TVDEC Pre-Class Meeting
(August 13, 2003)

Tri-Valley Distance Education teachers met on August 13, 2003. The following suggestions were provided regarding initiating a distance education course at the beginning of a year or semester.

Prior to the start of a new year or semester, the sending teacher should use the distance education system to meet with the receiving site principal, classroom monitor, and sending site principal to review the following:

I. General School Information

• Starting and end dates of school.
  
• School calendars exchanged.
  
• School newsletters, weekly bulletins, and other updates provided to distance education teacher.
  
  

• Class times and if not the same, who is responsible for receiving site students during the extra time.
  
• Discuss textbooks, consumable items, and other course materials that might be needed. Each site should bear the cost for their material usage.
  
• Teacher expectations (How will receiving sites policies work with sending site policies) - See teacher syllabus page - http://tvdec.k12.ne.us/0304/other/teachersyllabus.htm
  
  • Course syllabus
    
  • Grading policies
    
  • Attendance policies
    
  • Homework expectations
    
  • Behavior expectations
    
• Student Conduct - See student assurance agreement - http://tvdec.k12.ne.us/other/Studentconduct.htm
  
  • Each student/parent-guardian has completed and has on file a student assurances agreement which outlines student behavior protocol.
    
  • The student assurances contract will also include a health check question to inform the sending site teacher of any health issues that should be made aware of (ie asthma, hearing loss, etc)
    
  • Procedure for handling student conduct issues:
    
    • Follow student assurance procedure
      
    • In the event that a student needs to be dismissed immediately for conduct or health reasons, the sending teacher will notify the principal or office and they will immediately follow up with the student.
      
  • Student behavior
    
    • What are the schools attendance policies?
      
    • What are the schools grading policies?
      
• Conferences
  
  • Parent/Teacher Conferences
    
    • When will conferences be held?
      
    • Does the sending teacher plan to go to receiving school? use distance education system? not participate?
      
    • In the event of a special meeting as requested by sending teacher, principal, or parents, which school representative will be in attendance from the receiving site school? Principal? Guidance Counselor? Classroom Monitor?
      
  • Teacher/Student Conferences
    
    • Does the sending site teacher plan to visit and teach from a receiving site school?
      
      • Will the receiving site school compensate the sending site district for travel and substitute costs?
        
    • Will the receiving sites be able to provide transportation for students to attend a scheduled educational class function where all schools meet for a course fieldtrip?
      
      
  III. Classroom support
  
  • If there will be a classroom monitor, who will that person be? What are their responsibilities:
    
    • Will they be in attendance every day?
      
    • Will they report attendance for your school’s records?
      
    • Will they support student learning?
      
    • Will they run off and pass out course materials?
      
    • Will they monitor testing?
      
    • Will they be responsible for students for time that is before or after regular scheduled class time?
      
    • Will they be responsible for students when classes are not held over the system?
      
    • Will they be available to support computer based projects?
      
  • Computer Support:
    
    • Does your school have a portable computer lab that can support classroom activities?
      
    • Would a computer lab be available to support classroom activities?
      
      
  IV. Other information
  
  • Equipment Check - See equipment check web page - http://tvdec.k12.ne.us/other/equipmentcheck.htm
    
  • Communication checks and phone numbers
    
    • See Contact Information web site - http://tvdec.k12.ne.us/other/contactinfo.htm
      
  • Troubleshooting Protocol
    
    • 1. Spotcheck local equipment for power
      
    • 2. When necessary, use IP fax/phone to check with other sites
      
    • 3. Call John Stritt
      
    • 4. Complete a troubleshooting ticket - http://odie.esu10.org/