Town Times Feb. 19, 2021 by Record Journal

Friday, February 19, 2021

www.towntimes.com

Volume 27, Number 8

SCHUCH SETTLES IN

New super shares his educational approach Schuch recognizes that each student is unique and might study at a different pace. Superintendent Doug Learning, he believes, Schuch believes there is an should be competency“amazing potential of work” based and measured by a that can be done in Regional student's ability to demonSchool District 13. strate knowledge of academic content, rather than the Before startnumber of hours spent in a ing his new classroom. role with RSD13 over a “If you can learn algebra month ago, faster than I can but we both Schuch learn it eventually, why do served as su- we call you an ‘A’ student perintendent and call me a ‘C’ or ‘D’ stuof Bedford dent?” said Schuch. “The Schuch County Pub- time should be variable and lic Schools in the constant should be how Virginia, a position he held much we learn.” since 2009. Schuch believes the learning Schuch’s educational philos- process is not constrained ophy is based on a learnerby the classroom walls but centered approach. Unlike happens in a myriad of setthe traditional model of tings and formats. Schools teaching that relies on lecshould give students credit tures as the primary means for “learning experiences of instruction, the learnerthat happen outside of the centered education favors traditional school day,” different modalities to facili- Schuch said. tate learning. Having worked in public edIn a learner-centered educa- ucation for 26 years, Schuch tion, each student is bebelieves a school district lieved to have unbounded should constantly analyze its potential and an innate deeducational approach and sire to learn. Children are adapt it to changing circumencouraged to recognize stances. their strengths and weak“That's a really hard thing to nesses and find a model of do in public education beeducation that suits them cause we’re used to setting a best. plan, following it for the “Successful learning might whole year, and then maklook different for each indiing changes the next year,” vidual learner,” said Schuch. he said. “But I think that “You might learn best from COVID-19 has taught us that listening to lectures, someif something isn’t working, body else might learn better we can’t be afraid to make from doing hands-on exper- changes right now. It’s all iments. Learners should about what’s best for our have some input as to what young learners.” their learning process looks like.” By Nadya Korytnikova Town Times

See Schuch, A36

CVEF creates pandemic resource guide for parents By Nadya Korytnikova Town Times

Fear, uncertainty, and staying home to slow the spread of the coronavirus can make it difficult for families to keep a sense of calm. That’s why the Coginchaug Valley Education Foundation created a helpful online parenting playbook to help Durham and Middlefield parents and children cope with the pandemic. The Pandemic Parenting Playbook features a list of helpful articles on five subjects — mental health, self-care, parent support,

technology, family fun, and community resources. Each article is chosen by the education foundation’s board of directors. CVEF President Nancy Earls said there is a need for this type of resource as many parents feel “burned out” after a year of balancing family and work during the pandemic. “You can do anything for a month, for four, six months, but it has been a year,” said Earls. “Parents often have high expectations of themselves. They want to perform well at work, meet their families' needs and ensure that their children are learning.

These demands, coupled with ever-changing circumstances, produce stress.” See Guide, A7

COVID-19 cases continue to dip The United States is administering an average of nearly 1.7 million coronavirus vaccine doses per day, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And the Biden administration said Tuesday it was boosting the amount of vaccine sent to states to 13.5 million doses per week, a 57 percent increase from when Presi- Wallingford Fire Department EMS Lt. Michael Krupinski dent Joe Biden took ofadministers the COVID-19 vaccine to Gail Morse, of fice nearly a month ago, Wallingford, at the Wallingford Senior Center on Jan. 28. as well as doubling to 2 Dave Zajac, Record-Journal million the weekly doses being sent to pharmaConnecticut’s most recent The previous report showed cies. coronavirus report, issued 35 positive cases in Durham and 25 in Middlefield, and At the same time, coron- Feb. 11, showed 33 positive cases in Durham and 16 in the Jan. 28 summary showed avirus deaths in the U.S. Middlefield. That works out 43 positive cases in Durham are down sharply over to an average of 33 daily and, again, 25 in Middlethe past six weeks, and cases in Durham and 26.1 in field. new cases have plumMiddlefield per 100,000 meted. people. See COVID, A35