JMM 1st Semester 2020-21 Virtual Learning

Important Links

If you are having problems or issues with accessing your class materials, you can reach out to us at 608-663-5990 or by email at memorial@madison.k12.wi.us.

JMM Virtual Daily Schedule for Students

Student Virtual Learning Toolkit

JMM Teacher Communication Landing Page

Student Virtual Learning Weekly Organizer

Latinx Heritage & Culture Website

JMM Administration Contact Information

2020-21 AP Exam Registration

Registration for Spring 2021 AP exams is open now through October 30th, 2020. Specific information regarding MMSD's AP exam registration process, fee payment, and important AP updates can be found at assessment.madison.k12.wi.us/ap-testing-madison

Homecoming

We are working to find ways to best capture our Spartan spirit and recognize it will take a different shape than it has in previous years. We are looking at a number of options and appreciate your patience as we gather input and make plans for reinventing Homecoming week festivities and other ways to signify this school year's uniqueness for our students.

Attendance

Thanks for your patience as we navigate best practices in attendance-taking for a virtual world. A reminder that there are three ways that a student can be marked as present:

attend the scheduled synchronous instruction time (in Zoom),
complete and submit an asynchronous task assigned by the teacher in Google Classroom that day between 12am-11:59pm
or engage in two way communication (phone call, email exchange, or student support time virtual visit)

While students can turn in assignments or send out a communication until 11:59pm on each day, teachers have to mark preliminary attendance in Infinite Campus by 4pm. Therefore, if you need to correct an attendance error, a parent/ guardian should contact their child’s neighborhood office and/or complete the district’s online attendance form.

Wednesday Attendance Changes

Last week you received information from the district as to changes in Wednesday attendance. Starting this Wednesday (October 28), students will only need to check-in through their Virtual Mentor on Wednesdays. Students should expect an email from their Virtual Mentor no later than 8:30am each Wednesday morning with an attendance survey (similar to what students had been completing for all of their courses for the first part of this school year). Students should aim to complete the attendance survey no later than 3:30pm on Wednesday. On Thursday morning, Virtual Mentors will review the attendance survey and work with Neighborhood Secretaries to make needed attendance adjustments.

Please note that Wednesday is still considered an asynchronous learning day for students with teachers assigning work to complete in Google Classroom. However, attendance will no longer be tied to each course on Wednesday. We hope this new process will allow students to focus their time on Wednesdays and work out a connection/ support plan with their Virtual Mentors as needed.

Parent-Teacher Conferences

We are working quickly to develop plans for all-virtual parent-teacher conferences scheduled for 4pm-8pm on Tuesday, November 17 and 8am-4pm on Wednesday, November 18. We are considering a variety of ways that staff can use this dedicated time to connect with families. Look for more details and sign-up information to be shared on or around Monday, November 9th.

Equal Opportunity Schools (EOS) Survey

All 9th, 10th, and 11th grade students are asked to take the EOS Survey. This annual survey helps us better identify students who have the potential to benefit from advanced coursework such as AP classes, so that all students at Memorial have the opportunity and support to reach their full academic potential. The survey will also help us gather information around supports and resources that will aid a students’ academic success.

Students will log in using their 6 digit student ID numbers.
Take the survey by November 10th
If at any time you experience a problem while taking the survey, or have trouble logging in, contact the help desk for assistance.
Here are links to student-facing videos to orient students to the survey.

Student Video in English: https://youtu.be/82BT0MQZn2c
Student Video in Spanish: https://youtu.be/TT_avlPjbQU

Athletics Update

Please see the following statement regarding the current status of winter sports. We will have a presentation November 4th to provide clarity and next steps similar to the prior MMSD athletic kickoff which is still available for viewing on YouTube. The November 4th presentation will go through updates for participating in the 2020-21 school year and changes related to the Covid-19 pandemic. The meeting will be viewable following the initial broadcast, please look for more information as soon as details are available.

Meal Distribution

Please be sure to check out the district’s Neighborhood Food Distribution website for important information on meal pick-ups, locations, and preordering. For additional assistance, be sure to contact our JMM Social Workers, Trina Menges (Fox/ Rock students), Lauren Schwartz (Wisconsin/ Wolf Students), or Rosemary Barrientos (ELL/ Spanish-speaking students).

Textbook/Materials Distribution

We will continue to distribute instructional materials to students who need them. If a teacher contacts your student that something is at school to be picked up, stop by any school day between 9-3. If you are not able to pick up materials and need them delivered, please ask the teacher to share the delivery request form.

Staff Work Hours

Our staff are teaching and supporting students across their workday between 8am and 4pm. While many of our staff have given you options to contact them via email, phone, and text, please remember that messages might not be received or responded to if they are sent outside of normal school hours. We appreciate your understanding.

Chromebook & Tech Problems

There have been performance and stability issues with Zoom on Chromebooks and Zoom has now just released an updated Chrome extension that is intended to remedy this. To properly install, students need to completely power off their Chromebook (not just close the lid) and upon powering the Chromebook back up, the new Zoom extension should install.

If you are having Chromebook problems, internet/ wifi needs, or need other technical assistance, visit the District Webpage for Chromebook support or contact JMM’s Library Media Specialist, Ms. Delorme at kdelorme@madison.k12.wi.us. Additionally, remember that students now log in to their chromebooks using their 6-digit district ID number and their password (same password they previously used).

School Photos/School IDs

At this time, there is no date for school photos. When we are ready to return to face-to-face instruction, we’ll provide more information. School IDs are not necessary for virtual instruction, but sometimes prove useful for other reasons (employment, as a photo ID for banking, etc.). More specific information will be communicated when we have it.