Hawken Remote Teaching and Learning (RTL) Resources

On this page you will find links to our “Hawken Tech Help Desk.” This enables students, employees, and parents to engage in a live chat, open new tickets, or research a technology issue. You will also find a remote learning overview for each division, suggested ways to connect with Hawken and support our community, and other important resources and galleries.

Stay in touch by revisiting this page, submitting your stories/videos, and following Hawken on social media.

Technology Support

As we manage protocols for COVID-19 and offer remote learning, Hawken’s technology team is offering the Hawken Tech Help Desk, in-person office hours by appointment, and technology drop boxes for exchanging devices.

Chat and phone are available Monday – Friday, 8:00 am –  4:00 pm


Tech Help Desk
Hawken's Help Desk allows users to live chat with the technology team, submit a help ticket, review an existing help ticket and research knowledge articles for immediate suggestions. Additionally, we use a remote assistance tool called Zoho Assist, which will allow the tech team to take control of computers remotely in order to assist with troubleshooting, adjusting settings, etc. Tech team agents are live to assist you on weekdays from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm. You can reach the Hawken Tech Help Desk by clicking the button above or by visiting help.hawken.edu.


In-Person Support
While many support cases can be handled remotely, there will be times that we need to facilitate physical repairs and/or provide student access to loaner computers. For these cases, we will be open to receive computers at the following times and locations. All pickups and drop-offs should be scheduled by opening a help ticket at help.hawken.edu. One of our technicians will coordinate with you and guide you through the process and timing of dropoff and pickup. 

Lyndhurst Campus:
M-F  
8 AM - 4 PM

Gates Mills
Campus:
M-F 
8 AM - 4 PM

University Circle Campus:
M 8:30 AM - 4 PM
T 8:30 AM - 12:30 PM
TH 8:30 AM - 12:30 PM
F 8:30 AM - 12:30 PM
 
Technology Drop-off Boxes
Outside of the hours specified above, we can receive tablets in our drop boxes. There are two drop boxes at each campus. Gates Mills boxes are right next to the entrance of the science building. At Lyndhurst, they are near the entrance of the swimming pool. In order to make an unattended drop-off, you must open a help ticket in our system. One of our techs will assign you a new combination so you will be able to open the box when you arrive. Then, when your computer is ready for pickup, our technicians will let you know which box and combination to use.

Remote Teaching and Learning at Hawken

Remote learning will be approached differently in each division of the school based on age appropriateness and developmental readiness. A combination of synchronous and asynchronous learning formats will be a part of all divisional remote learning plans. “Synchronous” means “at the same time” and refers to activities that happen together, usually in an online platform such as a videoconference session. “Asynchronous” refers to learning activities that happen independently, such as working through a packet or watching a pre-recorded video or demonstration. 

While we have learned so much over the last eight months about what the emerging best practices are in remote learning, please remember that we were not designed to be a remote school. New schedules and opportunities for community connection will not be without unexpected issues that will require us to pivot and adapt. We all need to be patient and supportive of one another as we make this shift. If you do not have or are concerned about home Internet connectivity, please see the information provided here.

List of 3 items.

  • Lower School

    Remote learning will be most varied in our Lower School. As you might imagine, there is a wide range of developmental readiness in this 9-level division, where independence is nascent even at the upper end. The difference between the capabilities of students in one grade level to the next cannot be under-estimated. Teachers know their students’ needs and are best able to address them with the latitude to shape remote learning activities to best match learning goals.
     
    In this division, the lower the level, the less remote learning will rest on technology. Activities in this division require more participation from parents. Our Lower School teachers will use Google Classroom and email (mostly to parents, depending on level) to communicate information about assignments and scheduling. Students below grade 4 have not been using email nor had instruction to do so. We may start to gradually introduce email during our remote learning sessions for grade 3, but parents in this grade and below should expect that their own emails will be the primary means for teachers to communicate information to students.
     
    Synchronous activities may happen in smaller groups or for shorter amounts of time in this division. Most video conferencing will happen through Zoom.
     
    All students in grades K-5 will have a technological device from school. Grade 5 will continue to build on their work in Microsoft OneNote and Microsoft Teams, which will be the primary platform for asynchronous activities and lessons. Parents with children in Early Childhood who do not have home devices for tech-mediated activity should contact us. We can loan out iPads as needed, but we prefer home devices when possible because we cannot manage iPads at home to the same degree we can manage our school-loaned laptops. Please contact Bryan Wamsley bwams@hawken.edu if you would like to borrow an iPad from the school.
     
