eLearning & Virtual Days FAQ for Parents

What’s the difference between eLearning (asynchronous) and a Virtual School Day (synchronous)?

On a virtual school day, students participate in classes with their teachers at their regular times during the school day. Attendance is taken in real-time, and assignments are expected to be completed prior to the next school day. Teachers will work with students or families struggling with internet access during a virtual school day.

On an eLearning day, materials/assignments for all classes are posted in Google Classroom in the morning, and students are expected to complete the assignments on their own time throughout the day. Teachers will check in with students regularly throughout contract time to answer questions. Students will have five school days to submit completed assignments.  

How is my child’s attendance counted? 

Virtual day - Attendance is counted in real-time. Attendance will be taken each period for students in grades 7-12. 

eLearning day - Students who submit their eLearning assignments within five school days will be counted as present for the eLearning day.  

How will my child access their materials on an eLearning Day?

Lessons and all necessary instructions will be posted to Google Classroom by 9:00 a.m. on the day of an announced eLearning Day. Each student has a district-issued Google Classroom account to access materials and assignments.  

Do the assignments have to be turned in electronically?

No.  Although assignments must be posted electronically in Google Classroom, the final product does not need to be submitted electronically (i.e.,  making a list, drawings, written responses).

How can my child’s teacher be contacted on an eLearning Day? 

Staff members are expected to be available to students and parents for questions between 9:00 a.m. – the end of the regular school day. Teachers can be reached via email or ParentSquare.  

What if my child does not have internet access during an eLearning Day?

We understand that not all students have access to a device and/or the internet during the day due to individual situations, such as loss of internet due to inclement weather, child day care, multiple students at home with a single computer, parent availability during the work day, no internet provider at home, etc.  Because of this, students will have five school days to complete and turn in any assigned eLearning Day assignments.

What kinds of activities will my child be doing on an eLearning Day?

The expectation from the IDOE is that instruction will continue in the same progression as it would on a regular school day. 

Who do I contact if I need help during the eLearning Day?

Your child’s teacher(s) will be your direct contact for any questions regarding assignments, instruction, or technical support.  A document to assist parents/students with logging into Google Classroom is on the FCS eLearning Day website. www.franklinschools.org/elearning.

How can I prepare my child to be successful on an eLearning Day?

Classes are already utilizing Google Classroom as part of their regular instruction.  We also encourage parents to go through the process with their students at home, so they know how to get support and access materials on an eLearning Day. For younger students, we suggest families keep login information (Chromebook/Lab username and password) at home and practice accessing your teacher’s Google Classroom well in advance of an eLearning Day.

My student logged in but still can’t access their Google Classrooms.  What should I do?

If this occurs and you are using Google Chrome, be sure you are completely logged out of any personal accounts.  If your student is not using their Chromebook, there should be an icon next to the icons in the upper right-hand corner of your browser.  By clicking the profile icon, you should be able to log out of any personal accounts that may be signed in.  Then have your student log in again.