Reimagining the Region -- Education by John McCabe

Remote Learning Likely to Remain Part of Schooling By JOSELYN KING Staff Writer Remote learning is likely to remain a vital part of school curriculum even after the COVID pandemic has passed, but it won't be daily classroom teachers preparing online lessons, according to Ohio County Schools Superintendent Kim Miller. Miller said it is expected outside supplemental contracts will have to be awarded to teachers taking on remote learning classes in the evenings or on weekends. It also is possible additional teachers might be hired, she said. “What we have done with our platform is awesome, and has been very helpful to our families,” Miller said. “If we were able to continue something like this, it would have to be outside the (teacher’s) contract. “Whenever we go back to five days, it will be

very difficult to maintain both systems. “But certainly, now that we know things are changing forever, this could be an awesome opportunity for students interested in non-traditional learning,” she said. It is anticipated some students and their families may opt to continue schooling at home. Online learning, however, remains difficult for students who don't have access to strong broadband internet. Miller acknowledged the issue has created an unequal culture of educational haves and havenots, though the school district has sought to provide internet to students without access in a number of ways. The school district has worked to make wi-fi accessibility available in school parking lots, permitting students and their

Learning n Now that remote learning has become such a significant part of the curriculum during the pandemic, chances are it will remain a component in the future. n To allow for that remote learning, either existing teachers will earn supplemental contracts to perform that function or additional teacher will need to be hired. n Don’t worry about saying farewell for good to snow days. At least Ohio County will call for them in future years. families to drive up and download assignments. They also have installed broadband connectivity at other buildings in neighborhoods where there is a large percentage of students without internet.

Meanwhile, Ohio County commissioners have been working with Comcast to expand broadband opportunities to areas without access. Miller said beyond this she isn't certain yet of an

Photo provided

Wheeling Park High School senior Tessa Ullom learns remotely from her home. Ullom is the daughter of Ohio County Schools Innovation Coordinator JoJo Shay.

answer of how to get internet opportunities to students who do not have it. “I think the way teachers deliver their lessons and assignments has forever been changed, and we will continue to use internet accessibility,” she said. “If we ever go

back, I think it will always become an option for kids.” Another issue surrounding remote learning is accountability, and how do educators make certain students take online learning seriously, participate and do their work.

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Need for Nurses More Critical Than Ever During COVID By SHELLEY HANSON Staff Writer Nurses already in high demand in the Ohio Valley are needed now more than ever with COVID-19 surging across the country. Gail Nickerson, director of Nursing at Wheeling University, said the pandemic has highlighted the critical need for nurses in the United States and world. “This past year, the world has seen how profoundly important nurses are to society,” she said. “As the nursing shortage continues to grow, the university recognizes the need for educating and preparing nursing students to provide safe, quality care. We also recognize the need to offer programs that provide a broad understanding of public health concepts in other health care disciplines.” Attempting to train the nurses needed during a global pandemic has proven a challenge for many institutions. “Nursing programs across the country are up against unique challenges related to educating nurses in a society facing social distancing, isolation and quarantine measures, while continuing to offer clinical experiences,” Nickerson said. “Nursing education must continue to evolve in curriculum and technology to develop our next generation of nurses. Our students at Wheeling University have adapted relatively well to changes in hospital protocols and university policies regarding COVID.”

Photos provided

Gail Nickerson, front row at far left, director of Nursing at Wheeling University, is joined by members of the nursing faculty and university administration following last fall’s White Coat ceremony, an annual rite of passage for nursing students. This celebration welcomes students into the nursing practice. These students, like many other nurses nationwide, will be serving patients in a medical setting soon.

At the Belmont-Harrison Career Center, high school students can obtain a nursing-related education. Students there can get nurse aide and nurse assistant training. “Our numbers in Allied Health Science are lower than usual. That may have to do with the pandemic because our recruiting was limited last year,” said Maura Birney, instructor for Allied Health Science at the career center. “Some nursing programs may require a Nurse Aide certification first. If not, it may also be a useful prerequisite. Nursing can be a rewarding career. “Nurse Aide training is an excellent way to get started in the healthcare field. You will always have a job with benefits in healthcare,” Birney added. She noted the career

center also offers a Pharmacy Technician program. At Wheeling University, Nickerson noted her students are slated to help vaccinate people as part of a community service project. “The students are witnessing firsthand what they will face when they enter the workforce, and they are preparing for that challenge,” she said. As the need for nurses continues to increase, schools will likely partner with facilities. “It has become evident how truly essential nurses are when providing safe, quality patient care. There is a high demand for nurses in the hospital setting. We have also seen an increased need for nurses as part of home health services and in long-term care facilities,” Nickerson said. “The needs at these

