Distance learning in Lake launches on Monday, March 30, and schools are busy distributing Chromebook devices to students so they can access lessons online at home while school buildings are closed in an effort to slow the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus.
The district has about 31,500 Chromebooks for students to use at home. High school students received theirs earlier, as part of the district’s five-year plan to provide a device for every student in grades 3 and up. Distribution of the remaining devices began Thursday, March 26, and continued today at elementary and middle schools. Additional days will be added as needed.
Parents who have personal devices at home have been asked to allow students to use those for schoolwork so the district’s supply can stretch farther, particularly to families who otherwise would have no computer access for their children. Also to help meet the demand, the district is providing one device per household and asking siblings who live together to share. Plus, the district is expecting a shipment of more Chromebooks to arrive next week.
“Our staff has worked around the clock this past week to ensure students are ready to return to class and begin their new learning journey,’’ Superintendent Diane Kornegay said.
Still, administrators are concerned that the growing supply of Chromebooks may not meet the demand.
Ideally, every student household will have at least one device. Teachers are posting assignments online, including videos and instructions for hands-on activities — even art and P.E. But they are not requiring a class to gather in front of screens together at one time. That should make it easier for students to share school-issued devices with siblings, or to share a family-owned device with a parent who may be using it to work from home.
In reality, however, the district recognizes that this approach may not work for every student including those who live in rural areas with no internet access and those who are part of large households with multiple siblings. For them, and others who have no computer access, the district is planning alternative ways to access instruction.
“Our focus right now is on digital instruction,” said Emily Weiskopf, Ed.D., assistant superintendent for teaching, learning and leadership. “But once we get the Chromebooks into as many households as we can, we will go back and see what needs remain.”
District leaders say they are committed to meeting the instructional needs of every student.
Director of Instructional Technology Duane Weeks led the district’s virtual transformation, including securing nearly 6,000 extra Chromebooks so far to add to the district’s existing supply. He said the “strong demand” for the Chromebooks points to a need for additional funding for digital learning, even absent a crisis such as the one precipitated by the virus.
“Funding for digital learning has been cut at the state level for the past couple of years,” he said. “I hope lawmakers will be motivated to restore the funding so we can enhance learning for our students and have the flexibility to keep the learning going strong even when faced with unexpected circumstances.”
