Important: E-Learning Day Update

E-Learning Day Update

Survey Results
Board of Education Approves Two Additional E-Learning Days for 18-19 School Year

Dear Forest City school community,

This winter is one for the record books and I know you join me in hoping spring arrives very soon!

BOARD OF EDUCATION UPDATE

Due to the extreme weather and the number of no school days that we have had, the Board of Education met last evening (2/27) to:

Review the E-Learning Day pilot day survey results from students, staff and parents.
Discuss the addition of two more E-Learning Days for the 2018-19 school year due to the extreme weather.
Discuss E-Learning Day availability for the 2019-20 school year.

In addition, there's been some questions around how we can "count" these E-Learning Days as make-up days so I shared this response from Iowa Director of Education, Ryan Wise:

"If a school district meets the minimum requirement of 1,080 hours or 180 days (depending on which calendar system they've selected), there is nothing in Iowa code or rule that would prohibit the district from using e-learning days. So, yes, a district does have local discretion outside of the minimum days/hours requirement."

Here's the communication we sent along with the survey request around our district's approach (see FAQ section) Click here

The Board voted in favor of allowing two additional E-Learning Days to the 18-19 school year calendar and up to three days for the 19-20 school year calendar.

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18-19 School Year Plan

As of 2/28, we have had 10 snow days of which nine will be made up and our school year will end June 6 (as of now).
In the event of additional no school days due to weather, effective March 7, we can declare up to two days as E-Learning Days; therefore, those days will not be added to the end of the school year as make up days. The March 7 date is the first day an E-Learning Day could occur because we have the upcoming break and Elementary materials need to be distributed.
As with the pilot E-Learning Day, you will receive a SchoolWay notification announcing the E-Learning Day and the same processes will occur as with the pilot: Elementary students will receive a new packet to be sent home by March 6 and Middle School/High School students will receive communication from their teachers via their email address/Google Classroom.

E-LEARNING DAY PILOT SURVEY RESULTS

We distributed surveys to students, staff and parents after the E-Learning Day pilot occurred and the results were overwhelmingly in favor of continuing E-Learning Days as an alternative to a make up day at the end of the school year.

Each survey contained questions pertinent to the audience and allowed everyone to provide suggestions, which we will use, to improve the experience going forward.

Teachers

52 Responses 6-12 (100 % yes)

29 Responses K-5 (100 % yes)

Students

223 responses 6-8 (97 % yes)

181 responses 9-12 (96 % yes)

Collected talking points from Elementary students

Parents

173 responses (91 % yes)

Thank you for taking the time to complete the survey. As always, I invite you to contact me with any questions. Thank you.

Yours in Education,

Superintendent Darwin Lehmann

641-585-2323 , dlehmann@forestcity.k12.ia.us