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Flexible Instructional Days (FIDS)

Flexible Instructional Days

The State Department of Education has approved Chambersburg Area School District's request to provide "Flexible Instructional Days" to our students. This means that on days when situations like winter weather or a building emergency require us to close our schools, we can provide instruction to our students at home rather than in the classroom.  This is sometimes called a “Cyber Snow Day”.  The state will count this as a full day of school and we will not have to make up the day during the school year or at the end of the school year.

The District has been approved to use up to a maximum of five (5) FIDS for this school year. 

How A Flexible Instructional Day Works

Notification:

  • CASD will utilize multiple modes of communication to notify parents, students and staff of Flexible Instructional Days when needed. The notification processes used is the same that is in place for weather or other school closures.  These modes include the district phone notification system, email system, district website, local media outlets, Twitter and Facebook.  A hotline number is available in English and Spanish.  Messages are available by phone 24-hours a day.

    • For English, dial (717)261-5680

    • Para Espanol, llame (717)261-5684

  • All students will receive additional communication about the Flexible Instructional Day through their assigned classes within the CASD LMS system. (Odysseyware, Edgenuity, Schoology, Google Classroom) This communication will describe how to access instructional material, how to log attendance and how to request assistance for the day.

Assignments:

  • Prior to the Flexible Instructional Day, certified teachers, including special education teachers, gifted teachers and ELL teachers will explain FIDs expectations to students and provide instruction on how to access materials, complete activities/assignments and submit activities/assignments for the day. 
  • Assignments and activities will be made available to students by 8:30 a.m. on the morning of the Flexible Instructional Day. Students will log into their Learning Management System (LMS) or Google Classroom to access their assignments/activities.  Upon logging in to the LMS or Google Classroom, student’s participation will be electronically documented.
  • Additionally, the school’s principal, teachers, counselor and nurse will be available as needed via email to assist families with flexible instructional day directions and/or questions.
  • Students are expected to complete assignments for all classes that would normally meet on the FID as this would count as a typical school day. 

Access:

  • On the morning of the Flexible Instructional Day, lessons/activities/assignments will be posted to each course in the learning management system by 8:30am.
  • On a Flexible Instructional Day students will:
    • Log into each of their courses in the CASD LMS system(s) or Google Classroom for attendance purposes and to access assignment information and materials. If a child does not have Internet access or equipment to log on, the child will have five school days to make up the assignment and turn it in for full credit for grading purposes only.
    • Complete learning activities/assignments for each course in which they are enrolled as assigned by the teacher.
    • Submit each activity/assignment upon completion either electronically that day or by the end of the five day window. If the student is unable to submit activities/assignments electronically, activities/assignments may be submitted via paper/pencil the next day or by the end of the five day window for grading purposes only.
  • Every effort will be made to provide students with hardcopies of assignments/activities prior to the FID for those who do not have access to devices/internet on the Flexible Instructional Day. Students without internet access will be prompted to download activities/assignments before leaving school if there is the potential of a Flexible Instructional Day being instituted.  Additionally, upon request, teachers may provide students with a hard copy version of the learning activities prior to the Flexible Instructional Day.


Work Completion and Attendance:   

  • A Flexible Instructional Day counts as a regular school day for students. Attendance and assignment requirements must be met.
  • Teachers will take attendance utilizing the learning management system via student log in time, time on task reporting and submission of completed assignments. Students will have a five day window after the Flexible Instructional Day to submit completed assignments.
  • Students unable to participate in FIDs will not be considered in attendance for the Flexible Instructional Day. The absence will be considered unexcused until proper documentation is provided by the parent or guardian.
  • Additionally, if children are unable to access the internet from home (due to internet service interruption or device failure), families may call the school office to confirm attendance for the day. Attendance via telephone must be completed by building, so if you have children in multiple buildings, multiple calls must be placed.  Any child, who does not sign in via the Learning Management System or call the school office, will be marked absent for the day and families will be required to provide an excuse.  In the event internet/telephone service is not available or a student experiences device failure during a Flexible Instructional Day, parents/guardians are required to send a note in to their child’s school the next day explaining what their child did to complete the FID requirements.  All student work must be submitted immediately upon their return to school.


Teacher and Staff Availability:

  • Teachers will post all assignments by 8:30am to their learning management system. They will be available for assistance via email from 9:00am-12:00pm and from 1:00pm-3:00pm.  Additionally, the school’s principal, counselor and nurse will be available as needed via email.
  • Flexible Instructional Day (FID) lessons will be designed for students with special needs utilizing their program modifications, specially designed instruction and supplementary aids and services identified in their individualized education plans. During the FID, special education personnel will be available to answer questions through email.  Similar lesson modifications will be designed for GIEP students and ELL students.  Please email your learning support teacher, gifted teacher and/or ESL teacher with questions pertaining to lessons or accommodations.

 

Technology Assistance - General Questions, Help or “How To” for Issues with Chromebooks Only:

Your first line of help for general questions or help should be your child’s teacher so they can provide assistance to you.  Remember, students have 5 days to get their work completed.

If there are problems or issues with your Chromebook, you will need to submit a service call by doing the following:

       1. Go to our 1:1 site at www.casdonline.org/1to1 and click Remote Support to submit a service call.

       2. Click the Incident IQ Remote Ticketing link and fill in all of the required fields. This is the fastest way to get all necessary information to help us serve you!

Note: You can also reference our Chromebook Troubleshooting page by clicking here:  /Page/18449 

 

The District believes that using a Flexible Instructional Day will allow students and teachers to continue the learning process while responding to a weather closure in an efficient manner.  If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact your school principal.