CMS and CHS Holds First All-Virtual Day
January 19, 2022
Ezra DeVore
Friday, January 14 was Cassville Middle and High School’s first full day of all virtual classes in history. With substitute-teacher shortages, and full-time academic staff shortages in general, public schools nationwide are attempting to navigate these conditions amidst the height of flu season, coupled with an ongoing pandemic. In response to these conditions, many schools are exploring alternative methods of schooling; including Cassville.
The Cassville R-IV school district is following the trend of expanding their academic tool belt to employ alternate methods of teaching, with the hopes to ensure “an equitable education environment for the kids,” began Dr. Merlyn Johnson, Superintendent of the Cassville R-IV School District. “If we cannot provide equity in the AMI framework, we’ll have to re-evaluate its effectiveness.” AMI, or “Alternate Methods of Instruction,” is what Missouri DESE (Department of Elementary and Secondary Education) refers to the virtual classroom model as.
“When the teachers are sick, we can’t teach - and it’s not just Covid-19. Numerous different illnesses are going around - some get the flu, some just get sick. We studied the attendance data of staff and students,” Johnson continued, “and decided that the Primary and Intermediate schools could continue without interruption. The middle school, however, was hit hard all at once. Attendance decreased by approximately 10%, as did the high school - and it isn’t just because of student absences,” Dr. Johnson affirmed, “the shortage of substitute teachers means that if we have no teachers to teach, we can’t teach.”
Johnson explain that in this model, “teachers who are asymptomatic and feel well, but tested positive for Covid, can connect virtually with students and teach without risk. Students maintain a very dedicated schedule through the day. In person teaching is proven to be the most effective method of education, so the strategy for AMI is ‘to not to do it if we don’t have to.’ Teachers and administrators have worked hard to organize an AMI framework, and after studying student and staff attendance data, we collaborated and felt that last Friday was an opportune time to utilize the AMI.”
AMI could also be a gateway into lessening the impact of weather-related school cancellation, according to Johnson. “If an ice storm freezes the roads, an approximate 80% of students would be able to attend class, but students who don’t live in town or on main roads couldn’t - and we can’t leave them behind, that’s equity.”
Friday, January 14 was Cassville Middle and High School’s first full day of all virtual classes in history. With substitute-teacher shortages, and full-time academic staff shortages in general, public schools nationwide are attempting to navigate these conditions amidst the height of flu season, coupled with an ongoing pandemic. In response to these conditions, many schools are exploring alternative methods of schooling; including Cassville.
The Cassville R-IV school district is following the trend of expanding their academic tool belt to employ alternate methods of teaching, with the hopes to ensure “an equitable education environment for the kids,” began Dr. Merlyn Johnson, Superintendent of the Cassville R-IV School District. “If we cannot provide equity in the AMI framework, we’ll have to re-evaluate its effectiveness.” AMI, or “Alternate Methods of Instruction,” is what Missouri DESE (Department of Elementary and Secondary Education) refers to the virtual classroom model as.
“When the teachers are sick, we can’t teach - and it’s not just Covid-19. Numerous different illnesses are going around - some get the flu, some just get sick. We studied the attendance data of staff and students,” Johnson continued, “and decided that the Primary and Intermediate schools could continue without interruption. The middle school, however, was hit hard all at once. Attendance decreased by approximately 10%, as did the high school - and it isn’t just because of student absences,” Dr. Johnson affirmed, “the shortage of substitute teachers means that if we have no teachers to teach, we can’t teach.”
Johnson explain that in this model, “teachers who are asymptomatic and feel well, but tested positive for Covid, can connect virtually with students and teach without risk. Students maintain a very dedicated schedule through the day. In person teaching is proven to be the most effective method of education, so the strategy for AMI is ‘to not to do it if we don’t have to.’ Teachers and administrators have worked hard to organize an AMI framework, and after studying student and staff attendance data, we collaborated and felt that last Friday was an opportune time to utilize the AMI.”
AMI could also be a gateway into lessening the impact of weather-related school cancellation, according to Johnson. “If an ice storm freezes the roads, an approximate 80% of students would be able to attend class, but students who don’t live in town or on main roads couldn’t - and we can’t leave them behind, that’s equity.”
