Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
By ZACHARY MARANO
Ironwood — Ironwood Area Schools will switch to a distance learning model with online classes starting Wednesday, according to a press release from the school on Friday. The release identifies substitute shortages and seasonal illness as reasons for temporarily closing the school doors and going online.
“Staff have often come to work sick because there aren’t enough substitutes available to cover for them,” the release says. “We currently have several staff members dealing with seasonal illnesses, such as cold and flu (not COVID), which puts a strain on our available substitutes. When we are short substitute coverage, other teachers and paraprofessionals are pulled from their regular duties to fill in. This has caused strain in our system and is not currently sustainable.”
The distance learning educational delivery model will allow staff to recuperate with the least amount of impact on student learning, according to the release.
Online classes start Wednesday and go through Thanksgiving break on Nov. 24-26. Normal school days will resume on Nov. 29. Additionally, today will be a half day of school with a noon dismissal.
During distance learning, all students will be required to log into Google Meet for their classes daily. Attendance will be tracked by class period and all attendance rules will still apply. The school requests all parents to make sure that their child logs into Google Meet for each class period to avoid the school needing to make up these days in June.
Students will need their devices, including Google Chromebooks, to access distance learning materials on Google Classroom and interact with them on Google Meet. The school will provide a list of connectivity locations for families without reliable internet access at home, the release says.
The release also says that meals will be provided to students who want them during the five-day distance learning period. The Gogebic-Ontonagon Intermediate School District will continue to operate its programs at the school as scheduled.
The school encourages parents to reach out with any questions or concerns. Superintendent Travis Powell, K-12 Principal Melissa Nigh, Supervisor of Special Education Heidi Lauzon and Assistant Principal Daniel Martinson are all available to answer questions, according to the release.