Governor Cuomo Reverses Course On Summer School - Encouraged By County Executive Molinaro

After Governor Cuomo announced that school would be closed for the rest of the year, County Executive Marcus Molinaro responded on May 1, 2020 with a letter to the governor, agreeing with the decision, but urging the Governor to reconsider for children with special needs for the upcoming summer. County Executive Marcus Molinaro has a child with Autism, and responded by sending a letter to the Governor, Chancellor Rosa, and Interim Commissioner Tahoe, by stressing an urgency to keep summer school programs open to in-person learning interactions for children with special needs.

An excerpt of his letter, which was distributed to the media via press release, is below:

Throughout this process, so many of our schools and teachers have gone above and beyond to provide quality education during these difficult times. Many students with special needs have adapted well to the new paradigm of remote learning and are finding success utilizing Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and other platforms. Other students are struggling with the hands-on attention of teachers and specialists. For many special education students, the most daunting challenge is overcoming the stress of change and inconsistency. That is why a careful and student-centric approach is paramount as we move forward.

Since schools were closed, parents have played an even greater role in their education. This was a challenge for all parents, however, for parents of special needs students, the task could be even more daunting. The technology we all relied on to make remote learning possible, needed modifications and innovative adaptions to make them more accessible. Not all platforms are compatible with critical assistive technologies, nor are they always conductive to educating students with very specific needs. Parents and teachers have been asked to do a lot of heavy lifting to ensure their children and students are receiving a high-quality education.

Special education students must have access to services throughout the summer. These services will help support students and their families bridge the gap until schools are once again able to provide a more conventional education. Not all special education students will want to take advantage of services throughout the summer, however, for those who do, they must be available.

Stepping out just a minute here…

Stepping out of my role as a reporter for this article for a moment, and into that of a parent who is doing Distance Learning for two children ages 8 and 10 (this doesn’t count the 3yo toddler who is constantly disrupting and needing to go potty), I can tell you that Distance Learning is extremely difficult. Extremely. A large part of a child’s life is social interaction, and the interaction they get with their teacher (assuming they have a good relationship). Not having that has been sorely missed by my children. Completing “simple” assignments, like 7 math problems on two pages, takes 1 hour. One painful hour of bodies collapsing onto the floor, throwing pencils, hating parents. I have resisted writing about it, so as to not offend our teachers and administration who are trying so hard and are equally traumatized, some of whom are teaching and preparing curriculum with their own children at home, doing their own Distance Learnings.

Ok, back into reporter mode.

On May 21, 2020, while the new children’s risk of COVID-19 (Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome (MIS) similar to Kawasaki Disease) was being discussed, Governor Cuomo decided to close in-person teaching opportunities for summer school, stating: “Amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced summer school will be conducted through distance learning this year to help reduce the risk of spread.”

On may 22, 2020, Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro wrote a second letter in response to the announcement of summer school closure:

Dear Governor Cuomo: (crossed out to hand-written in blue marker to address “Andrew”),

As plans to reopen and re-imagine New York State's schools and summer distance-learning services are contemplated and developed, it is of utmost importance that the needs of special education students and their families are thoughtfully and carefully considered. Efforts underway by your office, as well as those of the Board of Regents, New York State Education Department, and our 700 public school districts, must incorporate input from special education teachers and parents of students with special needs. Although you recently announced that in-person summer school will not go on, it remains critical to offer needed services to special education students throughout the summer.

I expressed my concerns related to this issue in a letter sent on the first of this month to Chancellor Rosa, Interim Commissioner Tahoe, and your office. Since then, many others have voiced similar concerns and have yet to be addressed.

The letter continued to repeat the first letter. On June 8th, the Dutchess Business Notification Network reported that Governor Cuomo signed an Executive Order to allow summer school to continue in person: “Notwithstanding any prior Executive Order to the contrary, special education services and instruction required under Federal, state or local laws, rules, or regulations, may be provided in person for the summer term in school districts. Any district providing such services in person must follow State and Federal guidance.

County Executive Molinaro’s response sent via press release was: “Access to in-person special education services throughout the summer is critical to so many with disabilities and their families, this year more than ever. The school year has been wrought with stress, anxiety and disruption caused by Coronavirus and special education students have felt the impact most profoundly. Access to in-person services will provide the needed support to overcome those challenges, smoothing the transition to a new school year in the fall. I’m grateful Governor Cuomo has taken this important step and I am happy to have worked with Jim Malatras and his staff to make this a reality. This is indeed good news for so many families across Dutchess County and New York State. There is little question we can make a real difference in the lives of these young people, when we work together and ThinkDIFFERENTLY!”

Teacher Learning Days :: What Beacon Teachers Learn On Learning Days

Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin

Editor’s Note: We’d planned for this article to come out in March, when the Professional Learning Day happened for Beacon City School teachers, but time got the best of us. With the recent passing of the Beacon City School budget, we’re publishing it now so that you can see how budget items relate to what teachers prepare for during the year.

When Teacher Learning Days happen in the winter, at first blush, they create extra long weekends - or weeks, if there are snow days abutting the Professional Learning Day. A parent hardly thinks about what the teachers are actually learning and why there is a day off. The day is just another day off, and another day to figure out what to do if you are a working parent who needs to juggle around a childcare schedule.

What happens inside the classrooms of Beacon schools on Professional Learning Days had mostly been a mystery to parents in the district. But then Beacon’s new-ish Superintendent, Dr. Matthew Landahl, started sending regular email updates, giving a glimpse of what teachers work on during those student days off.

