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Remote Learning Protocol
Created : 08 Jan 2021, 6:52 PM
Archived : 08 Mar 2021, 12:00 AM
Remote Learning Protocol To support efforts in this unsettling and challenging times and to ensure consistency and high quality of education for all the students in BCS we have produced the following guidelines in the promotion of blended learning. Blended learning is the delivery of the curriculum by facilitating learning in an effective combination of different modes. These modes include In-school, live online (remote) and self-directed. Since our return in September 2020, we have provided our students with the skill set to access and build their confidence in remote and self-directed learning while maintaining the support of in-school engagement. We have compiled a list of guidelines and expectations for members of our school community to support us all to engage in high quality, effective and safe distance learning. Teacher, Students and Parent/Guardians have rights and responsibilities, and it is integral to the ethos of our school as a caring community that mutual respect and tolerance should always characterise all relationships in our school. Please Note: These guidelines should be read in conjunction with all school policies, including Code of Behaviour, Anti-Bullying Policy, Acceptable Use Policy, ICT Code of Conduct as outlined in student PR books and which apply to both in-school and remote classes. Students whose behaviour is regularly inappropriate online and which is consistently below the accepted school standard, may be excluded from school activities. The school reserves the right to report any illegal activities to the appropriate authorities. Students are expected to use Microsoft Office 365 as the main hub for all communications regarding their class arrangements e.g. links to videos, sharing of PowerPoints, assignments etc. Students are also expected to monitor their school email accounts daily. **This protocol is subject to change as emerging needs evolve. Guidelines and Expectations In advance of going online: • Make sure your device is fully charged before class begins. • Find a suitable location – noise free etc, • Log onto the correct app at the time requested by your teacher. • Be aware of what others may be able to view or hear around you/ in the background. • Be class ready, have materials you will need in advance of going online. While Online: • Remember the Rules of ‘Netiquette’ (please see below) • Clarify with your teacher the work you have been assigned. • Clarify the due date for work assignments. • Write all assigned work into your PR book, this will help Parents/Guardians to support you. • Take notes, as you go, on the important point of the lesson. Writing will help you to understand the material and to stay more engaged in the learning. • Stay organised, ensuring folders are kept updated. • Ask your teacher (or SNA) for guidance and suggestions, if you have any questions or difficulties. • If you are still unclear let your teacher know by emailing your teacher during school hours. (8.30am – 4 pm) Attendance: • A roll will be kept of all class attendance, students will have their camera on at all times but speaker on mute until instructed by the teacher to unmute for roll. • If a teacher has a concern about a student’s repeated lack of attendance or lack of participation in class, then the relevant tutor/year-head will be informed, and contact home will be made. Netiquette: • Our schools Code of Behaviour, School Rules and ICT Acceptable Use Policy apply to all Remote Learning. • A high sense of respect is expected from students when engaging with their online class. • The use of proper internet etiquette is always expected. • Circulating or publishing (including on the internet) material recorded without consent with the purpose of humiliating, undermining the reputation of or causing damage to another person, whether considered a ‘joke’ or not , may be considered as a serious breach of discipline and appropriate sanctions will be imposed. This could result in suspension or expulsion from school depending on the circumstances. • Inappropriate language or behaviour will result in disciplinary action. • Remember that Remote Learning is not private. Think about the consequences of anything you might write or post online. • Above all, be positive and participate to the best of your ability in your engagement with BCS Remote Learning. Parents: • Please support your son/daughter by helping to develop a routine during the school day, encourage them to try and complete any online schoolwork to the best of their ability. • Please encourage them to contact their subject teacher, year head or school management, within school hours, if they are having any difficulties. • Please contact your son/daughter tutor or year-head within school hours by email if your child is ill or unable for school/ engage in