eLearning is Coming to Manchester Community Schools.

By David Fenker
david@nmpaper.com
MCS Curriculum Director Sue Gnagy and MJSHS Digital Learning Coach Jacob Everett presented the Board of School Trustees with their plan, titled “Snow Day, sNOw Problem”, for eLearning days, which would recover time lost due to school cancellations.
“In the past, whenever anyone asked if I would consider an eLearning day, I said no because I never knew that this kind of format could work. What I like is we don’t lose a day of instruction,” Superintendent Dr. Bill Reichhart said.
The format laid out by Gnagy and Everett places the eLearning days on Saturdays. Teachers are given two weeksí notice after the date has been chosen by the administration, and must prepare a Lesson Suite that the students can access online.
Students then have from the Wednesday prior to the official eLearning day until the Monday after it to complete all required coursework.
Reichhart said that the first eLearning day, which will follow the fourth cancellation of the year, will be used as a trial run. Parents and teachers will be asked for feedback from that day before another is approved.
Additional news from the Board included the passing of the 2017 budget after an uneventful public hearing at the September meeting, a 1.4 percent raise for administrators and approval of a slight raise for Superintendent Reichhart. Discussion of the sale of the corporation’s Maple Park property was tabled until further information could be obtained.