New London makes quick transition
By Robert Cloud
When Gov. Tomy Evers ordered schools to close due to the pandemic, the New London School District was ready to offer digital distance learning almost immediately.
Nearly every New London K-12 student has a Chromebook and access to the internet.
Prior to the closure of schools, all students in grades 5-12 had Chromebooks they could take home.
New London students in grades K-4 had access to Chromebooks in the classroom. They were issued the inexpensive laptops after the shutdown was ordered.
“Some families didn’t have viable internet connections due to geography,” said District Administrator Scott Bleck.
The district made internet hot spots and satellite connections available.
“We asked families to contact us if they were in need of internet connections,” Bleck said.
“Families that have been unable to connect, we are working to provide them with alternative educational materials to support continued learning,” he said.
Bleck said teachers have remained engaged with students even through distance learning.
“Our educational instructional staff has done an outstanding job of transitioning from face-to-face to digital learning environments,” Bleck said.
Remaining engaged
On the district’s Facebook page, teachers share the various ways they keep in contact with their students.
Students in Gloria Peterson’s kindergarten class sent birthday messages to an online classmate.
Art teachers are holding a weekly art challenge that encourages students to share their creativity with each other.
The middle school held an online book fair.
Paula Titterton and Melissa Sannes’ first-grade class went on a virtual field trip to the San Diego Zoo.
Bleck said the district established instructional timeframes for each grade level.
The district encourages kindergarten through fourth-grade students to spend two hours per day being digitally connected with a focus on reading, writing, math and cross-curricular learning.
Three hours of daily instruction are provided for students in fifth through eighth grades.
Students spend 45 minutes each for math, English and language arts, 20-30 minutes for social studies and science, with the remaining time spent on elective classes.
In high school, they are creating four hours per day with about 30 minutes for each class.
Students communicate with their teachers through online instructional face time, emails or phone calls.
“We are encouraging our instructional staff to make contact with our families often,” Bleck said.
Support staff are assisting teachers by initiating phone calls.
Bleck said there were no additional costs for the Chromebooks, while there were savings on utility costs since the schools are shut down.
On a positive note, Bleck said construction work at Readfield and Parkview elementary schools began early because there are no students on campus.
“We are taking things one day at a time,” Bleck said, noting that under the current order, schools will remain closed until April 30.
“As a district, we’re prepared to instruct with our digital-distance learning model through the end of the school year, if needed,” Bleck said.
It takes a community
New London School Board President Terry Wegner noted district staff have been essential to implementing the transition to digital-distance learning.
“Superintendent Bleck led a very proactive approach initiating contingency planning weeks before action was required,” Wegner said. “This enabled our district to quickly launch our lunch program which is serving appropriately 1,400 children daily. Additionally, with the commitment of our entire staff, it enabled a quick transition to online education.”
Wegner said he appreciated the community’s support that allowed the district to provide Chromebooks to all students and the parents “who have taken on expanded roles assuring our children continue learning while at home.”