- Let’s start with a couple of non-pandemic-related stories. First up: Another end run around the requirement to sell surplus district buildings to charter schools. (Elyria Chronicle, 4/15/20) Second: While this story from Marlington Local Schools, noting the ridiculous ins and outs of the latest board meeting there, does have some reference to the ‘rona—especially the expensive Tale of the Two Treasurers—I am pretty sure that this level of dysfunction and whining predates SARS-CoV-2. Heck, it probably predates the Cretaceous. (Canton Repository, 4/17/20)
- We go back to the Elyria area for another piece featuring the parent perspective on distance learning. Parents who are teachers, that is. One tells us that this experience has “renewed her faith in the education system.” (Elyria Chronicle, 4/16/20)
- Here’s a look at how Horizon Science Academy in Cleveland is handling online education, with a focus on English and algebra. Kudos for the brief discussion of the virtual work of the school’s intervention specialist as well. (Ideastream, Cleveland, 4/17/20)
- Here is another look at coronavirus-mitigation-required online career tech education, this time in the Canton area. “There is plenty of curriculum to provide students with the knowledge they need,” said one tech center director, although another noted that the hands-on fields simply cannot do what they need to do remotely during the shutdown. The center director pointed out a silver lining in that the shutdown has allowed some students who have experience and have credentials already in hand to begin employment already. As in: School’s. Out. For. Ever! Unfortunately, we are also told that further testing for students who have not yet earned their credentials is on hold for the foreseeable future. (Canton Repository, 4/17/20)
- Here’s another look at the grading protocol for distance learning in an Ohio school, pandemic-style. This comes to us from tiny Tecumseh Local Schools, between Dayton and Springfield, via Facebook: “The fourth quarter student grades will be evaluated on a Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory…basis. Each teacher will continue to monitor student performance and progress on distance learning activities to determine sufficient evidence of learning. A satisfactory will be entered for sufficient evidence of learning throughout the fourth quarter. Sufficient evidence includes any attempt a student in grade K-5 has given in participating in on-line learning.” Link (WDTN-TV, Dayton, 4/16/20)
- “…[T]his is an opportunity for us to envision education very differently, and Columbus City Schools wants to be one of the districts that wants to lead the way in that. I think we’re going to see that our students are kind of leading this for many of our families. Our organization is going to have to ... we’re being forced to embrace that even more.” What could Superintendent Dixon be talking about? As a taxpayer in her district—who has no. further. stake. in the district himself—color me intrigued. (Columbus Dispatch, 4/16/20)
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