevance of the home school -- according to staff, parents in need of devices make the request through their home school principal.

Another interesting point about Councils. A parent/guardian enrolling a child in virtual school has not "broken up" with their home school, and therefor can continue to participate in school council and serve on council executive if elected.

A question has come up about the Online Code of Conduct in a f/t virtual school context -- parents have expressed concern about cyberbullying, etc. Staff are strategizing. This will be a huge part of my own program.

Personal aside: Going forward, I will be interested to see what capacity there is to fund or fundraise for virtual classrooms. In bricks-and-mortar school, I might appeal to Council for funds to host a speaker at an assembly... ->

As a virtual school teacher, I can't really ask my homeschool's Council for funds they've raised to support an event that doesn't directly benefit the school. Guest speakers, authors, etc. Something to ponder.

More pondering from me: How do we build virtual school community beyond the individual virtual classroom? At my homeschool last spring, I hosted a Pride assembly with a paid speaker. Another colleague hosted a music webinar. And several staff organized virtual grad.

Clearly I lack the virtual stamina of our elected trustees and senior staff. Starting to fade. Tonight's livestream was illuminating -- from staff's grasp of how COVID impacts day-today operations to trustee's questions on behalf of parents and students. 'Nite.