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A Part Of West U and Bellaire Essentials Magazine

It’s back-to-school as district unveils ‘HISD@HOME’ digital learning and support

March 23, 2020 by Charlotte Aguilar

By Charlotte Aguilar

Families who have worried about their youngsters’ “screen time” are going to have to get used to it as a way of life, as Houston ISD unveiled its “HISD@HOME” learning plan Monday (March 23) to continue educating more than 200,000 youngsters during its shutdown during the COVID-19 pandemic. The district is currently projecting an April 13 date to restart classes.

Starting with an online survey about students’ access to electronic devices and the internet, HOME (Home-based Online Mobile Education) will link families to their schools and the district to meet both academic and non-academic needs while HISD is closed.

Campuses also launched personal outreach today to assess access so that they can determine the needs for traditional, paper-based learning.

Electronic needs are expected to be largely covered at HISD’s high schools, which already provide laptops to each student under the PowerUp program.

Teachers began electronic “meetings” today by campus to learn how the new system will work and what is expected of them in connecting with their students and parents to provide daily learning.

At West University ES, teachers began reaching out to their families to begin adjusting to what Principal Scott Disch called “uncharted waters” that “will look very different from the traditional learning environment for students, teachers, and parents.”

He wrote: “Despite our size, WUES has a small community feel because our teachers are committed to personally knowing their students, and our parents are committed to helping our students and school succeed. I have no doubt this commitment will continue and be enhanced by this unique challenge.”
At Bellaire HS, Principal Michael McDonough scheduled a live broadcast for 6:30 p.m. Monday, accessible through the school website.
Students from all of HISD’s 284 schools are expected to log into the system this week to begin interacting with digital resources, with curriculum-based lessons going live the week of March 30. Technically, March 31 is a new HISD holiday, honoring Mexican-American civil rights icons Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta.

Special attention is being paid to parents, too, with webinars being planned to help them assist with their youngsters’ digital learning. The district’s Social and Emotional Learning and Wraparound Services staffs will also be uploading learning materials and reaching out to families with support.

 

Mar 23, 2020Charlotte Aguilar

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Filed Under: All News, Bellaire News, COVID-19, Public Safety, Schools, Slider, West U News Tagged With: HISD coronavirus, Michael McDonough, Scott Disch

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