Nursing n With nurses in such high demand in the region, colleges are offering accelerated programs to get students out of the classrooms and into the field quicker. n For those pursuing a nursing degree, getting training in becoming a nurse aid has become a useful prerequisite. n Nursing school students and graduates should find more opportunities to exhibit their skills as partnerships between nursing programs and home health services and long-term care facilities continue to grow. locations have expanded and become more complex. As COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations continue to rise in our community, we are grate-

ful for our partnerships with local healthcare facilities.” She noted such collaborations allow for educating the students and

assisting them with job placement after graduation. “Their experience on the front lines will help shape them into the future leaders of our healthcare community to implement positive changes in healthcare policy,” Nickerson said. Nickerson said Wheeling University has a four-year undergraduate program, in addition to an accelerated BA/BS to BSN program. “The accelerated program is designed to prepare working professionals with a bachelor’s degree in another discipline to become professional nurses who are eligible for licensure as a registered nurse,” she said. “Often students graduate with a bachelor’s degree in another field of study and then find difficulty finding employment. “This 16-month BA/ BS to BSN program is an excellent choice for that population of students. We also have an RNBSN program which can be completed fully online in one year. “We offer a Master of Science in Nursing degree with a Family Nurse Practitioner track and a Nursing Administration track.” Several other local colleges and universities offer various nursing degrees including West Liberty University, Belmont College, West Virginia Northern Community College and the B.M. Spurr School of Practical Nursing at WVU Medicine Reynolds Memorial Hospital in Glen Dale.

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More Schools Shifting to E-Textbooks for Students By ROBERT A. DEFRANK Staff Writer Paper textbooks are becoming a thing of the past for college and public school students, and the COVID-19 pandemic has hurried that trend in many cases. Julie Keck, spokeswoman for Belmont College, said the pandemic has not interfered or even accelerated the process of shifting from paper to e-textbooks. “The college has been working on an e-book initiative for several years now so we were fully prepared,” she said. “One of the biggest challenges was having a platform that was consistent and easy to use. Our BEConnected initiative using iPads was developed several years ago to provide one platform for our students and faculty. Everyone uses the same platform, therefore it makes it easier for the students and faculty in the classroom and easier for the college to support. This has been a gradual process - one that was enhanced by BEConnected. We have significantly reduced the cost of textbooks by offering a digital option for many of our classes,” Keck said. The college has no hard deadline for a complete changeover. A bookstore remains on campus and there are no plans to close it, but Keck said through BEConnected the college has also partnered with Apple to open an Apple Authorized Campus Store and students potentially save enough in textbooks to purchase a device. “A great advantage to using e-textbooks is affordability,” Keck said. “One

major publisher has created a digital product that servers like a subscription service. Students pay one price and have access to all the publishers digital materials. Additionally, one option to save students money are free digital books. These can be accessed through services such as OpenStax.” She said although there are advantages such as portability and enhanced learning abilities such as online homework and interactive assignments, there are some students who prefer textbooks “Some students have mentioned issues of flipping back and forth between their e-book and other online activities. That being said, as time goes by we see more and more of an increase in students preferring digital.” West Virginia Northern has started this semester by eliminating the brick and mortar bookstore entirely. “Barnes and Noble, the fall semester was their last semester here at Northern,” David Barnhardt, director of communications and student recruitment, said, adding the college now uses the online book store Akademos. Every student’s schedule is the books they need are pre-loaded online and can be purchased and delivered to their homes. “Everybody goes online to order their books and also order any merchandise. … The traditional student is certainly used to shopping online these days and ordering online. The pandemic certainly has expedited that for some.” The public schools are also making strides in the shift from paper books to electronic material. School officials generally say that,

Photo provided

Belmont College’s curriculum is more screentime than books these days, and the COVID-19 pandemic has not changed the trend in education.

