CSL (Continuity of Student Learning)

The outbreak of H1N1 in 2009 caused many parents to adapt to the threat in a variety of ways. I recall finding that masks were cleared out of the local Walgreens until the word was passed of their limited benefit against this strain of the flu. Similarly, sanitizers like Purell and GermX were soon in short supply – especially the industrial installations as more institutions implemented Infection and Control Policies of The CDC’s H1N1 Pandemic Planning.  The CDC checklist for schools calls for, 1) Planning and Coordination, 2) Continuity of Student Learning, 3) Infection Control Policies, and 4) Communication Planning. While all of these are being addressed in our school district, this page is dedicated to section two, Continuity of Student Learning.

Teams of teachers worked to address the continuity of student learning in traditional ways and through online resources. Many in grades 4-8 had created student conferences in FirstClass to offer ongoing instruction and collaboration (even when students could not meet in person with their teachers and/or peers). While not intended to replace face-to-face interaction, these strategies are intended to extend the learning environments and opportunities to learn beyond the school house and school day.

For those households with the ability to access online resources (about 93% reported in our community) we wanted to provide a tool intended to link students and teachers to CSL resources. The D102 Resource Library  http://www.d102.org/resources/ was one of the strategies designed to support continuous student learning in the event of illness or prolonged absence from school. Resources listed include subscriptions purchased by the District (e.g., BrainPop! Atomic Learning, United Streaming), textbook publisher resources, and a variety of free resources aligned with learning standards. These are tagged by grade level, subject, and type of resource (i.e., Free, Subscription, Publisher) so they can be searched by the end users.

This list has grown as more teachers contributed their favorite online resources. For those resources that are free, generally no login is required. For any resource that requires a login and password (like Atomic Learning, Study Island, etc.) your child’s teacher or librarian provides this information (based on grade level and subject) at the beginning of each school year. Please feel free to make these resources part of your regular extended learning experience. From Custom Typing (login required) to the D102 Library Catalog, there are many useful learning opportunities only a mouse click away from you. Teachers also created supplemental resources that do not require online access.These include the use of textbooks, trade books, and workbooks in home environments and other resources that will be made available through the classroom and schools.

Please take precautions to avoid exposure to the H1N1 influenza or any other communicable diseases. If you suspect that you have flu-like symptoms, stay home and follow the CDC recommendations (especially those at “high risk” for developing flu-related complications). Please visit the D102 Flu Update to read the District’s recommendations for D102 students and staff members.