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I'M SCOTT GRAHAM SITTING IN FOR RICK FORSTNER TODAY.
WE'RE TALKING TO THE BEAVER COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT AND DR.
RODRIGUEZ, THANKS FOR JOINING US.
YOU, YOU WERE HERE RIGHT AS YOU STARTED A YEAR AGO.
WHAT, WHAT A YEAR YOU'VE HAD HOW'S THINGS GOING? WELL, I'M PRETTY SURE, YOU KNOW, I LOVE IT HERE.
UH, THE, UH, THE COMMUNITY IS WONDERFUL.
UM, YOU KNOW, I ENJOY, UH, WORKING WITH OUR SCHOOLS AND OUR, UH, CERTAINLY OUR ADMINISTRATORS AND TEACHERS.
I LOVE VISITING CLASSROOMS. THINGS, UH, STARTED OFF EXCEPTIONALLY WELL.
WE, WE WENT OFF, UH, HAD A, A REFERENDUM, UH, EARLY ON, WELL, WE HAD A HURRICANE BEFORE THAT.
UH, BUT WE, WE TRANSITIONED, UH, OVER TO, TO THE REFERENDUM IN NOVEMBER THAT WENT WELL.
UH, AND SO APPRECIATIVE OF THE VOTER SUPPORT ON THAT REFERENDUM, UH, WITH A 70% APPROVAL RATING.
AND THEN, UH, AND THEN, UH, CONTINUED ALONG THE, THE REST OF THE YEAR AND THEN, UH, CERTAINLY COVID HIT IN, UH, IN MARCH.
SO THAT, THAT CHANGED, UH, UH, THE DYNAMICS QUITE A BIT, ALL OF US, REALLY, IT PRETTY MUCH STOPPED EVERYTHING FOR A LITTLE WHILE, BUT Y'ALL REGROUPED VERY QUICKLY, I MEAN, W WITH ONLINE CLASS AND WE DID SOME STUFF IN THIS STUDIO FOR TELE LEARNING.
I MEAN, SO YOU REALLY PICKED UP THE BALL AND RAN WITH IT.
SO WHAT LESSONS HAVE YOU LEARNED SO FAR WITH, WITH THIS NEW, UM, THIS NEW AGE, YOU KNOW, TECHNOLOGY IS, UH, CERTAINLY AN IMPORTANT PART OF, UH, OF THINGS WE WERE ABLE TO TRANSITION, UH, VERY QUICKLY IN MARCH.
I THINK THE GOVERNOR GAVE THE ORDER TO CLOSE SCHOOLS ON MARCH 15TH AND, UH, THE VERY NEXT DAY, UH, WE WERE OFF AND RUNNING WITH, UH, PROVIDING ASSIGNMENTS FOR OUR STUDENTS.
UH, SO WE EXPERIENCED YOUR TYPICAL CHALLENGES SUCH AS, UH, YOU KNOW, TECHNOLOGY ON AND OFF, UH, KIND OF THINGS THAT YOU MIGHT, YOU MIGHT HAVE, BUT, UH, THE TRANSITION TO IT WAS SMOOTH BECAUSE WE HAD STARTED PLANNING REALLY ABOUT A MONTH BEFORE.
WELL, YOU REALLY DIDN'T, YOU COULDN'T REACH BACK AND GRAB A BOOK OFF THE SHELF AND SAY, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO.
THIS IS, THIS IS UNPRECEDENTED, RIGHT? THERE'S NO PLAYBOOK, UH, FOR, FOR THIS.
SO WE'RE WORKING THROUGH IT AND DOING A VERY GOOD JOB OF IT.
I, I PERSONALLY THINK, I MEAN, YOU PICKED UP THE BALL AND RAN WITH YOU'VE ALLOWED FOR, WE WERE TALKING BEFORE WE CAME ON THE AIR AND THINGS.
I DIDN'T REALIZE, FIRST OF ALL, UM, HOW DO, HOW DO THE STUDENTS GET, GET THE CLASSES IF THEY DON'T HAVE ACCESS? YEP.
SO WE HAVE, UH, IF IT'S AN INTERNET ACCESS ISSUE, WE HAVE, UH, MY FIVE DEVICES, UH, OVER 2,400, MY FIVE DEVICES THAT WE GOT FROM, UH, STATE OF EDUCATION.
UH, AND THOSE ARE FOR, UH, FAMILIES, UH, THAT DON'T HAVE A CERTAIN INCOME LEVEL.
AND, AND SO, UM, WE'RE ABLE, THEY FILL OUT A QUICK APPLICATION FOR IT AND WE'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE THEM THE FI UH, DEVICE IN THAT PROVIDES A SERVICE, UH, FOR, FOR THE STUDENT.
AND SO THEY CONNECT, THEY CONNECT THAT AT HOME AND THEN, UH, THEIR DEVICE CONNECTS, UH, THROUGH THE INTERNET TO THAT, AND THEY HAVE ACCESS.
AND THE MI-FI DEVICE FOR THOSE THAT DON'T KNOW ACTUALLY GOES THROUGH THE CELLULAR COMPETENCE THAT'S RIGHT.
IT GOES THROUGH CELLULAR COMPANIES.
SO IT'S A, IT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAT WAY.
SO WHEREVER THERE'S CELLULAR ACCESS, YOU HAVE, UH, YOU HAVE ACCESS TO THE INTERNET THAT WAY.
