Dear Members:

• Click here to watch my President’s Message
• San Diego and LA Unified made the decision to remain closed until May 5…at least.
• County Superintendent of Schools James Mousalimas has recommended all school districts remain closed through April 17.  No word from MUSD, however.
• Kindergarten teachers, you might want to check out Benjamin Cogswell on Facebook.  He is doing some crazy stuff!
• You might want to tell your students in your next email/video message that anyone can get Comcast internet for free. Comcast opened up all of their wifi hotspots throughout the state.  Go to your wifi settings on your phone or device, you’ll see xfinitywifi.  Click that, and they can log on for free.

Dear Members:

• There has been much confusion so Deputy Superintendent Roger Goatcher and I are busy preparing a joint communique on expectations, procedures and best practices for these next two weeks.  Please be patient.  Thank you for your cooperation.
• CTA has a distance learning webinar scheduled for this Thursday.  Last week, they filled up the 500 spaces in 3 minutes.  They have space for 1000 attendees this time and there is a registration link this time.  If you are not able to make the webinar, click here for a recording of last week's session. 

 

• If you're really bored, click here for my video message to my students today.  You'll catch me singing in it.  No, that's not today's funnie, and how dare you even say that.  Yes, that's right.  I heard you.

 

• As if you don't have enough going on, but if you're interested, click here for ready-to-use recommendations and strategies for a trauma-informed approach to teaching through coronavirus.

 

• This is an excellent read for all educators.  Please, take time for yourself and don't ask the impossible of yourself.

Dear Members:
 

• What a momentous and trying day, but we lived through it!  One of the more interesting events today was the violation of our agreement by the district.  We had discussed using packets, developed policies that would financially support that, and wrote language that we all agreed to.  Or so we thought.  So I was just as surprised as all of you when all Johnson broke today.  I kept hearing that packets were only for TK/K/1.  Then it was only for TK.  Then, it wasn’t for any grade level.  Nobody notified me except…you.

 

• Tomorrow, we have our regular negotiation set up.  I’m sure this will be a topic of discussion.

 

• The COVID-19 pandemic is also keeping us from spending time with each other—our support networks during our daily work in schools.  I miss all of you, and I miss my students.  I miss visiting each school site, and hearing your concerns and laughing with all of you.  CTA has also created an online space on Facebook for educators to share resources, ideas, feelings, good vibes, stories, laughs and memes.  We’re all trying to figure things out right now—let’s come together to help each other and do everything we can to support our students.  I’m on there from time to time.  Now you know where I get my funnies.
• And now for those funnies….and boy do we need some good ones for today.  I know I do.  And if you don’t think the first funny isn’t the best ever, well, you and I will have some words.  The first one stars my grandson Derek and son in law Jim.  Of course, it’s nepotism, and I stand by that.  They are practicing Quarantine Reading.  What do you think?  Derek is 3 next month, and Jim is already teaching him to throw a football, elbow up!

Dear Members:
 

• Again, today is the only day you’re allowed to be on campus…until noon.  But, you don’t have to show up today if you don’t want to.  The rest of this week we are working remotely from home.  Next week, you can work from school IF YOU WANT TO…or continue to work remotely from home.  But, don’t go into anyone’s classroom or let anyone into yours.  BE SAFE.  Talk through the windows.  Put your hands on a window as a way of shaking hands.  😊

If you want to send an email to parents and students, use the following directions…

1. Open up Q.
2. Go to School in Main Menu
3. Then click Mass email and type your cute little email
4. Then off to the right, hit refresh list and choose recipients
5. It automatically sends it as a BCC…
6. Make sure you do a CC to yourself, Boomer!  That way you have a record of it. 
7. Then off to the top left, review selected recipients
8. Then in new window, hit send email if you’re happy with who it is going to

 

• Click here for a video message sent by my wife to her parents and students.  She teaches 4th Grade at McParland.  My wife isn’t thrilled that I’m sending this out to y’all, but I think it’s important for all of you to see how easy it is.  It took her about 15 minutes to produce a 4 minute video.  Again, this is an optional idea.  Do what you’re comfortable with.

