No prom. No idea what graduation will look like.
Despite how frustrating those facts are to the members of the Class of 2020 in Ohio County, Superintendent Dr. Kim Miller has focused on what positives have been realized during this COVID-19 crisis.
“When this whole thing started, there was confusion because on the day Gov. Justice closed the schools (on March 13), it was completely unexpected,” she explained. “But I have to tell you that I have been amazed with what our staff members and teachers have developed so our students could continue learning and continue to have access to the meals normally they would get during the school day.
“It’s been a situation that no doubt has involved a lot of negatives, and I feel for our seniors. This is not how they pictured their final semester with us. But it’s also been a time when everyone involved has been learning so much,” Miller said. “Not only have the students continued to do their work, but our teachers and administrators have had to learn a ton, too. I know that’s been the case with me, and it’s also allowed us to see the potential growth to our online education systems.”
Online Lessons
Although the current academic year has not been riddled with weather-related class cancelations, the coronavirus pandemic has kept the kids home for more than a month. Gov. Justice has relaxed the 180-day mandate and canceled annual standardized testing, but only a couple of days of instruction and interaction were lost in Ohio County.
“We scrambled and worked all weekend after the announcement; there’s a lot to be said about what our teachers and students have accomplished since our schools were closed,” Miller explained. “And I believe it possible to develop a system that allows the students to keep learning when we do get a lot of snow in this area. We got pretty lucky because this past winter was very mild, so that means the calendar can stay the same for the rest of the year depending on what Gov. Justice decides to do for the month of May.
“As far as eliminating snow days in the future, I agree 100 percent that something must be possible,” she continued. “I know personally I have had to use technology in ways that have been completely new to me, and it’s really opened my eyes to a lot more potential.”
The Process
If such a snow-day system is developed and passed by members of the Ohio County Board of Education, it still would need approval all the way up the ladder to the governor. Plus, based on the number of packets needed for students during the pandemic, Miller estimates that 10 percent of the district’s students are without broadband access or prefer the traditional pencil-to-paper way of learning.
“If we are able to accomplish that, it would be great because our teachers would be able to interact with their classes online much like they have been doing for the past month,” Miller said. “We are still working out a few kinks in the system, but our tech team has been working very hard, so it’s a good experience for the students and the teachers. Is there a possibility to grow it even more? I believe there is.
“We have also developed access points for the students that do not have Internet access, and we also have discussed using our buses as access points for the families that may not have the necessary transportation,” the superintendent said. “We have continued investigating everything that is possible because this experience has really opened a lot of eyes, and we’re heading into a whole new direction when it comes to what’s possible for our students online.”
Meal Distribution
The student population of Ohio County Schools is about 5,350 students, including 1,500 at Wheeling Park High School.
To date, administrators and service personnel have distribution nearly 77,000 meals at 17 different locations, including 10 schools and seven spots throughout Ohio County. This week’s distribution is scheduled for Friday from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m., and each students will receive five meals and a half-gallon of milk.
“If people do not think about children needing this food, they are mistaken,” Miller said. “We have changed the system a couple of times to make sure everyone is protected, but these meals have to get out to our students because it’s very necessary right now. A lot of parents work for non-essential businesses, and they continue to wait for their unemployment benefits and their stimulus checks.
“That’s just one of the reasons why this meal distribution is so important,” she said. “Our staff members at the distribution sites have been thanked countless times, and that’s because of the need. It’s a real crisis because the kids are not typically home all day during the months of March and April, and I know my girls are snacking all day long because they can now. That’s why these meals are most definitely essential.”