AND THEN WE HAVE ABOUT 300 ADDITIONAL ONES THAT WE PURCHASED THAT DON'T HAVE ANY, UH, ANY OF THAT CRITERIA, SO WE CAN START.
NOW YOU WERE TALKING TOO ABOUT FOLKS GOING TO LIKE THE SCHOOLS AND THERE WAS HOTSPOTS AT THE SCHOOLS AS WELL.
IN, IN, UH, IN THE SPRING, WHAT WE DID WAS WE, WE EXTENDED THE SERVICE OUT INTO OUR PARKING LOTS, UH, A LITTLE FURTHER, SO THAT, AND WE PROVIDED DIAGRAMS AS TO WHERE THE CONNECTIVITY WAS IN THOSE PARKING LOTS.
SO THAT, UH, IF, IF AT THAT TIME PARENTS DIDN'T HAVE, UH, ACCESS TO THE INTERNET, THEY COULD COME ONTO THE CAMPUS, THEY COULD, UH, DOWNLOAD THE ASSIGNMENT AND THEY COULD UPLOAD ANY ASSIGNMENTS THAT THE CHILD HAD COMPLETED.
UH, AND, AND THAT WAY WE COULD, WE COULD, UH, MINIMIZE THE PAPERWORK THAT WAS, UH, TRANSFERRING.
AND THEN WE DID HAVE LEARNING PACKAGE FOR, FOR THOSE THAT OPTED TO JUST USE THE LEARNING PACKETS OF FAMILIES.
HOW WAS THAT RECEIVED? WELL, I THINK EVERYBODY AT THAT TIME, UH, WAS REALLY IMPRESSED WITH THE DISTRICT'S ABILITY TO TRANSITION.
THERE WERE CHALLENGES ALONG THE WAY.
UH, OUR TEACHERS DID A PHENOMENAL JOB, UH, REALLY PIVOTING, UH, INTO, INTO ONLINE INSTRUCTION OVERNIGHT.
UM, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, FOR US, THE PREPARATION, UH, OVER THE YEARS HAS BEEN ABOUT FACE-TO-FACE
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INSTRUCTION.SO, SO IT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT TO DELIVER INSTRUCTION, UH, WHEN YOU'RE HAVING TO DO IT ONLINE.
AND SO, SO, UH, UH, BUT, BUT OUR TEACHERS WORKED HARD AND WORKED THROUGH IT.
UH, AND SO I THINK THAT WAS A GOOD THING.
DID ANYTHING SURPRISE YOU? JUST LIKE, WOW, I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT, OR, WOW.
I KNEW THAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN, BUT HOLY COW.
YEAH, NO, I MEAN, I'VE ALWAYS FELT THAT, UH, WE HAVE REALLY HIGH QUALITY EDUCATORS HERE, YOU KNOW, AND THEY, THEY DO A GREAT JOB.
AND, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS I'VE ALWAYS LOVED TO DO IS VISIT CLASSROOMS IN AND OUT OF CLASSROOMS AND SEE INSTRUCTION TAKING PLACE.
AND SO, UH, SO ONE OF THE THINGS ABOUT THIS WAS OUR TEACHERS, UH, TENACITY, I THINK, TO CONTINUE DELIVERING, UH, INSTRUCTION FOR STUDENTS, UH, IN SPITE OF THAT TRANSITION THAT HAPPENED OVERNIGHT.
WHAT IS TYPICAL, LIKE A TYPICAL ONLINE TEACHING DAY? CAN YOU DESCRIBE THAT? HOW THAT WORKS FOR US? YEAH, SO, UH, GENERALLY SPEAKING, UH, OUR, UH, OUR STUDENTS, WHAT THEY WOULD EXPERIENCE IS THEY WOULD HAVE, UH, SOME ZOOM LESSONS OR LESSONS THROUGH SEESAW WHERE, UH, WHERE TEACHERS CAN CONNECT WITH THEM DIRECTLY.
THEY WOULD, UH, HAVE SOME TIME TO CHECK IN INTERACT A LITTLE BIT AND CHECK ON STUDENTS.
AND THEN IN ADDITION, UH, DELIVER, UH, INSTRUCTION AND THEN STUDENTS WOULD HAVE TIME, UH, THEN AT THAT JUNCTURE TO WORK INDEPENDENTLY ON WHATEVER ASSIGNMENTS THEY MIGHT HAVE, UH, THERE ARE BREAKS BUILT IN TO, UM, TO, TO, SO THIS IS NOT CONSTANT SCREEN TIME.
UH, AND THEN THERE ARE, UH, LUNCH AT THE BUILT IN THERE, AND SOMETIME FOR, FOR OUR STUDENT PLAY AND THEN, BUT, BUT ARE, BUT THERE IS A SCHEDULE, UH, THAT WOULD GO FROM THE MORNING THROUGH TO THE, SO THEY'RE STILL GETTING THE ACTUAL CLASSROOM TIME.
IT'S JUST IN A DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT MODE.
SO, SO THEY'D HAVE, UH, A CERTAIN SEGMENT OF THAT DIRECT INSTRUCTION, RIGHT.
BUT THEN THERE IS INDEPENDENT WORK FOR FIRST STEP.
