Home-based Learning Parent Handbook

The School is committed to continuing the delivery of the Academic, Student Wellbeing and Cocurricular programs and has adapted the 2020 plans to ensure learning at home is supported by BGS during this current outbreak.

In summary:

• The normal school timetable will operate online with formal ‘lessons’ designed and delivered by teachers.
• Students will log on and participate in learning as scheduled each day.
• All necessary curriculum materials and instructions are available online via the School’s platforms.
• CP Time and homework sessions as programmed are essential learning.
• Engagement with learning will be both:
  • synchronous (at the same time as the teacher and the class); and
  • asynchronous (outside of lessons times, such as follow-up questions, meeting checkpoints and working on drafts).
• Teachers will monitor student engagement and performance and provide feedback.
• IT support will be available for students, parents and teachers.

This advice to parents is drawn from the research literature on home-based learning and from our expertise in educating students.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many parents will face multiple work and family challenges, and we acknowledge the pressure this situation is placing on households to monitor learning also.

When possible, support your son in the following ways:

• Encourage your son to become more resilient and more independent.
• Show interest in his focus and progress and invite him to share his learning with you.
• Be regularly present but exercise ‘light-touch’ monitoring.
• Check in with him at the end of each day to talk about his progress.

Your son’s response to the online environment will in part be determined by his age, maturity, and capacity to self-regulate his learning and behaviour. Be aware that some students will take time to settle into the home-based learning environment. Therefore, early support with organisation and developing routines may be required.

To nurture independence and self-regulation:

• Encourage him to use the resources available. 
• Direct him to teachers and peers to support his learning.
• Be aware of the routines BGS has established and the expectations teachers have for students.
• Encourage your son to focus on one subject area and one task at a time. 
• If your son experiences difficulties, encourage him to seek support through appropriate channels.
• If your son is unable to make progress in a topic, he should seek clarification via a Teams message or email to his teacher and move on to other study while waiting for a reply.
• Routines are always important in educating young people:
  • Set the expectation that your son is ready each morning to engage in the School’s program.
  • Make your expectations clear as to how he will spend his school day.
  • Encourage physical activity within your home environment.
  • Insist that he keep normal bedtime routines. Sleep is vital to maintaining his wellbeing.
• Helping your son to develop physical routines that create a positive learning environment:
  • Establish a space/location to learn that is a shared/family space with access to wifi.
  • Avoid allowing your son to spend his ‘at home school day’ in his bedroom.
  • Check your son can access Canvas, Teams and OneNote.
  • Remind your son to check his email and class Teams regularly for updates.
  • Assist your son to develop a study schedule to help organise his time effectively.
  • Establish clear expectations around social media, music, and the use of other devices.
  • Gaming is not acceptable during home-based learning time.
  • Mobile phones are not permitted during home-based learning time.
  • Expect high standards of behaviour from your son while online.

It is important for all in the community to understand there will be a level of adjustment and some frustration for parents, teachers, and students as we navigate our way through this period.

Parents are encouraged to maintain contact as follows:

• If your son is unwell and unable to be online, please advise the School of absences via absences@brisbanegrammar.com.
• Contact your son’s Head of Year if you have concerns about his wellbeing and/or learning. Your son’s Head of Year will engage with Heads of Department and teachers for subject-related issues and will coordinate a response.

Many of the routines expected in home-based learning setting are the same as those expected at school.

The online classroom will require a strong partnership between teachers and parents to develop routines at home. Your son will be encouraged and assisted by his Form Tutor and teachers to focus on the following: 

• Set up an organised, comfortable and appropriate learning space with minimal distractions.
• Be logged on and ready to start at 8.15am for Tutor Group, including being suitably dressed.
• Make the best use of time by:
  • Being organised (knowing the order of lessons and what should be done and when);
  • Being prepared for activities by completing preparatory tasks (these are pre-set by teachers);
  • Attending scheduled interactive activities with his class and teacher;
  • Downloading any learning materials required in advance of a classes; and
  • Creating and following a daily and weekly routine based on the School timetable.
• Balance ‘time on task’ (screen time) and relaxation time.
• Abide by the School’s policies regarding the use of technology.
• Save files in Microsoft OneDrive and back up regularly.
• Communicate with teachers regularly (work on other tasks while awaiting a response).
• Abide by the rules for participating in online chat sessions:
  • For younger children, ensure an adult in the home is aware an online session is being conducted;
  • Respect others’ rights to learn by not disrupting the session;
  • Keep the webcam off, except when invited by the teacher to turn it on;
  • Keep the microphone on mute unless contributing to the discussion or asking a question;
  • Post only appropriate images, text or other content in the chat; and
  • Attend the online sessions in a shared space, such as a dining room or lounge room.

