Scotia, Rio Dell schools adjust to new routines for lunch, homework distribution
Schools in Scotia and Rio Dell are feeding their students and maintaining a variety of teaching methods during school closures that went into place more than one week ago as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Lunches and breakfast are available for pick up at Stanwood A. Murphy Elementary School in Scotia between noon and 12:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, drivethrough style in the school parking lot. Free lunches are also being delivered to students of families living on Williams Street in Scotia. In Rio Dell, combined breakfasts/lunches are available for pickup in front of the cafeteria from noon to 1 p.m. every weekday.
In Scotia, 100 breakfast and 100 lunches were handed out the first day.
“The families that are taking them are ever so grateful,” school cafeteria manager Gayle McKnight said. “Can you imagine if all these families were at the grocery stores trying to buy this food.”
In Scotia, school representatives have set up an outdoor pickup and drop-off point for students to have access to the curriculum and turn in homework assignments. This takes place on Wednesdays. Transitional kindergarten through fifth-grade teachers are in front of the school in the parking lot to hand out assignments and collect homework from 8:30 to 9 a.m. and again from noon to 12:30 p.m. When staff is not available, schoolwork packets will be available outside the front door.
“Teachers across the country and nation are stepping outside their usual classroom routines and creating innovative ways to teach materials,” said Scotia Union School
District Superintendent Amy Gossien. “For our teachers, this will include distance teaching using online platforms, teachers reading aloud to students, teachers listening to students read, teachers creating instructional videos and virtual lessons, as well as setting up (online) opportunities for students to interact with classmates and their teacher.”
Rio Dell Elementary School District Superintendent Angela Johnson said, “In an effort to keep you informed and up to date with the most current information, we will continue to post on Class Dojo, our Facebook page, and teachers will be using Google Classroom.
“Teachers and staff have been meeting through Zoom to brainstorm and plan the best educational options for the students. Teachers have begun reaching out to families and getting them set up in Dojo and Google Classroom to transition to a more distance learning approach.”
For those who struggle with technology, packets of materials that mirror what is being put online will be available.