ARE THE TEACHERS WORKING FROM THE SCHOOLS OR THE TEACHERS WORKING FROM HOME? HOW'S THAT WORKING? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
OUR, OUR TEACHERS HAD THE OPTION TO EITHER WORK FROM THE SCHOOL BUILDING OR, UH, OR TO WORK FROM HOME.
AND, UH, WE HAVE, UH, SOME, UH, TEACHERS WHO FORMALLY REQUESTED ACCOMMODATIONS, UH, UM, BECAUSE THEY FELT MAYBE HIGH RISK, FOR EXAMPLE.
SO THEY, THEY RE THEY, UH, REQUESTED ACCOMMODATIONS.
UH, BUT, UH, BUT THE OTHER TEACHERS HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK EITHER FROM HOME OR FROM BUILDING IN, IN MY VISITS TO SCHOOLS, I'M FINDING THAT MANY OF THEM ARE CHOOSING TO COME AND WORK IN THE BUILDING NOW.
SO IT MAKES IT A LITTLE MORE STRUCTURED.
I THINK EVERYBODY'S SORT OF WANTING TO GET BACK TO WHAT YOU WANT TO DO AT THIS POINT.
UM, ONE OF THE CONCERNS HE'D ALWAYS READ IN THE PAPER ABOUT EVERYBODY'S CONCERNED ABOUT, UH, LUNCH PROGRAMS AND BREAKFAST AND THINGS.
I MEAN, I KNOW Y'ALL, DON'T HANDLE THAT WHEN WE WERE PLANNING, UH, THE MONTH BEFORE OUR, UH, THE GOVERNOR SHUT DOWN SCHOOLS, UH, PART OF OUR PLAN WAS HOW WE WOULD CONTINUE TO FEED AND SERVE OUR STUDENTS.
AND SO WE UTILIZED OUR BUSES TO TAKE MEALS OUT TO SOME OF OUR, UH, LOCATIONS AND BUS ROUTES.
AND THEN WE ALSO HAD MEAL DISTRIBUTION SITES AT SOME OF OUR SCHOOLS ACROSS SPREAD OUT ACROSS THE COUNTY.
AND SO, UH, FROM THE TIME THE SHUTDOWN HAPPENED, UM, TILL THIS JUNCTURE NOW WE'RE OVER 800,000 MEALS THAT, UH, THAT HAVE BEEN PROVIDED FOR AS FAR AS STUDENTS AREN'T IN THE CLASSROOMS. THERE ARE A FEW STUDENTS THAT ARE ACTUALLY GOING TO THE CLASSROOMS. YES, YES.
UH, THIS WEEK, UH, WE BROUGHT IN OUR, SOME OF OUR LOW INCIDENTS, UH, UH, SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS WHOSE, UH, SOME OF THE SERVICES THAT THEY MIGHT NEED, UH, JUST AREN'T, UH, SUITABLE FOR A REMOTE LEARNING, UH, CAPACITY.
SO THIS WOULD ALLOW US TO MEET THEIR NEEDS AND PROVIDE SERVICES.
SO WE'RE DOING THAT THROUGH A, UH, UH, A HYBRID FORMAT WHERE THERE'S A COUPLE OF TIMES A WEEK AND THEY DON'T CHANGE CLASSES.
THEY'RE NOT AROUND THE SCHOOL, THEY'RE IN ONE AREA WITH THEIR TEACHER.
AND HOW, HOW HAS THE HEALTH MONITORED IN THE, IN THE SCHOOL? SO, UH, WE HAVE NURSES AT, UH, ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS AND FACILITIES.
AND, AND SO, UH, WE REGULARLY CHECK, WE ASK OUR PARENTS, UH, THAT ARE CURRENTLY SENDING STUDENTS IN TO CHECK ON THEIR STUDENT'S SYMPTOMS EVERY DAY, AND THAT IF THEY'RE ILL OR SICK, TO PLEASE NOT BRING THEM ON THOSE DAYS AND WE'LL FIGURE OUT A WAY TO GET THEM WHAT THEY NEED, BUT THAT'S AN IMPORTANT PART.
AND, UH, WHEN WE RETURNED TO FACE TO FACE INSTRUCTION, THAT'S REALLY AN IMPORTANT PIECE FOR, UH, EVERYONE IN OUR COMMUNITY, UH, TO HELP ENSURE THAT WE CAN, WE CAN OPEN AS SAFELY AND KEEP OUR SCHOOLS OPEN.
SO, SO IF YOU'RE FEELING ILL, DON'T COME TO SCHOOL RIGHT NOW, AS IN STAFF, HOW IS STAFF AND ADMINISTRATION BEING MONITORED? YEP.
SAME WAY OR NURSES IN SCHOOLS, UH, PROVIDE THAT, THAT SUPPORT EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITY.
I REALIZE A LOT OF THINGS AREN'T, AREN'T RUNNING, BUT WE DO HAVE SOME OF THE EXTRACURRICULAR RUNS AT THE MOMENT WE HAVE, UH, SOME OF THE FALL SPORTS THAT ARE RUNNING THAT IS
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FOLLOWING THE HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC LEAGUES GUIDANCE AND RECOMMENDATIONS ON, ON, ON THAT PIECE, BECAUSE OUR INTENT IS CERTAINLY TO RETURN TO FACE-TO-FACE INSTRUCTION.AND TO DO THAT SOONER RATHER THAN LATER, THEN THE REALITY IS THAT WE DIDN'T WANT TO BE IN A SITUATION WHERE WE DIDN'T START THE FALL SPORTS, BUT THEN WE DID START SCHOOL WITH, UH, WITH, WITH STUDENTS FACE TO FACE.
