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After school buildings suddenly closed in March because of the coronavirus, the School District of Philadelphia’s objective was simply to keep students connected and supported online. However, from the start of the new virtual classes, attendance will be taken and grades given.
Richard Gordon, the principal at Paul Robeson High School, says the bar has been raised. “The difference this year is that now we are trying to mirror the rigors of an entire school day and we’re trying to do it virtually,” Gordon told reporters in a district Zoom call.
At Mitchell Elementary School in Kingsessing, principal Stephanie Andrewlevich said many of her teachers spent time this summer designing animated bitmoji classrooms to present to their students online. “The beauty of this is we’re always figuring out in school buildings, how do we support 21st century skills? Well here we are, living in a world of 21st century skills,” Andrewlevich said.
“This is a very, very, very different expectation. It is our responsibility to make this mirror a school year as much as possible,” she added.
Andrewlevich said her staff has high expectations for students, but high levels of empathy as well. Gordon agreed that students and adults need support through what will be an unfamiliar start. “It’s something that our students are — sometimes there’s intimidation there. There’s a lot of anxiety. It’s very emotionally taxing right now because people are not exactly knowing what to expect.”
Andrewlevich says the silver lining is that students will learn 21st century skills they can take with them through their school careers and beyond.