News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
The school year began nearly two months ago, and some students are still not participating in virtual learning.
Warren County School Director Grant Swallows said there is more of a concern now then at the beginning of the school year.
“The first couple of weeks as we were getting our feet on the ground, everyone said ‘this is a great way to do things,'” Swallows said. “As the work has gotten harder, it’s gotten much tougher for students to understand what to do and how to do it because they’re at home without a teacher in front of them, and they just haven’t really figured that out yet.”
For virtual only students, turned in assignments count as attendance. Swallows said teachers are contacting families to encourage participation and checking if the student has what is needed. Additionally, the school system is installing a Homework Hotline.
“We’re trying to set up some after hours hotline where they can call the school and talk to a teacher and make sure that that student can get help at that point,” Swallows said. “Again, we’re trying to eliminate some of those barriers in trying to encourage them to call us and get help when they struggle as opposed to just stop what they’re doing and not turn anything in.”
Swallows said for parents with elementary aged students, navigating the virtual platform is the toughest. He said the process has been a universal struggle between teachers, school officials, parents, and students.
