Putnam Schools Implement Virtual Learning Plan For Closures

The Putnam County School System will implement its Continuous Learning Plan Friday, with no snow days remaining.

Director of Schools Corby King said using virtual learning on snow days is a first for the system. King said he knows there are families without power and that many will not have power Friday.

“If a student does not have access to complete those tomorrow, they’ll work with the teacher when they come in next week,” King said. “Some teachers will provide time during class, some will give them time after school depending on what grade level, what the assignment may be. The teachers are going to be understanding and work with students. This is not something we want to add stress to a family.”

King said this is not the way he expected to go into continuous learning, saying the plan was crafted for COVID closures.

“When we wrote this plan and we envisioned that, it would be, okay we may need to be closed for a week, two weeks, three weeks,” King said. “And we would have an opportunity to deliver devices to students that didn’t have those. Hot spots if you didn’t have internet access.”

Traditionally, King said the calendar would have to change when snow days ran out. However, he said this plan allows the calendar to stay intact, something he said is important to families and faculty because of vacations.

“We want them to be able to take those trips and protect that,” King said. “Without having to lose any type of deposit because now the work schedule or school schedule has changed.”

King said that students and teachers who do have internet access will be expected to use Google Classroom and participate in assignments.