FAQ: Doing School At Home Due to School Closures
What is Volusia County Schools' plan during the school closures due to COVID-19?
The links below will take you to the Instructional Continuity Plan (ICP) for Phases 1 and 2. Please note that we are currently in Phase 2, which began on April 16, 2020. The video below also provides useful information regarding the ICP.
The links below will take you to the Instructional Continuity Plan (ICP) for Phases 1 and 2. Please note that we are currently in Phase 2, which began on April 16, 2020. The video below also provides useful information regarding the ICP.
What tasks should students be completing daily?
Click here to see the PK - 5 Student Expectations. Families should keep in contact with the classroom teacher as students progress through their learning and reach out to the teacher with any questions or concerns.
Click here to see the PK - 5 Student Expectations. Families should keep in contact with the classroom teacher as students progress through their learning and reach out to the teacher with any questions or concerns.
I heard attendance will be taken from now on. How will this work?
Teachers will be tracking student attendance weekly. Teachers will determine absences by monitoring engagement through online platforms and/or responsiveness to contacts on a weekly basis. Please note the following:
It is therefore extremely important that students be keeping in contact with their teachers through any of these methods. Click here for teacher contact information.
Teachers will be tracking student attendance weekly. Teachers will determine absences by monitoring engagement through online platforms and/or responsiveness to contacts on a weekly basis. Please note the following:
- An absence is defined as no evidence of engagement in any platform and/or no response to contact attempts within the week.
- A student is present for the week as determined by engaging in any one of the following platforms: i-Ready, CANVAS, Microsoft Teams, phone call, or email.
- One (1) contact or evidence in any platform counts as present for all 5 days. Exception week 1 has 7 days (see example above).
- Students who have no evidence of engagement in any platform and/or no response contact attempts in the week will be marked as absent for all 5 days.
It is therefore extremely important that students be keeping in contact with their teachers through any of these methods. Click here for teacher contact information.
I also heard that grades will now be given. How will that work?
Teachers will be putting grades in the FOCUS gradebook regularly. Per the ICP, students shall be held harmless for the fourth quarter. They will not receive a grade lower than their third quarter grade, but they may improve their grade for the fourth quarter. Please contact your child's teacher for more information.
Teachers will be putting grades in the FOCUS gradebook regularly. Per the ICP, students shall be held harmless for the fourth quarter. They will not receive a grade lower than their third quarter grade, but they may improve their grade for the fourth quarter. Please contact your child's teacher for more information.
What options do I have for schooling my child at home during this time?
Families can choose to have their child:
If you would like to request an iPad (please note that there are limited quantities) or a paper packet, please call the school at (386) 575-4115.
Families can choose to have their child:
- Participate in virtual learning using their own technology device.
- Participate in virtual learning using an iPad checked out from the school.
- Continue their learning through a paper packet that can be picked up from the school if they do not have access to technology and no iPads are available for check-out.
If you would like to request an iPad (please note that there are limited quantities) or a paper packet, please call the school at (386) 575-4115.
What if I have a technology device but no internet?
Charter Communications is offering free Spectrum broadband and Wi-Fi access for 60 days to households with K-12 and/or college students who do not already have a Spectrum broadband subscription at any service level up to 100 Mbps.
To enroll, call 1-844-488-8395.
Installation fees will be waived for new student households. In addition, Charter will open its Wi-Fi hotspots across the area for public use. The Volusia County School Board is not affiliated with this program in any manner, nor does it endorse or assume any responsibility for any actions which may occur in connection with it.
Charter Communications is offering free Spectrum broadband and Wi-Fi access for 60 days to households with K-12 and/or college students who do not already have a Spectrum broadband subscription at any service level up to 100 Mbps.
To enroll, call 1-844-488-8395.
Installation fees will be waived for new student households. In addition, Charter will open its Wi-Fi hotspots across the area for public use. The Volusia County School Board is not affiliated with this program in any manner, nor does it endorse or assume any responsibility for any actions which may occur in connection with it.
We're good to go with technology and internet for virtual learning. What's the next step?
As noted in the ICP, students will be able to access their digital content and instructional materials through VPortal. For elementary school students, these resources will be available on Canvas for easy access. (Canvas can be accessed through VPortal).
Please see below for useful videos and information on how to access these resources. If you have any questions, please be sure to contact your child's teacher. You can also contact the VCS Virtual Online Instructional Support Hotline at (386) 626-0070. The hotline is open from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily, Monday through Friday.
As noted in the ICP, students will be able to access their digital content and instructional materials through VPortal. For elementary school students, these resources will be available on Canvas for easy access. (Canvas can be accessed through VPortal).
Please see below for useful videos and information on how to access these resources. If you have any questions, please be sure to contact your child's teacher. You can also contact the VCS Virtual Online Instructional Support Hotline at (386) 626-0070. The hotline is open from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily, Monday through Friday.
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What instructional materials are students supposed to use for virtual learning?
For K-5, students will be using the following materials (all materials are accessible through Canvas on VPortal):
For K-5, students will be using the following materials (all materials are accessible through Canvas on VPortal):
Main Core Instruction
All Students Except ESE Multi VE & VPK
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ESE Multi VE
Unique Learning System |
Pre-K
SmartStart |
Supplemental Instruction
All Students Except ESE Multi VE & VPK
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ESE Multi VE
Learning A-Z (for ELA, Science, and Social Studies) |
What instructional materials are students receiving in paper packets?
All Students Except ESE Multi VE & VPK
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ESE Multi VE
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Pre-K
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Our family did the paper packet option. What do we do with it when it is finished?
The paper packet will be turned in to your child's teacher when school is back in session. Please contact your child's teacher for more information.
The paper packet will be turned in to your child's teacher when school is back in session. Please contact your child's teacher for more information.