Equity of access
The district sent comprehensive surveys to families and faculty members to determine the level of access to devices and high-speed internet that they have in their residences. Engagement efforts are continuing with families who did not respond to the survey through coordinated outreach by each school office building.
It is the district’s goal to prioritize 1:1 device and WiFi access for all students. All students in grades 5-12 will receive a district-issued Chromebook. The district evaluated survey data for students in grades prekindergarten through 4; those who were identified as having technology needs will be provided with a Chromebook and/or a WiFi hotspot to the extent practicable. Survey data was also evaluated for students in grades 5-12 to determine their access to high-speed internet. Students in those grades who were identified as having internet needs will be provided with a WiFi hotspot to the extent practicable. Devices will be distributed before the first day of school to give students and families time to become familiar with them.
In a remote learning scenario, there may be challenges that prevent even students from participating during some regularly scheduled class times. It is the expectation that teachers will make every effort to support any students who aren’t able to participate in real-time components due to technology access limitations or other legitimate reasons. Teachers will provide content that can be accessed outside of normal class times as needed. The district will support teachers in this effort by maximizing access to recording devices to allow the creation of content.
Tech support and training
The district will create tech support resources on the district website. The district will use its communication channels to increase awareness of these resources. Teachers will also encourage students and families to use these features. The help desk system will include the creation of designated email addresses and a telephone hotline that students and families can use.
Training is available for students and parents on all learning platforms. Students will participate in orientations at the beginning of the school year for any tools that will be relied upon in a remote learning scenario. These trainings will be delivered by classroom teachers with the support of district technology staff.
Staff members will be supported with a comprehensive schedule of in-district professional development offerings. These opportunities will be created in collaboration with department chairs and grade-level leaders to ensure it is tailored to their needs. The district will continually gather feedback from employees about their needs through survey data and one-on-one conversations.