COVID-19: Distance learning week seven - positive strides being made
(05/15/2020) Anoka-Hennepin is proud of our efforts to continuously improve. Each year the district utilizes student assessment data, survey data from students, parents/guardians, staff, and the community, graduation rates, and other measures to identify areas for improvement. Working with internal and external experts, the district prioritizes time and resources to address the areas of greatest need.
Now that a “normal day” of school has been replaced by a virtual, distance learning format, there are new sources of data to consider. Student access to instruction and student engagement are two areas of focus. One thing that hasn’t changed, school is about learning. Teachers and students are responding to the challenges of the new distance learning format and finding a way to make it work. While it’s understood that this system is new and each student may react differently, work is happening to refine and improve with a focus on moving students forward.
Late April, in an effort to learn more and improve, the district offered a survey opportunity to middle and high schoolers as well as teachers. The feedback leaned more positively for both groups. Just over 71% of students reported they were satisfied with their distance learning to some degree (7% extremely satisfied, 32% satisfied, 32% moderately satisfied). Also, 78% of students reported they were satisfied with their teacher connections to some degree (14% extremely satisfied, 33% satisfied, 31% moderately satisfied). And just over 83% of teachers reported they were satisfied with distance learning to some degree (7% extremely satisfied, 42% satisfied, 34% moderately satisfied).
During this time of forced innovation, when so many are impacted by a sense of loss, an energy and focus on what can be done is alive and well in our schools. Motivated staff and students are finding new ways to get the job done. While classrooms have been temporarily replaced by kitchen tables, the effort and drive of students to succeed perseveres. Personal connection and interaction between teacher and student has changed, but should not be lost during distance learning.
Thank you all for your continued support of our schools and your great efforts to make the end of the school year a successful one.
David Law, superintendent