Many Lehigh Valley educators plan to send two weeks worth of classwork to students -- if they haven’t already -- after Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf ordered all K-12 schools to shut down for 10 business days in an effort to thwart the spread of the coronavirus.
The state Department of Education Sunday released additional guidance for Pennsylvania schools about the instruction of students and operation of Pre-K Counts and Head Start supplemental programs during the COVID-19 mitigation efforts. Educational services include flexible instruction days for districts/schools with approved plans; online/digital learning opportunities; and non-digital learning opportunities, such as materials being sent to homes.
The decision to use one or more of the those methods, however, continues to be made on the local level of the districts based on feasibility, availability of resources, access and equity considerations, as well as the state’s social distancing recommendations. Local districts are required to provide full access to learning for all students, with particular attention to appropriate public education for students with disabilities and English as a second language services for English Learners, according to the state.
No school district will be penalized for not meeting the minimum 180-day/hours requirements as a result of COVID-19 response efforts, according to the state Department of Education. Students in the Lehigh Valley currently are scheduled to return back to school on Monday, March 30.
In Phillipsburg, district superintendent Gregory Troxell said the preparedness plan for the next two weeks includes online, digital, pen and paper instruction, project-based assignments and assessment packets. Staff are beginning to prepare up to two weeks worth of classwork. The lessons are developmentally appropriate and limit screen time for young children.
Assignments are being handed in for grading through such online platforms as Google classroom and in other cases, being saved for when students return to school.
Other school districts, such as Whitehall-Coplay, aren’t mandating any formal instruction, according to the district’s website. Most, however, are encouraging students to at least keep up with their schoolwork.
The Easton Area School District is directing parents to online educational materials, a message on the website states. Students left behind all district-issued iPads in classrooms as a result of no formal instruction being required, it added.
“Nevertheless, the district encourages students to seek independent learning opportunities,” the memo states. “District administrators are collating resources and materials that will support learning during the closure.”
In a letter to parents Monday evening, Pen Argyl Area School District Superintendent W.M. Schlegel said individual school principals would be sending parents information on how to extend learning opportunities that could be enhanced through the use of the student’s Chrome books. Students who left Chrome books behind at school were being asked to fill out online surveys in order to retrieve them.
The Nazareth Area School District also isn’t requiring formal alternative educational days. All assignments that were previously scheduled to be completed and submitted from Monday through March 27 are postponed to a later date, yet to be determined, said district Superintendent Dennis Riker.
However, he said students are being encouraged to “continue in a learning mindset” and review concepts and skills that are applicable to their course and grade-level work.
“As the situation continues to evolve, we will reevaluate our position during this 10-day closure,” Riker stated in a memo to parents on the district’s website Monday afternoon. “The district is prepared to provide educational opportunities for our students in the event of a school closure that extends beyond March 30, 2020.”
The Bethlehem Area School District is treating the first 10-day closure like a snow day, said Jack Silva, chief academic officer and assistant superintendent. This means the district is not requiring assignments or graded work during the period.
"Teachers may share virtual content that reviews and reinforces skills and subjects students have already learned in class. We are not pressing forward on new stuff or graded stuff,” Silva said. “It is for minimizing learning loss for the 10 days.”
Much of the enrichment work will be online, but the district recognizes a large chunk of its student body does not have internet access at home. So, printed worksheets and activities will be available at eight bagged meal pick-up locations the district plans to open Tuesday. If the closure extends beyond these two weeks, the district will contact families about more formalized instruction.
Teachers are using the closure time to ramp up their skills and online learning materials in recognition the closure could be longer, Silva said. He praised teachers and principals for their hard work and the concern they’re showing for students and families.
Bethlehem Area School District Superintendent Joseph Roy also gave a video update to parents on Monday, echoing educational materials would be made available online and videos for parents also would be be available on ways to access the information.
"So please stick with us and bear with us as we try to convert from having kids come every day with their teachers to providing some learning experiences beyond (in-school instruction),” Roy said.
Reporter Sara K. Satullo contributed to this report.
Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. If there’s anything about this story that needs attention, please email her. Follow her on Twitter @pamholzmann. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
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