School districts develop plans, implement online learning

Kiski Area School District, like many other districts, will begin teaching students remotely this week, relying on Google tools, email and the cooperation of parents to stream lectures and distribute assignments.

It’s going to be a challenge, Superintendent Tim Scott said. But at this point, there are few options.

“We’re going to put our best plan forward, knowing that as soon as we implement that will be an opportunity to begin making adjustments.”

With school buildings closed until at least April 6, the state Department of Education has urged all school districts to move forward with “continuity of education” plans, as the school year will not extend past June 30.

Here’s a look at how to get more information for every school district in the region.

On Wednesday, state Education Secretary Pedro Rivera said districts should proceed “in good faith” with whatever resources they have.

“Every district should be planning and moving into some sort of continuity of education,” Rivera said. “When it comes to access and equity for all students, that’s an area where we, as a department, are asking districts to make reasonable and appropriate efforts in good faith.”

Now, area school districts are grappling with the best way to proceed with online or distance learning strategies. Before implementing remote instruction, several districts were evaluating their students’ resources — internet connection, access to computers and devices. Districts also had to determine how they would serve students with special needs without face-to-face instruction — a dilemma that had caused some leaders to cancel assignments altogether.

But now, with the state’s blessing, many districts are ready to start rolling out their plans, not wanting to waste another day of instruction.

District staff in the Franklin Regional School District underwent online professional development training from March 25-27, with non-traditional instruction starting Monday by way of Google Classroom, the Zoom.us video conferencing website and other online learning tools.

Students will not physically report to school but will receive attendance credit if they engage in and complete teacher-directed learning activities.

“The District expects that all students will complete their learning activities and assignments as if they were in school. Because we are counting Continuity of Education Plan days toward our days of instruction, students should expect to engage in rigorous work,” Franklin Regional Superintenent Gennaro Piraino wrote in a letter to parents. “However, teachers recognize and will account for the fact that many parents are working remotely and are not able to provide constant support for their children’s educational programming.”

Kiski Area students in fifth through 12th grades will be using school-issued Chromebooks to complete lessons and assignments.

Kindergarten through fourth-graders, who don’t have Chromebooks, will use Google Classroom and email to receive assignments. The district is buying Verizon Jetpacks — mobile hotspots — for students with unreliable internet access, and boosting its tech support services during the transition.

Internet access a priority

Internet access has been a major factor in planning a continuity of instruction for many districts in the area.

Leechburg Area School District began distance learning almost immediately after Gov. Wolf’s first announcement March 13, said Superintendent Tiffany Nix. Knowing that a large proportion of the district’s 800 students do not have internet access, she said the district was hand-delivering packets of class materials to students. Nix sent out a message to students Tuesday with a new plan, asking parents to pick up packets of learning materials Thursday.

It is a stressful transition, and she knows it will place another burden on parents. But Nix said her priority is to make sure schools are doing all they can to continue teaching.

“Students will not be penalized for trying their best,” she said.

The New Kensington-Arnold and Plum school districts released more information Friday about their remote teaching plan that starts Monday.

New Ken-Arnold is set up for online classes but also has a plan for kids who don’t have a computer at home.

Students without computer access can pick up work packets. Elementary student packets will be available weekly at the student meal delivery sites already announced between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Wednesdays. Student work packets can be picked up by a friend or neighbor.

In Plum, students will be taught and receive assignments via email through Google Classroom. They are to be completed at home and turned in to the teachers via email. Student assignments and materials will be available at the school building for parents who don’t have access to the internet.

More information about Plum’s distance learning, including the CEP digital backpack and other resources for families, can be found on the district’s website at pbsd.net.

Remote learning requires creativity

Transitioning to remote learning — especially for elementary grades — requires a sense of creativity, said Jennifer Beagan, a senior program director at the Allegheny Intermediate Unit.

Beagan said some schools in the region are adapting an existing online instruction program, Waterfront Learning. Some teachers are making videos for children to watch, and others are designing project-based curricula. There is talk of equipping school buses with Wi-Fi and driving them through more rural areas to give students a better range of internet availability.

“There is no doubt that all of our school districts are working tirelessly to meet the needs of students and families,” Beagan said. “Our districts are strong, the students are resilient and our staff are just champions for continuity of learning.”

Elementary school teachers in the Clairton City School District have been reading books to students on Facebook Live, said Superintendent Ginny Hunt. Up to this point, all work provided to students by the district has been “enrichment work” — optional.

But official assignments will begin March 30, and Hunt said the district is prepared to use Google Classrooms and a variety of other digital applications to teach. Even textbooks, she said, are available online.

In the past week and a half, the district has distributed Chromebooks that were left in the school to students who don’t have the necessary technology, and printed packets of materials will be distributed to students without internet access. Hunt said the district will reassess the process and adjust, if needed, every five days.

Hunt said she’s been impressed by her teachers’ ability to adapt to the new challenge.

“I know some of them are going to struggle a little bit, but they’re rising to the standard,” Hunt said. “They’re willing to learn it.”

At Kiski Area, Scott said teachers and administrators are just eager to get back to work. They will figure out the logistics as they go along, if they must.

“I can’t predict what the secretary (of Education) or governor or anybody else is going to do, or what mandate will be placed on us,” he said. “We’re educators. We work with kids. It’s what we do.

“We’re going to try to continue to do that, and we’ll adjust as necessary.”