Documentation Tracking Tool


A tool has been added to Gradebook in myNHA where the designated homeroom teacher should enter data on a weekly basis. Two fields-‘Teacher Connection’, and ‘Student Participation’ – are to be completed for each student each week.

Documentation of this activity will be useful for several audiences. First, for teachers and admin–schools will be able to see which families are not participating in learning activities and be able to reach out proactively to engage them. Second, for NHA as a system of schools–NHA will be able to analyze the usefulness of our current home learning strategy and continue to make adjustments and improvements as necessary. Third, for our authorizing bodies–NHA can assure states and authorizers that our intended learning activity with scholars is happening with fidelity.

The tool is intended to be simple, straightforward, and not time-consuming – and at the same time provide valuable and timely information on the status of remote learning.

Below are some common questions and answers related to this data tracking tool. Thank you for helping us all track activity and continuously improve our practice.

    1.    Is the use of this tool required?
a.    Yes.

    2.    I am a specials teacher. Am I supposed to fill this out?
a.    No, not directly. Only the homeroom teacher will have access to this tool. But similar to planning weekly lessons for students, you should be collaborating with the homeroom teacher so that the homeroom teacher has full insight into student participation in learning activities.

    3.    What do you mean by “teacher connection?”
a.    Teacher connection is defined as any action the teacher takes to reach out to the student or parent regarding that student’s learning. Examples would be an email, a phone call, a text message, a connection via Google classroom, or similar items. The column allows for three possible entries – blank, meaning that the teacher was not able to initiate any connection to the student; attempted, meaning that the teacher initiated a contact but received no response; or successful, meaning that the teacher received a response to their outreach. The required weekly email from teachers to families outlining the scope of work for the week does not count in this column of teacher connection. For reference, hovering your mouse over the blue circle in the column title will show the column definition.

    4.    “What do you mean by “student participation?”
a.    Any evidence the teacher has that the student engaged with the learning material can be counted as student participation. Examples can include student work viewed through Google classroom, a student/family-generated photo of a completed worksheet, verbal confirmation on a phone call that a student completed work, and similar items. For reference, hovering your mouse over the blue circle in the column title will show the column definition.

    5.    When should this be completed?
a.    Data will need to be entered into the tool weekly. Ideally, that would be completed by Friday afternoon each week. Data can be entered at any point during the week as long as it is finalized by the end of the week. Staff will have to go back and track Student Participation and Teacher Connection beginning the week of April 13.

    6.    I don’t see this tool in my gradebook. I am team-teaching with another staff member.
a.    In the case of two teachers in a class, only one person has been assigned to the tool to track progress. Although the myNHA team has been working to ensure team teachers are represented in myNHA equally for common in-person school situations  (same access, both names display in course lists, on report cards, etc.), they were intentional to only give one teacher access to track remote learning due to the requirement of only having one teacher responsible for communicating with families and tracking this information.

    7.    Am I supposed to be entering grades for students during this closure period?
a.    No


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