Below is a breakdown of the main agenda items on a Professional Learning Day in March 2019, with clarification provided by Dr. Landahl or the actual agenda itself:

Responsive Classroom Training - What Is This?

On the learning day, 25 teachers participated in the Responsive Classroom training. But what is a “Responsive Classroom?” There is a website for it, and according to that website, it is defined as: “Responsive Classroom is an evidence-based approach to education that focuses on the strong relationship between academic success and social-emotional learning (SEL). The Responsive Classroom approach empowers educators to create safe, joyful, and engaging learning communities where all students have a sense of belonging and feel significant.”

Sounds neat, so we asked Dr. Landahl what Responsive Classrooms mean for Beacon: “Responsive Classroom is a model that teachers can implement in their classrooms that focuses on the power of teacher language, interactive modeling, and Morning Meetings. When I was an elementary principal in Virginia of a very diverse school, we worked extensively with Responsive Classroom.”

Morning Meetings! My third-grader has persistently pestered me to be more on time - and earlier - to school drop-off so that she can get to her Morning Meeting. The last minute of drop-off is at 9:01 am, and the school doors of our building open at 8:40 am. During that time, Morning Meeting transpires, and the kids take it very seriously.

Dr. Landahl continued: “Teachers raved about the training and they were able to bring a deeper sense of community to the classroom and the entire school. Our hope is to have many of our teachers trained in the model in Beacon to find ways to increase social/emotional learning for all of our students, and to build communities in our schools.”

Restorative Practices for Middle School Teachers

Restorative Practice trains in how to respond to challenging behavior.

Coding in the Classroom

Teachers are implementing coding into their classrooms, with events such as a Coding Night held at South Avenue Elementary earlier this year by the school librarian, Mr. Aaron Burke. During this portion of Professional Learning Day, teachers from all grade levels got to look at various websites and resources that promote computational thinking and problem-solving, using computer coding strategies and skills. Robots were incorporated, including the Dash robot, Ozobots, and the Sphero Bolt. Teachers were able to brainstorm ideas for to how these resources could be used in the curriculum.

Using 3D Printers - Did Not Know Beacon Schools Had Them!

This is exciting news. According to the learning day agenda, every school in the Beacon City School District has a 3D printer. If you’re a parent in the district, you’ll know how much paper in different colors comes home as flyers, homework assignments, lunch menus, etc. These are run on a regular printer. But what can a 3D printer make? Teachers were able to find out during this training session, also led by South Avenue’s librarian, Mr. Burke, that included learning the basics of how 3D printers work. With Mr. Burke’s assistance, teachers could design a simple project using Tinkercad.

Using Google Docs and Google Classroom

Lots of collaboration going on with Google in our schools. In my day, this was with Apple, where Apple computers dominated the computer labs, and Word and Excel from Microsoft also tried to dominate as software. Now we have Google’s Chrome Books in the classrooms, and Google’s Drive platform, which is basically Word and Excel online where people can connect in the documents and share writing and creation experiences.

Teachers were trained in Google Classroom and other tools including Google Slides and Google Docs (both parts of Google Drive, functioning similarly to PowerPoint and Word) in the primary grades. According to the learning day agenda, teachers were trained in: “Google Slide tools for projects such as creating signs, ebooks, stop-animation videos, collaborative projects, interactive presentation, and choose-your-own adventure stories. Tips for helping students create more effective presentations will be included as well.”

I could use some tips from my 9-year-old on how to make better slide presentations, or an ebook!

Side Note Opinion: What does this classroom tech mean for privacy? This does mean that Google can now track a lot of our behavior and data. As can Apple with our phones, and every single app that we use, yet Apple has tried to brand itself as a protector of privacy. So far, Facebook is the main platform I avoid strongly, as they have proven time and again, and continue to prove with new editorial decisions every day, that they aren’t responsible with our information. So far, my hope and trust will remain with Apple and Google.

Collaborating with Dia: Beacon

Beacon students benefit from Dia: Beacon’s presence just down the road, overlooking the Hudson River near the Metro-North train station. An arts and education program between Dia: Beacon and BCSD has been in place for 18 years. Many opportunities exist, including the Teen Art Program we just wrote about. Additionally, Beacon’s second-graders take a field trip to the museum. (Parents are invited to attend, to help manage the kids.)

Teachers were able to explore the galleries and collaborate with Dia artist educators in preparation for spring programming. The arts education program provides K-12 students with an intimate setting to respond critically to the art and programs at Dia:Beacon through multisession workshops both at school and in the galleries. 

Elementary Science/STEM Curriculum Training

Curriculum trainers, along with TEQ, facilitated a walk-through of the science/STEM curriculum unit that was developed and revised during this school year. In addition, TEQ will provide professional development on the Engineering Design Practices of the new New York State Science Learning Standards.

Mindfulness for Educators: The What, Why, and How

This workshop was an opportunity for “teachers and other school staff to slow down, step back, and consider the fast-paced world of the classroom from a new perspective.” According to the learning day agenda, teachers face a variety of stresses, both in and out of school, which can impact their professional performance as well as their social and emotional well-being. “The growing body of research continues to suggest that teachers who participate in mindfulness training and practice regularly are more likely to feel personally and professionally fulfilled and more connected to their students - critical factors in creating a school-based culture of mindfulness.”

Data-Driven Conversations for High School Teachers

Data usually sounds dry and impersonal, but for those of us who do study it, it can be revealing about human behavior and how we can deliver what people want. Teachers were trained in this concept, and how to use the data to improve learning efforts.

So now we know - Professional Learning Days are intense! Meanwhile, parents are making pancakes and organizing play dates or other adventures for kids who are happy to have the day off.