    If you have any other questions about remote learning in the Lower School, the following people can be helpful to you:

    General questions about remote learning or about learning support 
    Mary Beth Hilborn (Toddler-Kindergarten)
    mhilb@hawken.edu, 440-423-2044 or
    Courtney Martin (Grades 1-5)
    cmart@hawken.edu, 440-423-2122

    Questions regarding social emotional support
    Steven Karaiskos – skara@hawken.edu, 440-423-2907

    Questions about youth sports
    Brian McLaughlin - brian.mclaughlin@hawken.edu, 440-423-4446 x351

    To report absences or if your child is sick
    Tina Ecker – 440-423-2902; be sure to complete absence form  
     
    Questions, concerns or reporting about COVID-19
    Vicki Goodrich Health@hawken.edu
  • Middle School

    In the Middle School, all students and teachers will continue to use the familiar learning management systems and online tools we have used all year, including Hawknet, OneNote, Zoom. Some faculty members will also supplement these foundational tools with other online options such as Google Classroom, Canvas, and other apps to facilitate a variety of learning goals. Hawknet and email will continue to serve as our primary sources of communication about assignments. Every Friday, students, and parents will receive a “Week-at-a-Glance Academic Schedule,” which will include your child’s class schedule as well as scheduled chapel talks, assemblies, clubs, and groups. If you have any questions about our approach to remote teaching and learning in the Middle School, please reach out to Dr. Michelle Harris at mharr@hawken.edu. Parents may direct specific questions about the philosophy and application of instructional technology tools to Dr. Ryan Wooley at rwool@hawken.edu.
     
    If you have questions or concerns during remote learning, please know that the below list of resources is available to you:

    Questions on remote learning
    Dr. Michelle Harris mharr@hawken.edu, 440-423-2933

    Questions about technology tools
    Dr. Ryan Wooley rwool@hawken.edu, 440-423-2990

    Questions about specific classes
    Reach out to faculty member directly

    Questions about general academic support
    Reach out to the faculty member first. Next, include the advisor in the situation. If more support is needed, Vonceil Strobel will be included (vstro@hawken.edu)

    Questions regarding social emotional support
    Gregg Moses – gmose@hawken.edu; 440-423-2922

    Questions about athletics
    Greg Marmaros - greg.marmaros@hawken.edu; 440-423-2063

    To report absences
    Amy Lee – 440-423-2903; complete absence form

    Questions, concerns or reporting about COVID-19 Health@hawken.edu
  • Upper School

    Students and teachers at our Upper School will work primarily from Canvas, the familiar learning management system that has been in place there for the past four years. Each course has an asynchronous home base in Canvas. For synchronous activities, Upper School students will use mostly Zoom for video-conferencing sessions with teachers and classmates.
     
    Canvas and email will be the primary sources of information about assignments and class scheduling. Of course, teachers may supplement these foundational tools with others that help to facilitate the learning goals of their classes. OneNote, Google G Suite and a host of other tools will serve as extensions. Questions about remote learning in the Upper School can be directed to Rennie Greenfield: rgree@hawken.edu.
     
    If you have questions or concerns during remote learning, please know that the below list of resources is available to you:

    Questions on remote learning
    Rennie Greenfield - rgree@hawken.edu, 440-423-2026

    Questions about specific classes
    Reach out to faculty member directly

    Questions about general academic support
    Rick Tate; rtate@hawken.edu, 440-423-4446 x552

    Questions regarding social emotional support
    Dr. Nicole Pucci – npucc@hawken.edu, 440-423-2943 or
    Dr. Ashley Poklar - ashley.poklar@hawken.edu, 440-423-2085

    Questions about athletics
    Jim Doyle – jdoyl@hawken.edu, 440-423-2108

    To report absences
    Lisa Gilbert – 440-423-2904; be sure to complete absence form  

    Questions, concerns or reporting about COVID-19
    Health@hawken.edu

Stay Connected Together with Hawken

While we can’t be together in person, we want to make sure Hawken stays connected together online. We want to hear from you - our students, parents, teachers, alumni, grandparents, school leaders, and friends – so we encourage you to share your news and ideas with us. Below you can submit photos and videos of school/life at home, share a gratitude, or even offer ideas for how to give back. We’ll then share your updates and ideas with the Hawken community. News, video, and photos can also be emailed to news@hawken.edu or you can tag us on social media. #HawkenConnectedTogether
An independent, coeducational, college preparatory day school, toddler through grade 12

Early Childhood, Lower, and Middle Schools, 5000 Clubside Rd, Lyndhurst, OH 44124
Birchwood School of Hawken, 4400 West 140th Street, Cleveland, OH 44135 

Upper School, PO Box 8002 (12465 County Line Rd), Gates Mills, OH 44040
Mastery School of Hawken, 11025 Magnolia Dr, Cleveland, OH 44106

Gries Center, 10823 Magnolia Dr, Cleveland, OH 44106

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