AND, AND THEN THOSE STUDENTS WOULD MISS OUT ON THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN A FALL SEASON.
AND THAT COULD HAVE A EFFECT ON HIS COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS AND STUFF.
SO THERE'S STILL, STILL WORKING THROUGH.
AND HOW FAR ARE THE GAMES, ARE THEY ALLOWING ATTENDANCE AT THE GAMES OR HOW'S THAT WORK? GREAT QUESTION.
SO EVERYTHING FROM PRACTICES IS, UH, IS, UM, UH, REALLY CLOSELY MONITORED STUDENTS, UH, ARE GET A QUESTION QUESTIONNAIRE TYPE OF THING WHERE, WHERE THE COACHES ASK THEM SPECIFIC QUESTIONS, UH, AND SORT OF A SCREENING PIECE BEFORE THEY COULD ACTUALLY ENTER INTO, UH, INTO THE PRACTICE SESSIONS.
THEN, UM, IN ADDITION TO THAT, UM, IN TERMS OF GAMES AND SPORTING EVENTS, UH, THAT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEAGUE HAS PUT OUT, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS IN TERMS OF LIMITING THE, UH, THE CAPACITY WITHIN STADIUMS. AND SO, UM, THAT'S THE KIND OF THING WE'LL BE DOING.
I EVERYBODY'S IN THE VIRTUAL LEARNING, HOW IS THAT MONITORED? HOW, HONESTLY, I SAID BEFOREHAND, IF I WAS HAD THIS, WHEN I WAS GROWING UP, I WOULD BE OUT PLAYING.
SO HOW, HOW ARE, HOW IS EVERYTHING BEING MONITORED? SURE.
SO ONE OF THE REALLY IMPORTANT PIECES IS TO MAKE SURE OUR ADMINISTRATORS ARE, UH, IN, IN ALSO IN CLASSROOMS, UH, ZOOM CLASSROOMS, SO TO SPEAK, RIGHT.
AND, AND THEN ALSO FOR OUR TEACHERS TO MONITOR THE ENGAGEMENT OF THEIR IN THEIR CLASSES.
AND SO WHAT WE, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR IS THAT THEY'RE ACTIVELY IN THE CLASS AND THEN THAT THEY ARE TURNING IN ASSIGNMENTS AND STAYING ENGAGED WITH THE WORK.
AND, UH, WHEN THAT, WHEN THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN, OR WE WOULD FIND THAT STUDENTS BEGIN TO FALL, FALL OFF IN THEIR ENGAGEMENT, THEN WE HAVE A TEAM THAT'S TOGETHER THAT WOULD BE MAKING PHONE CALLS, MAKING CONNECTIONS, HOME VISITS, IF NECESSARY, TO, TO MAKE SURE WE CAN RE-ENGAGE STUDENTS.
AND EVEN THOUGH WE WERE HEAVILY INTO COVID-19 DURING THE SUMMER, YOU STILL RAN WHAT I CALL SUMMER SCHOOL.
WE HAD AN ALGEBRA BOOTCAMP, FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN ALL OF OUR SUMMER PROGRAMS ENDED UP BEING VIRTUAL.
UH, SO THE ALGEBRA BOOTCAMP FOR STUDENTS GOING INTO, UH, AN ALGEBRA COURSE FOR THE FIRST TIME.
UH, AND SO, SO THE IMPORTANCE THERE IS AT ALGEBRA, SUCH A GATEWAY COURSE, UH, IN, IN TERMS OF, UH, STUDENTS PROGRESSING FORWARD AND COLLEGE OPPORTUNITIES.
AND SO, UH, WE RUN THIS, UH, ALGEBRA BOOTCAMP FOR THEM, AND WE FOUND AN 18% GROWTH IN STUDENTS, UH, FROM A PRE-TEST TO A POST-TEST ON, ON THAT, UH, IN THEIR ALGEBRAIC THINKING.
SO THAT WAS AN IMPORTANT PIECE.
WE ALSO HAD, UH, ACADEMIC RECOVERY CAMPS, UH, WE POSTPONED IT WAS GOING TO BE FACE-TO-FACE.
WE POSTPONED IT IN THE HOPES THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO HAVE IT IN FACE TO FACE, UH, WHEN, WHEN WE DIDN'T, WE, WE WENT AHEAD AND HAD IT VIRTUALLY, UH, SO THAT WAS A GREAT EXPERIENCE.
AND THEN WE HAD A LEAP PROGRAM IN THE SUMMER THAT WAS A NEW PIECE THAT THE STATE WANTED, UH, SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO ENGAGE IN.
AND, UH, AND SO WE DID THAT AS WELL, ALL IS SAID AND DONE, AND SOONER OR LATER WE WILL GET BACK IN THE CLASSROOM, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO STILL TEST, LIKE, WE'VE ALWAYS TESTED TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY STAYED UP TO STANDARDS.
AND SO, UH, THAT PROGRESS MONITORING IS REALLY AN IMPORTANT PIECE IT'S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW.
UH, WE HAVE STUDENTS TAKING MAP TESTING, FOR EXAMPLE.
UH, AND SO, SO WE'RE, WE'RE ABLE TO DO THAT NOW AND THEN AROUND MID-YEAR AGAIN.
