Coronavirus Updates | Resources & Communications | What You Need To Know | Updated July 15, 2020

Updated 7/15/2020

NEW! Latest Resources from SSDA Associate Member AALLR

Resources

SSDA continues to work with the other Education Associations, CDE and Governor’s office to provide you with information, resources and support during this difficult time.   Today, we had our first meeting with Superintendent Thurmond and his leadership team.   Purpose of the meeting is to communicate more efficiently and collectively use each other strengths to help schools. 

With that said here are few links to websites to help you from our partnering agencies:

NEW Google has released a toolkit for teachers to #TeachFromHome

NEW Sesame Street COVID19: Caring For Each Other

Notes from Tony Thurmond's Webinar on guidance documents released by Gov. Gavin Newsom

Secretary DeVos and the U.S. Department of Education - Addressing the risks of COVID-19 for students with disabilities. 

View guidance documents released by Gov. Gavin Newsom regarding immediate concerns that teachers, administrators, and parents are facing in the wake of COVID-19-related school closures. To view the Coronavirus page on the California Department of Education website for more resources click here.

COVID-19 Updates from SSDA Executive Director Tim Taylor 

COVID-19 Update from SSDA - 4/7/20

COVID-19 Update from SSDA - 4/2/20

COVID-19 Update from SSDA - 3/31/20

COVID-19 Update from SSDA - 3/27/20

COVID-19 Update from SSDA - 3/24/20

COVID-19 Update from SSDA - 3/20/20

COVID-19 Update from SSDA - 3/19/20

COVID-19 Update from SSDA - 3/18/20

COVID-19 Update from SSDA Executive Director Tim Taylor - 3/18/20

COVID-19 Update from SSDA Executive Director Tim Taylor - 3/13/20

COVID-19 Recommendation to Close Schools Update from Tim Taylor - 3/15/20

COVID-19 Update from SSDA - 3/11/20

A New Way to Connect with Colleagues -- SSDA's LinkedIn Group!

In an effort to help small school District and Charter School superintendents and their staff connect with each other to ask and answer questions, share resources, and just talk, we have created the SSDA LinkedIn Group. Click here to access the page and join! https://www.linkedin.com/groups/13842962/

Resources from Our Associate Members

Alma shares that Google for Education has begun rolling out free access to advanced Hangouts Meet video-conferencing and Distance Learning Strategies. Alma also shares it's distance tracking and distance learning resource. Click here for a comprehensive list of upcoming webinar topics and dates.

BetterLesson has created a downloadable resource for teachers, coaches and principals: A Guide to Getting Started with Distance Learning. This link will take you to a webpage with other free resources to support learning during school closures.

BoardDocs has published a resource page for districts' navigating  their governance requirements during this COVID-19 public health crisis. Here you will find a number of resources on ways that districts may use the BoardDocs platform to continue operations during this time where options for face-to-face meetings may be limited or restricted. We will continue to update this information, so please feel free to share with your members and encourage them to check back often. Additionally, BoardDocs has recently announced it will be providing its Community platform to new districts nationwide at no cost through June 30thNEW BoardDocs will be hosting a webinar detailing how to hold a public board meeting during a crisis. To sign up for the March 27 webinar at 1 p.m. please click here.

BYU Independent Study is offering their curriculum to schools for free while they are affected. This is available to schools who have a compatible LMS. BYU is offering more than 100 free high school online schools

Capitol Advisors Group's Coronavirus updates on 3/13, Capitol Advisors update on 3/17/2020, Capitol Advisors update on 3/18, Capitol Advisors update on 3/20, Capitol Advisors update 3/25 & 3/26

ClassLink Single Sign-on gives students and staff instant access to all their online resources from any device anywhere. ClassLink My Files eliminates the need for a VPN and brings your school network, Google Drive, OneDrive, and Dropbox to one location for easy access from anywhere. ClassLink Analytics gives educators and administrators evidence that students are engaging with resources. Districts can even use this data as supporting documentation in their request for state approval of digital learning days. 

