Livestream Learning Protocol

Updated 1/19/2021 

Although The Summit is offering in-person learning for all grades every day, we know that some members of our community may not be able to be in the school for different reasons. To address these situations, The Summit has developed a Livestream Learning option and invested in a camera and microphone system in all grade 1-12 classrooms. (The pedagogy and the complexity of the Montessori classroom structure makes Livestream Learning infeasible when in-person learning is available.) 

This video explains how the system works.

This Livestream Learning option is available for specific situations that may prevent students from in-person learning: 

  1. International students who live in a country more than four time zones away from Cincinnati and are not able to enter the United States.
  2. Students with underlying health conditions who cannot risk infection from COVID-19. 
  3. Immediate family members who have underlying health conditions and cannot risk the student perhaps being exposed at school and bringing the infection into the home. 
  4. Students or parents who are anxious about in-person learning during the pandemic and have supporting medical documentation.
  5. Students quarantined due to COVID-19 exposure, but otherwise healthy.
  6. Other approved absences: students home sick, college visits, artistic performances, academic, competitions, special athletic events, etc.  Livestream Learning is not to be used for vacations, athletic training, etc.  

To participate in Livestream Learning, the student must be approved by the director of the division.  Teachers should not be approached to turn on Livestream Learning or record classes.  Classes which have an approved absent or Livestream Learning student will be streamed live. The class will be recorded if it has an international student living more than four time zones away and the class occurs after 11 p.m. where the student resides or it has a student with an approved absence.  Otherwise, we expect healthy students approved for Livestream Learning to view the class in real time. Recordings will be retained for 14 days. Class requirements for students who cannot be in the building are the same as those who learn in the building. The teacher has the final say on how assessments will be conducted for Livestream Learners.  When in-the-building learning is available, students not attending in person will not be allowed to engage in after school sports or in-person activities.  This is consistent with normal school policy.  

Situations #1-5 
If you fall into one of these situations, you will enter into an agreement with the school to participate in Livestream Learning.  Please submit this request form to the division director. 

  • If you are approved for Livestream Learning, healthy domestic students are expected to attend each remote class live each day.  Healthy international students are expected to view the recorded classes the next day.
  • If students are too sick to attend classes, they must report their absence to the division admin by 8:15 a.m. each day.   

Situation #6 
Students have the option to view the class live or view the recording later or not view it at all. We do not expect students to view classes if they are too sick to do so.  Otherwise, depending on the reason for the approved absence, students may be expected to livestream into class, especially for class discussions, labs, tests and quizzes.  Short notice absences may result in unavailable class recordings early in the day.

Even though we are living through a pandemic, it is important that Summit students keep learning regardless of their personal circumstances.  These protocols may be updated at any time