UH, WE'LL DO IT AGAIN A SECOND TIME.
UH, AND SO WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR IS THE GROWTH OF STUDENTS ALONG THE WAY.
AND THEN OUR TEACHERS DO A PROGRESS MONITORING CHECKS ALONG THE WAY WITHIN THE LESSONS THAT, UH, THAT THEY DELIVER.
AND SPEAKING OF 2020, MEANING WHAT 2020 IS THE MAP TESTING ACTUALLY HAD FIRE DAMAGE.
IT'S A KIND OF INTERESTING THE WILDFIRES.
UH, IT'S AMAZING OUT WEST HAD AN IMPACT ON, UH, ON A MAP TESTING ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO END, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A QUICK BREAK, REGROUP, COME BACK AND TALK ABOUT THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN GOING ON IN THE DISTRICT THAT PROBABLY DOESN'T CONCERN COVID-19.
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AGAIN, WE'RE TALKING TO DR.RODRIGUEZ ABOUT THE BUFORD COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH ONCE AGAIN, FOR JOINING US A LOT OF INFORMATION IN THAT FIRST HALF.
SO LET'S TALK ABOUT WHAT WE MENTIONED THE REFERENDUM VERY BRIEFLY, THE BEACH WARNING.
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE THINGS YOU'RE DOING WITH THE REFERENDUM? WELL, ONE OF THE KEY THINGS ABOUT THE REFERENDUM IS PUT TOGETHER A CITIZEN LED OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE THAT REVIEWS THE WORK THAT THE DISTRICT IS DOING ON THE REFERENDUM AND IN MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE DOING EXACTLY WHAT WE SAID WE WERE GOING TO DO WITH THE FUNDS.
AND WE FEEL THAT THAT'S REALLY AN IMPORTANT PIECE.
THEY GAVE THEIR ONE OF THEIR QUARTERLY REPORTS TO THE SCHOOL BOARD AND TO THE PUBLIC.
AND, UH, SO FAR THEIR REPORTS HAVE BEEN, UH, VERY, VERY POSITIVE.
UH, WE'VE GOT, UH, SOME OF THE MAJOR PROJECTS AT THE MOMENT, UH, THE RIVER RIDGE, UH, EXPANSION AND MAY RIVER EXPANSION.
BOTH OF THOSE ARE ON TIME AND UNDER BUDGET.
UH, ADDITIONALLY, UH, ON SEPTEMBER, I BELIEVE 21ST, UH, WE'RE GOING TO BE HAVING A RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONY AT, UH, RIVER RIDGE ACADEMY FOR THAT, UH, FOR THOSE CLASSROOM EXPANSIONS.
AND SO WE'RE EXCITED TO DO THAT.
UH, AND, AND THEN I THINK THE, THE MAY RIVER ONE IS IN JANUARY, AND THAT WAS PRETTY, THAT'S PRETTY QUICK, ACTUALLY, INDEED.
THESE ARE REAL, NO, THAT'S RIGHT.
REAL EXTENSIONS, YOU KNOW, EXPANSIONS, HOW MUCH DO SPANS THOSE SCHOOLS? YEP.
SO IT'S ABOUT CLASSROOM EXPANSION BECAUSE THOSE ARE SOME OF OUR MORE, UH, UM, MORE POPULATED SCHOOLS.
AND SO, UH, WE, WE GOT, UH, UH, I BELIEVE IT'S APPROXIMATELY, UH, EIGHT TO 15 ADDITIONAL, UH, CLASSROOMS IN ONE WING.
UH, AND THEN, UH, THEN THERE'S TWO WINGS OVER AT RIVER RIDGE AND THEN THE EXPANSION OVER AT RIVERS ATHLETIC FACILITIES, UH, IMPROVEMENTS TO ATHLETIC FACILITIES THAT'S IN THERE.
UH, SOME OF THOSE HAVE, UH, HAVE BEEN WORKED ON ALREADY.
UM, AND THEN THERE, THERE ARE, UH, INFRASTRUCTURE, UH, TECHNOLOGY INFRASTRUCTURE THAT ALSO IS TAKING PLACE.
AND SO, SO, UH, PLAYGROUND, UH, REPLACEMENTS AS WELL.
SO, SO THOSE ARE ALL, UH, IN THE WORKS, UH, AND THERE'S A SCHEDULE FOR THEM.
UH, WE HAVE ON OUR WEBSITE, UH, CONSTRUCTION, UH, WEBSITE THAT, UH, THAT KEEPS EVERYBODY UP TO SPEED ON THE PROGRESS THAT'S HAPPENING AT EACH OF THE SCHOOLS.
AS FAR AS BALANCING THE SCHOOLS, ARE WE FAIRLY BALANCED NOW, AS FAR AS ATTENDANCE IN DIFFERENT AREAS OF THE CABIN, UH, THESE, UH, SOUTH OF THE BROAD SCHOOLS ARE CERTAINLY MORE HEAVILY POPULATED THAN, THAN ON THE NORTH ABROAD.
ONCE WE GOT INTO COVID-19, WERE YOU ALL ABLE TO ACCELERATE SOME OF THE CONSTRUCTION BECAUSE THE SCHOOLS WEREN'T POPULAR AT THAT POINT THAT, THAT ACTUALLY WORKING FAVOR OUR CONSTRUCTION WORK, UH, CONTINUED AND PROGRESSED.
