SAD 4 rocks remote learning  

During the extended school closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic, SAD 4 quickly implemented a remote learning plan to ensure the continuity of learning. The SAD 4 remote learning plan was approved by the school board on March 17, during an emergency session.

While the initial phase of the plan included work packet distribution from day one, and collection in the following weeks, SAD 4 concurrently began moving into the online classroom. We sent iPads home with all students in grades 3-8 on day one, and with students in grades pre-K-2 as appropriate, to provide greater opportunity to access learning. 

Photo courtesy of Maine Department of Education
HELPING STUDENTS LEARN — Jessica Dunton, left SAD 4 technology director/Piscataquis Community Elementary School assistant principal, picks up a delivery of Wi-Fi-enabled Samsung Tab A’s with a 12-month Verizon service from Maine DOE Coordinator of Secondary Education and Integrated Instruction Beth Lambert.

We also made it a priority to ensure all staff had working and updated devices. Staff received professional development in the areas of setting up an online classroom (e.g. Google Classroom), as well as recording and posting material for students to access. We also practiced video conferencing through mediums of Google Meets and Zoom, which teachers are using to connect with and instruct students. Teachers then reached out to families and telephone conferences were also approved for students with no internet access.

Learning is all about relationships. Positive relationships between students and teachers are the bedrock on which learning occurs. SAD 4 teachers have always cultivated strong relationships with students and we make it a priority to provide the tools to maintain these connections, even while learning occurs remotely. We feel as a school district it is extremely important to stay in touch with our students and families. In a rural community such as ours, connections to school is all that some children have. As a trauma-informed school, the ability to continue with academics is based on the connections students have with their teachers, and ultimately the social-emotional wellness of the students. 

Increasing opportunities for students while decreasing the learning gap is always a priority for us. Without the ability to come to school, we had to get creative in the ways we offered opportunities and worked to bridge gaps. While not everyone is using or able to access technology, it is our obligation as educators to continue to reach out to kids and support them, even when they’re hard to reach. This is true whether education takes place in school or remotely.

Photo courtesy of SAD 4
HOTSPOT AT HOME — SAD 4 Technology Director/PCES Assistant Principal Jessica Dunton hands off a hotspot learning device given to the district by the Maine Department of Education to help families have better access in the move toward bridging the learning gap.

We are so thankful to the Maine Department of Education for providing the hotspot devices to help our families have better access in this move toward bridging the learning gap. One of our families was so thankful after receiving the hotspot because their son could connect with his teachers and friends again, bringing him out of a depression.

Pandemics are stressful. This was not how we planned it. All school staff have been designated as essential personnel by the governor. The duty of a teacher is to educate. During a pandemic, where much of the state is sheltering in place, the use of technology to educate is essential. We know that children find comfort in their routines, which have been severely disrupted. We feel that it is now more important than ever for children to have predictable routines, of which school should be a regular part.

While we can’t gather in person we can gather online. The transition from mostly classroom instruction to exclusively online instruction has not been without bumps. The learning curve has been steep. We want to commend our teachers for their readiness and willingness to take on this challenge and embracing the opportunities for new learning and professional development. 

Dunton is the SAD 4 technology director and assistant principal at Piscataquis Community Elementary School.