Distance learning to continue through 2020

Posted October 2020

By Eva Wu

Staff Reporter

Online instruction, or Comprehensive Distance Learning, which began Sept. 21, will run through at least Jan. 4, 2021, with new graduation requirements in place for the Class of 2021.

In response to the Coronavirus pandemic, most schools across the world are conducting lessons online from home. While nearly all Oregon public schools are practicing CDL, The Oregonian reported that 30% of students who attended in-person classes the week of Sept. 28-Oct. 2 were enrolled in private schools.

"All told, 550 Oregon schools offered some form of in-person instruction that week, teaching some 46,000 students," reported The Oregonian. "One hundred and seventy of those schools are private and taught 13,000 students in-person, state Department of Education figures show. That means 6% of the state’s 560,000 K-12 students visited a classroom last week. The share of private students in the overall population is about 2%."

District students and teachers alike are working their way through the technology. Chomebooks were checked out to students who did not have the necessary devices to attend online school. Since Google accounts were already been in place, utilizing Google Classroom was the obvious decision, including the Meet link to attend classes.

The school year has been divided into four quarters. The first quarter will take place from Sept. 21-Nov. 13; the second quarter from Nov. 16-Jan. 29; the third quarter from Feb. 1-April 16; and the fourth quarter from April 19-June 17. Students attend four periods each day, Monday-Thursday. First period begins at 8:30 a.m. and ends at 9:20 a.m.; second period is from 9:30-10:20 a.m., third period from 10:30-11:20 a.m., and fourth period from 11:30-12:20 a.m. Advisory class takes place from 8:30-9:00 a.m. each Friday.

Students who pass a class will earn .5 credits per class each quarter. The class of 2021 graduation requirements have been been modified. Previously, students had to earn 25 credits total. That has been lowered to 24 credits. Physical Education, originally 1.5 credits, has been lowered toone credit, along with electives that now require six credits. Teachers will continue to follow the traditional A-F grading system, unlike the Pass/No Pass online classes last March-June.

“I have had to change just about everything I do to make things work online,” social studies teacher Erik Johnson said. “It started rough, but will get better as time goes on.”

Clubs are still available for students to sign up for. Person-to-person club meetings have been replaced with virtual meetings that take place after school. Individuals are able to join a club after filling out registration forms. Each club meets on a designated day. Meeting dates are available from the club advisors.

“Being online just does not feel the same way, but I think it's important that we are not physically here at school, that we stay safe," said Johnson.