Remote learning: Gavin Elementary students begin lessons at home

INGLESIDE – Life has changed drastically in the past two weeks. In many ways, it suddenly feels like we’re living in some post-apocalyptic movie we just can’t seem to find the “stop” button to.

Phrases and practices such as “self-quarantine” and “social distancing” have become commonplace in casual conversation, and trips to the grocery store sometime feel more like foraging than food shopping.

The novel coronavirus has radically impacted the way we live our lives in Lake County and across the United States. Unprecedented closures, restrictions and bans are being implemented in cities, counties and states in attempts to limit people’s exposure to the virus and thus stanch its spread throughout communities. And yet, despite all this upheaval, life must go on as normally as possible.

For children, this means attending school every day – even if it’s from their living rooms or kitchen tables with their parents and siblings rather than a classroom with their classmates and teachers.

Illinois is one of more than 30 states that have closed all K-12 schools for the rest of March. Kansas became the first state to close all K-12 schools for the remainder of the school year, with several other states, including Texas, Ohio and New York, considering similar actions.

At Ingleside’s Gavin Elementary School District 37, students have begun remote learning from home as their educators and administrators roll out the district’s Remote Learning Plan. Gavin District Superintendent Julie Brua said her teams spent the weekend ensuring all students had hard copies of their Remote Learning Packs, one-to-one devices to access their online work, or both in order to continue their learning while schools remain closed. All the necessary information and materials are online as well, she added.

“The children have access to continue their learning with the focus on our core instructional areas, including our fine arts,” Brua said. “So music [and] art [teachers] all put information and activities for children to keep learning.”

Brua said an exploration team had formed in January to create an e-learning plan to present and recommend to the board.

“That was before really any of this started to become more prevalent,” she said. “So our intention was to move forward with a plan with this team. It accelerated then as the state superintendent pushed emails out saying please get your e-learning plans in place. As that escalated of course, we worked on it and moved quickly. Fortunately, my staff here at Gavin, my administrators, our entire district, our parents – they are wonderful.”

Gavin’s spring break is slated for next week – March 23 to 27 – and as of right now, Brua said school is scheduled to resume March 31, although that date remains fluid as the situation unfolds.

Students have been issued more than the necessary activities and projects in their remote learning packs and online. They are encouraged to continue learning during this time despite the fact that technically only March 16 was considered a remote learning day. Tuesday through Friday of this week and March 30 are considered “Act of God” days and thus are not required to be made up at the end of the school year.

Brua said the response she’s received from her teachers, staff, administrators and families has been positive and supportive.

“I could not be more proud of the way in which this school district has handled it,” she said. “I am extremely, extremely proud. There are things we’re gonna have to work through, there’s no question, but we will do that once this is all said and done.”