learning, as would normally occur if in school classes were in operation. • By facilitating your child’s live online lessons in your home, your child’s lessons may feel different, but the same rules of communication apply as if they were regularly taught lessons in school. This means that the interaction during these lessons is to be between the teacher and student only. • Parents may request additional support from the school Guidance, SEN and Year team if required. Initial contact can be made by parents through school office or email and appropriate follow up and supports will be agreed. • Parents/Guardians will be able to view your child’s progress, engagement, and assessments online through the VS Ware portal. • Any issue with online accessibility, please contact school office. We hope your family remains healthy and well, please remind your son/daughter to follow all guidelines to help contain the spread of Covid-19. Kind Regards Denis Ring
Online Classes from Monday
Created : 08 Jan 2021, 6:49 PM
Archived : 08 Mar 2021, 12:00 AM
Dear Students and Parents/Guardians, I would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a Happy New Year. I hope you and your extended families are keeping safe and well. As you are aware, we are Online with our classes from next week. We have been meeting as a Senior Management Team with the Chairman of the BOM, Assistant Principals and all Staff over the past few days in preparation for a return to Teaching and Learning next week. The Students will be following their normal class timetable with their teachers. This relates to Learning Support as well as Mainstream classes. Teachers will be mainly operating on the Teams Platform whereby Blended Learning of Live Online classes as well as other means of instruction and guidance/support will also be provided. Please bear with us as we try to ensure that this works as efficiently and effectively as possible. Everyone will do everything possible to provide a successful programme of Teaching and Learning. There will be many challenges as childcare may prove to be a complication for staff ,in some instances, as you will appreciate in these times. I will forward you our Protocols for Remote Learning document which is hugely important as a signpost regarding expectations of all stakeholders in this process. We will be reviewing our progress weekly. This process will require the cooperation of everyone to ensure our Online Provision is a success for our students. Please encourage your son(s)/ daughter(s) to fully engage as we cannot succeed without your help on this matter. Ní neart go cur le chéile. Denis Ring
BT Young Scientist & Technology Update
Created : 08 Jan 2021, 5:43 PM
Archived : 08 Mar 2021, 12:00 AM
As the curtain is drawn for another year on an extraordinary BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition, we would like to thank our two transition year students Grace Arrigan and Cameron Bell, for representing BCS virtually at the competition this year. They put in a lot of hard work over the last few days making themselves available for presentation of their projects online and rigorous interviewing by numerous judges in each of their respective categories; Social and Behavioural Sciences and Technology.
Info for students
Created : 08 Jan 2021, 5:41 PM
Archived : 08 Mar 2021, 12:00 AM
Do your students need access to Microsoft Teams for school work ?? Use their xbox or playstation!!
FAO 6th Year Students and their Parents
Created : 08 Jan 2021, 2:45 PM
Archived : 08 Mar 2021, 12:00 AM
Please see the link below for the first part in a series of presentations for our sixth year students and their parents. In part 1, Miss Landers presents on CAO, PLC, and Apprenticeships. Also included in the presentation is information on Access College routes and SUSI. blackwatercs-my.sharepoint.com/:v:/p/marianne_landers/EZVezbSpGqlHsZzynJfTvS0B08nvekGb0TNdxgB8XTckZA?e=30MVOY
Student Wellbeing Survey Results
Created : 08 Jan 2021, 2:41 PM
Archived : 08 Mar 2021, 12:00 AM
As we head into another lockdown, we remind students of the positives they highlighted from the lockdown last year as part of the Wellbeing Survey carried out in October. These included: -Spending time with family -More time to relax and more time for yourself -More exercise opportunities -The opportunity to learn new skills/Times for hobbies and sports -More sleep and rest -The chance to read more books Please focus on these positives for the next few weeks.
Nollaig na mBan
Created : 06 Jan 2021, 12:15 PM
Archived : 06 Mar 2021, 12:00 AM
Happy Nollaig na mBan
Caroline wishes you well on the Feast of the Epiphany
Created : 06 Jan 2021, 11:04 AM
Archived : 06 Mar 2021, 12:00 AM
Prayer for Feast of the Epiphany. 6th January Like the Maji, may we also journey and be attentive, untiring and courageous on the path to find the invisible God who was born among us. Pope Francis Wishing everyone a safe and hopeful 2021. Caroline.
