SoHum Schools Prepare for Virtual Classrooms
Press release from Southern Humboldt Unified School District:
Dear Southern Humboldt USD Families,
As we end this week, we all find ourselves in the same unexpected place: a place of realization that our lives as we knew them have changed. Our new “normal,” for now at least, is very different from what it was two weeks ago. While some of us can and must continue working, others cannot, and many are working from home while trying to juggle the reality of a workday along with children who have had their routines turned upside down. This is the same reality faced by our teachers and staff, as they work diligently to provide distance learning to students, despite these challenges.
This week our staff and teachers have spent tireless hours creating education enrichment and activities for our students to provide continuity of learning and an opportunity for these students to enrich their daily activities and expand their minds as we navigate this new sense of reality.
Southern Humboldt is home to four elementary sites, 1 junior high,1 high school, and an alternative education school. In total, teachers are committed to educating over 800 students within our community. Over the past couple of days, all Southern Humboldt Schools’ staff worked together to prepare packets, and virtual classrooms, for what could be an extended distance-learning environment. Preparation has consisted of contacting parents and guardians, prepping packets/virtual classrooms for continued learning, and establishing a stable routine for students and families.
By now your child’s school site or individual educator should have been in contact to give you the specific directions for obtaining your students school packets or virtual classrooms. Because we understand the vast landscape and unique community that we have here in Southern Humboldt we cannot offer just one generic system for all of our students. Please contact your school site for specific details if you have not already been in contact.
Redway, Casterlin and AJJ Elementary started distributing packet this past Wednesday March 25th. If you were unable to pick up your child’s packets please contact your school site or child’s teacher to make arrangements.
Whitethorn Elementary distributed student packets today Friday March 27 in the school parking lot. Each student received their own bag of materials and directions were included. Teachers will be contacting families next week to set up regular times for ongoing support and to help establish a study routine that works for your child and you.
South Fork High School and Miranda Junior High School Students will begin distribution of student packets Monday March 30th. Students can pick up their packets at the designated pick up location nearest to their residence. Packets will also be going out in conjunction with the food distribution vans, locations and times are available on the District’s Food Distribution Site.
Please visit our Continuity of Learning Site which will be updated by Monday March 30th with updates and schedules for our distance learning and enrichment opportunities.
Your family’s health and safety are a priority to us here. If you are feeling overwhelmed during this time of uncertainty, please discuss these concerns with your child’s teacher for assistance with the distance learning, also addition resources are available on our Mental Health Resource during Covid-19 Site.
We know that the disruption caused by the closure of our schools has created many issues and uncertainties – from childcare and remote learning to graduation plans and college preparation. Please know the Southern Humboldt Unified School District will continue to support our students, families, and staff during this unprecedented time.
Sincerely,
Southern Humboldt Unified School District.
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What about the child with know access to a computer. Just another example of the rich getting richer while not carrying about anybody else. You’re tax dollars at work for somebody else.
I don’t know how the elementary schools are handling things but I do know about MJH/SFHS. Last week, at those two schools, fantastic staff made every possible effort to speak with a parent/guardian of each student. One of the things those amazing people asked about was internet access. The staff at our schools are well aware that many students do not have it. It is my understanding that the material the students are currently receiving does not require computer access.
The staff that remains at MJH/SFHS knows the students better than you may realize. They care about every single one. If you are not satisfied, try contacting administration or the individual teacher from whom you want more.
P.S.
Here’s a special shout out for the cafeteria crew! Thank you for feeding hungry children!!!
Did you not read the part in the article saying the schools were distributing real, non-virtual study packets? No computer required. How does that mean the rich getting richer? When I picked up my child’s packet from school, it was handed to me at my vehicle by gloved teachers who were also handing out free lunches to any student in need. The teachers and staff work incredibly hard to make sure our students have what they need during this weird time. I am grateful for that.
Moving to an online platform for school is extremely problematic and challenging, especially for younger students. There are dozens of reasons it’s an inferior substitute, and no teacher I know prefers this, but it is a way to keep a semblance of connection and instruction during this crisis. Sonnyb, you’re right that it puts families who can’t afford (or choose not to have) wifi and computers at a serious disadvantage.
If you know a family in that situation, Access Humboldt is helping families of students without internet get (temporarily) online:
https://www.northcoastjournal.com/NewsBlog/archives/2020/03/19/access-humboldt-scores-temporary-free-internet-for-students-in-disconnected-households
https://lostcoastoutpost.com/2020/mar/19/kids-out-school-and-no-internet-home-you-can-get-f/
Left unspoken is the difficulty of accommodating children with accessibility issues. For all our technology, the ability for folks with physical disabilities to engage online is still limited.
