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Date: 4/2/2020
ENFIELD, CT – What exactly is entailed in the “distance learning” that over 5,000 Enfield students, from pre-kindergarten to grade 12, are participating in? Superintendent of Schools, Christopher Drezek, explained how, in anticipation of the likelihood of school closures, things were handled.
Staff was pulled from all grade levels to put together paper packets that would be exactly the same assignments for each grade level. In other words, each first grader would be working on the same thing, as would each fifth grader. The packets were reviewed by a special education case manager and/or a certified English language learner teacher to be certain that those students’ packages were adjusted for their needs. Learning equity was a priority, taking into account those families that do not have access to computers, iPads or Wi-Fi, for instance. These packets were sent home with the students on March 12, and school was cancelled that evening.
Teachers were instructed to be available online between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. They were also told to “be as creative as you like” in maintaining contact with their students and families, and to enhance the learning experience. That includes using emails, Facebook, phone calls, and Facetime. More online learning is taking place at the high school level, since all Enfield High School students are provided with an iPad.
When asked how and if the work being done at home was being graded, Drezek explained that in order for that to happen a waiver from the State Department of Education was required, and obtained. Now, however, educators are being told “do the best you can,” and it is likely that a Pass/Fail system will be used for the remainder of the year. All state and national assessments have been cancelled for the year, except for the SATs and Advanced Placement exams. The school systems are currently working with the College Board to develop a plan for these assessment tests.
Drezek commented that he has been overwhelmed with encouraging feedback from parents and grandparents who have been very appreciative that the initial work went home when it did. Many towns are still struggling to set up their distance learning program. The work that was originally sent home covers lesson plans up to April 3. Additional educational materials needed after that will be distributed virtually as much as possible (online or posted to the website) and mailed out to the families who need that service. The upcoming, week-long April break begins on Good Friday, April 10, and the schools hope to have further guidance from the Governor by April 20, when classes would normally resume.
When it comes to those enrolled at Catholic schools or individuals who are homeschooled, Reminder Publishing checked in with Stephanie Stauble, a second grade teacher at St. Bernard Catholic School, for an example of how they are handling the situation. She said, “To get set-up for distance learning, I initially created a two-week long plan that was sent to parents when the school closure announcement was made.
“A majority of the work was found on MobyMax, which is an online learning program that provides lessons and practice for all subject areas that St. Bernard School uses. Throughout the year, this program has helped my students practice skills we’ve been working on as well as learn new ones. We have been using the program weekly in class, as well as home reinforcement since the beginning of the year, so they were all already familiar with it. MobyMax is also able to track progress and records a score for each lesson completed by a student, which I am able to access and see exactly what they’re doing. If they do poorly on a lesson, I can look into it and see exactly what they got wrong and adjust my teaching to help them out. With this distance learning, I am able to assign them easier lessons to help strengthen the targeted skill so they can be successful moving forward. I then put together a packet of printout resources so my students aren’t staring at a computer screen for too long. The packet included math, reading, social studies, science, and spelling resources. This was sent to all my families within the first week of school being closed.
“I am in constant contact with my parents and students. I have them check in with me every day through an app I started using this year called ClassTag. This app allows me (as well as my families) to make announcements, share files, pictures, and interact with one another through post comments and messaging. I also get to teach live online through Zoom every week. After checking in with some families, they told me the children were using Zoom to see each other and they invited me to a couple of these fun sessions. Now, talking and getting feedback from my parents, I was able to design a schedule where I set up a ‘meeting’ on Zoom three times a week. My students can log on and we can work on a live lesson together. I use the packet of printouts I made and we have been getting together virtually and working through it. I get to see and interact with my students and they get to do the same with me, as well have a virtual visit with their friends. Each session is also recorded and sent to any student that wasn’t able to make the live lesson.
“To ensure they are doing the work, I can physically see them working through Zoom and they actively participate in discussions. Those students that aren’t able to make a live session send me a picture of the lesson’s completed assignment. I also monitor their work in MobyMax daily as well,” she closed.
An Enfield family that homeschools their children is the Sullivans, whose six children range in age from 7 to 15. Mom Katie Sullivan says, “We haven’t had much change to our school day since the social distancing began. The only change for us is not being able to go to our co-op with other homeschoolers who we normally meet with twice a week.” That particular co-op includes 25 other families, with a total of 85 children from pre-kindergarten to 12th grade. They follow lesson plans from the Mother of Divine Grace Academy.
Sullivan continued, “When I asked my 10-year-old daughter, Mikaila, if she noticed anything different in her school day, she replied ‘yes.’ She misses seeing her friends every Monday and Thursday at our co-op meetings. Other than that, our outside support systems are still available to us via the internet and phone. My older children, who are in 8th and 10th grade, are able to access their classes through apps called Zoom, Free Conference Call, or Google Hangouts. My children are still able to talk with their tutors and friends over the computer and phone. Although it’s not the same as being in actual contact, it’s a small sacrifice to make for the safety and well-being of everyone as we go through this pandemic.”
As the crisis continues, The State Department of Education summed up the situation this way, “Safety is first, education is second. Do the best you can. Keep yourselves and your families safe.”