Carlynton School District Preparing For Virtual Classes To Start The School Year
ROSLYN FARMS, Pa. - In the Carlynton High School, cafeteria milk crate after milk crate sits atop lunch tables.
No longer the carrier of their namesake these crates are filled with hundreds of small laptop computers. Dormant now, they will be the critical connection between students and school when the virtual school bell rings in just a few weeks.
Driven by COVID-19 caution Carlynton has decided to hold off on bringing students back into its buildings.
Superintendent Dr. John Kreider says the first four and a half weeks of school will be totally online.
A quasi-quarantine-at-home of the student body and teachers because the district has no way of knowing who might have made last-minute trips to COVID hot spots around the country.
Dr. Kreider says after that initial period online, if COVID conditions allow, the district will consider bringing students into school either full time or part-time.
Part-time would mean some students would come Monday and Thursday, the rest on Tuesday and Friday with everyone online on the days they aren't physically in class.
On Wednesdays, the schools will be cleaned.
"So one of the things we need to be prepared for is the ability to move between those phases very quickly based on the current climate in the local area," says Dr. Kreider. "So by starting off in a remote environment our students will have that confidence and our teachers will start that interaction so if we need move to remote in the course of the school year our students will be well prepared for it."
The district is well-aware that continuing to have the children at home could be a hardship to some families that were hoping to return to work once the children were in school.
"Yes, it is a hardship and we recognize that part of the opening up schools does have a significant impact on our economy which is why we are committed to getting our kids back into the schoolhouse."
As the school days on-line unfold students will be virtually moving from class to class or subject to subject just as they would in class.
Dr. Kreider says, "We'll try to create that environment where students have the ability to interact with one another using video technology. We do recognize that teaching itself, teaching and learning is social by nature and we need to have students interact with one another based on the developmental aspects of a younger child. And also at the high school level to really get into curriculum to debate, to compare to analyze to contrast different types of lessons that we have. That face to face environment is very difficult to replace and kids benefit from that interaction with one another so Carlynton School District is committed to getting kids back into the classroom when we deem it to be safe."
WATCH: John Shumway Talks With Dr. John Kreider About Remote Learning
Of course, online schooling can't happen unless all the students are on an even technology playing field.
Dr. Kreider says, "Every student will have a computer, we've purchased those computers we're in the process of tagging those computers and getting them prepared for our student. And if our students have accessibility issues. We will make sure that they have connection in their homes and have access to our curriculum online."
Teachers will teach from their classrooms so they'll have access to everything they need to move the education forward.
And children in need of meals won't be left out.
The district has a plan to make sure all the students who need it will get food every day.
"We set up food distribution sites at our elementary schools as well as other locations in the community where students or parents can pick up a lunch and breakfast for the following day," says the superintendent.
While the band and cheerleaders are practicing and football is still on track but there are questions whether the seasons will be allowed to happen.
One thing is certain, nothing is certain and plans could change because the virus is in charge.