HEARING ACCESSIBILITY
Sure, YouTube can automatically generate closed-captioning of spoken words for the the hearing-impaired (which is cool), and Zoom can also produce a transcript of what is spoken during a conference (though it takes a few more steps to convert this to captioning .vtt). And don’t forget to provide an additional caption track which describes any audio which might be important to the lesson, so the deaf learner isn’t missing out on essential information.
VISUAL ACCESSIBILITY
And then you also need to include descriptive audio tracks for the visually impaired, so they can understand what images are being displayed, and how the images are presented. Do they animate, transform or move? (More descriptions, please). Or another descriptive captioning track which can be read aloud by enabling the ‘screen reader’ feature built into Windows or MacOS (or other software). These screen readers vocalize (like Alexa or Siri) the closed captioning and other descriptive tracks (when available), as well as any text on screen, including buttons and menus. And the student must be able to process all of these multiple tracks, so breaks need to be built in so they are not hearing the closed captioning, text on screen, and descriptive visual information all at the same time. And—you can see how complicated this all is—that doesn’t scratch the surface of how arduous it is for the visually impaired to simply click the mouse in the correct place, select the correct button or menu item, etc. Screen readers can help with this, too, but it is a laborious and painstaking process which must occur EVERY TIME the learner does anything! It can take a blind learner 3-5X longer to complete a lesson, even assuming all of the accessibility features have been implemented (which, most of the time are not, or only partially implemented.)
PHYSICAL ACCESSIBILITY
Great strides are being made to accommodate learners with physical limitations (restrictions of movement, for example), but the tools are still in their infancy, and require MUCH set up and customization as each individual has their own unique needs. E.g., I have a dear friend from Oroville who is able to type—slowly—using one of those bamboo back scratchers, tapping one key at a time. He needs just the right keyboard, however, one which requires just the right pressure to depress a key (not too much, and not too little).
Even though I’ve always been a Mac guy, I’ve got to give Microsoft the props here: they’ve really taken the lead in furthering accessibility options for individuals with physical accessibility needs. Seeking to support disabled veterans, the Xbox Adaptive Controller connects to a variety of infinitely-customizable external switches, buttons, mounts, and joysticks to help make gaming more accessible (which is important to many veterans well-being). But Microsoft has taken this a step further and the Xbox Adaptive Controller also connects to a Windows PC, and is supported by Office and MS Teams, among other software, individuals to work in ways they would otherwise have been disenfranchised.
The simplest and most immediate stopgap is to partner the accessible-needs students with another who can physically assist and/or guide and interpret the lesson for them—a parent or sibling, in our current scenario of home isolation. Someone who isn’t already engaged in their own livelihood. The challenge is real.
Even the most dedicated instructional technologists (which are typically the teachers themselves) make only modest attempts at supporting accessibility. It’s overwhelming!
We should not ignore the minority of students who have disabilities which hinder their ability to participate in a virtual, online classroom. Empathy is necessary, and also patience, and a lot of time-consuming, hard work!
The biggest difference between remote and in school learning is the absence of someone who makes sure students do what is expected of them. Parents will need to make sure their children actually log-on and do what is expected of them; this could be a problem for those who think school is school and home is home and the two shall never meet.
Great now the students parents can deal with trying to teach their out of control kids of sohum school. They have no respect for the teachers and staff I’ve heard it’s like trying to teach monkeys in a zoo. There’s no consequences they cuss, play on their phones, fight, and just have little respect. Then the parents wonder why their kids a moron…..lol. Congratulations the general 8th grader there can read, write, and solve math problems as well as a 4 year old!
I can’t let the above comment go without response but I don’t want to go on a rambling rant either. I’ll try to be brief.
Our kids are just like kids everywhere else.
You touch on valid issues, but IMO not in a constructive way.
Our school system has many issues. If one wishes to assign blame, there is plenty to go around. We should be careful, however, in the share we assign to the kids themselves. They are, after all, children (even if we call them “young adults”).
School needs to be a place to learn both facts/knowledge and social skills. It is a time to learn about boundaries and consequences for crossing them. It is also a time to learn how to assess expectations and how to meet them.
If we all as a community start to establish and enforce expectations and boundaries for our children, the vast majority of those children will respond well. If we don’t establish clear expectations and boundaries, we are failing our children. Parents and schools need to work together. Positivity helps.
Btw, Sorry about all my rambling rants. Kym, please delete my comment, above. Folks at my local SoHum school know how to contact me if they need anything. I’ll shut up, now.