SAGUACHE COUNTY - Area schools are now engaged in online classes with students and during the novel Corona crisis are rising to the occasion to provide all the additional services students will need to finish out the school year.

Center Schools
In her Center of Focus column, Center Schools superintendent Carrie Zimmerman reported March 30:
This week in Center, we are beginning our new adventure in learning.  Teachers and staff have spent the last week preparing for this new alternative approach to instruction and we are ready to hit the ground running.  
Students will be able to connect with teachers on a weekly, if not daily basis. Staff have already reached out to students this past week, to check in on their kids, see how they were doing, and also find out what resources or supports students might need to continue their learning at home.  As a district, our personal touch to learning and ensuring that instruction is student centered continues to be the focus.  
At the elementary level, students will be able to use their individual iPad provided by the district.  Teachers put together lessons that incorporate both virtual experiences and more traditional approaches.  At the secondary level, students’ schedules will be comparable to when they were onsite.  Teachers will be doing online instruction, virtual lessons, science labs, exercise regimens, and weekly projects.  All students in middle school and high school have laptops, so students and teachers are familiar with this type of learning, and many teachers already have Google classrooms established.
Our special education and EL teams, have put together resources and Toolkits to support students and core teachers during this time.  Our counselors are setting up times to meet with kids and continue providing them with established services.  Staff will be utilizing Zoom meetings to keep up with regular communication.  Staff are also continuing to provide small group and 1:1 instruction as needed through Google Hangouts, Newrow, and Zoom meetings.
Our team worked hard this past week with local Internet providers, Ciello and Jade, to get families who do not currently have services, set up with Internet in their homes.  Thanks to funding through some of our grants and Katrina Ruggles’ efforts we are able to provide this service to families at no cost for the next couple of months.  
Grab-and-go food service will continue on a weekly basis.  Last week, thanks to the hard work of our food service team under Dianna Villanueva’s leadership, we were able to provide food to over 250 students.  The grab-and-go service will take place every Monday from 10 a.m. until noon.  Students will receive food for the week.  Ms. Banning worked hard to continue our food distribution service for identified families as well.  
Our transportation department is jumping in to help by delivering food and supplies to families in the country or that were not able to come to the scheduled pick up.
Everybody has risen to the occasion, to pitch in and help, and make this a positive, productive experience for our students.  Thank you all!  #VikingStrong

Mountain Valley Schools
Mountain Valley Superintendent Travis Garoutte wrote Monday:
Mountain Valley School District provided paper-based learning materials for the week of March 23. We are beginning to transition to online classes this week (March 30). There are many families in our district that do not currently have adequate Internet access that would allow for online learning.
We are working on a plan to get the internet installed in student homes that are without connectivity. Online learning can also be difficult for students in the primary grades and some paper-based materials will continue to be provided. The district is also distributing computers to students that need devices at home.  
Mountain Valley teachers have been doing a great job of adapting to remote learning and showing amazing personal and professional growth. They are going above and beyond each day by calling and video conferencing with students and parents, reading stories online, implementing Google Classroom, and utilizing a variety of virtual educational platforms to engage students.
I am very proud of our staff; they care about our students, and it shows. Parents have been very receptive and appreciative of the efforts our district is making to continue to educate as well as feed our students. I feel like community relationships and partnerships are getting stronger and stronger as a result of this epidemic.   
For students who are on meal plans, Mountain Valley School currently has two distribution points — one at MVS and the other at the KV Clubhouse where grab and go breakfast and lunch are provided Monday-Thursday from 10-11 a.m. We are also delivering meals to households where family transportation is difficult. 
I believe that parents are doing the best that they can and are thankful for Mountain Valley’s support and partnership during this difficult time. While delivering meals, I have been able to visit with several students and they have all mentioned that they really miss school and our staff. I know that the staff at Mountain Valley, myself included, miss all of our students so much.
Closing our school was one of the hardest things I have had to do in my 20 plus years as an educator. Although our hearts are heavy and we miss the kids terribly, Mountain Valley School is dedicated to serving our community, providing engaging learning opportunities, and making sure that every kid has a nutritious breakfast and lunch to start their day.

Moffat Schools
Moffat Superintendent Christina Larsen commented Monday:
Moffat teachers are preparing to deliver instruction via virtual learning platforms like Google Classroom. Teachers are working exhaustively to create consistent and reliable systems for attendance, instruction and grading, while also navigating their own personal and professional challenges.
Teachers and school leadership are communicating with families via surveys, emails and phone calls to determine what they need. We are sharing general support resources and positive messages help families feel better about what’s coming. We have reached out to all families by survey or phone and are providing devices like Chromebooks and Internet hotspots for those who are identified needing the resources.
We provide free breakfast and lunch grab-and-go style meals for any child ages 0-18. We distribute four meals on Mondays and four meals on Wednesdays between 11a.m. - 1p.m. at Moffat School. We are looking to expanding service locations to make meal distribution more accessible for our families who don’t leave close to the school or have transportation barriers.
Our families and community are incredibly resilient and have responded with grace, understanding and kindness as we work together to navigate these frustrating and challenging circumstances!