Putting a plan together

A week after the initial public health order closed schools throughout Wyoming, along with other public spaces, it was announced that Governor Mark Gordon and State Health Officer Alexia Harrist had extended that order, along with two others. With an original date of April 3, that order was extended to April 17 on March 27.

As was reported previously (see “CCSD2 continues to work for students” on page 12 of the March 25 Saratoga Sun), Carbon County School District No. 2 (CCSD2) has been working on an online education program to continue the education needs of students outside of the schools. This was done on the recommendation of the Wyoming Department of Education (WDE), who had stated that school districts should have a plan in place in the event that the closures were extended. 

Following the extension of the three public health orders, State Superintendent Jillian Balow issued a statement with guidance for Wyoming schools.

“School doors may be closed to students but Wyoming education is open for business,” Balow said. “The desire by teachers to connect with their students and provide learning opportunities has been inspiring. Teaching and learning while practicing social distancing is a new concept for many. Teachers, parents and students all need support in order for it to be successful.”

The guidance from Balow to school districts throughout the state was to have an Adapted Learning Plan approved by the WDE before April 6 if they were to continue to receive state funding. It is expected that all school districts will “continue to provide an equitable education for all students in grades K-12” on April 6.

“We are working through immense challenges with laws, policies, practices and logistics. The collaboration among state leaders and local districts has been incredible,” Balow said. “We are all working together to give our students the education they deserve during this trying time.”

After the announcement that all three health orders were extended to April 17, CCSD2 Superintendent Jim Copeland released a district-wide message with a preview of the school district’s plan to meet the requirements from WDE. This included preparing devices that would be distributed to families without computers, tablets or some other technology and beginning with seniors and working down to the other grades.

“We are also working with Union to help with those families that do not have internet access at home.  However, we will be limited to what internet access is available in all parts of our District. We will have hard copies of work available for pickup or possibly delivery also,” wrote Copeland. 

Copeland stressed in the message that CCSD2 was receiving guidance from WDE on a daily basis and, due to that, there would be revisions to the district’s Adapted Learning Plan.

“I appreciate all of the work of our Administration Team who have been working during this Spring Break to prepare a plan,” Copeland wrote. “Please bear with us as we continue to revise as needed.  Thanks so much for your patience during this extraordinary time.”

The plans, which can be found at https://www.crb2.org/39965, began on March 30 and directed teachers to re-establish contact with the parents or households of their students through email, phone call or other forms of communication. Principals of all six schools within the district will be working to determine which households do not have access to the internet or appropriate devices. 

At the moment, teachers are advised to plan activities that can be sent out in one week sections that can be distributed either digitally or through delivery or pickup from the student’s school. For kindergarten through 6th grades, teachers are encouraged to focus on prioritized standards in English/Language Arts and Math while embedding other subjects in the lesson. With grades 7th through 12th, teachers are instructed to “streamline lessons to focus on prioritized standards, depending on where classes were last with the curriculum.”

Teachers are also advised to set availability times to allow for open lines of communication between themselves and the students and parents. The preferred method of communication, whether through phone, email or videoconferencing, must be clearly defined.

The Adapted Learning Plan also addresses concerns for graduating seniors, stating that awarding credits is “primarily a local function” and that the CCSD2 Board of Trustees reserve the right to modify graduation requirements for seniors so as not to be negatively impacted by the measures taken by the school district in response to COVID-19.

In addition to the Adapted Learning Plan, the CCSD2 website also has a document with frequently asked questions (FAQ). It can be found at the same website address as the Adapted Learning Plan. In the document, one of the questions addressed is whether the school year will be extended.

As was reported previously (see “Balow approves school closures” on page 10 of the March 18 Saratoga Sun), Balow had approved the school closure from March 16 to April 3.

“The district is working with the state department of education to determine what, if any, adjustments need to be made to the 2019-2020 school calendar,” reads the FAQ.

Along with the Adapted Learning Plan put forth by CCSD2 in an effort to provide equitable education, the district is also providing emergency meals to students that can be ordered online at https://www.myschoolbucks.com/ver2/prdembd?ref=H5OLPDL1082K06B_ZZ37NZLGXA0WE7H for free. Meals can be picked up at one of five locations in the district between 11 a.m. and 12 p.m. Those locations are Encampment K-12 School, Saratoga Middle High School, Hanna, Elk Mountain, Medicine Bow (HEM) High School, Medicine Bow Elementary School and Elk Mountain Elementary School.