Office Hours:
For this week, we'll maintain last week's schedule. I'll be available via Zoom on Tuesday & Thursday from 10-11 and digitally via Schoology, Remind, or email on and off throughout the day. Remind is the quickest way to get in touch.
Here's the link for Tuesday's office hours: https://us04web.zoom.us/j/575852014

Suggested Completion Dates & Deadlines: 

• Hamlet analysis extension & Flipgrid - Wednesday, 3/25
• Hamlet Q3 in Google Classroom - Friday, 3/27

Virtual Class Meeting: 
You're invited to meet as a class face-to-face on Zoom THIS THURSDAY, 3/26 at 7:00 PM. I will share the link with you later this week. Just save the date & time. 
We will discuss AP exams and plans moving forward. I encourage you to attend so we can see your face! (Have I mentioned I miss y'all? Ok...I know...well, I do.) 

 

Sending love to all, stay safe, & be in touch (just not with your face). 
All the best,

Mrs. H ​

Well everybody, we've made it (successfully? yes, no, maybe?) through Week 1 of Quarantine and distance learning. As I've said several times, we are just getting our feet under us. These first couple of weeks are an experiment, and I want to make sure to respond to your needs—what goes well, what goes not-so-well, and how we can all best move forward together as a class. 

In today's post, I'll answer a few FAQs from this first week: 

For English 11 Honors
1. When is our 1-pager due?

Remember that before school closed, your one-pager for your independent choice reading book #2 was due Monday, 3.16. You can submit your one-pager NOW and through the weekend by snapping a pic and sending through Remind or Schoology. 

2. And what about editorial notes? Didn't you say something about submitting those, too?

Yes, same as above. This is listed in your pacing guide. By the end of the day Monday, snap a pic of your notebook notes and submit through Remind or Schoology. I'm looking for: your topic; what mentor texts you studied; and what sources you consulted for your chosen topic. 

3. When is the editorial due?

All editorial work is DUE by Monday, March 30. 

....

For AP Lit...
1. Where is the Extend Your Analysis Flipgrid?

HERE! It is here, my friends

2. Do I just pick any Q3? 

Yes. Pick literally any Question 3. Set the timer, and write the essay for Hamlet. Type & submit in Google Classroom. 

3. What about the exam?

Hot off the presses from the College Board. Click here to read more & stay tuned for details. 


​Finally, before I sign off, a few loose ends. 

​Remember, I am available through: 
REMIND! 
SCHOOLOGY!
EMAIL! 
OFFICE HOURS! 

And I'll be back tomorrow with another list of free fun things to do or watch in quarantine. 

All the best to all, miss you, stay IN, and stay safe!

Mrs. H

I'll admit, I've had some trouble closing my social media, putting own my phone, and looking away from all of the scary. Part of it for me, I think, is not that I'm looking for the terrible, but for the collective silver lining that always seems to emerge among us when we are at our most vulnerable. 

Here's a quick post on some of that goodness I've come across today: 

1. COSTURA CREATIVE VIRTUAL POETRY READINGS 

If you dig living poets and you enjoyed José Olivarez & Keegan Lester's reading at school (shout out José & Keegan!), then consider tuning in for to one of these virtual readings. I now get to attend a poetry reading for my b-day. Quarantine problems solved! 

Register HERE at Costura Creative's Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/costura-creative-living-room-reading-series-tickets-99999605512

​
2. SENTROCK DIGITAL DOWNLOAD COLORING BOOK

Speaking of José Olivarez, remember the beautiful cover of ​Citizen Illegal? Sentrock, a Chicago-based street artist, did the cover art, and now he's released this amazing Digital download coloring book! GOODNESS. 

Get your copy here: 

https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vSBXWCp_vmLeogQO1DgQBf8uPApnBpU8s1UhH51J8gJiSS2XDHq7bFVEwxK_hX-LdM8ur7H3YAoyCHg/pub


3. ZUMBA AT HOME WITH DIANA REYES

Here for some local goodness?! Hop on over to Facebook at 5:30 for some FREE Zumba cardio dance party with local teacher & Zumba goddess extraordinaire, Diana Reyes. I promise you'll have a great time. 

Interested? Go here: https://www.facebook.com/events/801594570329678/

If you decide to check out these fun things or others, tag me with #LOOKKHILLI! 

Yours, always, in raising up the good, 

Mrs. H

Hello all! 

Alright, how we doing? What's good? What questions/fears/successes/celebrations do you have? 

Me? Oh, yeah...well, I successfully (with limited grievances) homeschooled my two kids today, got a decent amount of school work done, took our nutso dog for a walk, and went on a quick bike ride! The sun is beautiful and warm today. I'll take the wins where I can get 'em. 

Here are my updates for you for today, March 17: 

1. PARENT ACCESS TO GOOGLE CLASSROOM

If your parent or guardian would like access to Google Classroom to better support your distance learning, please fill out this form: https://forms.gle/uKndENjDRd5giQnJA

2. UPDATES TO TASK SHEETS

- English 11 Honors: You are working from an assignment in Google Classroom entitled 'Quarantine! Editorial and Work From Home Menu.' Within that assignment, there are a few documents: the Write an Editorial task sheet; editorial rubric with self assessment; an overview with fun learning opportunities; and new today a suggested pacing guide.

*Directional task sheets may be edited and updated. Make sure you refer back to these periodically.* 

The pacing guide is only for 2 weeks and only a suggestion. Together, we'll learn as we go.

