Remote learning methods continue to evolve
By Donnie A. Lucas
With just over two weeks of instruction remaining, local school officials are preparing for the end of what undoubtably has been the strangest school year in memory.
Both the secondary and elementary campuses will continue to deliver instructional content online or with printed packets that must be picked up once each week.
While both campus principals say that participation in remote learning has been successful, there are still some students who have not participated completely or at all.
Secondary Update
“Things have gone pretty well at our campus,” secondary principal Edward Morales said. “We do have some, including a handful of seniors, who aren’t doing everything they should, and time is running out.”
At the junior high and high school campus, the majority of assignments are being delivered online through Google Classroom. There are a few students who have gotten printed packets due to issues with the internet or who lack internet connections.
Paper packets will continue to be available the next two Mondays for the secondary campus with all assignments completed and turned in by Friday, May 15.
Senior students have one week less to complete assignments in order to prepare for graduation. Their deadline is Friday, May 8, but some seniors may have to continue to complete work if they have not met all graduation requirements.
Seniors will also need to come to the school on Monday, May 11 at appointed times to pick up caps and gowns, turn in computers and other school property, in addition to cleaning out lockers.
Students in grades seven through 11 will be scheduled to turn in items and clean lockers at designated times on May 18-20.
Morales said that seniors who haven’t completed work for a class or on the computerized credit recovery system will have the extra 10 days before graduation to finish the work.
“Any senior who isn’t finished will have to do the work one way or another,” Morales said, “even if that means coming to summer school before they get their diploma. This is not going away.”
Elementary Procedures
Elementary principal John Gallagher sent out a message to parents on Tuesday with a couple of minor changes to the procedure being used to deliver assignments to elementary students.
“So that we aligned better with what the high school is doing, we have changed the last day to turn in work to Friday, May 15,” he said. “That will also be the day that students will return Chromebooks or other school property, along with picking up a summer reading program challenge.”
Originally, the final turn-in date had been set for May 8, and that was extended by a week.
Gallagher said that instructions for a voluntary summer reading program for each grade level will be handed out on May 15.
“We want everyone to enjoy the summer while continuing to read through the summer break and dive into some good books,” he said. “We will have some type of rewards or incentives for students who complete the challenge when school starts again in August.”
Parents will be able to pick up and drop off work the next three Fridays from 10:00 a.m. until 12:30 p.m.
Breakfast and lunches prepared by school staff will continue to be available from 11:00 a.m. until 11:45 a.m. each weekday. Meals will continue to be prepared through Wednesday, May 20, which was originally scheduled as the last day of classes.
The meals are available to all students, but parents need to call the elementary office at 762-3384 to sign up in advance.
It was also noted that the school track facility at the high school has been opened for residents to use for walking or jogging. Social distancing and limiting the size of groups is still recommended.