 

To create a video message using Powerpoint (it took my wife about 15 minutes to do this) follow these steps:

1. First, you make a normal Powerpoint with the slides you want. 
2. Then for each slide that you want a video for, click the Slide Show menu, and hit Record Slide Show. 
3. Then hit the red record button, and start yapping.
4. When you’re all done with your PowerPoint, go to File and save it as an mp4. 
5. Then, upload your mp4 file to YouTube (you’ll need to make an account)
6. When it comes to privacy, click “unlisted” video (this only allows those with a link to view it).
7. That way, students and families can access your messages on smart phones as well as their devices.
8. Let me know how it goes and send me a link so I can view it too!  I promise not share yours.  😊

​Dear Members:
 
Here is an email based on last night’s video.  I know the transitions between slides was rather quick…very quick, so back to the Stone Age with an email!  Have a sweet day and be safe!
 
Attached is that teacher checklist, but again, it says MAY want to consider.  You’re not required to show up at school today or take anything home.
 
1.  When can teachers pick up curriculum and teacher resources?
 
School sites will only be open beginning Monday, March 23rd between the hours of 8:00am and 12:00pm for teachers to get materials: see a check list here. Teachers may not be on campus at any other time.  Pretend you’re me when I go shopping.  I’m like a commando.  I go in, get out, unscathed and undetected.
 
2.  What will happen to stipends for coaching, extra duties, 133s and etc? 
You will continue to receive your full compensation.
 
3. Are we supposed to assess the students?
No.  You can use the high school finals or the T2 elementary proficiencies to determine where the students are academically, but you don’t have to.  You probably know better than anyone where the students are.  And you don’t need a test to boot!
 
4. What am I supposed to teach and how?
Remember, the agreement states, “Flexibility will be provided to teachers to evaluate student progress and adjust work to meet needs of students.”  YOU teach what YOU think your students need.  Every classroom is unique, you’re the expert, and only you know the answer to that.
 
5. When will we know what we’re doing after these next two weeks?
During that first or second week, we will be negotiating a new agreement that will finish out the year.
 
6. Can I meet with others this week?
No.  Remember, the next two weeks is distance learning.  You may go to your school site Monday from 8am to 12pm, but please don’t have contact with anyone.  Don’t go in other classrooms to say hi to staff.  Don’t go in the staff lounge.  We’re all supposed to act as if we are infected ourselves.
 
7. Can I Skype, Zoom, or use something called a phone to talk to my students?
I don’t want anyone to be accused of inappropriate language or pictures or anything else with students in a one-on-one video transmission.  It’s your word against theirs.  Let’s see what Teams has for us, and I’ll give you an idea about how I did this in a second.
 
8. The link to check out Modesto Schools distance learning plan didn’t work.
Yup, it didn't work for me when I first tried it.  So, I did a workaround.  Go to google and type in mcs4kids.com and hit enter and it pops up.  Then click and check it out.  Just remember, whatever they did, won’t be as good as whatever you do because you’ll customize a plan for your students.  Modesto did a one size fits all approach which is easier, but not as good for kids
 
9. Can I make a packet for my students?
Yes.  You can make a packet rather than digital.  Send your packet to Printshop and it would be delivered to your school.  The administrative and clerical staff would then distribute it when food distribution is done at every site.  The district will increase site budgets to reflect these extra copies.  Site admin should know this already.
 
10. How long should my office hours be?
That is up to you, but you need to be available during regular work hours in case your administrator calls.   I’m going to make my office hours from 9-11, but if you make yours 8-3, that doesn’t mean you have to respond right away either.
 
11. Are we teaching for two weeks remotely?
The first week is for prepping (M and T) and staff development (W-F) and the second week is for teaching.  You could start teaching tomorrow if you wanted.  I would recommend using Q and sending an email to all parents and students tomorrow letting them know what you’re going to do, and your office hours.  And remember to make it a BCC email.  J

Dear Members: 
 

• Click the link below for my video message.  It’s my first attempt at  distance/digital learning, so please be gentle.  Distance/digital teaching means many things to many people, and it can be accomplished many ways.  If you’re not comfortable with distance/digital learning, don’t worry about it.  You can always send packets to your students.  Hopefully this answers all of your questions.  I know that many of you weren’t expecting this, but how we react to a crisis defines us as educators.

 

• For me, I will send an email tomorrow with a video message to my students.  I want them to know as soon as I can that I miss them, and that I hope they’re okay.  That’s my choice.  You might decide to wait…and that’s okay!  And you might decide to send an email with that message.  You do what works for you!  We’re all different in our approaches and no one…NO ONE is better at this than anyone else.  We’re just all different.  