I have zero intention of filling your time with busywork...just keep your hand on the tiller. Remember our course goals: to become better, stronger, more independent readers, writers, thinkers, speakers, and listeners. There's about a million ways to get there. In these weeks we are out of school, be attentive and pay attention to more than what's on the other end of the screen. 

*Also! Lots of folks asking about submitting One-pagers. I'd like to see these pop up in my inbox by Friday, 3.20. Just snap a pic and share via Remind, Schoology, or email (Remind preferred.) 

- AP Lit: Brilliant Seniors, we're keeping it simple. You have the following to be attentive to: submit Act IV promptbook; finish the play & be accountable for Act V (through whatever vehicle you choose -- film STRONGLY encouraged); analysis meaning of the work extension (+ a Flipgrid); and a Q3. ALL directions are posted to your Google Classroom assignment entitled 'Quarantine Work From Home Part 1.' 

*Directional task sheets may be edited and updated. Make sure you refer back to these periodically.* ​​

3. OFFICE HOURS 

I have set the following office hours on Zoom. If you visit during office hours, you'll have a chance to ask questions face-to-face and work out any issues you might be having with any assignments. Of course, you are ALWAYS welcome to message on #allthethings: Remind, Schoology, and email. I will be available for a quick response in the hours listed below. 

IMPORTANT: Set up Zoom and any necessary plug ins ahead of time. It's super simple, but you may need an update, a test call, etc. before you're fulling up and running. 

Here's the schedule: Office hours are every day M-F from 10:00-11:00. You DO NOT need to be present for the entire meeting. A pop in is fine. 

For Zoom....

• Mondays and Wednesdays: English 11 Honors 
• Tuesdays and Thursdays: AP Lit 
• On Fridays, I'm available 10-11, but only via Remind, Schoology, and email. 

If you'd like to attend Zoom office hours,
CLICK HERE FOR ENGLISH 11 HONORS. 
And CLICK HERE FOR AP LIT. 

These links will direct you to our virtual meeting space. 

Finally! ​In the spirit of learning that extends beyond the classroom, here are 3 of my favorite virtual learning opportunities that have popped up on my feeds this week. I encourage you to have fun & learn something new! (And tag me at #LOOKKHILLI when you do! shout outs Jill, Emily, & Nick for joining in!). 

​1. DROPKICK MURPHYS STREAMING SHOW!!! ​
What's not to love?! 90s nostalgia! Saint Paddy's Day! Mosh-worthy jams! Click the link & tune in for some fun. 

Guys, SO MUCH GOODNESS here. Tons of links and tons of topics. Check it out! 

Dear Students,

Hello from social distancing Day 2 in the Hilliard home!

So, here we are. Last Thursday when I prepped you for "here's what might happen," I honestly thought I'd see you tomorrow (Monday) to assign work, tell you not to stress too much about it, encourage you take care of yourselves and your families, and remind you there's SO much more you can learn and ways to learn beyond what's in our curriculum. As I said on Remind, I would've hugged some necks (OK, maybe just air hugs, given our present circumstances), and told ya' I loved ya'. 

But...here we are. 

We—all of us—are going to operate the best we can.
​
This update is to review a few important things as we head into this first week of shutdown: 

1. WORK
Teachers have been directed to have tasks prepared and ready to share with students by Thursday, March 19, BUT I have already posted your tasks in Google Classroom. ALL DIRECTIONS are outlined on the posted handouts, but briefly: 

• 11 Honors: you'll be working through some informal reading and research and then writing an editorial and reflection. What an amazing time for an editorial...there is SO MUCH to comment on in light of a pandemic. I encourage you to submit it to a local newspaper for publication! (more on that later)  
• AP Lit: you'll be finishing up some final steps with our sad prince Hamlet. You'll be finishing Act V, creating a meaning of the work as a whole product, and writing an AP Q3. 

2. COMMUNICATIONS & Office Hours 
Just when I thought I was ready to pull the plug on this class web site and blog we go and have a pandemic. I'll be posting periodical updates here and checking in with you on Schoology and Remind. To join Remind, text the number 810-10 and in the body of the text, use the following code @khilli + class period + 19 (e.g. @khilli119)

I plan to hold virtual office hours and class meetings (likely on Zoom or Google Hangouts), BUT I'm waiting to see if we'll have a coordinated schedule as a school before I make my own. You will not be required to attend these meetings, but they will be available to you. 

3. OPTIONAL LEARNING/Something to do when you're bored 
Life is weird now. There's nowhere to go really, there's no school, no practices, no concerts, no games. If you find yourself feeling listless and bored and just need something to do, consider the things you always aim to do but never get around to. Maybe you're a musician and you've wanted to learn a new tune, maybe there's a really hard TikTok dance you haven't yet mastered, maybe you'd love to learn how to bake a cake from scratch. 

Whatever it is, do some things and learn some things and share! (I've posted lots of suggestions in Classroom.)
Let's spread some joy and fun in this time of uncertainty. Like Jennifer Garner's #heyjenlookatme, use hashtag #LOOKKHILLI and show us what you're up to. 

Many of you will have some pretty heavy adult responsibilities during this time, and I want to be mindful of that. This is only for fun, for community, and for raising up the good while we're stuck at home. 

​Last, and importantly, REACH OUT. If you are lonely, tired, need something, feel afraid or confused, I want to assure you that your school community and your teachers are here. I am here. 

In the meantime, wishing you and your families health and peace of mind. 

I'll be in touch again soon with a schedule for virtual office hours and directions for adding your parents or guardians to Google Classroom. 

Remember: reach out of if you need and take care of yourselves! 

All the best,

Mrs. Hilliard ​​