I MEAN, ONE OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE TALKED ABOUT, UH, MAP TESTING EARLIER AS A RESULT OF WILDFIRES, RIGHT, WAS A RESULT OF COVID AND OTHER THINGS SHIPMENTS OF, UH, UH, PRODUCTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT ARE IMPACTED AS WELL.
SO, UH, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO STAY ON COURSE WITH OUR CONSTRUCTION, UM, BUT, UH, BUT THERE'S NOT THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO ACCELERATE A TREMENDOUS DEMAND.
WHEN, UM, WHEN IN PERSON STARTS AGAIN, UM, DO YOU EXPECT TO SPOOL UP PRETTY QUICK ON ALL THE CLUBS AND THINGS, WILL IT JUST SORT OF, I'D SAY RETURN TO NORMAL, BUT IT WILL SPOOL UP FAIRLY, FAIRLY QUICK? SURE.
I THINK ONE OF THE MAIN THINGS SCHOOLS WILL BE, UH, TAKING OFF FIRST IS THE PROTOCOLS SCHOOLS, SCHOOLS WILL LOOK DIFFERENT, RIGHT.
UH, IT'S, IT'S, THEY'LL FUNCTION A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY.
AND, AND, UH, AND SO GET MAKING SURE THAT THOSE PROTOCOLS ARE IN PLACE AND THE STUDENTS BECOME FAMILIAR WITH THOSE PROTOCOLS, BUT YES, UH, UH, THEN THERE'LL BE LOOKING AT, UH, GETTING THEIR EXTRACURRICULAR CLUBS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, UH, UP AND RUNNING.
ONCE YOU GOT INTO THE STATE, WHEN YOU CAME IN BEFORE COVID AND EVERYTHING, SOME OF THE INITIATIVES YOU WERE WANTING TO PUT IN, WERE YOU ABLE TO SOME OF THAT CHANGE AND WHAT WERE THEY? SURE.
SO ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE KEY THINGS WAS, UH, TO BRING ON A DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT, UH, WHICH WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO.
UH, AND THEN ADDITIONALLY, IN TERMS OF WHAT WE'RE FOCUSED OUR WORK ON IS, IS ON, UH, CLOSING ACHIEVEMENT GAPS AND PROVIDING GREAT INSTRUCTION FOR STUDENTS.
THOSE ARE SOME REALLY CRITICAL COMPONENTS THAT WE ARE TACKLING AND CONTINUE TO TACKLE.
UM, AND THAT IS AN ONGOING, THAT IS ONGOING WORK.
THAT'S JUST ONGOING WORK, ALWAYS WILL BE.
UM, AND, AND THEN IN ADDITION, UM, I THINK WORK AROUND OUR, UH, CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS, UH, THOSE CONTINUING.
WHAT DO YOU SEE? UM, AGAIN, ONCE WE GET DONE, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE GOING FORWARD COVID ASIDE? WHAT WOULD YOU SEE LIKE REALLY LIKE TO SEE GOING FORWARD, UH, FOR OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT? I THINK THAT ONE OF THE, UM, ONE OF THE REALLY IMPORTANT COMPONENTS IS, UH, MAKING SURE
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THAT OUR STUDENTS HAVE ACCESS TO SOME CAREER AND TECHNICAL ED PROGRAMS THAT, THAT ARE, UH, REALLY UP AND COMING IN THE WORKFORCE THAT OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY, UH, CERTAINLY WANTS AND NEEDS THAT, THAT WE'RE MEETING THE NEED OF OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY AS WELL.AND SO WE'RE IN CLOSE COLLABORATION WITH, UH, UM, DIFFERENT SECTORS OF OUR COMMUNITY IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN DELIVER ON THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, WELL BRANCH EARLY COLLEGE HAS A PARTNERSHIP WITH TCL, IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
AND SO TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW THAT WITH FOLKS THAT DON'T KNOW THAT'S BEEN AROUND FOR A FEW YEARS NOW, BUT TELL US A LITTLE BIT OF HOW, YEAH, IT'S REALLY A GREAT PROGRAM BECAUSE AT THE END, UH, STUDENTS WHO, WHO GO THROUGH THAT EARLY COLLEGE PROGRAM, UH, CAN ACTUALLY GRADUATE WITH AN AA DEGREE, WHICH IS, WHICH IS PRETTY FANTASTIC.
AND THEN THERE, THERE ARE TWO YEARS OF THEIR COLLEGE WORK IS, IS, UH, OUT OF THE WAY.
AND THEN, UH, THAT HELPS THEM FINANCIALLY FOR SURE, IN HAND, AS WELL AS JUST BEING A LITTLE FURTHER AHEAD IN, UH, AND ACHIEVING THEIR DEGREE AND THEIR DREAMS. AND SO THAT'S REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT PIECE.
THERE'S A WRAPAROUND SERVICES THAT THOSE STUDENTS GET, UH, AT THE, AT THE SCHOOL, UM, WHERE TCL IS A PART OF THAT.
AND THEN OUR LOCAL COUNSELORS ARE PART OF, AND SO THEY DON'T PAY TO GO SEE TTL.
THEY ARE ACTUALLY AS PART OF THE BEAVER COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND THEY GRADUATE WITH AN ASSOCIATES DEGREE AT WHATEVER THEY HAVE AT TECHNICAL COLLEGE, LOW COUNTRY.
