Continuous Learning plans at USD234 were started the week of March 30, Superintendent Ted Hessong said.
“Each building rolled their plans out gradually throughout the week,” Hessong said.
“Since school buildings are closed for the remainder of the school year (following stay-at-home orders during the pandemic), school districts needed to come up with a way to provide continuous learning for our students to help them not only academically but also socially,” he said.
” Our principals worked with their Building Leadership Teams using the Continuous Learning Plans guidance from the Kansas Department of Education (KSDE),” he said. ” KSDE collaborated with teachers from all across the state of Kansas to help create these guidance documents to assist school districts. After meeting with their leadership teams, they then worked with the rest of their staff to create the Continuous Learning Plans.”
“Most of the teachers are teaching from home,” Hessong said. “We do have a few staff members who are working from their classrooms to provide Continuous Learning to our students.”
Each school building’s personnel contacted every student to see what they needed to be able to participate in Continuous Learning, he said and based on the feedback each received from the students, the staff worked to provide the necessary materials to be able to participate.
Grading for the new plan will be different.
” With the implementation of our Continuous Learning plans each building is handling grades a little different,” Hessong said. “Each building is keeping in mind what is in the best interest of our students during these uncharted waters of what school looks like today. Our teachers and administrators are demonstrating grace and understanding for all students to do what is best for our students.”
Hessong is thankful, he said.
“I want to thank all of our staff for their help to implement our Continuous Learning plans and our foodservice and support staff in providing meals for the students in our communities. With the assistance of our communities, the county, Kansas State Department of Education, Kansas Department of Health and Environment and the Southeast Kansas Health Department it has allowed our school district to navigate these uncharted waters to make the most of this health crisis.”