In this unprecedented time, the COVID-19 pandemic is redefining everyday life for all of us.
The closure of our schools to support the need for physical distancing has added an additional layer of uncertainty; however, the teachers, staff and administration of the Amherst, Pelham and Amherst-Pelham Regional Schools have worked tirelessly to respond to the new environment since this crisis began in our region.
While the specifics of our district response evolve with the situation and the changing guidelines from local, state and national officials, our work is framed by a commitment to ensuring strong lines of communication, supporting ongoing learning, minimizing technology barriers, addressing food insecurity, supporting mental health and continuing core operations for all of our students.
On April 9, the district launched Distance Learning 2.0, which replaced the use of enrichment work that had been in place, based on revised guidelines from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. These remote learning plans were developed by teachers, paraeducators and administrators who collaborated to tailor plans for students per their grade level.
They worked with the districts’ commitment to academic excellence, educational equity and social emotional learning in mind to ensure those commitments were integrated into the plans. Detailed plans were also developed to ensure that our English language learners and special education students will continue to receive the support they need in this new learning environment.
Our dedicated counselors and mental health staff members worked together to develop ways in which they can be available to students and families to support their emotional health during these stressful times. Librarians and technology team members provided training for their colleagues and will continue to support students’ learning during Distance Learning 2.0.
We acknowledge and honor the commitment of our staff, who have made this transition while simultaneously managing the numerous challenges that have come from the current situation in their family and personal lives. It speaks to the outstanding commitment of ARPS educators and staff to support their students, even during unprecedented times.
Access to technology is key to ensuring a successful implementation of Distance Learning 2.0, and the district was well aware that not all of our families have equitable access to computers and the internet. Students in grades 7-12 already had access to a Chromebook through the district’s 1-to-1 program. Since schools closed, more than 300 Chromebooks have been distributed to students in grades K-6 to support their distance learning experience.
In addition, the district is providing mobile Wi-Fi hotspots for our families who need internet access. This is made possible through the extraordinary efforts of our Parent/Guardian Organizations, which have raised more than $38,000 to date to cover the cost of the hotspot devices and internet access for families.
Throughout the school closure, our partnership with families is paramount. We understand that parents and guardians are supporting their children’s learning at home while juggling other personal, familial and/or professional responsibilities. The district is dedicated to keeping our families informed and supported by ensuring strong lines of communication with all stakeholders, including local, state and national officials, and sharing information out with the ARPS community.
Regular email messages, the weekly newsletter ARPS Update, frequent postings to our social media accounts, and our district COVID-19 website are just some of the ways in which families are being kept informed. We are also dedicated to addressing food insecurity by partnering with parents/guardians to ensure that our students have the same nutritious meals they would get when schools are open. Between our ARPS Nutrition Services and our partnership with UMass, we are serving over 2,000 meals per week at 13 locations in Amherst and one in Pelham.
We’ve also added additional meals to our Friday delivery to help families through the weekend. These efforts have been made possible through the work of the ARPS Nutrition Services staff, UMass partners, the ARPS Family Center, ARPS van and bus drivers, and the many ARPS staff volunteers who are contributing to this effort.
We are grateful for the amazing commitment and the tremendous work being done in the face of the unprecedented challenges created by this pandemic. All of us — teachers, paraeducators, staff, administrators, families, students, and our broader community — are working hard to adapt to this evolving and difficult environment, and the significant support we are seeing throughout the community is heartwarming.
Though it is increasingly unlikely that we will be back in our school buildings this school year, this commitment and support will help us all manage through this together.
Michael Morris is the superintendent of schools and Allison McDonald is chair of the Amherst Regional School Committee.
