COVID-19 Update: Plan for Curriculum Delivery

We hope you have managed to have a little time for relaxation over Spring Break, despite the uncertainty posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Please feel assured that we have been working hard to ensure students receive an outstanding education that will prepare them well for their next steps. Students in Grade 12 will graduate, and undergraduates will be promoted to the next grade.
As you are aware, all in-class instruction has been suspended by the Ministry of Education. In addition, all school extra-curricular activities, including athletics, have been suspended until further notice. All school trips have been cancelled until the end of the year. All Parents Auxiliary events have been postponed until further notice.
 

Coming back to School

The faculty will be using Monday, March 30 and Tuesday, March 31 as professional development days to transition our classes to online platforms. The first day of classes for students will be Wednesday, April 1.

Student Daily Schedule

We are aware that some flexibility around instructional time will be needed as families juggle working from home, remote schooling, and self-care during these challenging times. Consequently, we have decided to adjust our schedule to give students some flexibility around completion of course work, screen-time, and home computer use. We will be following a 4 day schedule, with 2 extended blocks each day. We have built time into our schedule for daily prayer and reflection, as well as mental and physical health. The following gives an overview for the schedule. The online calendar has been adjusted to show the correct day rotations. Please note, for simplicity, the blocks will not rotate (A, C, E, G will always be in the morning; B, D, F, H will always be in the afternoon).

4 Day Rotation: Day 1AB, Day 2EF, Day 1CD, Day 2GH
 
  • Campus Ministry Prayer and Reflections | 8:15 - 8:30 a.m.
    visit the AD LUCEM group on the website at 8:15 a.m. each day

  • First Block | 8:30 – 11:00 a.m.
    visit your first block’s class page at 8:30 a.m. for attendance and instructions

  • Mental and Physical Wellness Block | 11:00 – 11:30 a.m.
    visit the AD LUCEM group on the website at 11:00 a.m. each day

  • Lunch Break | 11:30 a.m. – 12:15 pm.

  • Second Block | 12:15 - 2:45 p.m.
    visit your second block’s class page at 12:15 p.m. for attendance and instructions

Technology

The LFA website will serve as the launch point for all of our classes and school communication. However, teachers will also be using Zoom for video-conferencing and Google for some activities. Students are asked to set up a Zoom account using their “mylfabc.ca” email. Zoom is a free platform that is widely used across business and educational communities.
 
Although we have tried to build flexibility into our schedule to allow families to share devices and bandwidth, we are aware some families may not have adequate technology in their home to facilitate remote learning. If a student needs to borrow a Chromebook, they may contact the office (604-738-9016) to make arrangements to pick one up. At the time of pick-up, students must submit a Chromebook Loan Agreement signed by both the student and a parent. This agreement will be posted on the Student Grade Page as well as the Parent Page of the website. In addition, the student will need to submit a $500 cheque, made payable to Little Flower Academy and post-dated for June 15, 2020 as a deposit in the event the Chromebook is lost, stolen, or damaged. Chromebooks will be available as of Monday, March 30. Students or parents must phone the school office to arrange a time for pickup. To keep the school community healthy, we will be limiting the number of students that can be present in the building at any one time.

Campus Ministry

Each day will start as it does at school, with daily prayers, reflections, or readings that can be accessed by all students from the AD LUCEM group page on their website (under the groups tab along the top menu).

Classes

At the start of each block, students are asked to check the Bulletin Board section of their class page for instructions. Students will spend a minimum of 30 minutes at the start of each lesson with their teacher, receiving instruction or participating in an interactive activity. Attendance will be taken during this time. Each teacher will then design the rest of the lesson to best suit the needs of the class, while providing some flexibility for families.
 
For some classes, teachers may spend the remaining time live-streaming.  For other classes, teachers may be asking students to complete activities offline, working on problem sets, writing essays, producing art, participating in an athletic activity, or doing independent research. Some lessons may involve a combination of these strategies. Whenever students are on video conference calls, they are required to be in appropriate attire for school (i.e, no pyjamas).
 
It is our hope that students have significant time away from the screen each week. All of the information students need for each class will be available on their class page.

Mental and Physical Wellness

At the end of the first block each day, students are invited to visit the AD LUCEM group page. This page will be administered by the counsellors and provide students with activities to promote their connectedness and well-being. We are acutely aware that students may feel the effects of missing an in-class experience along with the disappointment of cancelled school and community activities. We will be making an effort for students to feel connected to their peers through this page. Some days, students may be asked to join a school-wide discussion. Other days they may have a link to some active stretching exercises. And other days they may be encouraged to walk around their neighbourhood (while practicing social distancing).
 
Our school counsellors will continue to support students throughout this challenging time. Information about accessing counselling with be posted on the counselling page of the school website. Peer tutoring and peer mediation will be suspended until further notice.

Access to Lockers

Students who did not take necessary belongings home with them prior to the break may contact the school office to make arrangements to access their lockers. Students accessing lockers will be asked to wash their hands when they arrive at the school, and will be expected to practice social distancing while in the building.

Next Steps

The administration will continue to update families as information becomes available and the situation continues to evolve. The faculty will be evaluating and reassessing our remote programme regularly to ensure it is meeting the needs of the students. If you have any concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to a teacher, a counsellor, or an administrator.
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4195 Alexandra Street, Vancouver, BC V6J 4C6
Tel: 604-738-9016
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