Much attention has been given to creating opportunities for our online learners to be a part of the on-campus community. Whenever possible and appropriate, teachers have designed activities to encourage collaboration among the students learning online in a particular class and/or to encourage collaboration between the online learners and on-campus learners in a particular class. Teachers understand the value of student collaboration and establishing a continuous learning community, now more than ever.

In terms of community support, online students will have all of the access to teachers, advisors, learning center personnel, and student health services that on-campus students have. Furthermore, specific enrichment periods have been added during Monday night and Wednesday morning for online learners.  

Teachers have participated in extended professional development that involves well-researched templates, digital learning tools, and student-centered approaches to creating online content. This summer, teachers have worked closely with the academic leadership to develop plans that ensure quality online learning for our students with particular emphasis given to techniques that work well with boys. Online content is designed to prioritize (1) active student engagement and (2) frequent feedback about progress toward learning objectives.

At its core, we were able to successfully implement a full-year online curriculum because of our seven years of Summer Online Courses experience.

Joining a class synchronously may be appropriate for particular class meetings. Teachers have designed certain experiential classes, for example, that allow for the online learners to participate remotely, and teachers have designed classes to allow for collaboration between online and on-campus whenever appropriate. However, Zooming in to classes is not the design of the online program for the fall semester as it was in the spring. Instead, online learners will be expected to work through asynchronous course content with the scheduled personalized support of the individual teachers, advisor, and Learning Center personnel.

One of the benefits of learning in an online environment is the flexibility that it affords the student. However, online learning can also be transactional and impersonal and require students to be exceptionally disciplined in their approach to their studies in order to be the most successful. Our online program, however, is designed to emphasize relationships between teachers and students and has more structure to it. The Avon Old Farms online learning program features scheduled enrichment time during the week for online learners to check in with teachers, and lessons will be posted by the week with frequent due dates to help online learners manage their work flow. Along those lines, there will be opportunities for online learners to respond to surveys about their experience so teachers know what adjustments might be necessary. In these ways, the AOF online learning program is more structured than a traditional online program that depends on the completion of asynchronous work at the student’s pace with little interaction between teacher and student. Additionally, we will provide recommended daily schedules that students might use to establish a healthy, balanced daily routine as they learn online. 

Nothing will change in this regard, and AOF teachers are committed to providing a supported learning environment for each student, albeit in an online format. All students will continue to earn letter grades in each course, and the gradebook will remain open for students and parents/guardians to be able to monitor progress. Grades will be entered into the official academic transcripts, adhering to the academic calendar deadlines, but courses on the transcript will not be designated as “online.”  Veracross will still house academic notifications and grades. 

Yes, the add-drop period still applies to student learning online. In consultation with his teacher, advisor, and appropriate academic dean, a student may make schedule changes until September 22.

Courses that have a significant hands-on or in-person element (e.g. visual and performing arts, lab sciences) have received careful consideration and creative planning on the part of teachers to ensure quality learning in an online environment. In many cases, teachers have included useful technology and virtual experiences to make online lessons more interactive and effective.

While students will have regular access to their advisor and the professionals in our Learning Center, your son’s teacher should be the first resource. This mirrors our normal order of operations when a student encounters any challenges in his learning. Teachers will make themselves available to communicate with students directly to identify the nature of the challenge. In addition to your child’s teachers, advisors are available to provide one-on-one support, and in keeping with our normal policy, families should communicate with the student’s advisor as necessary. 

Learning support will continue to be available through our Learning Center, and teachers are prepared to be responsive and accommodate student learning needs to ensure progress for each student. The IT Department will be available as well in case of any issues with technology.

The transition will be seamless since online learners have been scheduled for the same classes with the same teachers that they would have had on-campus. They have been included on the same class rosters, and most likely will have interacted with the on-campus class in a meaningful way as part of their online learning experience.

Students who experience heightened anxiety should consult with their pediatricians and/or psychologists. Our Student Health Council, including our nurses and school counselor, will monitor online learners just as they would on-campus learners and can offer referrals to parents and can coordinate with outside providers.

There is a considerable body of research that outlines many possible advantages of learning asynchronously online for students with learning differences such as ADD and ADHD because with asynchronous content, students determine how and when they want to work with the content. In this way, learning online can be the ultimate student-centered learning experience. Just as with on-campus learners, the Director of the Learning Center, Samantha Jensen, will ensure that we are honoring all student accommodation plans and providing additional support for students appropriately as determined by their learning profile and in consultation with the teacher and advisor. That said, not all online learning is dependent on extended periods of screen time. Students will continue to be assigned work that will need to be completed without screens, including reading, writing, solving math problems, and hands-on projects.

If your son becomes ill and is unable to keep up with his online work, you should contact the appropriate academic dean to make him/her aware. Teachers will be flexible in working with your child to ensure that they are able to make up any missed work with extended deadlines.

The AP program will run as usual for the 2020-2021 academic year, and Avon Old Farms plans to be a testing site for the fall SAT and ACT testing dates. These tests will occur as scheduled according to communication from the College Office on July 29.

The online bookstore, Follett, has the relevant information for textbooks for all required courses, and you may choose to use Follett or another vendor to purchase those materials. There continue to be delays in the shipping industry, however, which affect not only delivery times but also inventory. Students are encouraged to use digital versions of texts whenever possible, and teachers may provide students with the necessary materials so they are not impacted by shipping delays or inventory shortages. Students enrolled in visual arts courses should refer to the materials list posted by Ms. Pinton.

Art Class Supply List

If your son does not have reliable access to the internet or an appropriate device, please have him contact Rob Dowling at 860-404-4264 or dowlingr@avonoldfarms.com.