Textbooks n No more chasing paper. Schools and colleges are moving more toward digital textbooks and away from traditional paper textbooks. n Schools are diving into digital. Many like Union Local have a digital element to every subject in the curriculum. n Even the bookstores are moving to the online world. Institutions like West Virginia Northern Community College are doing away with their brick-and-mortar bookstores and going totally digital. while this is not less expensive, they point out several advantages. At Bridgeport Exempted Village School District, Leslie Kosanovic, Curriculum Director, said that every third through 12th grade student has an iPad and there are classroom iPads for the kindergarteners through second grade students. School officials said

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accessibility is a critical component and they have worked hard to provide sufficient connectivity for students both at school and at home with upgraded internet connections around the building and giving internet hot spots to some students in the district. “When looking at resources we consider online textbooks as a resource, and what we have done

over many years is worked from the grade level standards. The teachers then take these standards and sequence them into applicable curriculum maps per subject/grade level(s). From that, the teachers then work as teams to align and realign instructionally-sound resources for which online text may be one of these resources,” Kosanovic said. She added that students have access to many electronic resources including textbooks and novels. “We strive to have a variety of resource choices for our students and staff. That way they can be best aligned to the needs of the whole group and/or the individual student.” She also mentioned online libraries of books as well as math products and added that teachers have the ability to use the material in a way that is individualized for the students’ needs. Learning management systems also allow two-way communications between teachers and colleagues, parents and students. “A teacher can literally video themselves, upload that video and provide an instructional explanation/ expectation for which the students can respond,” she said, adding other online resources come with video tutorials with online resources as well. Kosanovic said it can be a year-long process for a team of teachers and administrators to look at the variety of new products available before deciding on the software and/or resource. “As a team, we definitely tend to be very discerning when it comes to making the best decisions for our students.”

Superintendent Brent Ripley said learning is expected to improve even more once schools are back to a regular and consistent five-day schedule. “Teachers are excited and prepared to use all resources that are available and to implement the technology and strategies to reach each individual child. “They have truly embraced the changes and are using them to improve our student engagement and success,” Ripley said. At St. Clairsville-Richland City Schools District, Superintendent Walt Skaggs said a total changeover to electronic textbooks is expected in the next five years. “We’ve already started that process. We’ve got some of our classes already using the ebooks. I can see that continuing,” he said. “We started that a few years back. When certain textbooks came up for adoption, we might just buy a desk copy and then an access version so the students could have access without having to carry a lot of books...we don’t have them for all of them yet, but eventually that’ll be our goal.” At Union Local School District, Curriculum Director Jayme Yonak said the school has been transitioning to digital curriculum for several years and there is a digital curriculum component in every subject. The pandemic has only accelerated this process. “I think it’s really forced us to think outside of the box and use digital resources that we never used before,” she said. “There was a lot of professional development in regards to different resources that were out there.”

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Vo-Tech Programs a Growing Option for Region Students By SCOTT McCLOSKEY Staff Writer Area high school and college vocational-technology programs are providing the necessary foundation for promising careers in the region, according to several area school officials. Wheeling Park High School Assistant Principal Stephanie Bugaj said WPHS offers 18 different vocational-technology programs that many students express an interest in for possible careers. Bugaj said about 60 percent of students enroll in some type of “career-tech” class. While many students may take such a class just because it is a subject they want to learn a little more about, many others show an interest in them for possible career choices. She said the high school breaks down its vo-tech programs into 16 different “career clusters.” Broadcasting, computer coding, culinary arts, welding, carpentry, machine tool technology, automotive technology and pre-engineering are just a few of more popular career-tech classes offered at Wheeling Park, according to Bugaj, noting she believes career opportunities look bright in this region for many of those related skills. “Especially welding, there’s tons of welding jobs,” Bugaj said. She said the school has had many graduates work in a variety of area machine/fabrication shops following graduation, including those who have secured technician jobs at many area automotive dealers.

Vo-Tech n High school students are showing interest vocational-techonology programs. About 60 percent of students at Wheeling Park are enrolled in some type of career-tech class. n Looking for a vo-tech job? Companies around the region are looking for welders, auto technicians and people to work in machine/fabrication shops. n The future? That’s in the energy industry. Energy companies are asking vo-tech programs to create curriculum that will prepare students for that line of work. “They are able to be placed in those jobs pretty easily,” she added. Bill Glitch, a representative with Belmont-Harrison Career-Technical Center, said the school provides plenty of classes that help students achieve a solid foundation in the many vocational/technology fields. The Career Center, which has campuses in Belmont County and Harrison County, offers 18 different programs to students during their junior and senior years of high school. Glitch said some of the more popular classes include welding and automotive technology, mechanics programs “We have high school students who come out as a sophomore, junior, or senior and get skills and from there they can either go into the labor force or continue their education someplace else,” Glitch explained. According to the school’s website, their

Photo Provided

Guthrie, instructor, works with a student in the welding program at the Belcours- Greg mont-Harrison Career Center.

