Fairfield Area School District leaders are transforming how students learn in a digital world.
During the August meeting, Assistant Superintendent Aaron Taylor told the board that several changes will be implemented this school year to help students learn. With snow closures now a thing of the past, the district is modifying remote learning days to allow students to learn while enjoying the winter weather.
Taylor said that on remote learning days, teachers will hold live sessions so students can ask teachers questions about the day's assignments. Students will be given time the rest of the day to complete their assignments, but they don't have to spend the entire day on them, Taylor said.
“If you want to go to Ski Liberty, you can still go,” he said.
The district will use the Schoology Learning app to provide consistency across all grade levels, and board members praised the change, citing frustration with parents having to teach their kids how to use different systems.
Students will be provided with digital devices whether school takes place at the district's Fairfield Road campus or in students' homes. Instructional Technology Coordinator Nicole Zepp said all students will start the school year with the same devices they had last year. Then, students in kindergarten, first grade, fifth grade and ninth grade will be given new computers. All students will be provided with district email addresses. Previously, only high school students were allowed to use email. Middle school students expressed frustration about not being able to contact their teachers outside of school hours. Middle and high school students will also have access to the Adobe Creative Cloud Suite, Zepp said.
Zepp said the district has placed a strong emphasis on cybersecurity, and has implemented a phishing simulator to teach staff and students the importance of not clicking on unknown and potentially harmful links.
Kindergarten and first grade students are given password badges so they don't have to remember complex passwords. Students get one badge for school and one for home, Sepp said. When they hold their badge in front of a computer's camera, they can access programs securely.
Board members praised Taylor and Zepp for implementing so many changes in one year. Board Vice Chairman Jack Riller also asked if the school had ever considered providing students with devices that record lectures and transcribe the audio into text.
“When you were a student, that would have been a dream,” Liller said. “When you take notes, you stop listening and you write them down.”
Taylor said he hadn't heard of the device but would look into its possibilities, adding that it could be especially beneficial for students with learning disabilities.
Alex J. Hayes has spent nearly 20 years in the Adams County news industry. He is passionate about sharing stories that focus on the people in the community and tracking local government at a time when there are few journalists covering the meetings. Alex also works as a freelance writer for several other publications in South Central Pennsylvania. Alex invites readers to contact him at [email protected].
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