ATHOL – During last week’s virtual meeting of the Athol Royalston Regional School Committee, Superintendent Darcy Fernandes brought members up to speed on efforts to continue the learning process for students, given the suspension of classes for the remainder of the academic year.
Fernandes explained that the dissemination to families and children of the requirements for students at all grade levels has resulted in an increase in participation in online classes conducted by district educators.
“People realize they have to be present and doing the work in order to be successful,” said Fernandes. “I think it’s been very helpful in making sure the hard work we’re doing is actually being used and kids are getting the quality support they need.”
Fernandes then detailed the kind of support students are receiving.
“Teachers are doing Google Meet,” she explained. “If they’re not using Google Meet, they must connect either through email with the students or via telephone. And they actually have to (record) that they’ve had that connection with the students so that we’re aware the students are working on the work we’ve given them. The teachers have to work with those children to see if they have completed the work and where they are as far as their understanding of it. So, we’re seeing that piece go very, very well.”
Fernandes then told the committee that the AP (advanced placement) exam would take place, albeit a bit differently than in years past.
“They are going to be doing them online this year,” she said. “My understanding is that will be happening in a couple of weeks. So, students who have AP will have an opportunity to take that test and get the credit, if they choose to.”
Fernandes also said the continuation of social and emotional support for families continues to be a key district strategy, even in light of the closure of all schools.
“We’re doing that through (the) guidance (department),” she said. “When teachers contact students, one of the first questions they ask is, ‘How are you doing?’ If the students or students or the families are saying they’re having any stresses, there’s an immediate referral form (teachers) fill out that goes to our guidance department. The guidance department then follows up with phone calls to those families to see if they need support.
“We’re continuing our online counseling through Heywood Hospital, and they have extended that to any other students, as well as to our faculty, in case they are in need of that social/emotional support.”
Fernandes said the district is making a concerted effort to establish “hot spots” so that families without broadband access will be able to connect to the internet. The problem is particularly acute in Royalston, where town-wide broadband internet service is unavailable.
Overall, said the superintendent, efforts to provide learning and support to students is going very well.
“I want to give great kudos to the administrators of our district, and our teachers,” Fernandes concluded. “They have been asked to a lot in a very short period of time with very little professional development to go along with it. So, I give them all credit. I’m getting very positive feedback back from the families in regards to the work they’re doing.