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Tuesday, March 24, 2020
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At-home classes taking shape By VICKIE MOSS The Iola Register
Less is more. That’s the message USD 257 educators pressed when determining the best way to teach students now that in-person classes have been canceled for the remainder of the school year. It’s uncharted territory that will ask students to work at home, either online or with worksheets. Teachers had less than a week to process the changing educational environment over spring break. They will use the coming week to help district administrators come up with the best possible plan. That plan is still in development, but already those in USD 257 have a pretty good idea what it will look like. District officials expect to provide material to students by Friday, so they’ll be ready to start work Monday morning. Elementary school teachers will prepare packets with two weeks’ worth of hard-copy material for students to complete. Teachers could develop some type of virtual component, such as
K-State standout eyes pro career
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Iola Recreation Department spring activities on hold
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Declan Springer learns his ABCs while homeschooling with his mother, Katrina Springer. With in-person classes canceled, some parents are turning to homeschool experts for advice to help their children with schoolwork. COURTESY PHOTO
Dan Willis, president of the USD 257 Board of Education, leads a Zoom meeting Monday evening to practice “social distancing” because of the coronavirus pandemic. More than half of the board, and other attendees, took part in the virtual meeting as the district navigates a new educational landscape with the closing of in-person classes. REGISTER/VICKIE MOSS a virtual storybook reading. Those packets are expected to be delivered curbside at elementary schools Friday. Teachers also will turn over student belongings at that time. More information will
be announced later. Middle and high school students will receive most of their education online, after an initial survey of students and parents indicated only a handful at each school lacks
options to access a computer or internet service. All high school students are issued a Chromebook, so all they need is internet service. Middle See BOE | Page A3
Humboldt Police Department, though Monday was fielded by undersheriff Roy Smith. The program typically delivers residents about 70 to See MEALS | Page A6
See TIPS | Page A6
By TREVOR HOAG The Iola Register
Allen County Sheriff Bryan Murphy delivers meal supplies to retired teacher and principal Joe Hess, after the regular Meals on Wheels service was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. REGISTER/TREVOR HOAG The route through north and south Iola will be covered by the Sheriff ’s Office. The route through Gas, LaHarpe and Moran will be covered by Hope Unlimited. The route through Humboldt will be covered by the
By VICKIE MOSS The Iola Register
Take it outside when you can, take it easy and be flexible. That’s just some of the advice from a homeschool mom to parents who may be worried they’ll need to take over teaching duties as learning moves from the classroom to the living room. Educators across the state are working on plans to continue to teach children, in most cases utilizing online tools to create a virtual classroom, as classes were canceled to slow the spread of a deadly coronavirus. It’s not yet clear exactly what that will look like, which has some parents worried they’ll be unprepared to handle the schoolwork. Katrina Springer has been homeschooling children for years, and said there are challenges and rewards when it comes to educating students at home. “It all depends on your child and the approach you
Meal delivery service resumes After regular Meals on Wheels service was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Sheriff Bryan Murphy and County Clerk Sherrie Riebel sprung into action. Already worried that the program might be suspended, the two had prepared a back-up plan in its stead. In order to reduce risk to current Meals on Wheels volunteers, many of whom are elderly, the Sheriff ’s Department, Hope Unlimited and Humboldt Police Department stepped in to cover the delivery routes. “We know we don’t want to put those volunteers at risk,” Murphy explained. “We’re just going to absorb that risk and go on.”
Thinking out of the box helps learning
Council talks utility breaks By RICHARD LUKEN The Iola Register
Iola Mayor Jon Wells, center, seeks a vote on a procedural matter at Monday’s Iola City Councilmeeting, along with Council membes Mark Peters, left, and Nickolas Kinder. REGISTER/RICHARD LUKEN Vol. 122, No. 104 Iola, KS 75 Cents
Iolans may get a break on past-due utility bills, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. City Council members Monday spoke in favor of waiving fees associated with utility reconnections for as long as the city remains under an executive order issued last week by Gov. Laura Kelly. In the order, Kelly prohibited utility disconnections and evictions until her emergency declaration is lifted. Council members had already endorsed a plan earlier
this month to rewrite other ordinances affecting pastdue bills. Late fees, issued if a bill is not paid within 28 days of issuance, will drop from 5% to 2.5%, and residents whose utilities are disconnected will get a one-time pass on having the services restored once the bill is paid at no extra charge. Those whose utilities are disconnected multiple times in a year will be assessed subsequent $35 reconnection fees. Those ordinances were See COUNCIL | Page A5