The School offers and provides support for Microsoft Teams and Canvas (My Classes) to provide curriculum resources, instructions and assessment specific to each subject. Both products provide tools for synchronous and asynchronous delivery of curriculum.

Students will continue to engage with tasks, revise and complete set activities in OneNote (which can be accessed via Teams). Many subjects also already use good online resources, such as Mathspace, Cambridge, Enhance TV, Digital Theatre Plus, various online music resources etc. These are available in Canvas to which students will be directed by subject teachers.

Students will engage in activities that involve:

• Video sharing
• Online chatting
• Scheduled meetings
• Application sharing

The benefits to students include the ability to provide lessons with teacher explanation, class discussion, sharing screens and allows for social wellbeing check-ins. Virtual delivery allows students to remain connected and engaged with their learning and with other members of the School community.

Technical issues:

• If you have a problem with any applications (e.g. OneNote, Teams, Word etc), close them and open the web versions of these applications via office.brisbanegrammar.com.
• Any faults with Tablets or unresolved problems with applications should be reported to servicedesk.brisbanegrammar.com, and BGS ICT staff will provide assistance. 

Brisbane Grammar School has high expectations of students at school and in the online environment.

Your son must adhere to the following protocols to promote appropriate use of the software and the safety and privacy of students and teachers. In turn, this will help create and maintain a respectful, responsible and safe learning environment for users.

The protocols teachers will enforce for online lessons are as follows: 

• Students are to test their audio and video in advance of lessons;
• The use of a headset/earphones is recommended during chat sessions;
• Students should check with teachers how to raise questions (e.g. text chat or audio);
• Students are never to allow any unauthorised access to the online chat;
• Students must not mute or interfere with the participation of any other student in class discussions;
• As per the School’s ICT Use and Privacy Policies, students are not permitted to record lessons or use images from class discussions without the express permission of the teacher (some meetings will be recorded by staff, and when this occurs, students will be advised);
• Students will enable video, when asked by the teacher, to share their screen. At all other times, they can leave the video off to conserve bandwidth;
• Students are not to use the chat function unnecessarily;
• At the end of the class discussion, students must hang up before the teacher;
• Students should use the background blur function and/or avoid distracting settings during lessons; and
• At all times, the use of filters, audio modifiers or other distracting images are prohibited.

Year 12

The School is in regular contact with the QCAA, who are supporting us with adjustments to dates for IAs and AARA processes. Importantly, the QCAA has provided the reassurance that no BGS student will be disadvantaged. 

• Students should continue to maintain a good routine of study each day and stay in contact with their teachers and classes.
• Students must continue to prepare for any upcoming assessment items.
• Submission dates for assignment and performance tasks will be extended (dates to be advised as soon as they become available).
• Examinations will be rescheduled to dates later in the term (dates to be advised as soon as they become available).
• A revised assessment schedule will be published later this week.

Years 5 to 11

• Students should continue to maintain a good routine of study each day and stay in contact with their teachers and classes.
• Students must continue to prepare for any upcoming assessment items.
• Some assessments might be adjusted to accommodate home-based learning better and allow students to show their learning progress.
• Dates for some assignment-based assessments will be extended as required.
• Some examination dates will be rescheduled, but exams will go ahead if the period of lockdown is extended.
• A revised assessment schedule will be published later this week.

The regular timetable will continue to operate during the quarantine period. This will keep our students on track and the timetable cycles in sync for the return to campus.

The online learning timetable with longer lessons and afternoon CP time is designed for extended periods of home-based learning. An extended period would be of one month’s duration or longer.

