Online Learning

At CHA, our first preference is always to be on our beautiful campus, enjoying in-person experiences and interactions with our students and families.

On March 16th 2020 we launched Remote E-learning at Chestnut Hill, which we refer to as REACH, in response to the Covid-19 outbreak, which stayed in place until June 2021. All grades now have the option to be in-person or online. Our online school program, built on the Microsoft Teams platform, enables us to continue to deliver high-quality education to all our students while they are offsite should we have to deploy it again. REACH doesn’t replicate on-site, in-person, hands-on learning, but our teachers are able to instruct students and connect with families in powerful ways through a variety of formats within this alternative structure.

The learning curve was steep, and the time available to implement was tight. Our staff rose to the challenge, acquired amazing technology skills and have embraced the challenge just like we knew that they would. We’re incredibly grateful for the growth mindset of our wonderful community of educators, parents, and students, and for the support and dedication, they have shown as we work through this challenge together. We are proud to commit ourselves to deliver continuity of learning wherever we are.

Every day, teachers and Specialists lead online, interactive classes in all subjects. These lessons are recorded and shared via Teams afterward for students who couldn’t attend. Teachers also upload videos of themselves explaining new skills and concepts as well as providing small group coaching via Teams.

Teachers incorporate the online tools connected with their curriculum, using the Computer Lab Website and Clever, as well as the textbooks already used at school that students have access to at home. During regular office hours, teachers meet with parents, students, and faculty to provide additional support and conversation.

On a typical day, a student should expect to complete four hours of schoolwork, which will include some time spent on Language Arts, Math practice, Science, Social Studies, Leader in Me, and listening to Read-A-Louds.

Students also participate in their favorite specialist classes, with the specialists providing many and varied creative experiences.

We offered K and 1st Grade students the opportunity be in-person in the fall of 2020, and as soon as protocols permitted we were able to welcome back all grades to full time concurrent learning with in-person students learning alongside their online peers via our Teams platform.