Welcome Email 

Hello,

My name is Mrs. Hall and I will be your GaVS (Georgia Virtual School) online instructor.  We will get to know each other quite well during the course through phone calls, emails, and weekly online chats. Our weekly chats take place on Date at Time at URL Link.  I hope to see you there. 

 To begin, please complete the following tasks:

1. Get oriented! The STUDENT ORIENTATION COURSE is available for you NOW so you will be SUPER ready when class actually begins.  If you have Georgia Virtual experience you MAY OPT OUT of completing the Orientation Course, but it will remain available to you for reference if needed during the course.  Students who are “newbies” to this online platform are STRONGLY encouraged to complete the SOC (Student Orientation Course). If you have troubles locating the Student Orientation Course there is a short online video to guide you through that process…
   http://www.screencast.com/users/Felz/folders/Default/media/367f8b47-6cb6-4bd8-9933-caa0eb51676e 
2. Go to the discussions (under assessments) in the course and introduce yourself.
3. Read Introduction to Your Georgia Virtual School in the course.
4. Sign up for reminders to be sent to your cell phone by clicking: URL Link
5. Read the start strong newsletter https://www.smore.com/byata
6. View and Print your course schedule.  Click here to learn how: https://youtu.be/NdK7NvBVMbU

I plan to call you and your parents to talk about our class and the “duties and responsibilities” of online learning.  You may be experienced or not, but everything will be SMOOTH after a short period of adjustment.

It would be really GREAT if you get a chance to call me first at Number when it is convenient for you so we can get acquainted.  It is totally acceptable to call your online teacher.  

Sometimes the phone numbers of record are outdated in registration so it is better if you call me.  Please choose a time when I can also speak to a parent.

Thanks for a quick reply of “some sort” to this email.  Ask about anything!!! 

Please read the attached letter for a more formal introduction. 

Sincerely,

Mrs.Hall 

Phone Number

School Email

Personal Notes versus Mass Communication to Stakeholders 

Mass communication to stakeholders would be appropriate when conveying information such as general course updates such as your grades have been entered, assignment due dates, weekly chat sessions, etc.  Personal notes would be appropriate when responding to specific student issues.

• Bi-weekly Course Updates to all Stakeholders
• Monthly Personal Notes to Students who are not progressing in the class.

Stakeholders

• Parents – Bi-Weekly Course Updates
• School Facilitators – Bi-Weekly Course Updates
• Students – Bi Weekly Course Updates, Weekly Course Announcements, Weekly Texts Concerning Live Sessions, Synchronous Sessions

School Policies Regarding Communication

Georgia Virtual School has the following communication guidelines.  With all communication we are required to use FERPA.

• Contact active students regularly.
• Send course updates via theSIS after each grading deadline.
• Contact failing students with a phone call as soon as the grade drops below a 70. Follow up phone calls should be made at least once a month after that if the grade remains below a 70.
• Check the stakeholder information that we have on file in our student information system before communicating with anyone about a student.
• If an individual who is not in our system contacts you requesting student information, do not provide that individual with any information.
• Update the communication log.

Tools Available for Effective Communication

• Course Bulletin Board and Course Announcements (for Students only)
• Remind.com (for Parents and Students) – useful for quick updates/reminders
• Email (for Parents, Students, and Local School Administration)
• DialMyCalls.com (for Parents and Students)
• Google Voice for Phone Calls (for Parents, Students, and Local Administration