Remote Learning

Updated for spring term 2020

Zoom Student Guide

This Zoom Guide has been created to help students download and set up Zoom, and learn how to access classes, school meetings, extra help, and office hours. Students, if you have any questions, please reach out directly to your advisor.

Read Zoom Guide

Guidelines and Expectations

While the boarding program at Trinity-Pawling has been suspended, the School as an institution remains open, with teaching and learning continuing through remote classes.

At Trinity-Pawling, we believe learning takes place in a community and it is our hope that our virtual technology will allow us to stay connected as we teach, learn, and interact remotely. As our faculty and staff adapt to changes in the way we live and teach, we are focused on creating remote opportunities that include a dynamic learning experience, ensuring the continuity of teaching and learning, and delivering creative opportunities to their students remotely.

Remote Learning Platforms

As of April 1, 2020, all Spring Term classes were moved to remote teaching and learning. Trinity-Pawling is providing platforms that provide synchronous and asynchronous (recorded) communication with our students. The synchronous classes (real-time) are facilitated by the use of Zoom for Education platform. Zoom offers many interactive features for online video conferencing.

Students do NOT need an account for Zoom. All teachers and advisors have accounts and are able to invite their students to join. Users connecting to meetings do not need an account to join. 

Our asynchronous communication vehicle that can be accessed by students at any time is on our Finalsite LMS (Learning Management System) platform — found in the Student Portal. The LMS features of Finalsite are robust and students are familiar with its use for access of their student portals.

Academic Schedule

Classes for the Spring Term began remotely on Wednesday, April 1. The schedule provided below will facilitate many different opportunities for classes to come together for check-ins and extra help. 

A weekly schedule is provided for all students and faculty in the Student Portal.

Download PDF Schedule

Spring 2020 Remote Learning Schedule (PDF)

Questions?

If you have any questions about remote learning, please reach out directly to your advisor. Thank you!

important notes

1. Zoom classes meet live.

2. Directed Study (DS) blocks are designed for specific academic work that is assigned by the teacher and completed using this designated time. Students should use other pockets of free time, including the evening to ensure that work will be done on the designated due date. Assigned work must be submitted in the DS blocks.

3. Office Hours are used for extra-help and additional instruction* as coordinated by the teacher.

*Students in Pacific and Asian time zones will need guidance during the evening office hours.

4. Teachers will also have the ability to record their live sessions on Zoom and post the recordings in the Student Portal for students who are unable to attend the live class, due to their time zone.

Advisor/Advisee Support

Our priority is to provide a meaningful and rich learning experience for our students while they are away from campus. We have scheduled advisory time into each day of remote classes to ensure that advisors and advisees have time for conversations about managing this new way of learning.

Expectations for Attending Remote Classes

  • Students are expected to attend online classes synchronously if they fall between 9:00 AM and 9:00 PM in their time zone. For classes outside this time frame, students are expected to watch class recordings and contact their teacher for extra help if required.
  • Students and advisors are expected to check in with one another on a regular basis and attend all advisor / advisee meetings.
  • Students should be in an appropriate, quiet, distraction-free setting and wear neat informal attire while attending remote classes.
  • Students should be visible to the class — video on and demonstrating attentiveness to the person speaking.
  • Students must minimize distractions by minimizing other browser tabs, disabling notifications, and avoiding other devices during remote classes.
  • Students should mute themselves when not speaking and use the hand-raising function in Zoom to request an opportunity to speak.
  • Students and parents should review the Trinity-Pawling Acceptable Use Policy.

Remote Learning Honor Code

1. I will be physically present, with my camera on, in all Zoom classes for the entire meeting time, unless I have made alternative arrangements with the teacher prior to the class.

2. I will not disrupt the learning environment for myself and others in any way.

3. I will ensure that I attend Zoom classes in the appropriate dress and in an appropriate learning environment that will minimize distractions for myself and others.

4. I will not engage in cyber-bullying in any form or fashion.

5. I will not share Zoom links with those not in the class, nor record without permission. I understand recorded classes will be made available.

6. I understand that the Acceptable Use Policy signed at the beginning of the year continues to apply to my use of technology.