Students will take part in classes, but not in their school buildings.
Frederick Md (KM) Frederick County public school teachers can resume teaching next week, but remotely. Superintendent of Schools Dr Theresa Alban says the State of Maryland has approved Frederick County”s continuity of learning program which will begin on Monday, March 30th.
“For these two weeks, we had some activities and things that we had sent home with children. But there was no expectation that their teachers were going to engage with them,” says Dr. Alban. “Beginning on Monday, teachers will begin to engage with students in a variety of ways.”
Schools across Maryland were ordered closed beginning on Monday, March 16th, and continuing through Friday, March 27th as a way to help slow the spread of the coronavirus. That closure was extended through Friday, April 24th.
Dr. Alban says teachers underwent some training in distance and on-line learning, and discovered what resources were available to them.
Now they will interact with their students starting this coming Monday. “Teachers can send videos of themselves teaching their lesson, and then have the children practice,” says Dr. Alban. “There will be an opportunity to e-mail packets of information, to deliver packets of information to the school, have the kids pick them up. Then there are the on-line options.”
The younger students will be provided the technology to help them with distance learning. “We’ll have an opportunity for families to go and borrow and a chrome book if they need one for an elementary student,” Dr. Alban says. “And then for families who don’t have an internet connection in their home, we do have Wi-Fi hotspots that they can borrow from us to assist in on-line learning.”
The School System says these devices will be available at all ten high schools on Friday, March 27th from 9:00 AM until 3:00 PM while supplies last. If you can’t come on Friday, contact your school’s principal and see about getting one for your child.
By Kevin McManus