 

• All of my assignments are on OneDrive, so I will send work to my students via email as attachments NEXT WEEK.  And I will cc their parents.  I will do this via Q.  We don’t teach this week.  We prep and receive staff development remotely. 

 

• Anyway, on with the show.  The video transitions quickly in parts so you’ll need to stop if you need to.  And you’ll need to.  Click here to access the message.

Dear Members:
 

• Attached is the agreement between the District and the Association for the next two weeks of school.  That’s right.  This legal document only lasts for the first two weeks back.  It’s mostly legal gobblygook isn’t it?  I’ll send out a brief summary of the main points that you need to understand.  I will go over a few of them in the next paragraph.
• Soon, if not today, your site admin will contact you.  Please wait for direction from them.  Generally speaking tho, next week, we’ll all be on call during our regular work hours. That means, your site admin will contact you at some point, via text, phone, or email.  For example, a site admin might hold a conference call with all 3rd grade teachers. Monday and Tuesday, you’re working remotely.  Working on what!!???  Basically, where did you leave off, and where do you go from there?  Are you developing lesson plans?  No, wait for direction from the district.  Don’t waste your time until you know what is expected of you.  You’re on spring break!  Tentatively, there might be staff development on remote or distance learning on one or more of the other three days of the week.  The next two weeks, you are on the clock.  It isn’t a vacation so don’t go anywhere.  😊  However, there should be direction from the district or your site admin. We’re all reinventing the wheel at this point including our admin…for 24,000 students.  Not an easy task for any of us. What the world is going through is not an easy task period.  Education now is more of a distraction for our students than anything else. 
• Seriously, please don’t worry.  You will, but it does you no good.  Stop worrying about what your kids will do and how they will do it.  You can’t worry about things you can’t control or aren’t aware of.  And, any learning the kids do during this 8 week period is a bonus.  You will get information and/or training from the district and site admin soon on distance learning.  You’re saying, Ken, I still don’t know what to do!  That’s okay!  None of us do!  The state, the district, you, me, none of us!
• Before I go, how about some more humor?  Click here for a good one.  

 

​Dear Members:
 
This is the FAQ that I promised earlier.  Lots to report today, so off we go…and don’t scroll down to the bottom for the humor.  Be good boys and girls.  But the humor is especially good today.  You better go get yourself a cold beverage before you start reading.
 

• We presented a few options at lesson delivery to the district, but they weren’t interested.  One was developed by Modesto City Schools.  Go to http://mcs4kids.com/ and be astounded.  It’s incredible.  We’re better than this.  We’re using Teams and we’re not even trained in that…let alone the kids.  Another good one is Stockton Unified, Lodi and even teeny tiny Linden is providing access to several learning websites with packets.

 

• Some noteworthy questions you might be interested in…
  1. IEPs and SPED.   IEPs could be done via phone conference, skype, or the like, or delayed until the crisis is over because this is considered an emergency.  IEPs should not be done in person.  Period.
  2. Why is the work is optional for students?  If THE most important school factor (according to research) is removed from a student’s learning (that’s you by the way) do you think you’re setting up the student for failure?  Do you really think kids will be successful in learning if you’re not there in front of them?  You change the learning conditions, but keep the same grading conditions, and that’s okay????  If the district changes our working conditions (which they did) we negotiate that.  Students have no advocate but…us.
  3. What is THE most important factor (according to research) to a student’s learning(socio-economic)?  And it’s not even close.
  4. Friday, April 3 is a non-flexible teacher prep day.  You must be at school that day.  We asked for this day if the kids return on April 6.  April 6 is our return date AS OF NOW.  I’m still taking bets by the way that we stay closed for longer than two weeks.
  5. Packets are allowed.  You decide.  The students are supposed to return the packets, but I’m assuming they will be destroyed.  Don’t touch them if they return them to you, of course.  They shouldn’t return them to you.  That’s what I asked for.
  6. This is a big one…our agreement states, “The distribution and collection of work by individual teachers may be conducted through digital means.“  That means, packets ARE allowed.  School site budgets will be increased to take care of the extra cost of printing. So, you decide.  Printing or digital learning.  Principals were told today that packets were only allowed for TK.  WRONG!  Anyone. Just send it in via PrintShop as usual.  No print shop money left?  Talk to your site admin.
  7. The assignments do not have to be graded.  If you have concerns about that, go back to #2.
  8. You can use Teams…or not.  You can do digital or paper. It’s your choice. Teams isn’t the only choice. You do not have to go in on Monday. It’s your choice.
  9. I’m trying to be a teamplayer.  Really, I am.  But, I’m not familiar with Teams as I am sure most of you are.  And why are we implementing this now?  I’m a big believer in KISS.  Keep It Simple Stupid.
  10. Every day you’re working from home, but you are on call.  You need to establish office hours and notify your students and their parents.  If you want to come in, refer to your site principal directions.  Each one is providing a day for you to show up.  If you do show up to pick up some things, the district provided a checklist of things you may want to consider taking home some of these items…” Key word…may.  Do you want your chair?  Do you want your document camera?  Do you want anything?  If the answer is no, then don’t bother even going in.
  11. Do not go around and talk to others in their classrooms.  That room was deep cleaned, and by walking in, you have now defeated the purpose of that.  You have also made that room a risk to the educator who works there.  Chat another time when this is all over.  Don’t go in the staff lounge. Think how many people have been in there?
  12. Do not FaceTime or Skype with students.  Period.  You don’t want to be accused of something and risk your career.
  13. Remember, your school site is setting up days for students to pick up devices, but not books. That would be a crazy mad rush.  Hellllllo, six feet apart.
  14. I had a discussion about ranting.  A person said, “I shouldn’t be ranting to you.”  I laughed, and said, “Rant anytime you want during the next two weeks.  Don’t hold it in.  Rant away!  Your health is important.”  So, rant away to each other or to me if you want to.  😊