career-technical es align curriculum with challenging academic and technical content standards to prepare students for careers or college. In addition, qualified senior students are eligible for the school’s early job placement program during school hours and they have the option to go directly to work after graduation or continue their education at the post-secondary level. Many of their programs have state and national credential opportunities, an advantage that provides their students the essentials needed in today’s challenging and highly technical workforce. Glitch said school officials continue to evaluate the local job market to help determine their yearly curriculum. “We constantly look at the job market from year to year and that’s how we determine the programs we are going to offer … depending on how the labor market changes,”

Glitch explained. Ed Mower, energy institute manager with Belmont College, whose role is to work with the local energy-related industry, said in addition to traditional courses, the twoyear program community college has a lot of courses and programs specifically geared toward energy industry related work. “Going back traditionally, our industrial electronics is a program that we feed a lot of people into, whether it be a power plant or distribution (work),” Mower said. “We also offer a civil engineering technology degree. There is a big demand for that type of background with the oil and gas businesses that have come to the area.” Mower said just in the St. Clairsville area alone, a town of about 5,000 people, five new engineering firms have opened since the onset of the oil and gas boom in

the region. “So there is just a lot of demand for people with a civil engineering technology background,” he said. “Several years ago we saw the need after working with a lot of the engineering companies that were coming to the area.” Mower added that those companies emphasized the need for specific additional courses added to the Belmont College curriculum. “As a result of that we have developed a couple of new degrees,” he said. “Now we have an instrumentation and control degree, because everything is going to be computerized and automated, so we’ve made a specific degree to meet that need.” In addition, at the request of local industry, Mower said the college added an energy and natural resources degree, a process control degree and a five-week Commercial Drivers License

certification. “We included the specific courses that the oil and gas industry wanted to (us) offer,” he explained. “Which is a little bit of geology and oil and gas background. So it’s kind of tailored to that person who wants to work in the energy related industry.” Mower said they continue to be flexible and try and tailor their courses to what is required by local industry. He said there continues to be a very large spinoff of other job opportunities as a result of the oil and gas boom. Mower said other degrees that continue to be extremely popular at Belmont College is their heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) and welding degrees. “That (HVAC) degree has grown 12-fold over the last several years,” Mower explained. “And there’s a big demand for pipeline welding.”

BHCC CELEBRATES 50 YEARS The Belmont-Harrison Vocational School District is celebrating its “golden anniversary!” The 2020-21 school year at the Belmont and Harrison Career Centers marks 50 years of education, success stories and great memories for many students who have passed through our doors since 1971. The district has served the educational needs of high school students in Belmont and Harrison counties, as well as, providing employees for business and industry for 50 years. How did it all get started? Communities started hearing whispers of vocational education classes in the 1960’s. High unemployment during much of the 1960’s and 70’s brought further government support for vocational education. The Vocational Education Act of 1963 provided money for new school buildings, classes and teacher training. John Shannon, superintendent of Belmont County Schools, began a feasibility study on the need for vocational and technical education in the Ohio Valley. By 1966, a plan for the district was completed and approved by the state. In late 1966, Belmont County Commissioners made the present site along I-70 and Ohio State Route 331 available in St. Clairsville. In 1967, voters approved a bond and tax levy to generate revenue for the project. A year later, federal funds were obtained through the Vocational Education Act of 1963. By July of 1969, construction was ready to begin. Students began entering the “JVS” on August 31, 1971. In 1972, the school board approved the opening of a satellite building in Harrison County and classes started in August of 1974 in Cadiz. By 1980, the buildings were renamed the Belmont Career Center and the Harrison Career Center. Needless to say, the world and southeast Ohio looked much different 50 years ago. Today, our communities, our state, our country and the world have changed dramatically. We have evolved from vocational education to career-technical education. The place we called “work,” the locations of “work,” the types of “work,” and the tools of “work” are changing at a rapid pace. There is no better example of this change as we try to live through this pandemic. The major goal of the district has not changed over the years. We want students to develop marketable skills for securing an entry-level job upon graduation. After attending the career centers, we encourage students to seek employment in their career field or explore post-secondary options. Most employers expect certain levels of applied technical competencies from their workers, and that is why vocational education was developed. This is why the BHVSD was created. The Belmont Career Center currently offers 16 career-technical programs to high school students from Barnesville, Bellaire, Bridgeport, Harrison Central, Martins Ferry, Shadyside, St. Clairsville and Union Local. The Harrison Career Center offers six programs to students from Harrison Central High School. Satellite programs are also available at Barnesville, Shadyside and St. Clairsville High Schools. Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, most of the activities that were being planned to celebrate our 50th anniversary had to be put on hold. While we enjoy looking back on 50 years, we continue to focus on the future. We are always working to get better and provide more opportunities, so students can continue to succeed.