We know from last year that online learning is slower than in the classroom, particularly with transitions between activities and lessons.
A sensible way to manage lesson changeovers for the next eight days is for students to exit Periods 1, 3 and 5 about three to five minutes before the scheduled end of the lesson. This will allow for setup for the next lesson and the virtual move to the next class. 

BGS Deputy Headmaster Teaching and Learning Steve Uscinski is in regular contact with the QCAA to discuss the current situation.
Students and parents will be advised of the outcomes of these discussions in the near future. 

The School will continue to communicate through already established channels – BGS website and emails.
The Headmaster will keep parents updated on major announcements from Queensland Health and the School’s response to the current COVID-19 situation.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact your son’s Head of Year in the first instance. If necessary, Heads of Year will contact relevant members of staff to address your question or concern.

For academic matters, your son should contact his normal subject teacher directly.

If your son needs assistance for wellbeing matters, he can contact his Form Tutor, Head of Year, Assistant Head of Year or one of the School Counsellors in Student Services.

Students are encouraged to make use of our confidential counselling and wellbeing services.

The School’s long established and comprehensive Child Protection Policies and procedures apply in the online learning environment.

Other School policies that serve to regulate online behaviour are:

• Code of Conduct of Expectations and Behaviour (Student)
• ICT Use Policy
• Bullying Policy
• Social Media Policy
• Privacy Policy

Parents are welcome to view these policies on MyGrammar.

Esafe monitoring will continue to occur during the quarantine period. 

The reporting of any concerns relating to student safety will be made following the reporting guidelines included in the Child Protection Policy.

Student wellbeing remains a priority for the School during this difficult time. Heads of Year and Form Tutors will communicate directly with boys and parents.

Student connection remains our priority during this time. 

Year level and class activities will ensure students communicate regularly with their peers and teachers, maintain a connection to their Tutor Group and provide opportunities for engagement.

The Director of Student Wellbeing Programs has produced a range of learning resources to facilitate the online delivery of the curriculum across Years 5 to 12.

The Student Wellbeing Curriculum will be delivered by Form Tutors as per the Learning Schedule.

The GrammarWell initiative is a digital platform developed specifically to provide resources that support our students’ social and emotional needs. Parents are invited to explore the platform and encourage their sons to access the resources. SchoolTV is also available.

The Student Services department is also in full operation with School counsellors available to consult with any students who are having trouble or concern.  

GrammarFit

The BGS Performance Development team has launched GrammarFit 2.0, beginning Wednesday 4 August. New content will be available each Monday, Wednesday and Friday morning, via the Cocurricular Teams channel, throughout the quarantine period. 

For the following groups, new resources are loaded in the MyGrammar Cocurricular page for Performance Development. 

• Hercules Program (Years 5 to 8): PD Coach, Grant Cole will prescribe strength and conditioning sessions each week, targeted to our Middle School students, with a focus on the upper and lower body, as well as aerobic conditioning. Students require no equipment or experience, and various adjustments and coaching cues are included in the program. Boys are able to complete these sessions in their own time. 
• Foundations of Performance Development (Years 9 to 10): Circuit-based strength and conditioning from home. Students have access to a challenging program that has a significant focus on prime movement competencies. Boys can complete these sessions in their own time.
• General User Programs (Years 11 to 12): PD Coach, Rhett Cope and Director of Strength and Conditioning, Nathan Parnham prescribe a weekly rollout of circuit-based sessions (bodyweight strength and bodyweight conditioning), allowing students to continue developing strength and conditioning progressions, as multi-sport athletes.
• Performance Programs for Flagship Squads: Specific programs for our flagship squads for Basketball, Rugby and Track and Field are communicated to individuals through program leaders and head coaches.

Cocurricular Activities (Clubs)

All clubs and special interest groups have been suspended until further notice. This position will be revised based on the needs of our students. 

GPS Competitions

Updates from the GPS Association of Queensland will continue to be shared with the BGS community via the BGS App and on the Cocurricular pages on MyGrammar.

Please note that all GPS competitions for BGS have currently been abandoned, and recommencement will be subject to Queensland Health guidance and directives.