Dear SACS Families and Caregivers,
Throughout a typical school year, SACS may issue different types of student learning from home school days, also known as Flex Days, Remote Learning Days, and eLearning Days. Whether you are familiar with these terms, or maybe you are new to the district, please review the defined days below as some practices have changed for the 2023-2024 school year.
FLEX Day (asynchronous)
A Flex Day is a planned eLearning Day. On a scheduled Flex Day students attend school at home utilizing CANVAS for assignments while teachers and staff receive professional development and training at school. Unlike an unplanned eLearning Day, staff are not accessible in the morning but are available via email/technology later in the day. Teachers will communicate their specific hours of availability.
The approved 2023-2024 Flex Days are:
Homestead High School ONLY – August 31, 2023 (buses will run for Pre-K-8 grade only)
All schools districtwide – September 26, 2023
November 1, 2023
March 8, 2024
New this school year, no students will report to school during a Flex Day.
All SACS students, i.e., General and Special Education students, districtwide, will observe Flex Days and will access their eLearning assignments from home. SACS Transportation will not run bus routes on September 26, November 1 and March 8. Students in grades PK – 8, will have SACS Transportation available on August 31, during the Homestead High School ONLY Flex Day.
The district’s shift, requiring all students to access eLearning assignments from home on Flex Days, allows for all teachers and staff to participate in training and professional development opportunities. All Flex Day student assignments will be designed to maintain momentum in the classroom and will be created as meaningful continuations of activities already in progress in the traditional classroom. Elementary students will no longer be required to login for Community Time in the morning.
Remote Learning Day (synchronous)
A SACS Remote Learning Day is an UNPLANNED student learning day at home but requires students to login from home during a specified time to receive direct instruction from teachers (SYNCHRONOUS Learning) via ZOOM when school is canceled.
Remote Learning requires at least 2.5 hours of synchronous learning for elementary students and 3 hours of a secondary student's day to be comprised of direct instruction from teachers via ZOOM. Individual schools have personalized schedules and guides developed. Students will be aware of their class/teacher expectations should SACS have to issue a Remote Learning Day.
Remote Learning Days were designed to meet the new state statute limiting schools to three eLearning Days and to avoid adding additional days at the end of the school year.
eLearning Day (asynchronous)
A SACS eLearning Day is an UNPLANNED student learning day at home. eLearning Days are often issued due to a weather cancelation, school emergency, or an event preventing students attending school in person. Students learn from home, at their own pace, ASYNCHRONOUSLY, utilizing CANVAS for both their assignments and to communicate with their teacher(s) throughout the day.
State statute now limits all Indiana K-12 schools to three (3) asynchronous eLearning days due to weather emergencies to be counted toward the 180 required school days.
Should we have to close school due to an unplanned emergency during the first semester of the 23-24 school year, we will likely issue a Remote Learning Day and save the three asynchronous eLearning Days for unforeseen situations or long term cancellations.
All unplanned learning at home days will be communicated via ParentSquare using text notifications, email, website alerts, social media posts, and TV and radio announcements.
Additional settings for Safari Browser.
