The first five weeks of in-person instruction at Bement schools has gone well, according to School Superintendent Sheila Greenwood. She told the school board Sept. 16 that students are masking and staff are doing a good job of giving kids breaks outside.
Teachers are also being reminded not to forget about the families that chose online-learning only, which includes 63 students who make up about 20 percent of the student population this fall.
“We worked last week to make connections with our remote only learners, just to let them know that we appreciate them, miss them and that they are still very much a part of our school,” Greenwood said. “We have heard mostly great things from our students and parents regarding the remote learning.”
She added that one complaint has been that online learning is more difficult than it was in the spring.
“Last year, we were not allowed to do very much in the way of teaching new concepts and assessing students. Everyone is getting use to it and have found the resources useful when needed. It is challenging and that is what we wanted for our students both at home and at school,” said the superintendent.
The district has spent COVID-19 related CARES dollars on cleaning supplies, materials, teacher training and technology needs, and has about $10,000 remaining.
Three transitional planning days are planned for staff in the next month, which will be used to prepare teachers to shift to all all-online platform if needed.
Greenwood also complemented district nurse Michelle Soice and administrative assistants Kathy Murrell and Karla Bradley for their extra work in this unique school year.
“They have really added a lot to their plates as they manage student attendance, student absences, and lengths of stay for isolation and quarantining,” she said.
The superintendent said she also hopes more people will begin taking advantage of the district’s free breakfast and lunch offer for remote students, pointing out that just six remote students requested meals last week.
Budget
The school board approved the district budget for 2020-21. Overall it is a balanced document.
The education fund is estimated to break even, the operations and maintenance fund has a $90,000 budget surplus, and the transportation line item is estimated to spend about $34,000 more than it takes in for the budget year.
In other action, the board:
–approved the hire of B.J. Schaefer as the yearbook sponsor;
–was told a virtual open house is being planned. Similarly, a Parkland Financial Aid presentation on Sept. 30 will be done via Zoom, parent teacher conferences Oct. 6-7 will be done by video and phone conference, and a FAFSA meeting on Oct. 7 will be done in a virtual format to be determined;
–heard that Hailey Gadbury is the BHS correspondent for the News-Gazette’s annual “High School Confidential”;
–was informed a lighting upgrade to LED fixtures is complete, and is anticipated to generate savings on electric bills;
–heard the district has received the $20,000 from former superintendent Dan Brue that was agreed to in a settlement;
–was told the district’s Rural Education Achievement Program grant came in at $24,470 for 2020-21, above the $21,000 received the previous year;
–learned that non-tenured teachers will still be evaluated as long as the district continues in-person classes. Changes may be made if the district needs to shift to all-remote for an extended period of time; and
–approved policy changes as recommended by the Illinois Association of School Boards. Most had to do with Title 9, but another increases the number of days a former teacher can substitute from 100 to 120 days.
The Link LonkSeptember 23, 2020 at 06:26AM
https://www.journal-republican.com/news/school-superintendent-dont-forget-about-remote-learners/article_005a29e6-fce8-11ea-94e7-37eab860ec9f.html
School superintendent: Don't forget about remote learners - Piatt County Journal-Republican
https://news.google.com/search?q=forget&hl=en-US&gl=US&ceid=US:en
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