ClassLink has partnered with SSDA to provide special pricing and services to empower districts to provide seamless and secure access to digital resources. Districts can choose from the full ClassLink suite with special SSDA member pricing, or from ClassLink Lite, a subset of our full suite, that that will be available through August 2020. ClassLink Lite can be activated in less than 90 minutes and includes setup, training, and unlimited support.

For decades, schools have been using ClassLink to deliver online learning. Now, this crisis requires nearly all schools to quickly transition to e-learning models. We created ClassLink Lite because schools have asked for a simple version that can be activated quickly and ready for use immediately.

What’s included in ClassLink Lite?

  • LaunchPad Lite - LaunchPad Single Sign-on gives students and staff instant access to all their online resources from any device. Educators don’t have to worry whether or not their students can access everything they need to continue learning from home.
  • Analytics Lite - ClassLink Analytics gives teachers and administrators evidence that students remain engaged with their resources when remote learning days are in effect.
  • My Files - Simplify remote access to school folders and files. Bring together your school network and cloud storage into one location including Google Drive, O365, and Dropbox.

Visit classlink.com/lite,  or contact Nichole Smith to learn more:

Nichole Smith, VP, Instructional Technology, nsmith@classlink.com,Direct:862-225-1513

Cell:951-897-8797

Cyber High by Fresno County Superintendent of Schools is able to help bridge educational gaps during this time of crisis. View their course catalog, unlimited plan or course offerings.

Document Tracking Services (DTS)

  • DTS Translations is available to assist with translation of your COVID-19 related communications. 
  • Updated the default Comprehensive School Safety Plan (CSSP) template in DTS to include a section for response to a pandemic. 
  • DTS can provide examples of COVID-19-related communications and planning sections.

Edmentum is hosting weekly webinars to help schools prepare for the possibility of having to move into a virtual environment. Watch the webinar here. Edmentum has also released school closure resources, worksheet bundles and other digital resources here.

Get your COVID-19 legal questions answered about your district with Erickson Law Firm.

Online Therapy with Global Teletherapy. Global Teletherapy will be making online therapy training available to train onsite therapists and show them how to train through Teletherapy while offering them ongoing support. 

GoGuardian gives free access to GoGuardian Teacher for the remainder of March 2020. GoGuardian Teacher is a classroom management tool that allows teachers to see students' screens and be able to close their tabs and filter the students' internet activity remotely. They can see a brief video of the resource here and contact Rashaad Goodloe, M.S Ed. directly for access. 

At-home learning support from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Infinity has contacted a few companies regarding their support of schools during this time.

  • Logmein has offered a 90 days free use site license of Go to Connect. www.logmeininc.com
  • Cisco has announced that they are offering support in areas such as security and virtual environments.  Cisco has communicated an expanded free Webex offer to support unlimited usage with free dial-in and up to 100 participants. 
  • Charter Communications free access to Spectrum broadband and wifi for next 60 days.

Lozano Smith Attorneys at Law offers various links to several resources, guidance documents and web pages available from the federal and state governments regarding COVID-19 and how to address COVID-19 with your governing board: Brown Act Reminders.

Lozano Smith Attorneys at Law is also offering resources for special considerations for those with special needs during COVID-19 school closures.

New Lozano Smith Attorneys at Law - How to address COVID19 with your governing board.

Lozano Smith Attorneys at Law - Understanding your sick leave during COVID-19. For more resources click here.

Nearpod offers up-to-date resources on the Coronavirus  such as 

  • Flocabulary Viruses lesson
  • Nearpod Germs & Staying Healthy Lessons: K-5 & 6-12
  • Nearpod Coronavirus Outbreak lesson
  • Multiple free lessons including:
  • Nearpod licenses to schools and districts impacted by closures to ensure continuity of instruction.  If your district is impacted please reach out to us through this link.  
  • Nearpod Coronavirus webpage: More information and resources can be found here. 
  • Guide to Nearpod for remote learning: Helpful information and specific examples of how teachers are putting Nearpod to use in a distance learning environment.
  • Coronavirus lesson: Free resource for all educators to keep students, staff, and parents informed. 
  • Live weekly webinars: including those specifically focused on helping educators prepare for school closures featuring tips on using Nearpod for remote learning.

