ASHLAND — More than a month into state-ordered school closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Ashland City School District is reaching a notably high percentage of its students through online programming.
A chart presented at Monday evening’s school board meeting showed more than 90 percent of fourth through twelfth grade students were participating in the district’s remote, online lessons last week.
The younger students have fewer lessons online, Superintendent Doug Marrah said. Resultantly, online activity for kindergarten through second grade students hovers around or below 50 percent, and tops out at just more than 70 percent for third graders.
The chart showed consistent student online activity levels of approximately 90 percent for the entire duration of the remote learning for fourth through tenth grade students, and a more recent spike in eleventh and twelfth grader participation, bringing their levels to above 90 percent post-spring break (or in week four).
The Ashland City School District transitioned to its remote education programming the week of Monday, March 16. Classes continued into the weeks of March 23 and March 30.
Spring break was scheduled for the week of April 6. No classes took place.
Had the Governor not extended the school closures until the end of April — and as of Monday, April 20, through the remainder of the school year — in-person education would have resumed the week of April 13. Instead, it marked week four of remote education.
Ashland Middle School assistant principal Tim Keller spoke highly of his building’s teachers and staff, who are reaching out to students regularly.
“I’m very impressed with (participation). If you had asked me in March, I would have said 20 percent, 80 percent. I would not have expected a number like that,” Keller said. “Now, we’re not done yet, because we’re not at 100 percent. We’re worried about everyone of those kids who are not able to access the curriculum.”
The district has issued 1,200 chromebooks to students who need them for use in their homes and has advertised more than 18 free wifi hotspots available throughout Ashland County.
Further, the district launched a survey prior to spring break, asking parents for feedback. Because of the response, the district’s website was reorganized to help parents have easier access to their students’ virtual assignments.
“We’re not done until we get all kids connected,” Keller continued.
According to Superintendent Marrah, the programming’s structure is key to participation.
“It’s important we let kids know what’s coming,” he said.
The school board also heard from other representatives of the district’s “corona cabinet,” or COVID-19 response team, which has worked together to make quick, timely decisions on how to best educate and feed the students of Ashland City School District.
Since transitioning to remote education in mid-March, the district has prepared 16,812 meals, according to Director of Business Services Steve Paramore.
The district typically delivers meals Monday, Wednesday and Friday and offers pick-up Tuesday and Thursday.
Meanwhile, volunteer Mark Jenkins facilitates communication between the school district and Ashland area nonprofits like the Ashland Kroc Center and Associated Charities to ensure everyone is working efficiently and efforts aren’t duplicated.
Marrah, who helps deliver meals, relayed stories of excited children — ones who rush to the door, hoping their lunches include Goldfish crackers — and parents who trust the delivery staff enough to now open their doors, instead of directing food be left at the doorstep.
Transportation supervisor Doug Shipper maps out routes to deliver meals and anything else the district needs to get in the hands of parents. This might be school supplies or homework.
Micro buses and vans are used for deliveries and thoroughly cleaned after each use.
Meanwhile others like Ben Spieldenner and Phillip McNaull have created or honed existing platforms used for the school’s online programming.
A special section on the high school’s website now includes information for the class of 2020, and for younger students, more than 100 read-aloud videos are now available.
Because of his work both recently and before the novel coronavirus came to Ohio, Spieldenner was chosen and recognized Monday as the educator of the year.
“He’s been so innovative at the high school and so supportive within the district this year because he did teaching part-time and moved to a position where he became really a technology integration coach,” Marrah said.
The educator of the year is chosen by a committee after an interview process.
