Taking Lesson From COVID, Clay Focused On Distance Learning

Clay County School officials will be working this summer to expand the system’s ability for students to learn at home.

“It’s not going to be just ‘here’s an assignment,'” Director Of Schools Matt Eldridge said. “It’s going to be like they’re in the classroom with that teacher.”

Eldridge said providing students the tools they need will allow the school system to sharpen its distance learning skills. Step one will be making sure every student in the system has a computer. Eldridge said most students already have school-issued computers.

“If the students go out, and let’s say they graduate, and as they graduate we let them take that Chromebook they’ve had assigned to them for those years, we would replace [them],” Eldridge said. “Let’s say we’re graduating 60 seniors tonight, so you multiply that times the $300, then there’s your cost, and that would be a yearly cost.”

The Clay County School has some 1.050 students. Each computer costs $300. Some computers may need maintenance or to be replaced after years of use. Eldridge said the school system over the years has budgeted money to ensure every child has a device.

Eldridge said the pandemic helped recognize the need for distance learning. But the opportunity for such work will go beyond an extended leave.

“Whether we got one out sick or injured, whether it’s a coronavirus student, that’s what we want it to be,” Eldridge said. “Good access to students where they’re not missing any work, even though they’re not at school.”

“If they’re on a home bound type learning situation, they can log in and either watch class if they can’t log in in time because they’re sick, or can’t do it, they can go back and watch from YouTube or from the teacher’s classroom where it’ll be recorded to. So yes, that’s a big thing.”

Eldridge said it’s well worth the cost to provide students technological access.