How Westlake Schools Are Adjusting To The Coronavirus Closure

WESTLAKE, OH — Westlake staff had about one week to build out a usable online classroom for students and staff. When Gov. Mike DeWine ordered all Ohio schools closed for three weeks on March 12, seven days of hectic labor began. On March 19, Westlake Schools began remote learning.

Now the state-mandated closure has been extended through at least May 1 due to the continued spread of the new coronavirus. School district leaders across Ohio believe schools may not re-open this academic year. That means some school systems will need to quickly institute extended online learning protocols. But not Westlake.

"The good news for us is when the governor made his first announcement of a three-week closure for buildings, we took it as a closure of our buildings...not our educational process," Superintendent Scott Goggin told Patch.

Check out the Westlake Schools distance-learning resources.

During the initial three-week closure, Westlake school staff divvied their distance-learning plan into three pillars: review, preview, collaborate.

The plan was to review material already covered in class, prior to the school closures; preview material that would be covered when face-to-face classes resumed and collaborate on how to effectively teach and condense Westlake's planned curriculum.

One of the pillars — preview — will now be replaced with active education. Teachers are using a variety of tools to continue the education of students, at all grade levels. Patch was able to preview some of the ways Westlake teachers are connecting with students, including: video lectures, downloadable reading material, digital meetings with students and more.

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"Maybe I’m biased, maybe I’m like a proud parent, but I think what our staff has accomplished is remarkable," Goggin said.

The current process isn't perfect, the superintendent admitted. Different families have different needs which aren't as easily accommodated digitally. Some students need more work during this closure, others need less. The district is still adjusting its digital remedies.

Principals and teachers will hold remote meetings this week to discuss how to best use distance-learning technology moving forward. Changes to current protocol will likely be made.

"Teachers are balancing their digital footprint. We can’t duplicate [being in class] five days a week, seven hours a day, but we are still trying to provide a good education," Goggin noted.

There is a silver lining to this crisis as well: much of this digital technology could stick around post-COVID-19 closures.

"Through every crisis comes opportunity. My prediction would be we’re going to have some staff who are going to hold on to some of the skills they’re learning right now," Goggin said. "Put it this way: they cannot wait to see their kids again. I do believe our teachers are growing, it’s a forced growth, but I’m sure we’re going to come back and some of these strategies will stick around."