Important Update on Starting School
7-16-2020
Dear Metro Arts Students & Families:
We hope this message finds you safe and well during these challenging times. We are excited to welcome all students back to school remotely beginning August 3, 2020. As you may have seen, Governor Ducey ordered that all schools can open to in-person instruction on August 17, but are allowed to open for remote learning sooner.
Metro Arts is committed to the health and safety of all students and staff. We will not reopen schools in person until it is safe, responsible, and reasonable to do so. Therefore, Metro Arts will open and only provide all students remote learning for the first quarter of the school year beginning August 3rd. The first quarter ends on Friday, October 2nd.
If the Governor announces that in-person learning is still an option after August 17 and before the end of the first quarter, Metro Arts will consider safely opening some parts of campus. This option would be available for a limited number of students who are unable to access remote learning from home. Remote learning would still continue through the end of the quarter, even for students who must access campus. This option would be available if we have sufficient staff members who are able and healthy enough to work on site.
While we understand the importance of our students returning to campus and engaging in person with their teachers, friends, clubs and other activities, their health and safety is our first priority. We continue to actively plan to bring as many students as possible back to a safe environment on campus at the appropriate time.
Here is what you need to know about the first nine weeks of school
• All courses will be taught online via Live Zoom Classes and attendance is mandatory.
• All students will be required to be on both video and audio for attendance purposes. Students may access zoom via their home computer, tablet or phone.
• Parents will be required to report student absences by calling the main school line at 602-258-9500 extension 10 within 24 hours of a student absence. Students are required to make up any work missed. Work missed due to unexcused absences will not be able to be made up.
• Portions of some Zoom classes may be recorded by faculty, including, but not limited to, lecture time, socratic seminars, discussions, and student presentations. These recordings will not be made available to the public, but may be posted on Google Classroom for reference and reflection. Only students in the class will have access to any material in Google Classroom.
• Google Classroom will be the primary application for class announcements, faculty communication, course materials, assignments, and grading. Google Classroom is web-based and can be accessed from any desktop or laptop with internet access. Google Classroom is also an app that can be used on tablets and cellphones (Android/iOS).
• Our new student information program, Infinite Campus will be used for all attendance tracking, final grades and official communication from the school. Instructions for how to access Infinite Campus will be sent out before the start of classes.
• Students will engage in new learning.
• Grades will count and attendance will be taken in every class.
• The daily schedule will be almost the same as our schedule last year with some minor adjustments for longer passing times. Once our schedules are finalized, they will be available on our website.
• Afterschool Zoom clubs and office hours will take place between the end of classes and 3:45 pm.
• Office hours will be by appointment and students and faculty will coordinate both individual and group support as needed.
• Student schedules will be available on Infinite Campus. We will email you instructions on how to access Infinite Campus.
• Students must use their Metro email account for all school communication and Google Classroom. New students will receive instructions on how to access their Metro email account.
• Every student will be invited to join their Google Classes through their Metro email account, where they will find the links to their Live Zoom Classes and faculty instructions.
• All course work will be completed during Live Zoom Classes so as to limit any afterschool time on the computer for homework. Honors Students will be required to do additional work beyond the daily hours on Zoom.
• Chromebooks are available to checkout for students in need. Internet hotspots will be available for those who can demonstrate the need.
• Information will be sent soon about technology, textbook and art supply distribution dates and times.
When it is time for students to return to campus for in-person learning, we will reach out to you to determine if you would like your student to return to in-person on-campus learning or continue with remote learning.
Lastly, we will be sending another email late next week with technological support links in order to help students and parents prepare for the first day school. In addition there will be a request form for those who need to request a Chromebook.
We miss and love our students, and we can’t wait to begin classes remotely on August 3.
Respectfully,
Metropolitan Arts Institute Administration
Matt Baker, Head of School
Jenny Quinn, Student Services & Academics
Betsy Rosenmiller, Finance
Lisa Starry, Operations
John Perovich, Admissions and Student Life
