Pandemic Response
Artifact 1:
At the start of Covid-19 our district was not prepared to pivot to providing a fully digital education K-12, but we knew we had to act to limit the infection rate in our community.
Approximately six years prior, I saw the need for a learning management system as our district was exploring one-to-one options, and pursued a pilot of Canvas LMS with my sixth grade classes. I grew the pilot and worked to administer the LMS and train interested teachers. Later, our district adopted the LMS, but as we did not have a one-to-one program in place, many teachers didn't see the value in implementing Canvas in their classrooms. Therefore, at the start of the pandemic, there were very few people who knew how to fully use Canvas.
This technology, our teachers, and our IT departments efforts enabled us to continue to educate students in one of the most difficult times in recent history.
Artifact 2:
Data Dashboard
The data dashboard was an essential part of our reopening plan. This was a one-stop site for current COVID rates in our school and in the community. This data helped inform our community and our decision makers and ultimately helped as we were one of the only 6A districts to not have to pivot back and forth between remote and home.
Once our team determined a plan for learning, we were able to maintain it all semester. Fall of 2020 was spent in a hybrid model. In January, 2021, we committed to return fully in person 5 days a week and we did.
We relied on our medical advisory committee to share their insight and recommendations on each stage of the reopening plan.
NEWguidanceupdatedMarch120.pdfArtifact 3: To Mask or not to Mask - Medical Advisory Committee
The Medical Advisory Committee was recently disbanded. Prior to that this committee made up of local doctors, school nurses, the director of public health, the superintendent, director of special services, school board members, and I met at least twice a month to discuss the state of COVID-19 transmission in our schools and community.
The superintendent sought feedback from each member, especially the medical community who represented local clinics, the local hospital, and public health. The superintendent also considered the number of cases, quarantines, absences, and staffing levels at all schools. Finally, the superintendent looked to me and my counterpart - the only teachers on the committee to gauge the pulse of how educators in the district were coping.