AND SO THAT PUTS THEM ON BASICALLY TWO YEARS AHEAD.
THAT'S RIGHT IN THE REGULAR COLLEGE, THAT IS A GREAT COST SAVINGS RIGHT THERE.
WHAT OTHER FUTURE INITIATIVES YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT? THE TRADES AND THOUGHT, I KNOW, UM, WE WENT OUT TO, UM, BATTERY CREEK AND THEY HAD AN AERONAUTICS PROGRAM, WELDING AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND, AND, UH, SO IT'S, IT'S ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY FOR STUDENTS TO EXPLORE, UH, YOU KNOW, THOSE CAREERS WHILE AT THE SAME TIME, UH, WE'RE WORKING ON BUILDING AND DELIVERING THOSE HIGH QUALITY EDUCATION, ACADEMIC PROGRAMS FOR STUDENTS THAT, THAT, UH, ALSO WANT TO GO TO COLLEGE, RIGHT? AND SOMETIMES THEY JUST WANT TO EXPLORE AND DABBLE AND LEARN A LITTLE BIT.
AND THEN AT THE SAME TIME THEY'RE THERE TO ATTRACT IS THAT THEY'VE DECIDED TO, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE HEADED AND THAT REALLY DOES HELP YOU FIGURE OUT WHAT YOU WANT TO DO.
SO YOU'RE NOT TWO AND A HALF YEARS INTO A COLLEGE AND FIGURE IT OUT.
I REALLY DON'T LIKE COMPUTER SCIENCE, SO IT REALLY DOES HELP ME GET A FEEL FOR IT.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ARE SOME OF THE STRENGTHS THAT THE BEAVER COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT, EVERYBODY LIKES TO BE A CRAIG, BUT WHAT, WHAT DO YOU THINK IS SOME OF THE REAL STRENGTHS OF THE DISTRICT? QUITE FRANKLY, I THINK OUR, OUR STAFF, OUR TEACHERS, UH, WE HAVE, UH, REALLY EXCELLENT TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS ARE DOING A GREAT JOB.
UM, I THINK ANOTHER COMPONENT THAT IS A STRENGTH IS, UH, UH, TECHNOLOGY THAT WE'RE A ONE-TO-ONE.
SO EVERY ONE OF OUR STUDENTS HAS A DEVICE.
UH, SO THOSE ARE, THOSE ARE STRENGTHS THAT, UH, UH, OTHER OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS DON'T HAVE.
WHERE DO YOU THINK WE STACK UP AS FAR AS IN THE, IN THE GRAND SCHEME OF THINGS? WHERE, WHERE DO YOU THINK WE, RIGHT? ARE WE CUTTING EDGE? ARE WE YEAH.
I THINK, I THINK WE'RE DOING WELL.
I THINK THAT, UH, WE HAVE, UH, ROOM FOR GROWTH, CONTINUED GROWTH AND, AND, UH, WE'RE STRIVING FOR THAT.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK, UM, IS, IS I THINK OUR CAPE PROGRAMS ARE GOING QUITE WELL.
UM, I THINK THAT, UM, ONE OF THE AREAS WE WANT TO CONTINUE ALWAYS TO FOCUS ON IS DELIVERING THAT HIGH QUALITY RIGOROUS INSTRUCTION WITH THOSE HIGH EXPECTATIONS FOR, FOR OUR STUDENTS, UH, IS, IS REALLY ESSENTIAL BECAUSE OUR STUDENTS CAN MEET THE CHALLENGES THAT WE PUT IN FRONT OF THEM.
UH, AND SO THAT'S AN IMPORTANT PIECE.
NOW, AS FAR AS WE JUST GOT A COUPLE OF MINUTES TO UP, WE ARE DROPPING BACK TO COVID AGAIN, WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS.
UM, WE ARE IN HURRICANE SEASON, WE'RE COMING UP ON CHRISTMAS AND SUCH, HOW IS THE SCHEDULE GOING TO WORK FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR? OR DO YOU NOT KNOW YET, OR WE'RE WRITING THIS AS WE'RE GOING ALONG? HOW HOW'S THAT, AND WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT OUR CALENDAR OR CALENDAR.
SO, SO WHAT WE'VE, WHAT WE'VE DONE IS WE HAD AN INITIAL CALENDAR THAT WAS APPROVED.
UM, AND THEN, UM, GOVERNOR MCMASTER, UH, HAD A RECOMMENDATION FOR, UH, SCHOOLS, THE CONSIDER POSSIBLY STARTING ON SEPTEMBER 8TH, UH, WHICH, WHICH WE DID BECAUSE AT THE TIME, UH, THE METRICS WERE REALLY, REALLY HIGH HERE IN BUFORD COUNTY.
AND SO, UM, SO THAT, UM, THAT SHIFT, UH, SHIFTED OUR CALENDAR TO SEPTEMBER 8TH.
UM, BUT WE WILL CONTINUE, WE'VE GOT A FULL CALENDAR, UM, THAT, UH, TAKES US INTO JUNE AND WE HAVE, UM, UH, THOSE HURRICANE MAKE-UP DAYS THAT ARE BUILT INTO THE CALENDAR AS WELL.
SO, YEAH, AND WE WERE TALKING REAL QUICK.
I MEAN, WE GOT HURRICANE, THIS WAS 20, 20.
