By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
ELLIS — Ellis USD 388 will launch its continuous learning plan on Monday, starting slowly, keeping to the essentials and making adjustments as needed, Superintendent Corey Burton said.
Burton said the district will send a survey to parents after the first week of online learning to get feedback on the process.
The Ellis school board approved the plan Thursday night during a special meeting.
The board also agreed to pay wages through the end of the school year for district employees as part of the state waiver process.
The district will keep to its previously approved calendar with the same end date for the school year.
Seniors
The district requires 25 hours for graduation. Burton said that will remain the same. He said most seniors have already earned 21 credits, the state minimum before they start their senior year.
The district is going to give seniors the option to drop their electives effective the end of their third quarter. However, they will need to complete English 4, government, and finance and career preparation.
Graduation is postponed, but Burton said the school would find a way to recognize its seniors even if it can't do so in the traditional way.
Online tools
Washington Elementary School as well as Ellis Junior High/High School have one-one-technology programs.
While iPads don't usually go home with the younger students, they were distributed along with personal belongings Thursday.
High school students will be using their laptops.
The district has a variety of online tools already in place that it will use in instruction. Some of these include SeeSaw, Google Classroom, Zoom, Schoolage and Edmodo.
Junior high/high school
Donna Schmidt, EJH/HS principal, said learning will look a little bit different for every student.
Some teachers have prerecorded short five- to 10-minute instructional videos. Other teachers might engage children through chat sessions or sending students questions and requesting students to respond.
The school music teacher hopes to have students record performances and provide feedback via Zoom. Art students will be working on projects with the materials they have at home, and woods students will be learning skills via videos.
Schmidt said she hoped woods students would be able to get back in the shop and finish projects this summer.
Grades will be assigned during this time, but Burton said he is asking district teachers to have grace with their students and their families if they are struggling.
Schmidt said, "We want to be able to identify where our students are being successful and where they are struggling."
Grade school
John Befort, Washington Grade School principal, said the younger students will be using their iPads, but were also sent home with paper assignments.
For classes like music, the students will be encouraged to participate in fun activities, such as singing a song.
Befort expressed concerns about students' emotional well-being during the school shutdown. Older students may be able to connect through phones or social media, but he said he wondered about the little kids.
"They are not going to be around friends. ... I see how it affects the students," he said. "I think it is important for teachers to try to get kids in their classrooms connected through platforms so they can interact."
Moving fast
The Ellis school district only started to work on its continuous learning plan in earnest after spring break ended Monday.
"Probably one of our biggest challenges is how quickly we are trying to turn this around," Burton said.
"We have had a complete paradigm shift on how we deliver education. If you were going to tell a school next year you're going to go online, you would probably spend a year to six months gearing up for that process."
Students' emotional well-being
Burton said the district is committed to keeping in communication with students and families.
Each of the district's buildings has a counselor, and they have already been reaching out to students with whom they regularly meet to offer support.
The district already has in place the StopIt App, which allows students to report bullying or other things that may be troubling them. The reports go automatically to principals and counselors.
Schmidt said the transition to online learning has been difficult for teachers and staff, as well.
"We miss them too," she said. "It is hard. It is really hard. ... We have great faculty and staff, and we work together well. We are learning how to work together while maintaining social distance.
"None of us could have predicted we would face something like this in our careers. I am so proud we have been able to accomplish what we have been able to accomplish."