BT Young Scientist &Technology Virtual Exhibition
Created : 06 Jan 2021, 11:01 AM
Archived : 06 Mar 2021, 12:00 AM
We would like to wish our two TY students, Grace Arrigan and Cameron Bell, the very best of luck over the coming days as they represent BCS in this year’s Virtual BT Young Scientist. They have both worked very hard last term and over the Christmas holidays producing a project diary, project booklet, a powerpoint presentation and a 3 minute video. They are presenting projects online to numerous judges in the Intermediate Social and Behavioural Sciences category and the Intermediate Technology category. Grace’s project is “A statistical analysis of student's school experiences with intellectual disabilities vs normative development” and Cameron’s is “Wind Turbine”. The virtual exhibition will showcase 550 qualified projects from over 1,300 entries, representing all corners of Ireland from Wednesday 6th January to Friday 8th January from 9am to 5.30pm. The virtual opening ceremony will start at 1pm on Wednesday 6th January, and the awards ceremony will be held at 1pm on Friday 8th January. This year, BT has waived fees for the public to access the unique exhibition portal for the 2021 exhibition, where they can view the 550 projects, enjoy STEM-focused shows and talks, visit exhibitor stands, and watch the opening and awards ceremonies live, for free on the BTYSTE website and on Facebook live. Free registration for all is open at portal.btyoungscientist.com/
Parenting in Lockdown and working from home - Advice from www.Spectrum. life
Created : 05 Jan 2021, 8:21 PM
Archived : 05 Mar 2021, 12:00 AM
Parenting in Lockdown and Working from Home The closure of schools may cause added stress to parents trying to use their home as a workplace. It might be especially difficult to juggle work responsibilities, take care of/entertain children, as well as ensuring everyone stays protected at the same time. Balancing children and a full workload can be beyond difficult. In this tipsheet, our parenting expert, Anita Fletcher shares some tips to help you create and maintain a positive work life balance when working from home with children. 1. Talk to your child about the importance of working from home. Explain to your children how important it is that you are able to do your work from home, with as few interruptions as possible. Allow them to be part of the team! Their role being, to help Mam and Dad to be productive (children are more likely to be cooperative when they feel involved and understand the reasons behind the actions) Set your children their own daily routine so they know exactly what is expected them (children thrive on routine & boundaries). 2. Set up your designated workplace. If you haven’t already, set up your space! This will make you more productive & remind children that you’re working and not available to them when you’re in that space. You don’t want to be completely isolated from children if no one else is around to mind them, but the kitchen table probably won’t serve as the optimal work space, either. Search for a well-lit area in your home, where you can stay on task, and minimise interruptions. As children interrupt, gently remind them that you are in your workspace and encourage them to go back to their activity, telling them you’ll go to them when you’re finished the piece of work. If you don't learn to keep your roles as parent and employee separate, you'll never feel like you're doing either well. Plus, it helps you disengage from your job if you can walk away from your workspace. 3. Set up a childrens work/play space & set a daily routine. Having their own workspace (just like Mum or Dad) empowers a child and again reminds them that when they’re in that space, they are working. www.spectrum.life Parenting in Lockdown and Working from Home Make a plan for education and entertainment. Set aside a few cool toys that your children can play with or arrange a special movie viewing only during "Mummy & Daddys work time." If your children have something to look forward to, they'll be less likely to interrupt you. Giving you time to catch up on e-mails. Plan their day with them (just like you have to plan your own work day). Schedule in brain training activities (puzzles, reading, lego, colouring etc) or school activities in 20-40 minute blocks. Schedule in breaks, exercise, stretch, play etc. Explain that you need them to stick to the plan/schedule/routine (whatever you prefer to call it) while you are working. Some children will entertain themselves once they have the means to do so. Setting up an activity station with games, crafts, puzzles, books and other activities will help their creative juices flow. Rotate activities & encourage children to explore options. If it’s coming to the end of your day, ask your child to join you at your desk to read a book or write a poem. That should buy you 30 minutes to wrap up your work for the day. 4. Minimise stress triggers. We all know our own Family better than anyone! Pick your Battles! When you know your stress triggers you can talk about them. 1st up, talk to your partner about the main stress triggers & the course of action you want to take to avoid them. Once you have that decided, you can talk to your child & get their buy in. List what is expected from children. (Remember, Children thrive on routine and boundaries)There’s nothing more stressful for a Mum or Dad working from home, than a sudden tantrum or outburst from their children during a call. To minimise this risk, run through a series of scenarios to prepare children. Preparation is key! Examples; • If the phone rings and Mum/Dad moves to their workspace, do you A. Run after them screaming or B. Quietly have a seat and wait for the call to be finished? • If you come into a room and see Mum/Dad on the phone, how do you react? • If Mum/Dad is at the computer when you come into the room, do you A. Scream your demands or B. Politely request attention? In time, with consistency from the adults, children will learn what is expected of them and will happily stay within their boundaries. www.spectrum.life Parenting in Lockdown and Working from Home 5. Use positive reinforcements. Catch your children being good!! When you see your children putting in the effort to follow the new routine, tell them you’ve noticed. Tell them how helpful they are being. This will reinforce the good behaviour and in turn, the likelihood of it happening again is higher! Remember, a child will take negative attention over no attention, every time! Get ther with the positive attention 1st. 6. Know when to give your child a piece of your time. If you become overwhelmed with constant interruptions because the children are desperately seeking your attention, take a break! Take them on a bike ride, or a walk, watch a movie, bake scones. Regardless of the activity you choose, the children are more likely to stay out of your way when work resumes. Refer to HSE/NHS website for up to date information and give age appropriate explanations to your children. Very young children need brief, simple information and reassurance, older children may need help to separate reality from rumour and fantasy (Social Media/Fake News). Reinforce hand washing and social/physical distance. www.spectrum.life