*Source: WorkingNation, by author Kristin Falzon

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Student Teachers Were Ready for COVID Shift By ALAN OLSON Staff Writer Society’s educational landscape had been becoming increasingly digital with each passing year, but last spring semester made technology ubiquitous in almost all aspects of life, including in the classroom. West Liberty University’s Cathy Monteroso serves as the Dean of College Education and Human Performance. She said the pandemic accelerated something that was already in place: a push to better connect with students at all levels, whether they be children suddenly forced to learn from home, or prospective teachers themselves trying to complete their education before staking their own claim. Monteroso said the school’s made efforts to “humanize” the relationship between students, whether that be the relationship between professors and teacher candi-

dates, or those candidates and their students in the classroom. The pandemic, Monteroso said, identified some flaws in their teaching styles, and the university has worked to adapt to cover those shortcomings. Chief among those flaws, she said, was with accessibility toward students, and being able to meet students on their own terms. “How do we make those accommodations to meet those students where they are?” she asked. “Traditionally, that’s always been where they are academically, socially, what they might be bringing with them in their life. Now we’ve added the component of technology and where they are with the resources available to them.” Monteroso said the push, now, is on using technology to help ensure that students are able to learn effectively, and resume focus on strong

teaching, taking a student’s individual circumstances into account.. “Technology is a phenomenal tool, but it is just a tool, and we’ve really got to get back to good teaching, and those skills we need to teach individuals,” she said. “Many years ago, special education focused on that component, that not everybody learns the same way. I think now education has really taken notice that we need to meet individuals where they’re at, and everyone’s circumstances are going to be different. “Even with the adjustments of learning at home, what support systems do they have at home, it’s more important than ever to develop relationships with students, and get every student what they need. … Being more personal, and making more adjustments based on the individual’s needs.” The changing climate of education applies more

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WLU College of Education student teacher Zach Phillips is shown in a local classroom.

significantly for student teachers, who even before the pandemic were changing their approach to education. Monteroso said that for nearly three years, the focus has been on moving to a residency-type stu-

dent teaching style, where the entire fourth year of a four-year teacher education program is completely incorporated into a classroom environment. “Instead of a traditional student teaching model, that only lasted a semes-

Student Teaching n Prospective teachers had been moving to a new model of learning for a few years prior to the pandemic, better preparing them for the school environment n Local schools have not needed to pull from student teachers to fill the role of substitutes, which has been necessary in other areas. n Teachers are focused on ‘humanizing’ the learning experience, adapting to the needs of each student.

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ter in the classroom -- and in that semester, they may have been in two separate placements — they’re more emerged in a school, so we’re really focusing on those skills more necessary to teach, and working on a co-teaching model,” she said. “We’re really taking our teachers in the field, who are phenomenal teachers, and pairing our teacher candidates with them for the whole year, so they understand the practice. The shift to the residency model, she said, was a boon for educators struggling to adapt when the pandemic hit last year. “For our purposes, when we moved to the residency, that was a huge plus when the pandemic hit,” Monteroso said. “We had student residents in the field, and they were definitely able to help the teachers they were with in the co-teaching model. Teaching in a hybrid session, when you have students on Zoom, they had to learn how to do that, but they were well supported, because they had strong teaching strategies that they could implement. If they hadn’t been in the classroom for the whole year, it would have been a lot harder to make that adjustment.” Monteroso said that staffing shortages have seen teacher candidates called on for substitute teaching roles. Ultimately, she said, candidates in the residency 2 part of the program are allowed to act as substitutes one day per week, typically in the placement they’ve been working in. Fortunately, she said, the Ohio Valley has not faced such severe shortages that student teachers have been called on to fully take over teaching duties for lack of a fulltime educator. She added that some local school districts are fortunate enough to not need to pull student teachers as substitutes at all.

