The Allentown School District aim to ensure continuity of instruction and active engagement of all students and staff during the instructional day. Districts may choose to transition from in-person to remote instruction at any time, when appropriate, such as during inclement weather or emergencies. These days can be referred to as Virtual Learning Days. Districts can use Virtual Learning Days as needed, but must ensure alignment with the Pennsylvania Department of Education's academic standards. Attendance must be taken.
On Virtual Learning Days, teachers will use Zoom for instruction, following their daily schedule. Teachers will hold Zoom virtual class meetings at the start of the day (elementary) and each period (secondary) to outline expectations and communication methods. Daily expectations will be posted in Google Classroom for absent students and as a reference for all.
Virtual Learning Day GuidelinesEmpty heading
On Virtual Learning Days, teachers will deliver instruction via Zoom, following their regular daily schedules. Students will participate in lessons for both core content areas and related arts classes or electives. Instruction will include whole-class lessons, small-group sessions, and independent learning tasks.
Schedules:
Teachers will share the specific schedule with students ahead of time, detailing when to join Zoom sessions and when to complete independent work. Teachers will provide a schedule for direct instruction, small group instruction, independent learning activities, and learning application opportunities via Zoom. Students can utilize online resources when not working with a teacher in small group instruction.
All teachers will provide 30-minute end-of-day Office Hours to support students and verify morning attendance.
Attendance:
Elementary Students will log into Zoom for attendance between 9:00 a.m. and 9:10 a.m.
Middle School Students will log into Zoom for attendance between 7:55 a.m.- 8:05 a.m.
High School students will log into Zoom for daily attendance at the following times:
8:10 a.m.-8:20 a.m. for period 2 (Allen and Dieruff High Schools)
8:30 a.m. - 8:40 a.m. for Advisory/Period 1 (Bridgeview Academy)
8:30 a.m. - 8:40 a.m. for homeroom (William Penn)
Attendance will also be taken at each period.
Technical Difficulties:
In the event of technical difficulties or issues accessing online resources, teachers will provide students with paper-based assignments to ensure continued learning PRIOR to the Virtual Learning Day.
Staff will be checking emails & ParentSquare. Please contact your child’s teacher or a School Administrator if you need support.
These instructions will ensure that your child can successfully join their secure Zoom virtual class using their ASD Google account. This setup helps protect students and ensures only authorized participants can attend.
Before the Class:
ASD Google Account: Make sure your child knows their ASD Google account username and password. They will need this to join the Zoom virtual class. If they have forgotten it, please contact their teacher or school IT support for assistance before the class.
Zoom Application: Ensure your child has the Zoom application installed on their device (computer, tablet, or smartphone). You can join Zoom from the student’s Clever account.
Check Device: Test the device's camera and microphone beforehand to avoid technical issues during the class.
Joining the Class:
Zoom Meeting Link: Your child's teacher will provide a Zoom meeting link. This is how they will access the Zoom virtual class. It's usually shared through Google Classroom, email, or other school communication platforms.
Click the Link: At the scheduled class time, have your child click on the Zoom meeting link.
Zoom Login: Zoom will likely prompt your child to sign in. They must sign in using their ASD Google account. Do notuse a personal Google account or any other login.
Waiting Room (If Applicable): Your child might be placed in a waiting room until the teacher starts the Zoom virtual class. This is another security measure.
During the Class: Encourage your child to:
Mute their microphone when not speaking to minimize background noise.
Raise their virtual hand if they have a question.
Follow the teacher's instructions.
Important Security Information:
Only use the link provided by the teacher. Do not share the link with anyone else.
If you encounter any issues joining, contact your child's teacher immediately.
By following these steps, you can help your child participate safely and effectively in their Zoom virtual class.
When appropriate, the Allentown School District provides information to trusted news outlets such as The Morning Call and WFMZ about delays, closings, or other emergency information. The most immediate method of communication in the event of a delay or closure will be shared through ParentSquare to parents, guardians, and staff who provide the District with an accurate and accessible phone number and email address. Message will be sent through the ParentSquare app, via text message, email and voice message. .
Closures or delays will also be posted on all District and school websites, District/school social media channels.
In the event of an early dismissal, the Allentown School District will do its best to ensure that all students receive lunch before school is closed. In the event of a delayed opening, no breakfast will be served, and lunchtimes are adjusted accordingly.
To ensure that you receive all communication in a timely manner, please contact your building principal and request that your emergency contact information be updated in the Student Information System (PowerSchool). Staff should maintain updated emergency contact information in Skyward.
Based on an assessment of the above factors, a decision to delay the start of school or to close school is made as close to 5:30 a.m. as possible, allowing adequate time to notify the community.
The Allentown School District has 25 buildings that are open to students & staff on a daily basis. This includes all schools & auxiliary buildings such as the Administration Center, Facilities Building, Technology Services, JBC Stadium, and the School Supply Warehouse. All buildings and parking lots must be cleared of snow for a safe school opening.
The Allentown School District is largely a walking district and nearly all of our 17,000 students are within walking distance of their designated home school and do not receive bus transportation. However, the District is responsible for transporting students with special needs, and those who attend charter and non-public schools, Lehigh County Technical Institute, and Lehigh County Community College.
The Allentown School District contracts with an outside transportation vendor, First Student, to provide transportation to about 5,560 students on 140+ vehicles. Vehicles that serve the Allentown School District students are often on the road as early as 5:40 a.m.
The Allentown School District also takes into consideration that many of our secondary students utilize LANTA routes that service middle/high schools and if those routes will be impacted by weather.
Some of our older schools are only equipped with warming kitchens, so the food is prepared in another school's kitchen and then delivered there. During inclement weather, we assess if the weather will impact the ability of our facilities team to deliver food to these schools in an adequate time frame so that all children can receive lunch.
Analyzing multiple local and national weather services and their various forecasts to determine the most likely winter weather scenario.
The timing of the storm and its potential impact on opening and closing times at each school.
The amount of forecasted snow. If there is a "plowable" amount of snowfall (4 or more inches), Allentown School District needs eight hours to clear all district buildings/facilities and parking lots.
That First Student must clear snow from the roofs of all 140+ vehicles, a process that takes several hours.
The type of forecasted snow - light snow, wet snow, freezing rain, etc. create different types of challenges for our staff when clearing school parking lots and sidewalks.
Road conditions. Allentown School District communicates with local and city municipalities regarding road conditions and the status of their plowing operations. Allentown School District employees drive the roads during the overnight hours to assess conditions.
Sidewalk conditions. Allentown School District also assesses the condition of neighborhood sidewalks for walkers. Dangerous sidewalks encourage walkers to walk on streets, creating dangerous conditions.
Post-storm conditions. Temperatures and wind chills after a winter weather event may impact the speed of cleanup operations, road conditions, and the effectiveness of de-icing/salting efforts.
