Connection High School Disclosure
Please be sure to also read the Connection High FAQ located on our website.
Learning Management System (LMS)
Our Learning Management System (the system that we use to deliver our content) is called
Canvas. Online learning takes a lot of planning, scheduling and self-motivation. It will be
beneficial for students and parents to work together to help answer questions, and provide
support.
Getting Started with Canvas
Always log in to Canvas using the student’s dropdown on the Granite Connection High
website. To log into Canvas students use the same username and password they use to log
into any school computer.
Canvas Quickstart Guide:
All Granite School District secondary teachers have a Canvas page. Many students are
familiar with navigating Canvas from their boundary school face to face courses. However,
that is not the case for all students. A detailed quickstart guide can be found at the
following link http://guides.instructure.com/m/8470
Setting your Preferences in Canvas
Be sure to take time to set your notification preferences in Canvas. The tutorial on how to
do this is under the quickstart guide or can be found here –
http://guides.instructure.com/s/2204/m/8470/l/73162-how-do-i-set-my-notificationpreferences
Contacting the Instructor
Communication between student and instructor is vital. The instructor should always be
the first contact when there is a question about the course. Teachers can be emailed
through the students’ “Inbox” within Canvas. It is located on the top right side of the screen.
They may also be reached through Granite District email. Remember your rules of
netiquette when asking your instructor for assistance.
Attendance
Students are expected to check into their courses every other day, just as they would
during a block schedule in school. If a student has not logged in for an extended period of
time and has not completed any work or responded to any emails from the instructor or
district representative by midterm, they will be dropped from the course. If a student is
dropped from a course, they can re-register for the class at the beginning of the next term.
If a student starts the course then gets behind, it is difficult to make-up all of their missed
work by the end of the term deadlines.
Assignments
Students are expected to complete assignments to the best of their ability as grades are
based on the quality and accuracy of the work they turn in. It is important that you check
the information in each course for current assignment criteria. For example, some
instructors require assignments be completed at 70% before the next assignment will be
opened. Some instructors will not allow or give credit for assignments turned in after the
due date. It would also be up to the instructor whether or not they allow re-submissions of
work for more points. It is important to read all of the information provided by the
instructor in order to complete the assignments successfully.
Acceptable Formats
The Canvas System works best with certain file types. If work is submitted in anything
other than these formats, it will not be graded. Please submit your work in one of the
following formats (.pdf files being the easiest to send and read):





Word documents: .doc or .docx files
Adobe documents: .pdf
Presentation Files: .ppt or .pptx
Media Files: .jpg (picture), .mpg3 or 4, .mpeg3 or 4 (audio or video)
Google docs: As long as you share it correctly.
These files cannot be opened by your instructors:



Cloud files you have hosted in Amazon, iTunes etc.
iWorks files that save as .pages files.
Word pad files .rtf files.
Adobe .pdf files will always load in Canvas. To do this in Word, Click “File,” and “Save As.”
The box to name and select where you want your work saved pops up. At the bottom you
will see “Save as Type,” click on the drop down menu and select “PDF.”
Web Browser
It is important to note that web browsers and which version of a web browser can effect
user experience in different programs. If you have difficulties in a web delivered program,
it is worth trying a different web browser.
Mozilla Firefox is the web browser that works best with Canvas. Get the free download:
http://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/new/
Grades
Students will receive the grade they have earned at the end of the term; it will be posted on
their transcript and will affect their GPA and credit. If a student does not complete a course
that is required for graduation, they will be deficient in credit. Teachers will keep grades
updated in Canvas and will post summary grades in Granite’s Gradebook. Parents may
check summary grades in Gradebook, but to view each assignments grade, they will need to
look in Canvas.
Due Dates
Each assignment has a due date. Students may or may not be marked late on assignments
depending on the instructor. In some courses all assignments need to be completed by the
end of the term before the student can take the proctored final. Also, some instructors will
lock assignments after a certain time. If a student stays close to the due dates when
completing assignments they will be right on track to complete the course by the end of the
term. Students must carefully read the instructors information as the due dates and
deadlines are well-defined in each course.
Dropping a Course
Students may drop a course up to the midterm date of each term. To drop a course, contact
Granite Connection High School at 385-646-5435. If a student does not drop their course
by midterm, they will receive the grade they earned when they stopped their coursework,
which could include an “F”. In this case, the student will need to work with their counselor
to see what credit recovery options are available.
Final Proctored Exam
Students will be required to pass (at least 70%) a final proctored exam to earn credit in
earn course. A proctor is a person who watches over a student during an examination.
These proctored exams must be taken in person at Granite Connection High School (501 E.
3900 S.). If a student does not pass a final, the grade will be recorded as an F, and the
student will need to discuss credit recovery options with their counselor. To schedule your
final proctored exam, you will need to call the school at 385-646-5435. You must make an
appointment in advance and have a photo ID to take the exam.
Observing a Course
Parents and counselors can view their students’ courses as observers, which will mean they
can see how their student is doing in each of their courses. Parents or counselors interested
in this option need to contact the school at 385-646-5435.
Cheating/Plagiarism
Cheating or plagiarism on a test or assignment will result in an “F” for that work and
possibly the entire course.
Cheating includes using any information from the course while taking the final proctored
exam, using someone else’s work and turning it in as your own, or letting parents or others
do your coursework for you.
Plagiarism is copying anyone’s words and submitting them as your own. Do not copy
information from anywhere, word for word, unless it is credited to the author in your work.
Do not cut and paste information from the web and paste it into your assignment. Even
paraphrasing without the author’s consent is considered plagiarism. Your teachers will be
checking your work for plagiarism.
Internet Etiquette = Netiquette
Sometimes people are willing to do and say things over the internet that they know they
wouldn’t or shouldn’t do in person. Please keep netiquette rules in mind when interacting
in a class.










Check your spellings
Avoid all CAPS
Avoid personal insults
Don’t lie
Avoid writing lengthy responses
Respect others privacy
No slang
Avoid spamming
Stick to the topic
Never give your user ID or password to anyone