Notice: Undefined index: HTTP_REFERER in /home/stparch/public_html/headmid_temp_main.php on line 4394
Newspaper Archive of
Shelton Mason County Journal
Shelton, Washington
April 9, 2020     Shelton Mason County Journal
PAGE 2     (2 of 48 available)        PREVIOUS     NEXT      Jumbo Image    Save To Scrapbook    Set Notifiers    PDF    JPG
 
PAGE 2     (2 of 48 available)        PREVIOUS     NEXT      Jumbo Image    Save To Scrapbook    Set Notifiers    PDF    JPG
April 9, 2020
 
Newspaper Archive of Shelton Mason County Journal produced by SmallTownPapers, Inc.
Website © 2025. All content copyrighted. Copyright Information
Terms Of Use | Privacy Policy | Request Content Removal | About / FAQ | Get Acrobat Reader




Page A2 A Shelton-Mason County Thursday, April 9, 2020 Mason County schools will re By Gordon Weeks 3})! r io/ / "0:1 ism knot/177,5 corn On Monday. Gov. Jay lnslee an- nounced all Washington schools will remain closed through the end of the academic year due to the pandemic cause by the coronavirus. That doesn’t mean school’s out for summer for students and staff in the seven school districts in Mason Coun— ty. Districts are required to provide food to families in need, and to provide instruction to students at home, a task Pioneer School District Superinten— dent. John (irummel likened to “build— ing it while it is flying.” A state mandate on March 16 closed schools until at least April 24, and then came Monday’s announcement at a news conference in Olympia. Schools are expected to resume on a regular schedule in the fall. The S/Lelton-ll’luson County Journal emailed questions to all seven school superintendents in Mason County. SHELTON SCHOOL DISTRICT Shelton School District Superin— tendent Alex Apostle called the gov- ernor’s decision to end the school year “absolutely the best decision under the circumstances for students and staff. I know this is a very trying experience for parents and families in general, but for now and the long term, it is the best decision.” Last week, district staff handed out more than 1,700 Chromebooks to families. Students who still need a Chromebook are advised to notify their teachers. District staff and families filled out surveys to help develop an instruction- al plan, Apostle wrote. “Based on the information gath- ered, we are in the process of providing distant learning opportunities specific to our current curriculum,” he wrote. “Generic” instructional materials are also available on the district’s website. he wrote. Apostle wrote the district’s biggest challenge is “Wi—Fi opportunity and availability for all students that pro— vides support for each and every stu- dent to experience the very best educa— tion under the current circumstances.” These past few Weeks have “been a challenge and a time of reflection on how we as an educational community can incorporate what we are experi— encing so that, we can improve educa— tion for all concerned,” he wrote. “I am excited about our future and what, we can do together.” (IRA PEVI EW SCHOOL DISTRICT “We are saddened in the fact that we will not have school for the re,— 951 W. KAMI BIIE IJIIIE Ill SllEl'l'flII The parking lot at Evergreen Elementary School in downtown Shelton is empty at noon Tuesday. The school has been closed since March 16 to combat the spread of the coronavirus, and will remain so after Gov. Jay lnslee on Monday announced all schools in the state will remain closed through the end of the academic year. Journal photo by Gordon Weeks mainder of the school year, but also understand it was the safest and most prudent reaction to an unprecedented situation,” wrote Superintendent Kurt Hilyard. The Grapeview School District is providing Chromebooks and online learning tools to students, and con— tinues to provide learning packets and textbooks to students who don’t have access to the internet, Hilyard wrote. The biggest challenge facing the district is “the lack of connectivity, for ALL students, with internet/telecom companies as well as making sure we provide meaningful learning opportu- nities for students,” Hilyard wrote. For Hilyard, “not seeing students and staff in the building has and con— tinues to be heartbreaking. It has been interesting, to the least.” PIONEER SCHOOL DISTRICT Superintendent Gummel wrote he understands the decision to close the schools. “When We look at the progression of the virus, we do not want to open any doors for it to return,” he wrote. “As educators, we did not become a teacher so that. we can work from be— hind a computer. We did it because we love Working with kids, one on one, in groups, in close proximity, not. from a distance, not. from a program, not from social distancing.” (luminel wrote he’s thinking about Maura , 5t "WINCH: M “360-426-3763 .Ill’fll MIMI-I‘ll!“ the seniors in the district —— who at- tend high schools in Shelton and Belfair who will have an asterisk placed on their graduating class, the athletes, the academics, the English language learners and the students with special needs. “But I also think of the opportunity to redefine who we are, how we edu— cate, and how we can meet the needs of all our learners,” he wrote. “It is a bitter pill to swallow, but. I understand why.” As for the district’s plan for distance learning, “We are currently defining what this will look like in the coming weeks and months,” Gummel wrote. “This cliche’ ‘we are building it while it is flying’ would certainly fit.” The district is first assessing the technological needs ofstudents so they have access to learning, and asking teachers to look at their curriculum and “decide the best way to com muni— cate learning, engagement and devel- opment,” he wrote. The district’s challenges include communicating with every student, assuring learning, trying to get. work to hourly employees and “being a so- cial being in a nonsocial construct,” (Iummel wrote. (lummel wrote he planned on retir— ing at the end of the school year, “and this is not the way I wanted to go out.” SOUTHSIIHQ SCHOOL DISTRICT Southside Superintendent Doris Licensed and Bonded ROOFDl'l 68N8 main closed until fall Bolender wrote that. she expected the closure from the. information the state was sharing. “This is a really difficult call, so I know that it has been made with the best information available and a lot of thought has gone into this decision,” she wrote. Three days before the schools were closed, the district sent surveys home with students asking about their needs, and based on those surveys is offering online and paper-based op- tions, Bolendor wrote. “We will most likely be sending out communication schedules and options for families to be able to communicate with staff,” she wrote. The district’s biggest challenge has been connecting with students and families, Bolender wrote. But stu- dents, families and staff are working together to get through these “unprec— edented challenges,” She wrote. “I am thankful to work with such an amazing group of individuals who have demonstrated their commit— ment to our families and education,” she wrote. “I am equally grateful to all the essential workers in our com- munity. Thanks to all of you that are doing everything within your power to minimize the impact of this pan- demic.” NORTH MASON SCHOOL DISTRICT In a letter to family, students and staff on its website, North Mason Su— perintendent Dana Rosenbach wrote the district is “committed to provid~ ing continuous learning opportunities. This is new and we are learning every day how to do a better job.” Rosenbach wrote this is an “incred— ibly challenging time” for the North Mason community. “We know our high school seniors are particularly Worried,” Rosenbach wrote. “Counselors and staff will work with each student to ensure they meet graduation requirements. In addition, we are working on a plan for gradu- ation depending on what happens next.” MARY M. KNIGHT SCHOOL DISTRICT Mary M. Knight Supt‘irintendent Matt Mallery did not immediately respond to a query from the She/Ion- Muson, County Journal. HOOD CANAL SCHOOL DISTRICT Hood Canal School District. Super~ intendent Nikki Grubbs did not. im— mediately respond to a query from the S/w/ton—ll/Iuson County Journal. The school board’s study session scheduled for tonight. has been canceled. 113] W. Kumilclm Lune Just a" Highway 10l