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Tomorrow school starts again, sort of.
All 11 Luzerne County School Districts have developed plans for what the state has dubbed “review and enrichment.” While all district superintendents coordinated in developing the basics of the plan, things will vary based on the district’s specific situation and enrollment.
If you have a student in the house, you should already have received alerts or emails. If not, check the district website. As of Friday night most had some explanation of their plans online. Dallas Superintendent Tom Duffy posted a video of himself giving an overview.
It won’t be the same as going back to school, of course. Students will get suggestions and activities to try to keep their minds active and prevent any backsliding. Teachers won’t be standing in front of a room, a blackboard or smart board behind them, giving lessons for hours a day.
Teachers and much of the regular staff — perhaps all — will be available to parents and students who need them. Districts have also promised their tech staffs will be available to help with connectivity issues. And they have made special arrangements for the youngest children.
It is a good step in the right direction. And frankly, area schools and districts deserve praise for pulling so much together as quickly as they did, using available resources from Google Classroom to Zoom, from Chromebooks quickly handed out where needed to finding workarounds where connectivity is an issue.
Doubtless the system will have to be tweaked as it develops. There are more than 41,000 students in the county’s 11 districts. each district, and each school, has its own demographics to consider: Its own mix of English Language Learners, special education students, low-income families, and those who require specific supports or services.
And the whole situation, created by the COVID-19 pandemic, must be fluid. Gov. Tom Wolf initially called for schools to close for two weeks, then extended it to April 9 (for now). No one can be sure how long this goes on, or what happens next as Wolf continues to clamp down on travel and social gatherings to curb a fast spreading virus (the number of confirmed cases has been increasing by an average of 34% per day since March 17).
Superintendents keep waiting for clearer guidance on what’s expected of them from the state. Standardized tests have been cancelled and the requirement to have 180 days of school dropped, but there are still uncertainties about meeting graduation requirements, determining student status at the end of the school year and more.
But there is one thing that is immediately clear, and will remain so until school ends (No, Secretary of Education Pedro Rivera unequivocally said, it cannot be extended past June 30).
This requires complete buy-in from students and parents. They should take advantage of every opportunity, work through any issues, and learn as much as possible. This isn’t just a chance to keep sharp; it’s a chance to show the efforts by teachers and administrators is appreciated. Don’t just do enough, push for more.
The districts are trying to do their part. Success now hinges on the enthusiasm and determination of students and parents to make it succeed.