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A Supplement of The Intelligencer, Wheeling News-Register and The Times Leader

Tuesday, February 23, 2021 — Page 5

Business as (Not So) Usual for Collegiate Athletic Departments By KYLE LUTZ Staff Writer After close to a year of no competition, local college sports teams returned to action at the beginning of January. Most fans just see the product on the floor. Very little is known about what goes on behind the scenes. Athletic departments have been preparing for months to ensure their student-athletes can have the proper college experience but in a safe way. Much is different right now, including fans being prohibited from attending games. Yet fundraising is still a vital part for local college athletic programs. “It’s more from the

energy of the game and the student experience,” Bethany Director of Athletics Steve Thompson said about fans’ absence. “The tandem that makes Division II and III experience what it is. But fundraising is really important. We’re doing the fan cut-outs and selling those to parents, alumni and supporters. They’ll show up on our streaming. “Then it’s more broad-based fundraising,” Thompson said, “hosting Zoom hangouts with alumni and trying to host unique events that gets them excited about supporting the college in a time when our student-athletes need support in

many different ways.” Thompson also said the alumni stepped up big for Bethany, an NCAA Division III school. The college had a day of giving solely for athletics and was able to raise more than $50,000 from alumni. “That was a tremendous boost. It kind of kicked us into gear as we returned to play. Just to see the alumni’s passion and support us on that day was huge,” Thompson said. West Liberty University also has reached out to alumni for support. On top of the usual t-shirt and sweatshirt sales, the university has sought private support from individuals. “Fundraising for us hasn’t really changed in the pandemic as opposed to pre-pandemic,” West Liberty Athletics Director Lynn Ullom said. “There’s various ways to fundraise, but the bulk of what most schools do at this level is you’re going to reach out to donors, friends of the program and alumni. “People that have an

College Athletics n With the pandemic nixing large gatherings for now, college athletic departments have moved to the virtual realm to raise money for their programs. n Making sure playing surfaces and the fan seating was important before COVID-19. It takes on an even greater importance now. n College programs and administrators are even more focused on time management, now that they’ll be juggling multiple seasons at once. affinity to your organization. As far as us dealing with this pandemic, none of that has changed.” Wheeling University is developing strategies right now in terms of fundraising, but, according to Director of Athletics Patrick Snively, the Cardinals have taken a little bit of a different approach. “We have some plans right now to get our fundraising up and running,” Snively said. “We as an institution haven’t

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really been pressing our donors because it’s a difficult time for a lot of folks. That’s intentional because people are hurting and their businesses are hurting, but at the same time, we do have some needs, so we want to be prepared for when the time is right. “We want to position ourselves when we want to do so, so we’re doing some behind the scenes planning.” One silver lining when it comes to Division II and III schools is that they don’t rely as much on ticket sales when it comes to making money. And while health and safety is always imperative, athletic departments have been taking the extra steps to ensure that everyone will be safe during and after the event. “So much of our time has been invested in meeting health and safety protocols,” Ullom said. “The whole intent through this was, ‘How can we safely get our coaches and students back into competition?’

With that comes a lot of hoops we have to jump through to meet those protocols. “That’s where the bulk of our time has been spent. We have mandatory testing and we have to completely disinfect the court and chairs in between basketball games. There’s so many things we are doing in an effort to enable our teams to play.” Snively, who was hired by Wheeling University on Jan. 4, jumped right into the action on his first day to make sure proper protocols were followed. And as all three universities planned their approach for the winter season in a new way, the same will happen in the spring. Starting in March, there will be a condensed fall sports season, while spring sports will go on as originally scheduled. “It’s going to be trying for our athletic training staff, who have been amazing,” Snively said. “They’re responsible for testing multiple student-athletes per week. It’s trying for them, it’s trying for our administrators and trying on our coaching just to piece this together and get us through. “But we’re here to try and make this work. It was a goal to get back in action. We all understood what this was about going into this. At least when we compete in the spring, most of it can be done outdoors and hopefully that makes it less likely we will spread the infection. I’m looking forward to getting out student-athletes outdoors and opening up that environment a bit.”

A Supplement of The Intelligencer, Wheeling News-Register and The Times Leader

Page 6 — Tuesday, February 23, 2021

Virtual Academies: A Potential Option for the Future By CARRI GRAHAM Staff Writer After much of the school year has been spent in virtual academies, officials are determining whether it could provide a more viable option in the future. Most students have participated in virtual learning throughout the past school year due to schools experiencing closures amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Although many schools are back to in-class learning or hybrid schedules combining both in school learning and virtual learning — some believe it could be a viable option in the future as well. Dr. Kristin Stewart, head of school of the Ohio Virtual Learning Academy, said virtual academies help to provide a consistent platform for learning. “This last school year has changed everything in education, and it has shown us that Ohio families need a consistent platform to help move

Photos provided

Landon Gregg, an eight grade student at Sherrard Middle School, left, and Wyatt Clark, a fourth student at Glen Dale Elementary, complete their class work from home through virtual learning.

