Remote Learning at Claren Academy
See our remote learning program
Learning continues during Social Distancing
Even as the world has changed, our focus has continued unabated, and our teachers have been working tirelessly to create an engaging program for all of our students. While we all look forward to one day being back in our wonderful facility, we are thankful that we sought out future-thinking teachers with unusual skill-sets and outside the box thinking, led by a principal with decades of experience. We are also grateful for our strong community of like-minded families, and the responsible, long-term planning of our Board of Directors. Together we have built a small, independent school with individualized resources, dedicated educators, and future-focused priorities, and we have given our students the best possible foundation at this time, and going forward.
Below, you will see just a few things that Claren has been working on.
Welcome Back!
Since June 1, Claren Academy has partially reopened as part of British Columbia's Phase 3 Restart Plan. Watch Doug describe our reopen plan to our parents!
Mrs. Clark's Book Nook!
Every day, twice a day, Kathryn reads a book to the students, with guest appearances from other parents and teachers. From Max Einstein to the Very Cranky Bear, this activity gives our students a way to feel connected and cuddle up to a great book.
Math Lessons with Mr. McQ
Every week, Doug hosts a live interactive Math lesson with his students. We record these and share them with our students so they can review them later. Here is a lesson about Math comparisons (student voices muted for privacy).
Gardening with Ms. Gates
For our younger students, Tracy has been growing beans, sunflowers, and other vegetables with the class. On March 18th, when we learned that we would not be re-opening after Spring Break, our staff mobilized to create learning packages for every child. Each package included an iPad or Chromebook, as well as an interesting mix of materials with which to create and tinker. The packs of seeds and baggies of dirt have grown into beloved seedlings, and students share their plant progress with each other in their daily morning meeting.
TinkerCAD modeling
At Claren, each student has an individual iPad where we can deliver classes and assignments. We manage iPads in a centralized system, so students only access the appropriate applications.
Here, Toby has learned the basics of 3D modeling using TinkerCAD, and household objects!
Connecting with Mrs. Baillie
Our principal, Traci continues to connect with colleagues and officials, as well as students and families on a regular basis to make sure Claren Academy has the most up to date information and resources.
From regular virtual office hours, to parent-teacher conferences, to student work review, Traci is working hard to make sure our students and families are safe, supported, and in touch with our community.
Moving Forward
It is a fact that COVID-19 has changed the way we educate, and we are undeterred and continue to work hard to provide the best possible education for our students. We stay well-connected with our families through daily messages, phone calls, emails, virtual Happy Hours, and parent-teacher conferences. Our approach has been to provide a clear guideline for parents so they can provide a great education at home, while being flexible, knowing that every household has been affected differently.
We are thankful that Claren is well-positioned during this time, and we look forward to continuing to improve our remote learning program and working with the community, government, and parents to one day return to our classroom safely. If you have any questions whatsoever, feel free to contact us!