Shaler Area sets days for students to pick up virtual learning supplies

Tawnya Panizzi | Sunday, August 23, 2020 7:59 p.m.

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The Shaler Area School District will host a series of events Sept. 2-4 to distribute text books, supplies and computers. Registration is required.

Shaler Area students can pick up technology devices the first week of September and have a chance to meet their teachers who they won’t see in class full-time until Oct. 9.

The district will host a series of events Sept. 2-4 to distribute text books, supplies and computers. Each building has specific time slots where registration is required in order to follow social distancing guidelines.

Sign-up forms will be emailed to families on Monday.

The district approved a 100% remote learning plan for the first month back to school, despite the board’s initial consideration of in-person, hybrid and online instruction.

Superintendent Sean Aiken said previously that while everyone wants to be back in class and have a sense of normalcy, administration agreed that remote learning is the best call.

Principals are expected to share town hall presentations on Aug. 31 to provide details on remote instruction and expectations for each grade level.

Board President James Tunstall was not immediately available for comment.

The distribution events will be:

Primary students, 1 to 3:30 p.m. and 5 to 7:30 p.m. Sept. 3, and from 8:30 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. Sept. 4. Fourth-graders, 5:30 to 8 p.m. Sept. 2, 9 to 11:30 a.m. and 1 to 3:30 p.m. Sept. 3. Fifth- and sixth-graders, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Sept. 3; 9 to 11:30 a.m. and 1 to 3:30 p.m. Sept. 4. Seventh-graders, 6 to 8 p.m. Sept. 2 and 8 a.m. to 3:40 p.m. Sept. 3; eighth graders are scheduled from 6 to 8 pm. Sept. 3 and 8 a.m. to 3:40 p.m. Sept. 4. High school students, 5 to 7:30 p.m. Sept. 2 and 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Sept. 3.

Because of limits on building capacities, only one adult is able to accompany each student.

Face masks are required.

Students’ first day back is Sept. 8.

District families can also take advantage of an online panel discussion from 3 to 4:30 p.m. Monday, hosted by the Center for the Promotion of Social & Emotional Learning.

The free event will offer parents techniques for supporting childrens’ return to school under atypical circumstances this year.

Speakers include Luvelle Brown, superintendent of the Ithaca City School District in New York; Ed Dunkleblau, social and emotional learning scholar; and Elizabeth Cushing, president of Playworks.

To register, visit the Center for the Promotion of Social & Emotional Learning registration page.