LINDEN — An uncommon end to the school year has created some uncommon challenges for teachers and administrators.
Looking ahead to the 2020-21 term, slated to begin Aug. 6, board members at North Montgomery decided to allow teachers to wrap up the current school year a few days early, in favor of using those days in August to prepare for an unprecedented start.
“It will not be a business-as-usual start to school year 2020-21,” North Montgomery Superintendent Dr. Colleen Moran said. “Teachers will need time to plan for the social and emotional needs of students who have not been back into their schools for 20 weeks.”
The impact of remote learning, she added, will need to be assessed so teachers can “determine their instructional focus.”
“e-Learning was never meant to replace the authentic engagement of a teacher and students within a classroom,” Moran said, “so we know there will be deficit skills that need reinforcement.”
The official end of the 2019-20 school year was to be today. However, by allowing teachers to enter summer break on Wednesday, they can use the remaining two contract days to prepare on Aug. 3-4.
“These days will be used for planning the students’ return when school begins,” Moran added.
The next regularly-scheduled public meeting for North Montgomery is set for 6 p.m. June 22.
In other business, the board:
• Approved the resignation, termination, transfer and hire of several employees. They include: Dawn Samuelsen, resignation from special services, Northridge; Jena Ehrlich, resignation from intervention para, Pleasant Hill; Roy Thomas, resignation as custodian, Northridge; Abby Kebbel, hire as second grade teacher, Sugar Creek; Laura Kuhn, hire as instructional coach, Pleasant Hill; Jacob Remender, hire as special education instructor, Northridge; and Amanda Hanback, hire as science instructor, Northridge.
