- Here’s an in-depth look at the first month of the school year at Xenia’s St. Brigid School. St. Brigid opened with all-day in-person learning—as much like a normal school year as possible, given the health and safety precautions required. The ten percent of students whose parents decided to keep them home are participating synchronously alongside their classmates via two-way video. I don’t know how this school was faring pre-rona, but I’m going to guess that it was probably doing pretty well by its students. (Dayton Daily News, 9/26/20)
- As we have noted here a few times, the fully-remote options provided by districts operating on fully in-person or hybrid models seem generally to be run by third-party vendors, to be totally asynchronous/self-paced, and have minimal oversight by local teachers. I will say with no bragging that I was pretty sure I saw that latter model clearly coming down the pike before school started this year. I will also say that I generally figured it would cause some trouble. About 25 percent of families in Hamilton City Schools opted for the district’s fully-remote Virtual Learning Institute (VLI) this year, as opposed to the partially-in-person/partially-remote hybrid plan chosen by the majority. A number of VLI families are not pleased with the vendor or with the education their children have been receiving thus far. A district official told the Journal-News that these families may have acquired a “general misunderstanding” of what VLI was. Dude also says that there are some moves being made to try and fix problems, but he also takes time to remind those parents about the “significant parent involvement” that is “required” of the VLI model. (You know, the model which they “generally misunderstood.) Yet another bold stance, I think, taken by the education establishment in these unprecedentedly fluid times. (Journal-News, 9/28/20)
- Speaking of fluidity: Here’s a story about an Akron City Schools family who created a pandemic pod for their daughter, who has Down syndrome, and several other students with special needs. Complete with a fresh-out-college teacher who they hired to work with the students personally (in a tent outside) as they navigate their fully-remote district classes. There’s a ton to digest here. Make sure and read the whole thing. (News5, Cleveland, 9/25/20)
- The pandemic couldn’t stop the launch of Steubenville City Schools’ new educational access channel, airing on Comcast in the area. All of the channel’s content has been produced by Steubenville students and they are hella proud of their work, judging by this report, and of all the new skills they have acquired in the process. Kudos, and Go Big Red! (Herald Star, 9/28/20)
Did you know you can have every edition of Gadfly Bites sent directly to your Inbox? Subscribe by clicking here.
Policy Priority:
Topics:
