Released via Alna’s town email March 24:

 

Schools in Lincoln County and beyond are closed for an unknown amount of time due to COVID 19. We thought you’d like to know what Alna students are experiencing for continuity of learning. Remembering that Alna students attend a variety of schools at varying grade levels, your representatives to the (Sheepscot Valley Regional School Unit) 12 School Board are learning that all schools are making a good faith effort to provide continuity of learning. It looks different at different grade levels and for different educational approaches. Some schools are moving into an online space, others are offering weekly curbside pick up of teacher generated packets of hard copy materials. Some are in varying stages of both. Digital communications are the norm now between teachers, parents and  students.  

 

Educators are being forced to be creative, innovative, and responsive for students in their own classroom, and for some, doing the same for their own children. I (Abby) know of one teacher who lives in Alna who is juggling seven video conferences a day: two for her students (including one of her own children), two each for two of her other children and one school wide morning meeting all via video live feed. As a teacher and Technology Director for Boothbay Region Schools, I’m moving my ninth graders online and supporting over 25 teachers in doing the same and managing my third grader’s learning, too. It’s an unprecedented amount of work and emotional energy to stay positive, troubleshoot, empathize and keep our students safe, secure and learning.

 

Parents! You are being asked to guide, supervise, and support your students and your students’ teachers’ curricular expectations while maintaining your own careers and demands of keeping home life as normal and routine as possible. Thank you!

 

Here’s what we know for sure:

• RSU 12 Superintendent Howard Tuttle is making all the right moves in ensuring students are receiving services to the extent possible. This includes providing free breakfast and lunch to RSU 12 students, Alna students included. He has offered a bus to Alna to drop off resources as needed, we only need to ask.
• Our students are learning, albeit in unique ways, as their schools provide the best learning experience they can under the current circumstances. 

Our hats are off to our residents who are current teachers and those retired educators too. You are unrelenting forces of grace and knowledge for our students.  Like our healthcare workers on the front lines are to those who fall ill, you are invaluable to our children during this time of uncertainty.

 

Ralph and I are here if you need us to answer questions, advocate for services, or learn more about how Alna students are learning.