School students in West Virginia are expected to return to their classrooms one week from today, and in Ohio County the plan in place calls for five days per week of in-class instruction as well as remote learning for students opting to remain home.
Families were requested to inform school system administrators if they wish to remain on virtual platforms, but if they did not, truancy officials will attempt to locate the child, according to Ohio County Schools Superintendent Dr. Kim Miller.
“We know the kids will do their best when they are in our care,” Miller insisted. “And if the parents did not let us know that their children will remain home for remote learning, we will expect to see them in our classrooms. That’s absolutely what is best for them because we have all found out that in-person instruction is far more effective than what remote learning has proved to be.
“If they do not show up as expected, we will go and look for them. We will have phone visits the same way we have when we did not have any engagement with the students last semester,” she said. “If they are supposed to be here, but they are not, we’re going to go out and find them to check on them.”
Sin Comunicacion
There are 14 public schools in Ohio County, including Wheeling Park High School, and approximately 5,100 students. At the beginning of the pandemic when all schools in the state were closed by Gov. Jim Justice for the remainder of the spring semester, Ohio County Schools launched online learning initiatives, provided educational packets, and started to distribute food to families.
At that time, Miller estimated that about 10 percent of the system’s students did not have broadband access at their homes, and that is why the district provided multiple hot spots for downloading school lessons. However, in Miller’s opinion, far too many students failed to engage with their teachers, and that issue continued last semester, too.
“The biggest problem with the lack of contact involves the students at the high school,” Miller explained. “We believe we have made it pretty easy for those students because they could come one day, but not the next, but now those students and their parents have to let us know where they want to be, in class with their teachers or at home working with the remote platforms; they have to let us know.
“A lot of counties have told their students that they can either come to school, or use the West Virginia virtual platforms, and that’s what we could have done, too. Instead, we wanted to do what we feel is best for the students, and the high school kids have figured out that they can get the work done and go out a get a job or do other things during the day,” she said. “We want every student back in the classroom because we know that’s what is best, but the decision is theirs.”
Meanwhile, Across the River
The boys’ basketball team at Bellaire High School has played eight games, and the Purple Riders of Martins Ferry have competed in six so far, but the Park Patriots have yet to even practice.
Gov. Justice this week did adjust the starting dates for sports practice (Feb. 14 for schools with in-person instruction) and games (March 3) as long as the teams have had least 14 practices before the first contest. Schools categorized “Red” on the state Department of Education’s Covid Alert map will not be permitted to play games.
“Our kids need to be able to play sports just like they are in so many places in the county and like they have been doing in Ohio from the beginning,” Miller said. “I feel that was a very bad move for our kids. That’s how I feel. In my opinion, the kids need to be playing so they can engage with their coaches and their teammates.
“I do think that was a bad decision,” she said. “I was pleased that the dates were moved up by the governor, but I have felt they should have been playing this entire time.”
During a three-hour regular Board of Education meeting Monday evening, parents and educators expressed concerns about the plan for five days per week, the hiring of remote instructors for children in grades K-8, and the lack of extracurricular activities, according to Miller.
The current plan, the superintendent explained, could change later this week, and that is why the Board of Education has scheduled a special meeting for this Friday at 8 a.m.
“I completely understand why some people are worried,” the superintendent said. “I am concerned for our students because they have had no consistency for so many months now, and that is not a good thing for them and their education,” Miller said. “It’s our hope that the students will want to get back into their schools so they can be with their teachers and their friends. They haven’t been able to do that since well before the holidays, and that’s had to be tough for them.
“But this is very fluid, and we have adapted to a lot of changes that have come from the state, many times without any notice at all,” she added. “I am proud of our employees because they have worked very hard while putting our students first.”
