AIM Remote Learning

Providing Innovative Teaching

for Fearless Learners Online

Despite required school closures in March 2020, AIM Academy provided meaningful learning opportunities to all of our students using remote learning tools and platforms allowing for live classes, continuation of important one-on-one work including speech and occupational therapy services and opportunities to stay connected social with friends and faculty alike.

AIM depended on parent and student feedback, dedicated and creative teachers and a tech team committed to problem solving and embracing change. All AIM students in our Lower, Middle and Upper School had a full schedule of live online classes to attend 4 days a week. Wednesdays were reserved for teacher preparation as well as tech-free afternoons to encourage students and families to get outdoors and away from their screens.

As AIM prepares to reopen campus with our AIM Way Reopening plan, we are continuing to provide remote learning opportunities for students. Our Virtual Open Houses will remain in place this fall. We hope you will join us.

AIM at Home

 

 

Remote Learning Highlight Videos

Lower School

Middle School

Upper School

Thank you so much for pulling this together! Support with Wilson and writing is particularly vital for my child and I really appreciate the teachers’ support through the Zooms."

Lower School Parent

During remote learning, AIM Lower School students in 1st-5th grade had a full online schedule of classes four days a week with plenty of breaks included for lunch, play and even supervised snack time should a parent need some extra hands on deck (or on screen). Regular reading, math, writing, Interactive Humanities and Wilson Language lessons allow teachers to continue providing direct instruction, repeated practice, experience, and loops of feedback that are hallmarks of AIM's program and critical for our fearless learners.

Students don't miss out on their special subject and club activities either with regular classes scheduled for Art, Music, PE and Makerspace as well as for extracurricular clubs including Reading Olympics and Girls on the Run. And on Wednesday, in addition to having work to complete in the morning, they are given fun suggestions for afternoon tech-free activities like learning to play hopscotch, drawing with sidewalk chalk or writing a poem after taking a walk listening to and looking for birds.

 

I’m so pleased with how quickly AIM seemed to pivot to online learning and how wonderful the teachers/staff have handled this situation.  The constant emails of encouragement to the students and updates to parents are wonderful. Yet another reason that we are so happy with our decision to send [our son] to AIM."

Middle School Parent

AIM's 6th-8th grade students are enjoying a full load of online classes. Their scheuled allows them important opportunities to spend virtual time with their peers and continue their focused studies in English and Language Arts, Science, Math and Interactive Humanities as well as PE and their elective classes including Outride biking, STEAM, Art, Music and Media Arts.

We are also making sure that Middle Schoolers, for whom social connection is so important, have plenty of opportunity to spend time in fun activities with their peers through after school clubs and even a Friday movie night Zoom call where teachers and students alike danced and sang and enjoyed plenty of junk food.

The commitment to the students by all of the faculty has been outstanding when faced with this new teaching format, there was never a missed step or lack of communication with parents or students. Well done to all!!!

Upper School Parent

Upper School students from freshman to our college-bound seniors are adapting to live online classes that allow AIM teachers to offer explicit literacy-based instruction, use visual learning clues and create relevant learning environments with a positive classroom culture. Students are still creating, connecting and discovering new things.

Click on the image to see Director of Robotics and Engineering Rob Ervin's video demonstration on simple machines.

Our AIM seniors, who returned from their Senior Seminar travel to Germany, Austria and Switzerland shortly before the school closure, are hard at work continuing their now online dual-enrollment college classes and finalizing work on their Capstone Project, a culminating piece of work related to their Senior Seminar course that includes a research paper, presentation and a 3D representation of their work.

 

AIM Cares

Online Uno Game - Remote Learning

Guidance for Students and Families

AIM's Integrated Services division includes certified psychologists assigned to each academic division at the school. Dr. McMahon, Dr. Spatz-McNeary and Dr. Zielinski have worked hard during this new remote learning environment to find ways to continue to support the emotional health of all of our students. Examples include: "visiting" classes to see how students are handling the new classroom format, continuing progress monitoring with teachers and connecting with parents, having check-in sessions with students - whether it's lunching together over Zoom or maybe even playing a game of online Uno. Look for some of their recommended resources below for tips on helping your child at home.

Community Service - Finding Ways to Help Others

AIM students, staff and families have been finding ways to help and thank others during this unprecedented time with Lower School students writing thank you notes to health care workers, a Middle Schooler sewing face masks, and AIM's growing 3D printing work to support health care workers spearheaded by an AIM Lower School parent that was recently featured in the Main Line Times. Like many other schools AIM's Ultimaker 3 printers are running almost non-stop producing 3D printed face shields for health care workers throughout the Philadelphia area. They have produced 200 shields so far and are fielding requests for more than 500 total. The products are collected following safe social distancing protocols and more schools and individuals are offering their assistance. If you are interested in joining the AIM Face Shield team please email Kathy Brandon at kbrandon@aimpa.org for details.

 

Supporting All Families

Parents' Guide to Remote Learning

Providing families with tools and suggestions for navigating this new educational world is critical as we seek to support not just academic growth but positive mental health during this time of crisis. Please use these resources culled by our faculty, AIM psychologists and AIM research partners as you look for tools to help your family and children during this unprecedented time.