Aurora Public Schools

Internet Access at Home

• To sign up for Xfinity Internet Essentials, applicants can simply visit xfinity.com. Lifeline Services from CenturyLink: On a limited income? You can save money with Lifeline services from CenturyLink. This government assistance program can help you save on your monthly local phone service or qualifying broadband service. Lifeline provides a discount of $9.25 on monthly service for qualified subscribers. For information on Lifeline discounts for broadband service, view the CenturyLink Lifeline Overview.

Free Public Hotspots: In addition, you can access the internet through Comcast public hotspots for free. Follow this link https://wifi.xfinity.com/ to locate a Comcast hotspot near you. Once near a hotspot, connect to "xfinitywifi".

💻 You can now access Cohort Groups from within Parent Portal

Learn how to access cohort groups in Infinite Campus Parent Portal here.

► Accessing the APS Middle and High Report Cards from the Infinite Campus Parent Portal

Parents now have the ability to view/print APS middle school and high school report cards from the Parent Portal. These are the report cards for students in grades 6 - 12. Here is a link to a helpsheet and a YouTube Video Tutorial

💻 Additional Digital Resources for Remote Learning

Follow this link to access learning resources that can be used all year; anytime, anywhere.

General Family Support 

APS Offers Grab-and-Go Meals at 47 Drive-through Locations!

Free breakfast and lunch will be provided to students who qualify for free and reduced lunch. All others will be charged $4.75 for grab-and-go meals. Grab-and-go suppers (super snacks) will be free for anyone age 18 and younger.

Mental Health Support Available

During the extended school closure, after school hours or on the weekend call Colorado Crisis Services at 844-493-TALK (8255), or text "Talk" to 38255. This service is available 24/7 year-round. If this is an emergency please dial 911.

The walk-in clinic is available between 8:00am and 11:00pm daily at Anschutz Medical Campus 2206 Victor Street, Aurora, CO 80045

Between 8:00am and 3:30pm you can contact the school counselor, social worker, or psychologist at your child's school through Google Chat. Please go to the Mental Health & Counseling website to find the name and contact information for your child's school mental health provider.

Support for English language learners

English language development teachers will continue to support students by encouraging oral language practice through the remote learning format as well as at home (with parents, siblings and other family members). Encourage your Child(ren) to share discussions they had with their teacher and/or classmates, video they watched or ideas that were shared. Additionally, here are some online resources for oral language practice that can be accessed by students independently.

Exceptional Student Services (Special Education Services)

If your child receives special education or related services at school and you have not received information regarding how their service will be delivered, please reach out to the school directly.

i-Ready Diagnostic Administration for Parents

Here are checklists to help prepare your students for taking the i-Ready Diagnostic assessments at home. The purpose of these assessments is to get a sense of how your child is doing on grade-level Reading and Math skills. Teachers do not use this assessment for a grade. The information teachers learn from this assessment helps them provide support to your student. Students will take these assessments in grades K-8; and in grades 9-10 only in Reading if they have a READ plan.

Introducing i-Ready Assessment At Home for Families

Understanding Remote Learning

Most interaction between teachers and students will happen online in Google Classroom and/or Seesaw (PK - 2 students only) and Canvas (APS Avenues and Pickens Technical College). Students can use Clever to access their Google Classroom(s). Once in Classroom, students will be able to access links to assignments, videos, lessons, and other learning opportunities. Students will use Google Meet to connect with their teacher via video meeting and can also use Google Chat to send messages.

Tips for Parents of K-12 Students:

•  Use Your Home Computer or An APS Chromebooks for Instruction and Communication

  •  You can set up your home computer to be used by your child(ren) for remote learning and communication. Download and install Google Chrome on your home computer (Not needed if you checked out APS Chromebook)

  • If you are using an APS Chromebook refer to this help sheet for step-by-step instructions or this Chromebook Exploration slideshow.

• Your Child Will Use Clever To Access Everything

  • The Clever Portal will automatically be a tab when your child signs in to Google Chrome. The Clever Portal has sections at the top of the page called "Remote Learning" with buttons that will take your child to school content, eBooks, additional resources, and back to this website.

• Establish a routine or schedule: During any big transition, consistency is key. Try to keep normal meal and bed times, and start learning when school typically starts each day.

