Distance Learning

Ignite School will deliver a distance learning program until the end of the 2019-2020 academic year, as per the latest directives of the UAE government on March 31, 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

(Official Decree Link Here)

Distance Learning Objective

Ignite School is committed to providing engaging learning experiences for students in a virtual setting. The Senior Leadership Team has developed an approach to ensure students remain engaged with course content during this extended school closure.

Components of the Distance Learning Plan

It is our intention with the Ignite Distance Learning Plan (DLP) that we continue to live our mission, vision, and strategic plan, which together assert that, in order to prepare our students to respond to an ever-changing world, learning remain responsive, adaptive, personalized, and relationship-based. The act of creating this DLP provides us with a unique opportunity to reinforce what we assert through our founding documents.

Teachers will work collaboratively in Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) using pacing guides and guiding questions to identify the content focus of new learning and priority skills. Special education support will include enhanced efforts to provide educational services for all students receiving an Individualized Education Plan (IEP). Teachers will connect with students and families via email, Google Classroom, Google Meet, and Alma to offer instructional assistance, feedback, or information.

Our Distance Learning Plan exposes students to new instructional material. It is important for students to complete these instructional activities, as it allows them an opportunity to remain engaged in the learning process during the extended closure. Additionally, in so doing will increase the likelihood that students are better prepared for the next academic school year and/or can demonstrate proficiency of essential knowledge/skills.

When it comes to student engagement and learning, relationships matter as much online as they do in person. Students are able to gather for synchronous learning times via Google Meet, an online video conferencing platform. Collaboration remains important and there are many ways teachers can foster it through synchronous (all students at the same time) learning.

When students are learning from various locations, teachers can still connect them asynchronously (not all students at the same time). For example, teachers can use familiar discussion forums/thread or tools like Google Classroom and Seesaw to allow for student responses and dialogue during a set time period, knowing that students might not all be online at the same exact time.

Parent Communication through email and Alma.
Alma – school management system that tracks student attendance, grades, progress reports, and report cards
Seesaw – digital portfolio of student work and feedback assigned by the teacher
Google Classroom – allows for the teachers to create, distribute, and grade assignments
Google Meet- allows teachers to carry out in real-time lessons to the class; used for parent-teacher conferences and student-teacher conferences
IXL– provides individualized instruction to meet each student’s needs
Reading A-Z– provides differentiated reading instruction for the English language
I Read Arabic– provides differentiated reading instruction for the Arabic language

Communication Roles and Responsibilities – Leadership Team

Create and distribute the Ignite School Distance Learning Plan (DLP)
Establish clear channels of communications between faculty, staff, families, and students upon activation of the DLP
Support faculty and students/families shifting to a distance learning environment
Ensure high-quality learning experience for all students
Meet with faculty on a weekly basis to support the shift into a distance learning environment
Conduct weekly meetings with parents to provide feedback

Office Hours

A member of the Leadership Team will be available from 8 am to 4 pm every day to answer questions (9 am- 3 pm during Ramadan)
IT Support is available from 8 am to 4 pm every day to answer technical support questions (9 am- 3 pm during Ramadan)
Teachers have scheduled weekly conferences with each student and or parent to provide additional support and gather feedback

Communication with Families

Director – Updates on state of affairs
Principal – Schoolwide updates
Curriculum Coordinator– Curriculum and instruction updates
Teachers – Daily communication with lesson assignments, videos and support documents

Google Meet Live Class Expectations:

When attending a live class, students must –

Dress in Ignite Dress Code
Sit at a desk or table (not on a bed or couch)
Communicate and behave with the same respect and consideration you would use in the classroom

Google Meet Live Classes Will Be Recorded in order to provide additional resources for students and to monitor behavior.
Teachers will also share resources using the Google Suite of tools (google drive, google docs, google classroom, google sites) and Seesaw.
Learning experiences are designed to be completed independently or in collaboration with other students. Tutoring is not recommended, nor should a parent/guardian be too involved.
Resources vary by class and lesson, but will include links to videos, graphic organizers, scanned material to read and engage with, independent research material via online sources or our library databases, and reading materials including ebooks.
Students are encouraged to be proactive in reaching out to teachers when they have questions or assignments are unclear.
The school counsellor is always available to support students with academic, social, or emotional needs. Please initiate contact, Mr. Matt Frey, by email (mfrey@igniteschool.ae).