Intro to the Schoolyear

BACK TO SCHOOL | SEPTEMBER 2020 | 5

‘Schools are equally important for the education of children & for the economy’

In August, Florence Area Chamber attending in person on the opposite could go to access a hotspot during In terms of technology, both Mawhere they are going to send their of Commerce moderated an hourdays. the day. However, this idea has its pleton and Siuslaw have purchased children when they work. long discussion over Zoom concern“By local metrics, if we had one limits as not every parent has the time enough Chromebooks to provide In Florence, many parents rely on ing back-to-school updates and its new infection per week, we would or resources to bring their child to the every single student with a device the Boys and Girls Club for childcare. impact on the workforce. be on the verge of closing, and with hotspot every day to complete their in the upcoming year. Th e schools But now, the club can only accept a

Th e discussion, between Oregon two or more new cases per week, we online work. plan to work closely with parents and fraction of the number of students Sen. Arnie Roblan, Siuslaw and Mawould be back to distance learning,” If aff ordability is the issue, Siuslaw students who are not as comfortable into its facilities due to health restricpleton school superintendents Andy Grzeskowiak said. “So, with such a will be off ering 30 WIFI hotspots to using the technology, either through tions. Grzeskowiak and Jodi O’Mara, along fi ne margin, we didn’t want to start families who have internet capabilione-on-one meetings, in-person oriRoblan said that this year, the state with Hyak internet service CEO Robout on campus and then by the end ties but simply can’t aff ord it. Parents entations or via video chats. has put more money from the Stubie Wright, covered current plans for of week one have a presumed or concan also apply for an internet subsidy As for soft ware, middle and high dent Success Act into Early Childreopening schools in the area, broadfi rmed case — and then be back out program to help keep their internet school students will primarily use hood care than ever before, but it’s band and internet challenges, school again. We’re trying to prevent some running. Google Classroom and Google Meet, still not enough. funding, concern over a lack of childwhiplash for staff , students and par“If you live in town, you generally while younger students will use See“We’re going to have to fi gure out care, the upcoming fl u season and deents.” have several options. But as you leave saw and Zoom, according to O’Mara ways in which groups can come tolays to school sports. For Mapleton, O’Mara explained town, you just start losing opportuand Grzeskowiak. gether to help subsidize it,” he said.

As of now, both the Siuslaw and that the delayed start date allows for nity for anything,” said Wright. “SatAt that point, the topic changed “Because trying to keep a business goMapleton school districts plant to more in-depth staff training as well as ellite can be good, as long as you have to concerns over fl u season arriving ing where you can only have ‘x’ numstart school on Monday, Sept. 14, ustime to connect with each family bea reasonably clear line of sight, but it at the same time schools start up inber of kids in a space and you need ing a comprehensive distance learnfore the school year begins. tends to get really expensive. And the person learning again. to have a much higher adult-to-child ing model. “We are bringing students and second you start doing Zoom videos “At that time of the year, we would ratio than for schools — it gets fairly

Grzeskowiak said one reason he families in to do some one-on-one — anything video related — is when most likely be in a hybrid model. Stuexpensive and we don’t pay people does not want to rush back to inorientation training,” O’Mara said. you start to consume a lot of your dents would still be in masks and six very well.” person operations is that a major“We’ll go over the technology, log-in bandwidth.” feet apart, so hopefully that’ll control O’Mara is working closely with the ity of Siuslaw’s teachers and staff are information and scheduling, and just Roblan, who is on the Oregon some of the spread,” Grzeskowiak preschool in Mapleton to fi gure out considered at-risk due to age or other make that personal connection at the Broadband Advisory Council said. “And again, we’ve got reporthow and when it can open up again. factors. Instead, the school district beginning of the year.” (OBAC), said there have been efing protocols in place, as set by Lane But for most parents, there is no other will use a phased opening based on One of the biggest hurdles that forts for a long time to expand more County Public Health, for reporting option currently than in-home care. county and local case numbers over both districts are working through is broadband into rural areas, but the presumed or confi rmed cases within “It’s been a struggle before the pantime. internet access. funding just wasn’t there. Recently student groups or across the school.” demic and it’s even more so now and

However, the district is trying to “We’re in communication with though, the state has put $20 million He said the benefi t of the hybrid I wish I had answers,” O’Mara said. prioritize in-person instruction for some technology associations and into expanding broadband into rural model is that students can continue to “I know we’re working as hard as we students who particularly struggle the Lane Education Service District Oregon. learn uninterrupted if they do begin can to fi nd those families and support with distance learning. to help support some of our families However, Wright pointed out that to show symptoms of illness and have them, but it’s a diffi cult challenge.”

“Aft er two weeks of remote opwho have no cell service and live in western Lane County did not benefi t to stay home for several days because Before the webinar wrapped up, the erations, we have the opportunity a dead zone for internet service,” from this round of funding as much all classes will be recorded live. speakers touched on the importance for some limited in-person instrucO’Mara said. “While there’s only a as eastern and southern Oregon. Roblan urged that families not let of socialization and the prospect of tion,” Grzeskowiak said. “All students handful of such families, a handSchool districts across Oregon have the fear of coronavirus prevent them beginning student sports again. will get their primary instruction ful is enough that it makes it worthhad to grapple with this issue for a from going to the doctor or pharmacy “We’ve got to make sure that kids [remotely] before lunch. And then while for us to at least push that and long time, but the coronavirus has put to get a fl u shot this season. are healthy and ready to go and acawe’ll be able to start bringing in small see what we can do to help support it at the forefront of legislators’ minds. “What we don’t want is people who demics are taken care of fi rst before groups of kids for up to two hours them.” “Broadband is as important now as can get the fl u and on top of that, get we start launching back into athleta day in the aft ernoon as needed or In the Siuslaw School District, Grzelectricity is, so we’ve got to fi gure out the coronavirus,” the senator said. “I ics,” Grzeskowiak said. required for enrichment, special sereskowiak said that about 40 families how to get it to that last house down think that could be really disastrous “We do know that kids need to be vices or special needs.” reported a lack of internet access durthat last road,” Roblan said. “If there’s and that’s the fear of a lot of health around other kids,” Roblan said. “Th e

If county cases continue to decline, ing a survey conducted last spring. something positive that comes out of professionals.” socialization part of school that we’re both Siuslaw and Mapleton schools Th e school district has since brainthis whole coronavirus experience, Childcare was the next big topic on missing right now is really hard on could start a hybrid learning model stormed several ways to address this it may be that we start really underthe agenda. With school beginning families and children and we really around November, when half the issue. standing the importance of the interremotely soon and many childcare do want everybody back at school as students would be in the classroom One idea is to establish a location net not only for schools but for medicenters closed or not running at full soon as we can get them.” — From every other day, with the other half in town where parents and students cal staff and everyone else.” capacity, parents are left wondering Siuslaw News, Aug. 26, 2020

Siuslaw School District Internet Assistance Program

Th e Siuslaw School District Board of Directors has created an Internet Assistance Program to address the cost associated with home internet during times of Comprehensive Distance Learning or Hybrid Attendance, when students will spend some time at home learning remotely.

Th e program is needs based, and considers both household income and size.

How to Apply for the Internet Assistance Program: Families of students in the Siuslaw School District can apply online using the electronic link at www.siuslaw.k12.or.us/ internet-assistance-program to a Google Form or by downloading a paper copy of the form and then submitting the completed paperwork to any school offi ce.

For those receiving public assistance benefi ts, there are discounted internet connection services available through the Oregon Lifeline Program of the Oregon Public Utility Commission.

More information and application materials are available at www.siuslaw.k12.or.us/internetassistance-program.