4 minute read
Distance Learning
WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER
“ I wanted to let you know what an OUTSTANDING job my son’s teacher has been doing in this first week. Engaging the kids every morning live at 8:15am, and then having these various assignments and supporting extra curricular assignments from Drama,
PE, and Music. ”
“I want to commend the 6th grade Island School teachers for the fine job they are doing by engaging with the students and maintaining a regular school schedule. It's reassuring to watch my kids adhere to their regular school schedule down to the minute.(I quietly chuckle about the seriousness with which they approach the routine) Please convey my appreciation.”
“...Definitely the social interaction on-line is something he looks forward to, and then he enjoys working with the three or four different tools from Seesaw, Khan Academy and Epic as well as the occasional YouTube PE Dance video.”
“I am so grateful to Island school. The school and the teachers have been absolutely amazing during this hard and strange time. They have risen to some chal lenging times, all with love and support. I am so proud to be a Voyager. These kids know they are loved and that you are all there for them 100% as a parent you could not ask for more from a school.”
At Island School, we are very fortunate to have a campus full of educators who are devoted to their craft and to the fulfillment of our mission to educate the students of Kaua‘i. As the Covid-19 pandemic began to spread across the globe, Kaua‘i’s leadership acted swiftly and decisively with a stay at home order that would close our campus to students for an unknown period of time. The faculty and staff who support our 426 learners, were presented with an unprecedented challenge to which they responded with exceptional dedication and creativity. Our teachers designed a dynamic, high-caliber learning system for our children, effectively transitioning our entire curriculum, from art and music to science and foreign language, to a completely “distance learning” platform. Island School’s standards of educational excellence continue in this new learning format which maintains the attention to the individual student that is the cornerstone of our institution.
Using models from around the country and resources from all over the world, lesson plans continue to be translated into digital formats using applications in Google Suite, MyVoyager, and Seesaw. Communication tools such as the digital meeting space, Google Meets, allow classes to safely be together again and share everything from stories of spring break to the ground breaking research done by the Senior Class of 2020 for their Capstone Projects. In some households our children have become the teachers, introducing mom and dad to Kahn Academy, Epic or the nuances of the perfect post. Our students from preschool to high school, have been given an opportunity to have confidence in their abilities, to express their creativity in videos, photos, and the written word, and to foster a love of learning with their families. The content being produced by our students is incredible, from physical education classes to sharing about their ahupua‘a. This is the time for our Voyagers to shine, to collaborate with their community in exciting ways, and to contribute to society with solutions that are unique to growing in this environment.
As the 2019-2020 school year comes to a close, our faculty and staff continue to work diligently for our students. In order to create the sense of community our students foster here at Island School, many of our events will continue in a social distancing format. Our Virtual May Day will be released before the end of the school year, and our faculty and administration are evaluating and working on recognition for our athletic teams, academic awards, and a celebration to honor the graduating class of 2020.
Many are facing new responsibilities for the first time or may have difficulties with this period of transition. Resources and support persons are available to our students, faculty, and family members as we continue to navigate through these unchartered waters. Our core team of counselors, Deans of Students and Academics, department heads, faculty, and administrative staff continue to offer virtual meetings, office hours, phone, text, and email communications. Transition guides, webinars, and our resources website https://www.ischool.org/covid-19, offer tips and tools to manage households with multiple learners, parents working from home while managing their child’s learning, and activities that can be conducted within current health regulations. Families are encouraged to maintain healthy eating and fitness habits as well as daily routines. Social emotional learning is weaved throughout our digital presence during the everlasting Island School tradition of Morning Circle, mindfulness exercises for elementary, and middle and high school advisories.
We are all in this together and together we will get through this. Voyagers of all ages are showing their true blue and gold! On behalf of Island School, we thank all of you: parents, students, staff, donors, and volunteers for continuing to support us and allowing us to prepare Kaua‘i’s youth to lead lives of significance.
9 Spring Edition