their child’s education forward,” she said. Stewart said virtual learning allows students to be better prepared to handle technology, working in teams, problem-solving on their own, and even get possible ca-

Virtual Academies n Students and parents looking for consistency in learning found during the pandemic that virtual academies provide that steady schedule. n Virtual learning builds time management skills. It’s more up to the student to make sure lessons are completed on time. n The medium helps students become more comfortable with technology at an earlier age, which is important since so much is done online.

reer training. “All designed to give them an early start on their future,” she added. Ohio County School District Superintendent Dr. Kimberly Miller said she has been happy with the benefits online learning has provided over the past several months and its ability to keep students connected amid the pandemic. “It’s been very beneficial during the pandemic so that when kids are having to move in and out of the classroom whether that be to quarantine or if they’ve tested positive or whatever the situation, they’re able to stay right in contact with their own classroom teacher,” she said. Students are able to have virtual learning with their classroom teachers which has made for a smooth transition from the classroom to online

instruction, Miller said. Although virtual learning has its advantages, Miller said she feels faceto-face in school instruction is the most beneficial way for students to learn. JoJo Shay, innovations coordinator for the Ohio County School District, said virtual learning is on demand and provides students with an accessible learning mechanism. Many students are familiar with technology and instructional videos and some may prefer that learning style, she said. Additionally, virtual learning has helped students build time management skills. Students have to determine how long it will take them to compete and turn in an assignment in a timely fashion, Shay said. It also allows continued learning when students or faculty cannot be in the classroom.

Rhyder Dunn, a tenth grader at John Marshall High School, finishes his classwork through virtual learning.

“The availability of when we can’t be here (in the classroom), we’re able to still deliver instruction,” she said. “If a student is unable to be in class, you can live stream them in. I think that’s an advantage that we didn’t’ explore a lot before.” Shay said once the school year has ended, the district will be more equipped to determine the effectiveness of virtual academies and whether they could be an option for some students in the future. “I think it’s going to be really important at the end of this school year to talk to all of our stakeholders our parents, our students, our teachers - to find out what has really worked,” she said. “I think time will tell.”

Shay said the district will determine what has worked best for students and faculty prior to making decisions moving forward with virtual learning. Thus far, the district has received both positive and negative feedback involving virtual learning, she said. “Just like with everything, it works really well for some students and then for other students and I think that applies to every level whether it’s elementary, middle or high school - for some students, it’s much more difficult to get motivated when there’s nobody there with you,” she said. Shay said it all depends on the student, how the student learns, and what kind of support they have.

A Supplement of The Intelligencer, Wheeling News-Register and The Times Leader

Tuesday, February 23, 2021 — Page 7

Perseverance Through Challenges Promises Bright Futures at WLU By ERIC AYRES Staff Writer Students, staff members and faculty at West Liberty University have been able to navigate through unprecedented challenges through the past calendar year during the coronavirus pandemic. With the right combination of planning, talent, perseverance and grace, those at WLU have been able to adapt to the challenging times, and they continue to do so heading toward spring of 2021. Rising to the occasion in the face of adversity is something that has become expected from the Hilltoppers, who have found ways to achieve success time and time again throughout the history of West Virginia’s oldest institution of higher learning. Yet like other colleges and universities, West Liberty University found 2020 to bring huge obstacles with little time to prepare early last year. “When COVID-19 hit back in March, it brought about many unbelievable changes to campus, classroom instruction and student life,” Maureen Zambito, director of media relations at WLU, said. “West Liberty University was prepared however, since the Critical Incident Response Team (CIRT) meets monthly to prepare for all kinds of safety issues. CIRT was aware of the pending national health crisis early and followed the CDC recommendations in a timely fashion.” Pandemic planning actually began back in January and February at WLU, Zambito said. “However, it was still unprecedented that students were not allowed to return to campus from spring break, and we had to make arrangements for all staff other than the absolutely essential campus employees, to work remotely. Faculty too had to learn a new way of teaching and master Zoom, hybrid and all kinds of remote options.” Beyond this major change, the necessary safety protocols were enforced such as wearing of masks, social distancing and use of increased hand sanitation options. “Our maintenance department installed countless sheets of plexiglass for sneeze guards and worked with CIRT to meet other needs,” Zambito said. “All meetings took place on Zoom.” Many other things were added to campus, like social distancing floor

Photo Provided

Life on campus changed dramatically over the past year at West Liberty University. Students living on campus adjusted to new routines, safety protocols, methods of learning and ways to experience life at the university.

