Learning Pods In Wilmington Assist Students With Their Studies

From the City of Wilmington:

October 12, 2020

City of Wilmington, United Way of Delaware, and Wilmington Community Advisory Council partner to support a COVID-era education initiative

Wilmington Mayor Mike Purzycki, United Way of Delaware President and CEO Michelle Taylor, and Wilmington Community Advisory Council (WCAC) Chair Dr. Henry Smith today announced that a portion of the City’s CARES Act funds is being used to help fund 12 learning pods where some Wilmington students are staying engaged with their classes during the current period of remote learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“With our City students unable to return to the classroom due to the virus, we’ve got to do all we can to keep them and their families engaged with their education so they don’t fall further behind, and one way to do that is to offer learning pods,” said Mayor Purzycki. “WCAC came to the City with this wonderful idea and we have allocated approximately $90,000 in CARES Act federal funding to support learning sites around the City.”

The Mayor said each location has staff assigned to assist students and noted that local school districts have assigned para-professional staff as resources to some of the community agency sites. Taylor of United Way said the following organizations are operating learning pods:

• Latin American Community Center
• Hilltop Lutheran Community Center
• Neighborhood House
• Clarence Fraim Boys and Girls Club
• H. Fletcher Brown Boys and Girls Club
• West End Neighborhood House
• The Center for Structural Equity
• Kingswood Community Center
• Youth Empowerment Program
• Be Ready Jesus is Coming Church
• Girls, Inc.
• YMCA of Delaware

She said parents seeking more information about Wilmington’s learning pods should call 2-1-1, then press 4.

Taylor said the $90,000 from the City will help secure matching funds from the Longwood Foundation. She said the combined funds will be used to purchase laptops so students can participate in remote learning, and to acquire such things as plexiglass partitions, PPE equipment, sanitizing supplies, and other safety and health products and services for the learning pod locations.

Taylor said, “We cannot allow the children of Wilmington to fall behind in their studies because of COVID. Standing up learning pods is a critical part of that work. This partnership with the City of Wilmington, and the support we’ve received from the Longwood Foundation, will make learning pods safer and more accessible than would otherwise be possible. No one knows when the pandemic will end. But we do know that we can’t wait for that to happen before making learning pods an option for Wilmington families.”

WCAC Chair Smith said each learning pod location is taking extra precautions to sanitize and deep clean surfaces and rooms, socially distance and ensure that staff and students wear masks. Smith said when the State relaxed the stay-at-home requirements a few months ago, it provided guidance to organizations about how to safely reopen. Smith said youth-serving organizations like the 12 participating learning pod agencies started to adapt their in-person programs. Today, he said, services are offered in ways that keep youth and staff safe and provide young people safe outlets for positive developmental and educational experiences.

About Learning Pods
In the COVID context, a learning pod is a small group of students (generally 8-12) who study together in person, in a supervised location outside the classroom. Learning pods offer a facsimile of the classroom experience, with the standard curriculum being offered virtually by the public-school system. Learning pods offer working parents the peace-of-mind that comes from knowing their children are being supervised and keeping up with their studies. The learning pods in the City will comply with all state health and safety guidelines.

This press release was produced by the City of Wilmington. The views expressed here are the author’s own.