SMSD releases online learning plan: Attendance not recorded, grades to only raise for students

The Shawnee Mission School District released its online schooling plan to parents on Friday, which includes suggested day schedules for students and provisions that state “attendance will not be required, nor will it be recorded.” Grades for each student “may go up, but will not go down.”

Third quarter grades were submitted March 24 by teachers, and those class grades will also serve as each student’s semester grade — with several options allowing students to raise their grade. Work assigned before March 13 can still be submitted for grading, and students are encouraged to work with teachers to improve their third quarter grade.

A few exceptions to the attendance requirements and grade structures lie in college credit courses and classes necessary for seniors to graduate. These situations will be handled on a case-by-case basis.

The suggested schedule for high school students includes 3.5 hours of class material per day, with around 30 minutes allocated to each class. Classwork time on the schedule begins at 10:30 a.m., with time before suggested to be spent going through morning routines and activity.

For information on class assignments and activities, students are directed to check Google Classroom and the programs that their teachers usually post material on.

Advance Placement classes will not be preparing for in-person testing, as CollegeBoard canceled its face-to-face exams. Instead, two testing dates will be given for each course to be taken remotely from home on a computer. Each exam will be 45 minutes in length instead of the usual time of over three hours and only material taught before March will be tested. Anti-cheating software will be used throughout the exam, according to CollegeBoard’s website.

The SMSD also offered a social emotional learning plan for students to create a “safe place” for “self-regulation throughout the day,” and when they might feel upset. Suggestions for the safe space include fortifying it with comforting materials like pillows and a “toolbox” of relaxing items they can choose from, such as family pictures or stress balls.

Classes are set to resume activity on March 30. View the full plan below.