EDUCATIONAL APPROACH

As PCSSD plans for a return to learning in Fall 2020, a team of educators consulted on educational options that would be suitable for all students. Part of that process includes looking at virtual and blended approaches to education. The follow options will be offered for PCSSD students starting this Fall. With each option, attendance will be taken and lessons will be graded as required.

Pulaski County Special School District is now using Schoology, an integrated learning management solution that provides course management, mobile learning, and support for system-wide communication. Schoology enables our students, parents, and teachers to engage with learning materials and their school community from the classroom and beyond. We look forward to using Schoology in our classrooms starting August 24 to enhance connectivity and communication across PCSSD.

PCSSD Learning Services Department created guidelines for virtual instruction. You can view the full protocol for parents and students here. The Fine Arts Department added a few additional protocols for students involved in performing arts this school year. Please review these protocols if your student participates in band, choir, orchestra and/or theatre.

SCHOOLOGY

With Schoology, students can digitally submit homework assignments, review grades, participate in interactive discussions, receive announcements and feedback, take tests, write academic blogs, and more. 

As a parent, you will be able to view your child’s activity within the platform. You and your child will be given a parent access code to access the Schoology system. We value your participation in your child’s education, and we encourage you to read Schoology’s Privacy Policy & Terms of Use. Additional resources and parent tips can be found in the Schoology Parent Guide.

Student progress and activity will be monitored by faculty to ensure a safe, secure, and controlled environment.

SCHOOLOGY TUTORIAL VIDEOS

INSTRUCTIONAL OPTIONS:

  1. Blended Learning: Students will attend on-campus and remotely using an A and B day configuration. Students who are on the “A” day schedule will attend school on Monday and Tuesday with three days of remote learning. Students who are on the “B” day schedule will attend school on Thursday and Friday with three days of remote learning. Wednesday will be a virtual day for all blended students but they will be able to join their scheduled classes from home. Class offerings will continue as usual. Teachers will engage with students in person and remotely in real-time. There is no semester commitment. Students may transition back to the traditional learning schedule at mid-terms or at the end of the quarter.

  2. Online Learning: Students will learn remotely, full-time using technology-based learning platforms. The students will not be on campus; however, they will have more flexibility with the pace of the instruction. These classes will be taught by PCSSD teachers using Schoology, Edgenuity, and other resources. The online option is a semester commitment.

  3. Traditional Learning: Students will attend on-campus five days per week. Wednesdays will be half-days with lunch provided.

DEFINITIONS

The following are terms you'll hear as school districts across the nation plan to reopen for the 2020-2021 academic year. Here are some definitions that might be helpful in understanding the various educational approaches that schools might offer.

  • Blended Learning

    • Any time a student learns at least in part at a supervised brick-and-mortar location away from home and at least in part through online delivery with some element of student control over time, place, path, and/or pace; often used synonymously with Hybrid Learning. (Horn and Staker, 2011)

  • Online Learning

    • Education in which instruction and content are delivered primarily over the Internet (Watson & Kalmon, 2005.)

    • Does not include printed-based correspondence education, broadcast TV or radio, and stand-alone educational software programs that do not have a significant Internet-based instructional component. (US Dept. of Education Office of Planning, Evaluation, and Policy Development Policy and Program Studies Service, 2010)

    • Used interchangeably with virtual learning, cyber learning, e-learning, or distance learning.

  • Digital Learning

    • Can be used to describe Online or Blended Learning

STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

PCSSD will be prepared to accommodate students with special needs or other identified health conditions through a variety of means. Teachers and staff will use additional precautions when working with students. Therapy options will be provided for those who qualify. If parents have concerns for children who may be high-risk, the virtual learning option could be explored as a viable alternative.