OMS Families,
We are excited to share that OMS students will now be able to virtually interact with OMS staff in real time through Google Meet! Google Meet is an online video conferencing platform that allows students to accept an invitation sent by a teacher to participate in an online group conference.
The use of Google Meet is an option for teachers, and not mandatory. Participating teachers will share a schedule of "office hour" times when they will be in Google Meet conferences, along with a link for students to join and receive additional instructional support. Teachers will continue to use email, Schoology messages and Skype phone calls to support students.
These conference sessions are completely optional for students. Students may only participate in a Google Meet with their teacher(s) after a parent has signed a Parent Consent via Google Form. During these conference sessions, teachers will answer students' questions, provide modeling of the assigned work, or give additional feedback on specific skills and assignments. These sessions are intended to provide follow up, clarification, and support to students.
If you would like your child to participate in this real-time teacher conferencing opportunity, please click on the link below to read the parent consent form.
English Parent Consent Form
Spanish Parent Consent Form
**A parent/guardian only has to sign the consent form once to provide permission for their child to participate in real-time online conferencing with all of their teachers.
Here are answers to possible questions you may have regarding Google Meet and video conferencing:
What is the benefit of my child participating in these Google Meet conferences?
A strong aspect of the educational experience is the face to face dialogue, clarification and explanation that happens every day in a classroom. During Continuation of Learning, the "human element" is one that has been lacking with instruction. Google Meet conferencing will allow students to ask their question live, get a more detailed, meaningful response than email or messaging will allow. It will better allow teachers to gauge whether a student understands or not. It will allow students to virtually "raise their hand" in a class and receive individual assistance.
Does my child have to join the Google Meet conference?
There is no expectation that all students join the Google Meet; it is completely optional and each family can determine whether their child needs to join to receive support. It could be that students join some but not all course conferences, and would not necessarily even need to attend the whole session.
When will they be scheduled?
Teachers will decide individual times when they will offer student conferencing opportunities via Google Meet. Teachers are encouraged to offer multiple sessions on the same topic, in case a student is not able to attend one session.
Does my child have to stay in the Google Meet conference the whole time?
No. It is intended to be a flexible model where students can join to ask questions or receive support, and they can leave any time within the session window. The teacher will be in the Google Meet conference for the full session, ready to respond to student needs.
Is it safe for my child to join an online video platform?
Google Meet is safe because you can only join the conference with the link provided by the teacher. It is not public. Students are not allowed to share the link with friends, so only the teacher and his/her students are able to access the conference. Teachers will also remove all students before leaving the conference. Students will not be left alone to chat on their own, unsupervised. As a parent, you can determine whether or not you want your child to participate, and every student participating will need parent permission, as outlined above.
Will my child ever be invited to a one-on-one Google Meet with a teacher?
No. All sessions will be open to classes or student groups. At some point some sessions may only have a handful of students or perhaps one student, but this will not be by design. Teachers will treat this time as "office hours," with multiple students in attendance.
Will these Google Meet conference ever be recorded?
No. All sessions are designed to be live, but only intended to be viewed by students who have been invited. Sessions will never be recorded, archived or shared by teachers in any other forum or venue.
What if I have trouble accessing Google Meet?
Students will receive instructions on accessing the Google Meet, as well as participation rules and etiquette. Ms. Adele Ballam, our Media Specialist is available to assist with any technology concerns and can be reached via email at adele.ballam@fcps.org (Monday-Friday).
What should I do if I have any additional questions about the specific content of a Google Meet conference?
Your child's teacher will be happy to explain what will or what was the focus of any session. While parents/guardians are welcome to watch these conferences, we ask that parents/guardians refrain from participating in the conference. Any questions can be addressed to the teacher through an email.
Before the use of Google Meet conferencing, you will receive information from your child's teacher that includes the following:
We are confident that this will be a meaningful addition to the Continuity of Learning program this spring at Oakdale Middle School. If you have any general questions regarding Google Meet conferencing, feel free to reach out to me at: mita.badshah@fcps.org.
Sincerely,
Mita Badshah, Principal