Page 56 - DistanceLearning

and varying home circumstances. Counselors respond to mental Program Guide. Students are
health needs through weekly interactive slide decks and virtual challenged to problem solve, Arguably, the greatest po-
counseling sessions using online booking software. engage in discovery, share tential challenge was pre-
The concept of differentiation itself has taken on new meaning, perspectives, and use their vented; that is, the neces-
particularly for our English language learners, students with spe- creativity on assignments sity of a mindshift toward
cial needs, and talented and gifted populations. including mock trials, escape online instruction — the
seeds of which had been
All ESL teachers have their own Google Classrooms where they room activities, and at-home planted years earlier.
STEM-related projects.
provide assignments, instruction, and support for students. In the
elementary setting, ESL teachers have also joined general educa-
tion ELA teachers’ classrooms to provide modifications and support Concluding Remarks
for ELL students. In addition to their core curriculum, teachers have Although the Belleville Public School District was ready to engage
access to various online supplemental programs (e.g., Lexia and in online instruction from the beginning, there were specific chal-
Reading A-Z). All major broadcasts are shared in English and Span- lenges: ensuring student equity with internet access and remote
ish, and all chromebooks have the Google Translate extension. capability, schedules and grading practices, instructional differ-

Supports for our students with special needs extend virtually entiation, and mental health efforts. Through teaming and stake-
across a continuum of services. Virtual I&RS meetings continue holder collaboration, intentional planning phases, and adaptive,
to take place because of the digital integration of our I&RS pro- responsive operations, we mitigated and continue to mitigate the
cess with our student information system previously established. ever-evolving consequences of social distancing on the education
Co-teachers in inclusion settings share access to Google Class- of our students.
rooms to modify and accommodate instructional delivery. And Arguably, the greatest potential challenge was prevented; that is,
classrooms that utilize applied behavior analysis strategies con- the necessity of a mindshift toward online instruction — the seeds
tinue to use Catalyst, an online data management system used of which had been planted years earlier. With many of the compo-
by teachers to track progress. Teachers now use this data to help nents preexisting, our district successfully put forth a united front
train parents on how to best support their children at home. to create a cohesive plan to address the global pandemic. As we

Talented and Gifted teachers continue instruction through the tread into the future, defining the “new normal” day-by-day, we
careful selection and assignment of higher-order thinking activities continue to support one another as staff and community members
on Google Classrooms, targeting students’ interests and aligned with an open heart and humble spirit.
to the high expectations within Belleville’s Talented and Gifted

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