Continuity of Learning Questions & Answers forAvondale Families:

On April 2, 2020, Governor Gretchen Whitmer issued an executive order closing Michigan’s public and private K–12 school buildings for the remainder of the school year. This action is needed to reduce the impact of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

This action naturally raises many questions for the AvondaleSchool District. But it also gives us a chance to showcase our ability to work together for the benefit of all our students. During the next few months, we’ll be collaborating to develop and implement an array of remote instructional strategies. Our educators will be working with students online, through phone calls, email, or through other innovative means. While we already have engaged in online educational tasks, new and customized learning activities are going to be developed for students across our district.

We’ll also continue our meal assistance programs and other support services for the benefit of our entire community.

While the details of the executive order have been made public, we are still awaiting further guidance from the Michigan Department of Education. Nevertheless, we do have some information that we felt it was important to share.

Q. What does this action mean for the Avondale School District community?

A.  First—and most importantly—it means we are doing our part to slow the spread of disease. When we stay home and practice safe habits, we reduce the risk of exposure across our entire community. We don’t know what the next few weeks and months will hold, so the responsible decision is to continue our social distancing efforts.

Second, the governor's executive order calls upon all Michigan school districts to provide remote learning opportunities to learners.  That learning may take place online, through phone calls, mail, or through other innovative means developed educators.

Q. How will families without computers and internet beable to take part?

A. The Avondale School District is committed to fairness and equity for every student. We want every one of our pupils to be able to access the opportunities they need to keep learning and growing.

We have been working to identify workable technology supports and additional resources such as devices and connectivity for our families that do not have them, and will be able to ensure each and every student can participate in our new learning programming.

Q. When will schools open again?

A. While nobody can predict the future with certainty, we currently expect that the Avondale School District would return to normal operations this summer.

Q. How will our school district work together to keep our students learning?

A. Our hard-working team of administrators, teachers and staff will collaborate to identify strategies for reaching each and every Avondale student. The executive order tells us we must develop a plan for at-home learning that will be approved by Oakland Schools and the Michigan Department of Education as soon as possible.

Q. Why is at-home learning necessary?

A. Each year, the National Center for Education Statistics estimates students in grades 3–8 lose 20 to 50 percent of their learning during summer vacation. If that amount of backslide is possible in just three months, imagine what could happen in five! Worse still, the amount of learning loss is more significant as children grow older.

Here in Avondale, we believe in big dreams. And that means giving our students the tools to achieve them, even in the midst of a global pandemic.

Q. Will the assigned work be mandatory and/or graded?

A. All decisions regarding the awarding of grades or credit will be made by the Avondale School District in due course. It is the Governor’s intent that our decisions be made in view of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Currently, the Oakland County Intermediate School District (Oakland Schools) is working on guidance that would require consistency across the county districts.

Q. Will all students in grades K–11 advance at the end of the year?

A. Avondale students will advance to the next grade in August, provided their teachers believe they were on track with their grades before the shutdown occurred. This is an area that will require greater statutory clarification from the Michigan Department of Education as we move forward in this new reality. Our goal is to have students advance to their next grade level.

Q. Will seniors be able to graduate?

A. The Avondale School District will be working with all seniors to afford them the opportunity to complete their required credits and graduate on time. Our goal is to have all seniors who were on track for graduation to graduate and for those who were not, to have opportunities throughout spring and summer to be able to earn what is needed.

Q. What about Michigan’s third-grade reading law? Will that prevent any third-graders from advancing if their reading skills do not meet standards?

A. The state’s third-grade reading law recommended that students who were more than a year behind in reading should be kept back for more preparation before entering fourth grade.

Due the extenuating circumstances all of our state residents now face, this law cannot be enforced due to the amount of reading instruction our third-grade students will have missed.

Therefore, no third-graders will be held back in 2020 based on this statute.  However, students who were on reading plans prior to the closure, should continue with their Read-at-Home Plans.

Q. What about state testing requirements?

A. The M-STEP will not be administered this year, thanks to waivers received from the state and federal departments of education. Testing will resume during the 2020-2021 academic year.

Moreover, current high school juniors will be able to take the SAT examination free of charge in the fall (October).  All costs will be borne by the state, to make up for the missed test previously scheduled for March 2020.

Q. What about Advanced Placement (AP) testing requirements?

A. As of today, the link below will provide AP students with critical information regarding the taking of AP exams.

Students should NOT go in and cancel their exams. 

College Board is offering free online course and test prep support.  Students can find these classes on the College Board website.  We are recommending that ll students attempt to take their exams.  Each exam will have two test date options.

College Board is also working to provide students with internet and devices if they do not have them at home.  If you need technology support, or have forgotten your login information, contact our high school counselor listed below immediately.

Denise Sandvig: denise.sandvig@avondaleschools.org 

https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/about-ap/news-changes/coronavirus-update

Q. Can my student take the ACT and/or SAT?

A. College entrance exams such as the ACT and SAT are currently not being administered. Please check with the testing organizations periodically for additional information.

Q. My student receives special education services. What can we expect?

A. The Michigan Department of Education has clearly instructed schools to consider the needs of students with IEPs when providing instructional services. Individualized educational programs must be continued to the extent possible.

Previous guidance provided by the department said:

"If a district chooses to provide educational support (online learning, instructional packets, enrichment/enhancement activities, among other approaches) to all students, districts must consider the additional needs of students with disabilities, including accessibility. Educational supports provided through distance learning approaches are designed to assist students in maintaining skills, and in some cases, make progress in the general education curriculum. Districts must address the unique and individual needs of students with disabilities when utilizing these approaches. If technology is needed for a student with a disability to access an educational activity, the needed technology and support must be provided by the district at no charge to the student." (MDE Memo, 3.23.2020)

Additional guidance has been provided by both the state and federal departments of education and will be considered carefully by Avondale educators as they design future instructional programming.

Q. Will the school district continue to provide free meals?

A. Absolutely. Please watch this page and our Facebook page for updates on food distribution sites, dates and times.

Q. How can Avondale families access the internet?

A. Free internet is available for a limited period for individuals receiving public assistance. Contact the school district for additional information about how you can access data plans.  More information will be available regarding connectivity as we approach device dissemination next week.