WE COULD HAVE A SNOW STORM OR CAUSE ATTACK LIKE WE WERE TALKING ABOUT.
SO, I MEAN, IT'S ALL BETS ARE OFF, SO Y'ALL REALLY, YOU'VE GOTTA BE RESILIENT ON THIS ONE.
[00:25:01]
YEAH.I THINK, YOU KNOW, UH, WE WILL, YOU KNOW, WE'LL TACKLE, WHATEVER CHALLENGE COMES, COMES OUR WAY, BUT THE REALITY IS, UH, WE DON'T WANT ANY HURRICANES AND, UH, WE COULD DO WITHOUT THEM.
SO, UH, BUT IF WE GET THEM, WE'LL WE'LL DEAL.
WHAT TELL YOU WHAT I HOPE WE JOIN YOU AND ANOTHER YEAR HERE WHERE WE'VE PUT ALL OF COVID BEHIND US AND WE CAN TALK ABOUT JUST BASIC ACADEMICS AGAIN.
BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
IN OUR INITIAL TAPING A COASTLINE, WE DIDN'T KNOW WHEN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT WAS GOING TO GO BACK INTO SCHOOL FOR IN-PERSON CLASSES.
ANOTHER MEETING HAPPENED SINCE THE TECHNIQUE OF THIS.
RODRIGUEZ WAS GRACIOUS ENOUGH TO COME BACK AND TELL US A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT IT.
SO TELL US, YOU NOW HAVE TIMES TO GO BACK TO IN-PERSON CLASS.
WHAT'S THAT GOING TO BE LIKE, WELL, THANK YOU FOR HAVING, WE'LL BE BACK AGAIN, AND WE'RE GOING TO BE STARTING A FACE-TO-FACE ON OCTOBER 5TH WITH OUR STUDENTS.
AND, UH, THAT'LL BE IN A HYBRID MODEL.
SO WE CALL AN AA BB, UH, AND SCHEDULE.
AND SO ESSENTIALLY THAT MEANS THAT, UH, ONE GROUP OF STUDENTS IN THE CLASS OR HALF OF THE STUDENTS WOULD BE COMING IN ON MONDAY, TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY WOULD BE A VIRTUAL DAY FOR EVERYONE.
AND THEN THURSDAY, FRIDAY, THE OTHER HALF, THE STUDENTS WOULD BE COMING IN FOR FACE-TO-FACE INSTRUCTION.
AND WHEN THEY'RE NOT WITH US, UH, WITH FACE-TO-FACE INSTRUCTION, THERE'S A VARIETY OF POSSIBILITIES.
THERE COULD BE SOME PRERECORDED LESSONS THAT THEY ENGAGE IN.
THERE COULD BE MAYBE SOME, SOME LIVE INSTRUCTION THAT HAPPENS.
THERE COULD EVEN BE, UH, SOME INDEPENDENT WORK THAT THEY HAVE IN OUR ASSIGNED.
SO THERE'S VARIETY OF INSTRUCTIONAL METHODS FOR THOSE DAYS WHEN THEY'RE NOT FACE TO FACE.
AND THOSE ARE GOING TO BE FULL CLASS SCHEDULE AS FAR AS FULL HOURS OF OPERATIONS, ESSENTIALLY, UH, ON THE FACE-TO-FACE COMPONENT.
IT'S, IT'S, THEY'RE THERE WITH US ALL DAY, UH, DURING THAT.
AND THEN, UH, WHEN THEY ARE, UH, ON THE, AT HOME PORTION OF THAT, ON THOSE TWO DAYS, UH, THEY'LL HAVE THE BE ABLE TO, TO TUNE IN IF THAT'S THE METHODOLOGY OR THE PRERECORDED LESSONS.
DO YOU ANTICIPATE THIS STEPPING UP TWO MORE DAYS A WEEK, OR IS THAT GOING TO REMAIN LIKE THIS FOR THE REST OF THE SEMESTER OR HOW WHAT'S THE PLAN ON THAT? YEAH, I MEAN, ESSENTIALLY, UH, WE'VE ALWAYS EXPRESSED OUR DESIRE TO HAVE FACE-TO-FACE INSTRUCTION AND WE'VE BEEN CLOSELY MONITORING, UH, THE METRICS AND WE'VE SEEN THE METRICS COME DOWN, UH, CONSISTENTLY NOW FOR, FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
AND FINALLY AT A POINT WHERE WE FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH THAT FACE-TO-FACE INSTRUCTION FOR OUR STUDENTS AND FOR OUR EMPLOYEES.
AND SO, UH, ESSENTIALLY WE'LL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THAT AND, UH, AND MAKE A DETERMINATION ON WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE AT A LATER DATE.
AND AGAIN, IT GOES START SOME OCTOBER 5TH, FIFTH, OCTOBER 5TH.
IT'S GOING BACK INTO THIS MODEL.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR COMING BACK AND TAKING A MOMENT TO UPDATE US ON THAT.
IT WOULD BE REALLY, REALLY GOOD FOR OUR VIEWERS TO KNOW THAT.
AND THANK YOU AGAIN FOR JOINING US ON COASTLINE, DR.
WE'RE SO EXCITED TO WELCOME OUR STUDENTS BACK INTO OUR BUILDINGS.
THAT'S GOING TO BE GREAT AND A LITTLE BIT SORT OF A RETURN TO NORMAL.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR JOINING US ON COASTLINE.