The Southeast Dubois County School Corporation has elected to join other county districts in the use of e-Learning as a way to help students keep up with their studies in the wake of snow days.
The matter was considered and approved by the Southeast Dubois School Board last night. School officials will apply with the Indiana Department of Education for e-Learning today February, 8th.
e-Learning or “virtual days” utilize technology to access educational curriculum outside the classroom.
An e-Learning day is when an “emergency cancellation” or “snow day” occurs when school is cancelled unexpectedly. Instead of declaring it a ‘snow day’, students will have an e-Learning day where they stay at home and do work assigned to them through the internet.
Southeast Dubois Superintendent Rick Allen says corporation officials believe that continuity of instruction in the event of the loss of a traditional instructional day, due to weather or other events, is a critical component of a student’s success….
All assignments will be posted by 9 am. Students will be able to contact their teachers through the internet, utilizing email and Google Classroom. School facilities will not be available on an emergency e-Learning day.
The 2017-18 Southeast Dubois calendar has built-in makeup days scheduled for February 16th & 19th, April 2nd & 20th and May 25th. These days will be used to utilize the first 5 missed school days.
Because these days have been exhausted, students will participate in e-Learning for any future missed days if approval is received by the state.
Buses will not run nor will school building be available for students. If the district encounters any more inclement weather, an e-Learning day will be held on the day of the weather event.
Northeast Dubois Schools have been using e-Learning since last year while Southwest Dubois received approval last week.
Both districts used Wednesday’s snow day as an e-Learning day.
OTHER BUSINESS
In other business last night, the Southeast Dubois board approved the retirement of several faculty members including Ferdinand Elementary School Principal Stacy Kitchin.
Kitchin has spent the last 13 years in education including the last five as leader of Ferdinand Elementary. She previously worked in Shelbyville.
In an emailed statement, Kitchin says it has been her honor to serve as the principal of Ferdinand Elementary School for the past several years.
She says she certainly has mixed emotions as she prepares to move on to this new chapter in her life. Kitchin says she loved being a principal and working with children.
Kitchin, however has dealt with some personal loss since becoming principal of Ferdinand Elementary, losing both her parents and a grandson.
She says the losses have taken a toll emotionally, and simply feels that she is not able to give her best effort at this time.
She says she believes Ferdinand Elementary and this Southeast Dubois School Corporation deserve to have the best leader at the helm.
Kitchin thanked each and every one of the parents and family members for being so supportive of their child’s education. This called Ferdinand Elementary the finest school she has ever been associated with!
Other retirements include, Ferdinand Elementary teachers Julie Lindauer, Kim Fleck, Kelly Woolenmann and Kathy James as well as Cedar Crest Intermediate School teacher Sharon Meyer.
Board President Kent Uebelhor estimated roughly 100 years experience between the six retirees and thanked them for their experience.
ALSO
Also last night, the board considered specifications and guidelines for school bus routes. Allen says the district will advertise for those guidelines and expects proposals to come in by February 28th.
KINDERGARTEN ROUND UP
And finally dates and times have been set for Kindergarten Round Up nights. Round Ups will be held at Pine Ridge Elementary next Thursday February 15th at 6 pm and at Ferdinand Elementary Tuesday February 20th at 6:30 pm.
