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August 25, 2023
DACC Students and Families,
We hope your school year is off to a great start. We certainly enjoy seeing students back in the building and bringing energy that can only be generated by students who are enthusiastic and engaged in what they are doing.
We are excited to share an update with you in regards to our school's curriculum for the 2023-2024 school year. This change will equip our students with important skills they'll need in today's world. If you were able to join the live Principal’s Information Session or watched the recording at a later date, some of this will sound familiar to you. However, now is a good time to review how this academic model will impact you and your student.
Introducing Academic Hybrid Fridays
Beginning Friday, September 8th, we will launch a transformative initiative known as "Academic Hybrid Fridays." This shift marks the next phase in our Academic Model's evolution, aiming to equip our students with essential self-directed learning abilities, a skill set increasingly vital in today's evolving work landscape.
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Why the Change?
Over the past decade, we have offered "Hybrid Fridays" that allowed qualifying students to complete their academic coursework remotely. Beginning this 2023-2024 school year, we have removed the qualifications requirements. All full-day students – including both Juniors and Seniors – will now be able to engage in Academic Hybrid Fridays. This change represents our commitment to preparing students for success in the modern world by nurturing self-reliance and responsibility in their learning journey.
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Key Aspects of Academic Hybrid Fridays
Here's a summary of what you can expect from the new Academic Hybrid Fridays:
Assignment Structure: Our instructors will post Academic Hybrid Friday assignments no later than Thursday morning (7:50 am). This provides students the opportunity to develop vital time management and organizational skills. All assignments will be available on Canvas, our online learning platform.
Teacher Support: Our dedicated academic staff will be available on Microsoft Teams for Virtual Office Hours to offer guidance and assistance to those who may need extra support with their Academic Hybrid Friday assignments. While attendance for Virtual Office Hours is optional, we strongly recommend that students participate.
Submission and Attendance: To ensure engagement and participation, assignments are due no later than 7:50 am on the following Monday. Attendance will be tracked based on the demonstrated commitment to completing assignments by the specified deadline.
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Supporting Diverse Learning Needs
Recognizing that every student has unique learning requirements, we have established several measures to ensure personalized support:
Teacher Check-Ins: During Senior and Junior Academic Advisory times (the first eight minutes of class, Monday through Thursday), our teachers will engage students in activities focused on progress monitoring, time management skill building, goal setting, and planning for the week ahead.
Individualized Support: DACC VOSES and Intervention Specialists will continue their one-on-one engagement with students, tailoring their support to meet specific needs.
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Clear Communication and Preparation
Please find a comprehensive FAQ regarding Academic Hybrid Fridays on our website here. We believe this will provide you with a comprehensive understanding of this new approach.
As we prepare for this exciting change, we are committed to facilitating a smooth transition. To aid our students, we have scheduled two dedicated days to enhance independent learning skills:
Friday, August 25th: Full Day students will follow their usual academic schedule on campus, focusing on Canvas setup and usage, online resources, and basic organization skills.
Friday, September 1st: Full Day students will again follow their regular schedule on campus, engaging in assignments on Canvas that are designed to practice and refine independent learning abilities.
Friday, September 8th: Academic Hybrid Friday Begins! Students complete their academic schoolwork from home.
We are excited about the possibilities that Academic Hybrid Fridays will offer our students and are confident that this strategic move will empower them with skills that extend beyond the classroom.
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