Public Consulting Group - In this time of transition to an online learning environment, please visit or sign-up for your SSDA Member’s Portal (free for all staff) at https://www.pepperpd.com/ssda to get access to resources for staff, students and parents.  The COVID-19 Toolkit has tips on how to transition from a classroom teacher to an online teacher, resources for administrators, teachers, parents and students, and has an online professional learning community to share ideas and collaborate.  Please call Jack McLaughlin @ (775) 313-3121 or jmclaughlin@pcgus.com for more information.

STS Education can help you quickly adapt to online learning. 

School Pathways works to support schools during closures by helping to manage students working from home. NEW School Pathways is also hosting a webinaron Wednesday, April 1 on managing Personalized Learning Solutions to students in Independent Study.



Other Resources & News

NEW - Disaster Worker Brochure (CA)

NEW - CDE CA Assesment and Accountability Wavier Communication 

Researchers from the University of Arizona have developed a toolkit for talking to children about the Coronavirus. 

Tony Thurmond announces 'CA Meals For Kids' app to find meals during COVID19 school closures.

Social emotional learning during the Coronavirus

Coronavirus:Ways and Means of HR via Kevin Brady 

ACG morning Coronavirus update on 3/17/20, ACG morning Coronavirus update on 3/18/20, ACG morning update 3/24/20

Student Attendance Issues in Response to COVID-19 - via Lozano Smith Attorneys At Law

Khan Academy releases resources to teachers and parents with templates schedules that include interactive content for most grades and most major subjects.

 EducationDive: CDC releases an updated guidance for K-12 schools as coronavirus spreads. 

TechXplore: No wifi? No problem. Wireless providers offer reduced or in some cases free wifi for 60 days amid Coronavirus outbreak.

 Newsom signs order to ensure state funding for school closures, Via KCRA3

Gov. Gavin Newsom on why he is not ordering all California schools to close, via Edsource

Coronavirus Resources Provided by the US Dept. of Ed for personnel and Schools.

Coronavirus Resources Provided by Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Rudd & Romo (AALRR). 

Coronavirus Resources Provided by CalSAE.

What parents and students should know about the Coronavirus - provided by EdSource.

NPR has launched a comic to try to help explain Coronavirus to kids in a non-threatening way. 

EducationWeek has a downloadable Coronavirus guide for schools. 

NYTimes parenting section has a guide on how to talk to kids about Coronavirus. 

Keean and Associates: Coronavirus Calls for Reasonable Preparation, Not Panic

Washington state superintendent shares his strategy on the Coronavirus - via EdSource

How the Coronavirus could rob poor, rural students of access to education - via Politico

Public Agency Employer Responses to COVID-19: Labor and Employment Implications - via Lozano Smith Attorneys at Law.

CDE receives special federal approval that enables districts to feed students during a Coronavirus related closure. 

The US Department of Education and Secretary DeVos releases new resources for Educators, Local Leaders on K-12 Flexibilities, Student Privacy, and Educating Students with Disabilities During Coronavirus Outbreak .

CSBA - Recent updates and information for schools responding to the Novel Coronavirus Outbreak. 

California Department of Public Health releases guidance documents for the Coronavirus. 

CCSA - COVID-19 Resources

California Primary Care Association (CPCA) has released emergency preparedness & response resources.

US Dept. of Ed - Readout of the U.S Department of Education's Coronavirus Conference Callwith Chief State School Officers. 

Ed Department considering assessment accountability waivers in Coronavirus closures - via Education Dive.

Keeping Your Kids Out of School During the Coronavirus Crisis; What You Need To Know - via EdSource.