Jefferson County Educational Service Center assists school districts with return plans

STEUBENVILLE -- The Jefferson County Educational Service Center is doing its part to assist school districts in local counties and throughout Ohio as they prepare for a new term in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

JCESC Administrator Mark Masloski said he not only has been helping districts under its umbrella in Jefferson, Belmont and Columbiana counties but also in areas as far as Columbus and Cincinnati. Questions remain about an actual start date, which for now appears to be in late August, but schools hope to be session this fall. Masloski said officials are looking for the best and safest way to provide an education for thousands of students, be they in the classroom or working remotely at home.

"We have been working with a lot of schools in Ohio, probably 100," Masloski said. "We're working on how they will implement a blended learning approach for students.

"What's happening around Ohio is at the beginning of the school year we'll be face-to-face in classrooms, but some parents may want to keep their child at home, so there will be a digital platform for them."

On that note, students may partake of online learning with the Virtual Learning Academy, which includes an estimated 200 core and elective courses for grades K-12 that are 100-percent aligned to state standards, or ProgressBook, which gives teachers control of lesson plans for students both in class and at home.

"If we go to a Level Four and shut down again, the teacher can still use the curriculum through ProgressBook," he explained.

JCESC has aided districts since the state mandated school closures in mid-March and provided VLA and ProgressBook services to maintain a learning curriculum, while additional online tools such as Zoom and Google Hangout have kept students and teachers in touch through videoconferencing to discuss their lessons. Masloski cited the work of school districts to map out an amenable plan to continue education amid the current health climate.

"All of the schools have many options and strategies and they have plans in place. The public needs to understand that schools are doing what's best for the students, staff and community," Masloski said. "Schools are prepared and have contacted parents about surveys on whether they want their student to return to class or work remotely. There are plans to either do this for nine weeks or for the entire year."

Access to work is another factor, particularly in rural areas where internet capabilities are few and far between. Masloski said online work is also downloadable and may be printed or put onto a zip drive so affected students may work offline. Details are still in discussion and he noted that he has remained in contact with school districts via telephone or internet to ensure operations run smoothly.

"We are working with schools in Cincinnati, Cleveland and Columbus and partner with other ESC's and this is the time of year where we update our courses, and we are trying to meet the needs of the schools," Masloski said.