Secondary Supervisor Guides

Parent supervisors are responsible for the supervision and duty of care to support their child’s success in their SIDE study programs.

Effective communication between parents, students, teachers and the Regional Coordinator is essential.

Parents are responsible for providing:

• a functional workspace
• digital requirements and hardware
• provision of adequate time for SIDE students to enable them to engage their academic studies
• resources as per the school Booklist
• notification of student absences
  
  
• actively communicate with the SIDE Regional Coordinator and teachers
• support SIDE students with their day-to-day studies including attending online lessons
• ensure students complete their scheduled work according to their subject requirements, timelines and assessment policies
• where applicable supervise assessments
• supply details of approved supervisors for specialised external assessments and examinations

Go to SUPPORTING STUDENT ORGANISATION tab for details on how to support your SIDE student.

• Read Fast Track to SIDE for more detail about online learning at SIDE and support for your child’s education.
• Contact your child’s Student Coordinator who enrols and monitors your child during their time at SIDE.
• Be familiar with the SIDE website.

• be organised
• be effective in their time management
• communicate regularly with their teachers and Student Coordinator
• ask questions
• visit SIDE
• stay connected, read Moodle announcements, and news and newsletter articles on the website
• set up a suitable work area that includes:
  • required IT resources
  • phone
  • storage area for materials
  • desk, chair and general stationery
  • resources from Booklist.

Check Fast Track to SIDE for further details about IT resources.

• If your child is new to SIDE an email will be sent to the email address provided with Getting Started at SIDE in the subject line.
  • It is sent to the email address provided at enrolment. If this has changed contact the Student Coordinator immediately.
  • Some new students not based in a public school will be sent a second email about their password.
  • From 2021 all SIDE students will use their Department of Education email for all further communication. Remember to check the Junk Mail folder.
• Students who are:
  • new to SIDE and commencing at the beginning of the school year will receive their start email toward the end of January.
  • new to SIDE and commencing after the beginning of the school year will receive their start email within a few days of enrolment.
  • re-enrolling at SIDE use their Department of Education username and password to access Moodle.
• When your child logs into Moodle they will see Launchpad or Essentials. These Moodle courses provide information about studying at SIDE and starter activities. Subject courses will appear as teachers add your child to their course.
• Teachers will contact your child by phone or email regarding Webex classes and Moodle courses.

• Read Fast Track to SIDE especially the sections related to technology and getting started.
• Check Booklist and buy stationery and textbook requirements.
• Be involved. Email or phone the Student Coordinator and teachers rather than worry or wonder.
• Make sure that your child’s DoE email is working.
• Read and access support materials and resources on the SIDE website. These resources are updated regularly.
• Help your child to set up their work / study area and a list of SIDE contacts that includes their teachers and the Student Coordinator.
• Check that all teachers have contacted your child. If you don’t know who the teacher is, contact the Student Coordinator.
• Print the weekly timetable and Due Dates Calendar templates.
• Assist your child to organise and complete a weekly timetable and a semester Work Completion Calendar that includes all Webex lessons and assessment dates.
• Read and discuss SIDE’s assessment and attendance policies with your child.
• Check that your child has received an initial dispatch from SIDE and relevant resources from the SIDE Library Resource Centre.

• you have any concerns about your child
• contact details are changing
• you anticipate any planned absences
• there are unplanned absences
• there are any changes in your child’s life that may impact upon their schooling
• you have any questions.

• Parent Connect is an excellent resource for parents. It provides access to information about your child’s education, including, but not limited to:
  • your child’s classes
  • assessment results for secondary subjects
  • Interim and Semester Reports.
• Familiarise yourself with Parent Connect as it provides communication to parents about the school.
• Contact the Student Coordinator for a summary of progress in all subjects, if required.
• Be familiar with the Attendance policy and respond to teacher emails or letters of concern.
• Contact your child’s teachers to discuss progress.
• Use the Due Dates Calendar to monitor that your child is submitting work to teachers via Moodle.

• If your child is continuing at SIDE:
  • Complete the re-enrolment forms for your child or inform the Student Coordinator if your child is transferring to another school.
  • Purchase the Booklist items for subjects and courses for the following year.
• Return all kit, library resources and unused learning materials to SIDE.

School-based supervisors and students receive lots of SIDE communication by email, Moodle announcements and phone. Setting up your own way of organising these communications makes it easier to support students.

Some tips:

• If you are new to SIDE supervision read Fast Track to SIDE to find out more.
• Check your emails regularly, at least twice daily.
• Store emails so that you can find them, eg in folders by student name.
• Consider keeping a diary for important details in each week, eg student due dates, problems with IT, etc.
• Display student timetables indicating Webex lesson times and other times spent in subject/course work eg in Moodle, completing tasks, etc.
• Make sure the SIDE Student Coordinator has your phone number and knows when you are available for calls.

SIDE Website is the best source of information.

• Contact the SIDE Student Coordinator. They will usually contact you, however their details can be found at HELP & RESOURCES > SECONDARY 7-12 SUPPORT
• Confirm that students from your school are enrolled with SIDE, their subjects/courses and their SIDE timetabled lesson times. Lesson times are available on the SIDE website > 2024 TIMETABLE OPTIONS
• Ensure that students have access to a quiet and well-equipped learning environment including a workspace and suitable IT.
• Go to HELP & RESOURCES > LEARNING ONLINE > TROUBLESHOOT on the SIDE website for ICT assistance. If necessary, escalate issues you cannot sort out to the relevant level eg school IT support, Department of Education Help Desk.

Students new to SIDE

• Refer to the information under the tab.
• Ensure students activate their Moodle account by logging in once (follow instructions under HELP & RESOURCES >SUPPORT RESOURCES > STARTING AT SIDE). To log in, they require their Department of Education (DoE) username and password.
• Once students have activated their Moodle account, students will automatically be enrolled in an orientation course called SIDE Launchpad. As soon as students have been allocated to a teacher and have an active Moodle account, students will be added to their relevant subject courses and/or classrooms.
• If required ensure students have purchased texts and/or received materials from SIDE Dispatch.

Student personal organisation

Assist students to:

• make a list of SIDE contacts including phone numbers and email addresses
• create a composite Due Dates Calendar and double check these against the assessment dates provided in Moodle
• create their own timetable reflecting their SIDE timetable and their school timetable.

Resources to assist with student organisation can be downloaded from the next tab SUPPORTING STUDENT ORGANISATION.

Daily

• Contact the Student Coordinator about all student absences and ask them to advise SIDE teachers know.
• Monitor student participation, especially attendance at Webex lessons and use of Moodle.

Weekly

• Start of week – review with students work due during the week, changes in due dates, reminders, etc.
• Check students have written this information in their school diary.
• Encourage students to maintain contact with teachers especially if they have problems.
• Identify issues that may impact on student performance and discuss these with the Student Coordinator.
• Use a whiteboard for timetables or date due reminders.
• Communicate with parents as appropriate.