During this unprecedented health crisis, the staff at Calico Rock School District has banded together with a needs-based approach for serving students and their families.Superintendent Jerry Skidmore says the COVID-19 emergency situation has presented a host of challenges, but he has been pleased with how the district’s employees, student, and their families have met those challenges head-on.
“Every day we encounter a new challenge, and every day we figure out a way to make it work for our individual students and their families,” he says. “Our community has different needs than other communities, so we have had to take a very personalized approach to this situation. We’re figuring it out one child and one family at a time.”
One way the district is working to ensure every child has the academic support needed to learn during this extended school closure is the use of a variety of alternative methods of instruction.
“Some districts are probably able to offer all their curriculum online, but that just doesn’t work for our rural area,” Skidmore says. “Yes, we are offering instruction online through Google Classroom, Zoom video discussions and YouTube instructional videos, but we are also offering printed packets of instructional materials, and were utilizing Arkansas PBS for televised instruction.”
Calico Rock students who have access to the internet at home are welcome to complete digital lessons, but those who do not have connectivity do have other options.
“If students without Internet access still want to participate digitally instead of completing paper packets, they can go to the elementary or high school parking lots where we have installed wireless hotspots online from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.,” he says. “There’s also an access point located on Main Street that can be utilized.”
The district’s 41 licensed teachers are available to give lessons, provide guidance, and address needs during school hours through various methods: email, text message, Google Classroom and phone calls. Additionally, both the high school and elementary offices are open and accepting phone calls during school hours. The high school phone number is (879) 297-3745 and the elementary phone number is (870) 297-8533.
Skidmore says district personnel have long recognized the importance of educating the whole child, and during times of crisis, students often need extra social and emotional support.
“We’re closed right now to address physical health concerns, but we also know that many of our students need mental health support, and so we are continuing our school-based mental health services through Families Incorporated,” he says. “Our mental health professionals have continued to provide services to our students and are available by phone 24/7 in case of an emergency. Theyre scheduling meetings with our students just as they did when we were having on-site instruction. These meetings are just by phone now rather than face-to-face. And of course, we have our district-employed school counselors reaching out to families to check in and provide assistance when needed.”
Because more than 70% of the district’s students receive free or reduced meals, Skidmore says he knew an extended school closure would provide an additional hardship on families who rely on school meals to supplement their grocery purchases.
“Our employees all recognize the need for kids to have meals during this time, so they have really come together to make sure we’re providing a steady flow of nutritional meals to the homes of our students,” he says. “Every school day, shifts of personnel are preparing, packing and delivering nutritious meals to any young person living in our district under the age of 18. The bus drivers, teachers, coaches and staff are hand-delivering the meals using buses, school vehicles and their personal vehicles. We have also offered parents an option to drop by with their children to pick up meals daily. We have delivered as many as 420 meals in a single day.”
More information about the ways Calico Rock School District personalizes learning for its students is available at pirates.k12.ar.us.
WebReadyTM Powered by WireReady® NSI