Dear Parents, Staff, and Students,
I hope this email finds everyone well, and that you all are settling into remote learning in Bedford. With two students in the District myself, I am in the same boat as many of you. We’re learning new routines, managing remote work spaces for everyone, and generally getting used to new modes of teaching and learning online.
I am writing to let you know that we are adding a new tool to our remote learning toolbelt: Google Meet. I want to emphasize to everyone that this is simply a new tool, not the only tool that teachers and students can utilize. While we are adding the ability to utilize Google Meet, students and staff members are not required to use it in the remote classroom. We respect the individual needs and comfort levels of students, families, and staff members, and therefore we will continue to offer all core instruction through the asynchronous technologies that we have been utilizing to date.
So, what does this new tool add to our instructional capabilities at Lurgio? Google Meet is a video conferencing tool that allows teachers to create synchronous video classrooms to meet with their students for face-to-face interactions. For families, we have already sent out an online permission form for you to indicate whether you want your students to have access to Google Meet. For teachers, we will be providing additional information and training under a separate cover should you choose to engage your students on Google Meet. For everyone, you can find our general guidelines about Google Meet here.
Administrators and teachers have already been using Google Meet with one another each day since we transitioned to remote learning. We now have the flexibility to offer this same face-to-face support to our students. I imagine that teachers who are comfortable with the format will be using it in a variety of ways, from small group instruction to extra help sessions to just being able to connect with students again. Google Meet will not be utilized in a required way, which means it is not the tool for student attendance, required group lectures, or other core instructional efforts. Those all will still be offered in an asynchronous way.
Finally, thank you all for your patience as we are navigating these new waters. I have received many emails of support and praise for our teachers and our community. While this was not how any of us thought we’d be spending our spring, it is a reality that we have come to knowing that we can overcome these new challenges together.
Be well and be safe.
My best,
Ed
