School districts across the state are rolling out their online learning options this week to try and keep kids engaged during extended school closures.
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It’s early in the process, but this new reality is causing confusion and concern for families already juggling so much.
“I think we’re all just going through the same things,” said Daniel Herrera. “Just uncertainty and not knowing how it’s going to affect their grades and what not.”
Daniel Herrera is balancing construction jobs with his daughter Alaina’s online learning.
It is no easy task. The fourth grader at Vista del Sur Accelerated Academy in Laveen, now spends more time in the car than at home.
“Her mother works full-time, I work full-time, and because I’m mobile I can’t, I can’t be doing that and we don’t have Wi-Fi in the vehicle so it’s just, it’s not feasible, we just can’t do it,” said Herrera.
Emails from Alaina’s teachers detail how the process should work but her parents say they’re still not entirely sure what’s required. This, as other parents go to social media, venting frustrations over the district’s limited supply of Chromebooks.
“Not every parent has the capability to instruct their child properly,” said Herrera.
The Laveen School District is one of several making the full switch to remote learning this week. District leaders say they are doing the best they can, with what they have, to cut through the confusion and provide parents with answers.
“We know that this is new for a lot of families and we’re trying to be flexible with that,” said Kristen Landry, the district’s director of communications. “This is really to keep their skills sharp so we don’t fall back on the momentum that we’ve been working on all year long.”
Landry says teachers are working with families individually and prioritizing loaner technology based on need. She’s also asking for patience as they, like so many districts, try to figure out exactly how this will work.
“This is uncharted waters for all of us so we’re really just trying to take it day by day and provide the support that we need to our families,” said Landry.
