PCSD deems teachers essential workers

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In an effort to continue addressing the ever-changing landscape of learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, Perry County School District No. 32 held a “Campus Conversation” event on Sept. 16 to allow parents and guardians the opportunity to voice their concerns and opinions on how to improve online learning during the school year. The district also designated its staff as essential workers.

The action means that District 32 employees who are identified as close contacts after being exposed to COVID-19 will be allowed to work on campus in their normal duties if they have no symptoms, they are not household or physical close contacts, they wear a 2-ply mask at all times while on campus for 14 days after their last known exposure to COVID-19, or they strictly adhere to physical distancing requirements at all times while on campus for 14 days after their last known exposure to COVID-19

Close contacts who may not work on campus are those who have COVID-19 symptoms, have been tested for COVID-19 and are awaiting results, or have had physical contact with someone who has tested positive.

The district returned from a district-wide shutdown and 100 percent virtual learning on Sept. 15, and Perry County School Superintendent Andy Comstock said the first week back was successful, but the district plan will be altered going forward in the event of new guidelines.

“Our plan will include several measures to move towards a less restricted learning environment,” Comstock said. “Moving forward, I do not see the district moving to 100 percent online learning. Instead we may see student, classroom or building transitioned to online instruction. We will look at things to the micro-level, instead of the macro level.”

The district will still utilize the A/B day structure, and had several parents speak at the meeting as to the problems they have been having with the different online platforms. The overwhelming sentiment from nearly all speakers was the need to simplify the process.

“In my experience with my boys, they will bring something up from Google Classroom and it directs them here and there.” Tyler Johnson of Perryville said. “It’s just a non-stop thought of where are they supposed to be and what assignments are supposed to be done where?”

Johnson offered a solution to the problem, which he believed solved several issues

“What I would love to see is teachers submit to Google Classroom a document that has the questions on in that are fill-in-the-blank..” he said. “The students who do not have reliable internet can go to the hotspots download what they need, do the work then go back and upload it.”

Other issues brought up by parents were communication with teachers on due dates as well as better consistency when students can log online and retrieve their assignments. The amount of work given out was also in issue for some parents who stated that their children.

“The kids are getting something at 1 p.m., thinking it’s something for that day, when it’s something that’s due later on,” Kyle Hagan of Perryville said. “The girls are a little anxious when they see something come through and assume that they have to have it done right away.”

Hagan reiterated Johnson’s point for a simpler process for figuring out due dates.

“The high school seems to be doing a good job with that,” Hagan, who has a daughter in high school and also the middle school building, said. “My daughter in middle school seems to be getting assignments from many places like from emails and Google Classroom and there’s not an easy list of what’s due when.”

Comstock knows that the online portion is not operating how he had hoped and the notes he and the staff had taken during each speakers’ time, will be evaluated and taken into account.

“We are learning and evolving,” Comstock said. “We have new rules and guidelines so we will be altering our plan and how we operate and the input tonight will go a long way into that process.”