markers, room signage advising campus of occupancy limits, more hand sanitizer dispensers and PPE machines to dispense free masks, gloves and sanitizers to both students and employees. Other things changed on campus. For example, water fountains were covered, takeout food options were increased and arrangements were made for isolating sick students and caring for their needs. “Single dorm rooms were offered to all students,” Zambito said. “Campus move-in and move-out days were altered by our Housing Office in a major way that kept students and visitors safe.” Winter break was extended from Thanksgiving to Jan. 19, and spring break for 2021 is cancelled at WLU. Sports had to be delayed, and changes in that area are additional safety issues that still impact all student-athletes, Zambito noted. No fans are permitted even now, as teams begin to compete during the spring semester. “It has been a mammoth effort by all staff and faculty to provide the quality educational product and student life options that WLU is known for,” Zambito explained. “But WLU is committed to the safety and learning of our students and with endless hours of planning, lots of plexiglass and prayers, we have pulled it off.” Now the university continues to test students throughout the semester as required by the state of West Virginia and follow all CDC protocols. They also have a dedicated email available for questions at covid19@westliberty.edu, as well as a webpage westliberty.edu/ coronavirus. “West Liberty University is proud of its effort during this unprecedented emergency of a pandemic,” Scott Cook,

CIRT chairman and vice president of student and enrollment services at WLU. “We have remained active and safe, providing a quality education to our students on the Hilltop.” The major impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on WLU and other colleges has been a reduction in revenues. Funds allocated from the CARES Act and from the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act are helping to reduce the impact of loss revenue, according to WLU Vice President of Finance Roberta Linger. The WLU Foundation also stepped up and raised emergency funds with its Helping Hilltoppers Campaign to assist students struggling to return to the classroom during the pandemic. “We realized the need for emergency assistance last spring and began this effort by turning to

Higher Education n While much instruction was done remotely, the university also installed many safety measures like plexiglass shields in classrooms and extra hand sanitizing stations to keep the campus safe. n Students were offered single-occupancy dorm rooms to cut down on congregating in close quarters. n The university found itself raising money for students’ basic needs, as the Helping Hilltoppers Campaign, CARES Act funding and other resources helped with relief of pandemic-related financial impacts. our donors, friends and alumni, WLU Foundation Executive Director Angela Zambito-Hill said. “We were immediately rewarded with a matching gift, then another large gift and another. The Helping Hilltoppers Campaign is now nearing $75,000 and has helped 220 students.” The students, much like the faculty and staff at WLU, have adapted to the many changes. “We had an excellent response by faculty to the many changes brought on by the pandemic, Assistant Provost Jeremy Larance said. “Some of our teachers were so surprised by how well some of the new course delivery methods worked that they plan on using them long after the pandemic is over. One of the silver linings from this unexpected year will be that our future students will benefit from the innova-

tion and resources we had to develop over the past three semesters.” Cook added, “Students overall have been very responsive to our requests for masks, social distancing, avoiding large gatherings, testing and reporting symptoms and much more. We are grateful to our students for following the many rules and tolerating the many changes that the pandemic caused.” Most agreed that the increased strength in online delivery of classes -- along with a heightened attention paid to safety and health -- are among the silver linings brought about by the pandemic. There is another strength notable in the sense that

WLU has worked together to provide whatever is necessary during this very challenging time. Employees volunteer to assist at COVID-19 testings and take on additional duties of caring for students. “Our Student Health Director Christy Bennington has gone above the call of duty in taking good care of campus in every way and put in endless hours of overtime,” Cook said. “She is assisted by nurse Dawn Gainer.” Many traditions had to change, but everyone rolled with the punches. “Topper Station, WLU’s streaming platform, took on the never-before duties of streaming two commencement ceremonies and ensuring the graduation remained a festive, enjoyable event for our graduates,” Vice President of External Affairs Jason Koegler said. “Topper Station also filmed hundreds of hours of classes for faculty and students, and covered many community events as a pandemic outreach.” While everyone is eager for life on campus to return to a sense of normalcy, WLU is marching ahead and prepared to meet any of the challenges that may arise in the future. The response to the most challenging chapters in history foretell a future that is sure to be bright.

MARTINS FERRY CITY SCHOOLS

MARTINS FERRY CITY SCHOOLS CAMPUS

FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL (740) 633-1732 www.mfcsd.k12.oh.us Since 1863, The First School Board And Teachers, Martins Ferry Has Taught Each Young Person To Succeed As A Student And As An Individual.

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A Supplement of The Intelligencer, Wheeling News-Register and The Times Leader

Page 8 — Tuesday, February 23, 2021

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