Like so many other public meetings during the time of coronavirus, the Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Board of Education meeting was held mostly using the Zoom meeting app on Monday night. The meeting had a full slate of topics, many of which dealt with how the district would handle the state-mandated school shutdown now in place until at least the end of April.
During the meeting, the board was asked to support the plan the district submitted to the Iowa Department of Education last week for continuing learning for the next couple of weeks. Superintendent Dr. Bob Olson explained districts were confronted with three options: do nothing for the next few weeks and having to make up the hours later, requiring school work, or the third option that they decided on, which is providing “voluntary educational enrichment opportunities.”
Olson said this was by far the best and most feasible option for the district at this point. Under this plan, the district will provide diverse learning opportunities for all grade levels. These include things like Zoom meeting learning sessions, Google classroom work, written packets, in addition to personal calls from teachers. With this option, work cannot be required or graded, though it can be assessed with qualitative written comments. Teachers and administrators are also working with ELL and special education students and those other special populations to create meaningful instructional opportunities.
Olson noted that at this point, the district is not in a place where they can require instruction due to some families not having internet access and not all students having devices. The district has purchased 50 Wi-Fi hotspots that will soon be engaged at students’ homes who need them, though Olson said more are needed to cover all the students in the district who are currently without internet access. More devices will also soon be in the hands of students at all grade levels, as the lower elementary grades did not previously have them. Elementary Principal Tricia Rosendahl said this was always the plan for those grades to get devices, though because of the circumstances, it has been moved up a few months. There is also some additional funding being offered to help with these plans.
The different principals are optimistic that students will participate in these learning opportunities even though they are voluntary. Middle School Principal Steve Haberman said they had were pleased to see around 80% participation in some Zoom learning sessions held early in the week. High School Principal Sheila Hudson added, “Although this plan is voluntary, students are encouraged to regularly complete work that will help them to be prepared for the next course or grade level. Teachers are available to provide feedback to students and families. This feedback will help teachers, students and families understand what materials students should practice in order to be prepared for the 2020-2021 school year.”
Olson said with the efforts the district is now making, they may be able to move toward more “required” learning if schools remain shutdown for the rest of the year. That call may be made by the end of the week as districts are pressuring Governor Reynolds to make a decision.