• Take time to check in with your child: If possible, pick a specific time each day to check in with your child. Questions you may want to ask include: What is one new thing you learned today? Are there materials you need? What did you enjoy about today? What was challenging?

• Provide time for physical activity: Physical activity is important for everyone's wellbeing. There are many resources with great ideas for physical activity, play, and discovery.

• Stay updated on communications from your child's teacher and school: School staff will provide virtual opportunities you to engage and support your child(ren). Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have questions or concerns.

• Students will be held to an Academic and Behavioral code of conduct similar to the one they experience at school. If a student's academic conduct or behavior violates our district conduct and discipline codes, it will result in consequences and some violations may be referred to law enforcement. Behaviors can include but are not limited to:

  (09) Detrimental Behavior: Harassment - Sexual, Discriminatory, Bullying/Cyberbullying, Sexting

  (12) Other Violation of Code of Conduct - Cell Phone/Electronic misuse, Computer/Internet misuse.

  Please refer to our Safe Schools Policies and Regulations Handbook for a list of offenses and detailed definitions.

More Resources:

• Parent/Teacher Meet Expectations

• Student Meet Expectations and Extensions video and Flyer

• Online Resources for Digital Citizenship and guidance for Family Engagement with Digital Resources

• Keeping kids motivated for online learning

• Get kids ready for online classes

Tips for Parents of Preschool Students Only:

• Make time to read to your child daily. The Sora eBook library found in Clever has a "Perfect for Preschool" collection available, too.

• Talking about the events of the day and what you've read with them to practice oral language development.

• Preschool students will not be expected to engage in a full-day or half-day online schedule but rather will be greeted and connected to their teachers as often as once daily via Google Chat, Google Classroom, Google Meet and/or by phone or email connection.

• Instructional resources will be shared with you directly so you can access a variety of activities and lessons to support your young child's learning at home. Your child's preschool teacher may guide you to specific resource selections to best support elements of your child's learning.

• Your child's preschool teacher and special education providers will collaborate with you to develop a schedule, if your preschool student has a disability, to ensure continued support with your child's individual education program (IEP) goals and objectives.

• "Google Meet" can be utilized for face to face connection with peers that can be very meaningful to young children who will likely be concerned about how their friends are doing. Virtual play dates can engage your child with distance learning and connection to their peers and friends during this time. 

• The activities and tasks that children complete at home will not be used as an assessment or counted toward a part of your student's grades. However, your insight and collaboration about their progress with their learning can inform observations your child's preschool teachers can continue to make in the My Teaching Strategies GOLD platform.

Technology Support & How To Guides

Need Personalized Human Help? Please create a ticket in Incident IQ or, call the APS help desk 303-340-0520, ext. 28203 and leave a message.

💥PLEASE: When using the help desk email (using the link above) or leaving a help desk voicemail, please include the name of your child, grade, school, and your call back number in addition to your question. If you have issues with your child's Chromebook and need it replaced, please contact your child's school.

Google:

Username & Passwords:

• You can find your child's Google username and password in Infinite Campus - Learn more here.

• Also, your school's secretary and child's teacher can access the username and password. See school websites here.

Classroom:

• How your child(ren) will join their teacher's classroom and how classroom is set up
  • Resource sheet
  •  Video Tutorial

Google Meet: the tool that your child(ren)'s teacher will use to hold synchronous (face-to-face) classes.

Google Chat: can be used for text conversations

Parents can use Google Meet or Google Chat to communicate with your child's teacher, too. Both can be used both on a computer and on a phone so parents and teachers can chat and video call. It is recommended to download and install the Google Meet and Chat apps for your iPhone or Android device for even easier and convenient school communication.

How to Pin a Chrome Tab

• Use this link to get to APS Clever: clever.aurorak12.org - Use the student's Google username and password if prompted.

• Support resources: Video - Logging into Clever from Home Computer, Help Sheets in Amharic, Arabic, Burmese, Karen, Nepali, Oromo, Somali, Vietnamese
  •  P-5 students will be issued Clever "badges" that have a QR code they can use to sign in to Clever using the camera on their computer as an alternative to typing in their username and password. Teachers will email your student's QR code to you.

Click here for a helpsheet to get started with Sora