Sweetwater ISD is committed to providing an optimum learning environment for all students in both a Face-Face and an asynchronous online model. We truly believe that every challenge is an opportunity to break through barriers and empower students with technology to enable them to be critical thinkers and equip them with skills for life. The 2020-21 school year presents an opportunity for Sweetwater ISD to further embrace and enhance academic continuity between instructional methods and associated technologies.

Sweetwater ISD teachers and staff will design and deliver instructional experiences to promote the optimum learning environment for students to take ownership of their learning and behavior.  As the District plans to launch the 2020-21 school year, it is critical to establish the learning expectations for all students in Sweetwater ISD.  Whether the students are engaging in face-to-face instruction or asynchronous online instruction, the principles for an optimum learning environment remain the same. The following expectations will be used to support a rich learning environment for all students.  The Sweetwater ISD learning experience will include:

• The development of genuine relationships amongst students and with teachers through interactive learning experiences, purposeful collaboration, opportunities for purposeful talk, self/peer assessment, and intentional social emotional learning.

• The delivery of instruction through a Learning Management System using research-based practices aligned to content specific instructional models.

• The use of authentic learning experiences, rich tasks, and analysis of student work to monitor and assess student progress throughout the learning experience in order to provide differentiated instruction using a variety of learning and teaching styles to meet the needs of every student every day.

• The implementation of continuous instruction, small group supports, and differentiated learning opportunities to support responsive instruction to meet the needs of diverse learners.

• The utilization of rubrics, checklists, and online tools by students and their peers to promote reflection and to allow for teachers to provide immediate feedback to students within the Learning Management System.

In order to create the optimum learning environment for every student it takes commitment and support from the student, parent/guardian, and Sweetwater ISD and teachers. When engaged in face-to-face or asynchronous online learning, the following commitments by Students, Parents/Guardians, and Sweetwater ISD and Teachers are necessary for student success:

Students will:  

• Engage daily in learning activities in the SISD Learning Management System (LMS) as scheduled.

• Take care of and use technology equipment responsibly and follow the guidelines outlined in the Student Guidelines for Responsible Use of Technology Resources policy.

• Submit their own, original, work.

• Display Citizenship and high character in all activities, assignments, and interactions.

• Monitor their own progress with the support and facilitation of teachers and proactively seek out assistance from teachers or other staff when encountering difficulties.  

• Follow the expectations in the Sweetwater ISD Student Code of Conduct and Student Handbook.

Parents/Guardians will:  

• Set up a schedule, and designate an areas in their home as needed, to ensure an optimum learning environment exists, in either face-to-face or asynchronous online instruction, for the student that is conducive to full engagement.

• Ensure their student engages daily in learning activities in the SISD Learning Management System, interactions with teachers, and completes work and assignments by due date.

• Regularly monitor their student’s progress through the required course content.

• Communicate with campus staff to support student engagement and progress.

Understand that Sweetwater ISD Board policies, Student Code of Conduct, Student Handbook, and Acceptable Use Policy remain in effect in both face-to-face and asynchronous online learning environments.

Sweetwater ISD and Teachers will:  

• Build a classroom community of learners providing the optimum learning environment through intentional social emotional supports and engaging lessons that promote collaboration and peer communication.

• Develop rich learning experiences aligned to the Sweetwater ISD curriculum, and the Texas Essential knowledge and Skills.

• Provide specific and timely feedback to students.

• Develop assessments that measure student understanding through authentic work and assess students each grading period using a common assessment delivered to all students in a course whether they are face-to-face or asynchronous online learners.

• Provide learning opportunities daily for students according to the designed schedule.

• Participate in PLCs to plan instruction, design assessments, analyze student work, and engage in professional learning. 

• Implement systems of consistent communication with students and parents to ensure student success.

• Utilize the Learning Management System and district supported resources and digital tools to provide instruction to students.

• Provide each student a dedicated technology device and internet access.

In order to implement Sweetwater ISD’s expectations of an optimum learning environment for every student every day, Sweetwater ISD has created The Optimum Learning Environment Framework to provide alignments across specific components that should be evidenced throughout academic continuity for students in a face-to-face or an asynchronous online learning model. The Optimum Learning Environment Framework is composed of five components that work together in a circular continuum. Based on student data individualized achievement goals are set for each student, aligned curricular content is taught to every student and concepts are spiraled back into the curriculum as needed for student mastery, teachers facilitate the instruction delivery of content in a way to meet the needs of each individual student, continual progress monitoring occurs throughout the instructional delivery and common assessments are used to gauge the progress of every student towards achieving their goals, feedback and communication of each student’s progress is communicated to the student and parent/guardian, and based on each students progress towards achieving their goal individualized goal setting and revision occurs resetting the process. A diagram of the model is shown below: