By Erica Thomas, managing editor
TRUSSVILLE — The Trussville City School system is well-prepared to move to online instruction, following orders from the governor. Superintendent Dr. Pattie Neill said the school system has thought of everything to make the transition easier for students and parents.
“We had the intelligence and the foresight to prepare for it and then we had the resources and the funding to do it,” Neill explained.
INTERNET ACCESS AND EQUIPMENT
At the beginning of the public health crisis, TCS sent out surveys to parents to find out who was in need of internet access and computers.
“We had nine students across seven families that did not have the internet at home,” Neill said. “We have a hotspot on a Chromebook for those nine students.”
Other families with multiple children were also given access to Chromebooks. Those devices will be available for check-out beginning the week of March 30.
CLASSROOM TO CLOUD
Dr. Neill said students will be on a platform known as Classroom to Cloud. She said the program will be rolled out slowly to ensure all students are comfortable with the change. Neill also said students will have plenty of time to complete their coursework.
“We have a directive from the governor to finish the school year as planned and to extend the school year to June 5, as needed,” she said. “So, if anybody has difficulty with their Classroom to Cloud instruction, they can slow down and work until June 5 to finish the school year.”
Virtual learning will begin on April 6. The superintendent, all principals and teachers will have videos welcoming students to the last seven weeks of school. Teachers will offer the required lessons and for students who have time, there will be enrichment available. There will also be a help desk for students struggling with their studies.
“There will be a chat and call-in mechanism for that,” Neill said. “We are prepared for that. The telephone is highly recommended for remediation.”
ALTERNATIVE INSTRUCTION
There will also be alternate packets available for those who are unable to adjust well to the online instruction.
“We are all very aware that face-to-face instruction is better than digital instruction,” Neill said. “But we are doing the best we can.”
Alternative instruction is also available for students with special needs.
“Nobody knows better than the teachers, so they will do the best they can to get what they need for their students,” said Neill.
For Advanced Placement students, AP course work is complete.
“All they have to do now is take their Advanced Placement test online,” said Neill. “March 13 was our last day of school and March 13 ended our last nine weeks. Our middle school and high school is set up in nine-week periods and we finished March 13, so we only have the essentials for the last quarter of the school year. That’s very helpful.”
LEADERSHIP
The school system maintains it is ready to assist each and every student to set them up for success, despite a difficult and unprecedented time in our nation.
“When you’re in a time of crisis, that’s when leaders emerge and what I’ve seen recently is that every principal and every teacher in our school system is a leader,” Neill said. “They’re answering the call to finish this school year for the students. It’s not just our leadership positions, it’s that leader inside of everyone.”
PROM AND GRADUATION
Neill said several seniors have reached out to her about prom. Although the future is unclear, Neill said she will do everything she can to reschedule prom.
“We can’t do anything that we know of until after June 5,” she said. “I am wide-open to rescheduling things that can be rescheduled like prom. For the senior class, I think that prom is probably one of the most memorable times of a school career, and it sure was for me!”
Neill said wants Trussville City Schools students to be able to look back on the momentous events, just as she is able to do.
“My senior prom was one of the fondest memories of my entire school career and I would love to reschedule that for these seniors, if possible,” she added.
Another momentous event, graduation, could also be rescheduled. One idea Neill has is to combine prom and graduation.
“They can wear their caps and gowns and wear whatever they’re going to wear to the prom under their caps and gown and we could just have it all together in one night — if the health department will allow the large gathering,” Neill said.
Superintendents from across the state met by Skype early Friday, March 27, to hear from State Superintendent Dr. Eric Mackey. The Trussville City School system will continue to use mass communication to relay information to parents and students.