Guest Column: A time of transition and change

Published 12:30 am Thursday, April 9, 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed our world in many ways.

In an effort to keep safe, our community is abiding by new rules and guidance on how we live, work and learn, that we have never had before. These changes bring daily challenges to our teachers, students, families and community.

From a child’s perspective, they are no longer able to attend school within a school building. From an educational standpoint, the Astoria School District has had to transform from a brick-and-mortar school to a remote learning model in two short weeks.

In developing a remote learning model, the district has created three priorities during the mandatory school closure:

• To work to help students stay connected to their teacher and our school community.

• To provide students with engaging and enriching opportunities to continue to think, learn and grow.

• To support parents and families with resources that allow them to support their students’ needs.

In keeping with these priorities, it is our goal to provide an equitable and accessible framework of supports and resources that students and families of all backgrounds, resources, skills and stress levels can access during this school closure. Our staff have been working hard to develop a learning model and enrichment process that is new to us all, and I ask parents to be patient during this time of transition and change.

The work that district staff are providing is designed to enrich student learning; the district does not expect parents to provide instruction. The remote learning model can be accessed by families either online at www.astoria.k12.or.us or by paper learning packets. Just this week, district staff have delivered over 750 learning packets to students.

Although many things have changed over the last month, one thing that has remained constant is the care and dedication of district staff. They are in education to serve students and families, even when the going gets tough. This has become even more evident over the last two weeks, as they have dedicated their efforts to supporting families and developing learning opportunities for all students. I am very proud of our staff and fortunate to work alongside these outstanding people.

Meeting family needs

Since the mandatory school closure on March 13, 2020, our students and families have expressed a current or future need for resources and support. District staff understand that life, in many cases, has been turned upside down, and we are here to help families through this difficult time.

In response to growing family needs, the district has created a family resource team. This team is comprised of eight dedicated school employees who are working around the clock to provide resources and support for our families. Referrals are provided to the team from teachers during their weekly student check-ins. In addition to communicating family needs directly to teachers, families can also contact Chelsea Mattingly at cmattingly@astoria.k12.or.us for assistance with resources and support.

With the pandemic, we understand families are dealing with many different life experiences. That is why we are continuing to offer available school resources to our students and families. If a parent needs to get in touch with a school counselor or school nurse, they may call the school their child attends and a referral will be made to the appropriate staff member.

As part of the governor’s executive order to close schools, the district is also providing meals to all kids. The district is delivering meals to students daily, using modified bus routes. At this point, the district is serving around 425 breakfasts and lunches each day, Monday through Friday. The district is ready to serve more meals if necessary throughout the closure of schools. Visit our district homepage for more information regarding meals, routes and times.

Gratitude

We could not continue to do this important work without our many valuable community partnerships. These partnerships include Clatsop County Public Health Department, the city of Astoria, The Astorian, Clatsop Community Action, the regional food bank and Pacific Power, to name a few.

Individuals in the community have also generously offered to contribute supplies and supports to help our families in need. In a very short time, our community has donated over $1,500 to help support basic needs for our district families. Many community members and businesses have stepped forward with services and donations, and I am very appreciative of this great community support.

I also want to thank the Astoria School District School Board of Directors. They have provided unwavering guidance and leadership over the last month. They trust the district staff, and that goes a long way in making sure we can prepare to support our families and students, as we move to remote learning.

I am dedicated to communicating with families on information pertinent to their child’s education, and will continue to send updates as information is received. The district has a section on the homepage of our website www.astoria.k12.or.us with information and access to remote learning during the school closure. If at any time you have any questions or need anything, please feel free to contact me at choppes@astoria.k12.or.us.

Finally, please be safe and devote this time to family and loved ones. We are an amazing community made up of strong individuals, and together we can do anything. Please do your part to keep our community safe and healthy.