With schools closed statewide through at least the end of the year by order of Gov. Jay Inslee to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, school districts throughout the state are looking at how to provide education and services to their students.
The Snoqualmie Valley School District (SVSD) is facing the same challenges as other districts throughout the state. At SVSD, specific challenges include equitable access, technical training and providing quality education to students with disabilities.
Progress is being made on the access front, according to Carolyn Malcolm, SVSD public information officer. In terms of supplying students with devices, the district already was ahead of the game because all students in grades 6 through 12 had devices previously issued to them. Some 500 additional devices were checked out to students in grades kindergarten through 5.
Hotspots are on order to offer access to students, but that can have its own set of hiccups.
“Currently, we’re seeing some issues with the connectivity due to the high volumes of traffic to access online learning,” Malcolm said.
Classrooms typically are taught face to face. Changing from an in-person scenario to completely remote is a tall ask for teachers. Malcolm said SVSD is providing weekly professional development to staff to support the transition to remote instruction.
And though it may be one of the bigger conundrums to solve, SVSD has determined that providing quality education to students with disabilities is a “key focus.”
“We are working on finding solutions to engage with families of students with disabilities who need to be reached by phone – since email is not working as well,” Malcolm said. “It is a weekly process as we are learning what supports families need, getting the right technology to them, identifying the right accommodations for their students, and assisting parents with addressing the needs of their child with a disability.”
Staff buy-in has been unwavering, Malcolm noted.
“Staff members have fully embraced the challenge despite the difficulty of this task,” she said. “They are working around the clock to reach students and learn new skills.”
“It’s challenging, but they are committed to continually learning and making it work. They miss seeing their students every day,” she added.
Parents and families also need instruction and assistance with distance learning, and SVSD is mindful of that challenge.
“We are providing regular updates about what to expect each week, and we will begin to provide more tools for parents including helping your student organize for learning, and how to work with children who are refusing to complete work,” Malcolm said.
It’s unclear if the pandemic will have a lasting impact on SVSD and its operations. On April 2, Gov. Jay Inslee declared that schools will be closed for the rest of the school year (see the full story on Page 5).
While the situation may be challenging or uncertain, high school seniors should have answers soon, Malcolm said.
“High school staff has identified each student’s individual requirements needed in order to graduate. We are working with students to finish their high school and beyond plans, and to meet state assessment requirements,” Malcolm said. “And, we’re developing guidelines for teachers who work with seniors to make sure all who were on track are able to graduate.”
It’s not an easy situation, and like many school districts across the state, SVSD is taking it step by step.
“This has been a work in progress and we are continuing to add more tools and information, each day,” Malcolm said. “We sincerely appreciate the patience and partnership of our students and families, as we all work together through these unexpected challenges — to do what’s best for Snoqualmie Valley kids.”
