It’s often been said that times of crisis bring out the
best (or worst) in someone. The COVID-19 pandemic has certainly put this adage
to the test, stretching us to our very limits, testing our capabilities,
flexibility, creativity and patience.
For public schools, COVID-19 has tested the mettle of administrators,
the fortitude of faculty and staff, and the creativity of communities in facing
a challenge unlike any they have encountered before.
Genesee Valley Central School, along with other schools
across the state and nation, revamped operations and instruction in the wake of
the coronavirus. In a quickly evolving situation, this rural western New York
State school of approximately 600 students (PreK-12) crafted a plan to remotely
engage students, families, faculty and staff in order to keep the educational
process going and to ensure that the essential needs of families were met.
Revamping
Instruction in a Moment’s Notice
For educators who’ve spent their entire careers teaching
face-to-face, the challenge of adjusting methodologies and practices to
distance learning was daunting. Genesee Valley’s teachers, along with peers
across the country, didn’t have weeks or months to get up to speed—they had
mere days. Dr. Brian Schmitt,
Superintendent of Genesee Valley, encouraged teachers to focus on the
relationships and primary needs of families. “We immediately developed a meal,
technology and school supply delivery plan and tested the myriad of ways we
communicate with families,” said Schmitt.
“Our main focus is always to support the students, families, staff and
community.”Kellie Schmidt, now in her eighteenth year teaching at
Genesee Valley, was faced with retooling her second-grade class for virtual
instruction—and fast. The solution: Facebook. “Facebook allows me to post
lesson plans and worksheets, links to educational sites and videos,” said
Schmidt. “It’s the closest thing we have now to a classroom.” Schmidt’s second
grade private Facebook group has 52 members and sees an average of 25 posts per
day. The group includes videos of Mrs. Schmidt reading students a bedtime
story, pictures of proud students holding up their completed work for all to
see, and parents sharing resources and words of encouragement with each other. Social Studies teacher Donna Slawson had little trouble
adapting to an online learning environment. “My students have been using our
online learning platform (Microsoft Teams) all year, so we made the transition
to remote learning quite well,” commented Slawson. She’s up early each morning
posting assignments by 7:00 a.m. and spends her school days chatting online
with students, answering questions and clarifying expectations. “My students enjoy
setting their own schedule, working at their own pace, and having the ability
to reach me at their convenience,” said Slawson. “These students are learning
such great lessons about time management and have such an intrinsic motivation
to learn.”
Technology Limitations and Solutions
Reliable access to technology and the Internet is
paramount in online learning. In a region where upwards of twenty percent (20%)
of district residents do not have access to high speed Internet, Genesee Valley
ensured that all had equal access to learning resources by meeting students’
most basic technological needs. The school loaned out 180 iPads to students who
needed access to a device for instruction. In addition, Genesee Valley worked
with local libraries, village offices, and other community organizations to
provide access to free Wi-Fi for families without internet service.
Technology Limitations and Solutions
Some teachers navigated the path from in-person to
virtual instruction quite adeptly, while others faced a steep learning curve.
Enter Lindsay Simpson, Genesee Valley’s Technology Integration Specialist. Simpson
supports faculty and students in all grade levels by coordinating online
platforms, hosting training sessions, troubleshooting problems, brainstorming
solutions, and creating resources to coach students and teachers in online
etiquette and expectations.
“There was a huge learning curve for many teachers to
learn the online platforms,” said Simpson. She and designated technology
liaisons at Genesee Valley held an all-day training session for teachers on the
Friday before the shutdown, and by the following Monday, many had already begun
setting up and implementing their virtual learning environments. “Not only did
our staff immediately start working hard to learn—they haven't stopped yet!
Their creativity is amazing and the way they are working to try and create
meaningful and fun activities for the home makes me proud to be at Genesee
Valley through this crazy world-wide event. To say I have been impressed with
their response would be a significant understatement. I am in awe of them!”
Combating Food
Scarcity During a Time of Crisis
In many communities, public schools function not only as a
provider of education, but also a critical resource for basic needs, including
medical, dental, mental health, food and nutrition. In a high needs district
such as Genesee Valley, food scarcity is a real and daily concern, with
fifty-three percent of students qualifying for the free or reduced lunch
program through the NYS Department of Education. (Under the Community
Eligibility Provision, 69% of Genesee Valley students qualify for free meals.)
The cafeteria staff, led by food service manager Kelli
Zenoski, sprang into action immediately, devising a plan for providing daily
meals for every student qualifying for free and reduced lunch. “With help from
teacher's aides and bus drivers, we are sending out approximately 800 meals a
day to Genesee Valley families.”
“The response from our students and parents has been
beyond amazing,” said Zenoski. “The smiles and even tears when meals are
dropped off makes our efforts so worthwhile. We are humbled by the response so
far. It is so rewarding to know that we have helped out our school and
community.”
Maintaining
Community While in Isolation
The mandated school closure, coupled with constant
reminders about social distancing coming from all sides, is challenging for
students and families. Students who are
used to the social interaction inherent in a typical school day are coming to
grips with a surprisingly reality: they miss
school. “Many of our older students actually miss school,” commented Simpson.
“They miss their classmates, they miss their clubs, they miss athletics and…
(gasp!) they even miss their teachers!”
To continue the tight knit sense of community found at a
small school like Genesee Valley, faculty have created structures and routines
to keep students connected. Slawson hosts two virtual lunchtime gatherings each
day for middle and high school students. “We use the time to talk about what we
watched on Netflix over the weekend, silly videos, even what everyone is eating
– anything to help us feel connected to each other now that we aren’t in
school.”
Kellie Schmidt and her co-teacher Melissa Shafer reach
out to their students personally to keep the lines of communication open. “Mrs.
Shafer and I call each of our students,” said Schmidt. “From there, the
students take over—they start calling us! Their parents text us, call, and post
to our Facebook page continuously. They never hesitate to contact us for advice
and to provide suggestions and ideas of their own that they would like to
share.”
Facing Uncertainty
with Resolve
While students and teachers have adapted their
instruction and have settled in to a new routine for the school day, questions
still linger. “On top of trying to understand what is happening in the world,” said
Simpson, “students have been asking really practical questions like ‘will we
have a senior prom?’ ‘Will we be able to cross the stage for graduation?’ ‘If
there are no Regents Exams, will that affect my ability to graduate?’ ‘Will I
have to re-take classes or double-up on classes or tests to catch up?’”
At Genesee Valley, the character word for the month of
March is “resilience” and it’s exactly that trait that permeates the very fabric
of the district. “I’m so proud of our
faculty, staff and community” said Superintendent Schmitt. “Everyone continues to demonstrate patience,
flexibility and a desire to do what is best for students. It gives me great hope for our future!”
“What has amazed me most about this experience,” said
Slawson, “is how everyone in the Genesee Valley community came together. I see students supporting each
other–responding to questions, motivating each other. I see other teachers lifting
each other up and learning from each other, and our support staff feeding and
delivering items to students each and every day. The presence of our community
members online, participating in conversations, and sharing ideas has been
inspiring. If nothing else, this crisis
has shown what can be done when a whole community works towards one goal–I hope
that it continues long after things have returned to normal.”
Jeff Babbitt
Marketing, Brand & Communications Coordinator
Genesee Valley Central School