Subject: The Virtual Classroom
To our Dear Parents:
We are pleased to inform you that, beginning the week of April 27th, we will be launching our virtual classroom program with video conferencing. This method of remote teaching was custom designed for our specifications, and after consultation with Gedolei Yisroel we feel it will be a huge improvement over the current phone conference arrangement.
Of utmost importance to us as we researched solutions for remote teaching was our Yeshiva’s hashkafos of chinuch, and to that end the hanhala and board members at Bnos Bais Yaakov and Yeshiva Darchei Torah worked together to develop a wonderful solution that will provide the full benefit to our talmidim while maintaining the values that we hold dear.
The Yeshiva has purchased kosher Kindle tablets for use by each talmid in grades N-8. These tablets have been mechanically modified to simply contain a custom video conferencing app and a program with the classroom handouts. There are no other programs on the device and the video conference sessions are inaccessible from anywhere except our talmidim’s tablets. We plan to commence distribution of these devices over the course of the next week and will send you more information as soon as a safe distribution plan is developed.
The expense to produce the custom device is $145, but with the help of a special benefactor, the Yeshiva paid $105 per device. As you understand, this is a significant and unexpected expense for the Yeshiva and we are seeking the participation of our parents to whatever extent possible. The suggested donation is $40 per child, but we would greatly appreciate it if our parents would consider covering the full $105 per-child expense.
To make a payment for your childrens’ devices (or to assist another parent who may be unable to pay for theirs) please click here and add any pertinent information in the notes .
The following are some important notes regarding this new program:
We will be continuing with teleconferencing for the next week.
A home WiFi connection is necessary to operate the device. If you do not currently have WiFi access at home, we will send information for the purchase of the KPhone Safe Mi-Fi device. A single device can accommodate up to five tablets.
The Yeshiva sessions will not be accessible from any other internet or Zoom device.
Yeshiva sessions will also be accessible via telephone conferencing.
We are in the process of developing a specialized app to enable rabbeim/teachers' video messages to be viewed as well as school assignments.
A tutorial on how to use the tablets will be available for parents and students.
This is an ongoing process and we will need your cooperation as things progress.
This has been an extensive and collaborative effort that involved the chinuch and lay leadership of our schools, as well as technical experts. It is being done because of our unyielding commitment to protect the kedusha of our students and to maintain the highest standards of our Yeshiva.
We thank you for your cooperation and understanding as we enter this next phase together, and we look forward to a successful remainder of the year.
The Hanhala of Yeshiva Darchei Torah
