With the Governor’s order to close schools through the month of April amid the Coronavirus pandemic, each district is doing what they can to keep educating students during this time.
Abingdon-Avon School District 276 Superintendent Dr. Mike Curry tells WGIL that his staff has done a great job with preparing and implementing a remote learning plan, saying that teachers jumped right into it when schools were shut down for “Act of God” days.
Curry says teachers in his district were given the freedom to set up their class’s remote learning plans in whatever way they thought it would best work, hoping to keep kids engaged in the material. He says teachers are free to utilize digital services like Google Classrooms, Facebook Live, and Zoom.
He also said that teachers who may be struggling with keeping kids engaged should focus on the little things. “if you can make one student’s day brighter, it’s a win,” Curry tells WGIL. “So don’t focus on whether you got all 30 of your kids engaged today. Just make sure that you’re putting stuff out there and you’re reaching out to your kids.”
Curry says this pandemic is a perfect test run for the future should there be something else to keep schools closed for an extended period of time, such as last year’s winter weather closures.
In speaking with WGIL, Dr. Curry also highlighted the success the district has had with supplying meals to students during this troubled time.
He says that there are currently 230 meals being served to participating families and the number is growing.
“You can call the district office. We have removed the principals from the district for most of each working day. All of the building’s phones are forwarded to a cell phone of each administrator and myself. You leave a message there and we get you on the list. We also have a Google link that you could click on and sign up as well.”
Food can be picked up at the high school or Avon campus and if transportation is an issue, Curry says they do make deliveries as well.