 
I want to thank those of you that have emailed me, advocating for your students, your school sites, and yourselves.  If you have done that, you are officially a Union Thug because you care about the learning conditions of your students which are YOUR working conditions.  Funny how that works.  I have to laugh when someone writes, “ I don’t mean to bother you.”  You’re not bothering me.  You’re bothering me if you DO have a question, and you DON’T ask. 

Dear Members:
 

• Rumors are flying.  Everyone sit tight.  We are negotiating this afternoon with the district regarding this crisis.
• Just so we’re clear on another issue while I have your attention, schools will continue to receive funding while closed as per the directive of the Governor.  You will continue to be paid.

Will the district jeopardize its funding by not offering distance learning during COVID-19 related closures?The short answer is “no.” California Education Code Sec. 41422 does not require maintenance of educational programs to receive continued state funding. The Governor’s March 13, 2020 Executive Order (N-26-20) does not override this statutory provision, stating only that “if an LEA closes its schools to address COVID-19, as provided in Paragraph 4 of this Order, the LEA will continue to receive state funding to support the following during the period of closure,” listing four items that funding may be used to support, including: 1) continuing to deliver high-quality educational opportunities; 2) providing meals; 3) arranging for the supervision of students during school hours, to the extent practicable; and 4) continuing to pay its employees.  The Order is clear that the LEA may continue delivering “educational opportunities to students to the extent feasible through, among other options, distance learning and/or independent study…”

​Will my LEA have to make up days missed due to COVID-19 related school closures if it does not offer distance learning? 
Again, the short answer is “no.” According to the California Department of Education (CDE), “when the State Superintendent of Public Instruction authorizes credit for days that school was closed, LEAs receive instructional time credit for the day(s) and minutes lost due to the emergency closure...The instructional time credit satisfies state law with regard to both the instructional day and minutes requirement.” (www.cde.ca.gov/fg/aa/ pa/formj13afaq.asp#SchoolClosure). Additionally, the Governor’s Executive Order states for “LEAs that initiate a school closure to address COVID-19, the closure shall qualify as a condition that prevents the maintenance of the LEA’s schools during a fiscal year for at least 175 days pursuant to Education Code section 41422...” Finally, the Executive Order suspends the affidavit requirements for waiver of the 175-day mandate, so long as the LEA’s top administrator certifies that the closure occurred to address COVID-19.
 
Do we have to ensure equity and equal access to learning? 
If a school district continues to provide educational opportunities to the general student population during a school closure through distance learning, the school must ensure that students with disabilities also have equal access to the same opportunities.  IEPs might need to be changed to accomplish this.
 
Will the closing of schools after my STRS retirement credit?
NOWhen will we know more about next week and the path forward?As directed in the Governor’s March 13, 2020 Executive Order, the California Department of Education will provide additional guidance on these issues tomorrow, Tuesday, March 17.