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How did you get there? What was the process to put these supports or activities into place?
the Center (SCCSC) started with the Zoom platform and then added in YouTube videos. Then student support services’ guidelines came out one week before distance learning was to begin. They wanted us to use the Google Classrooms platform, the same platform that teachers would be using for distance learning also. Program Managers trained their Team Leaders on the Google Classroom and then we launched virtual ASES programs on April 20th, even though prior to that we had already connected with families and were hosting dance clubs via ZOOM for the whole family as well as posting content and activities for them on YouTube.

What specific community need did you address?
We provided resources for parents and students, and outlet for expression and communication, an escape from the current fears of the world, and a sense of normalcy as students were able to see and talk to their fellow classmates, Team Leaders and Program Manager. When schools were closed and districts were figuring out distance learning, many of them were prohibited from contacting students or having ZOOM class meetings. We are not tied to unions and the same “red tape” as many district employees are, so we immediately filled the gap of communicating and engaging with our students and families.

What are some of the challenges you are experiencing? Any way that you have addressed or overcome those challenges?
Of course getting technology into each household for each child in school has been an issue. This is also sometimes an issue for our Team Leaders, some of whom are college students and rely on the college library for computer usage. Others have smart phones, but the applications don’t work fully on smart phones vs computers. We want to engage with all of our students, but sometimes they have to share the technology with the entire household so they can’t attend. The learning curve for Google Classroom is very apparent. Most students did’t use it often in school and so they are learning how to use a whole new platform at home, with out in person support. We feel that the more comfortable students and parents get with distance learning, the more we will see participation in our virtual Expanded Learning Programs. One additional problem with the Google Classroom is that the way the school district has it set up, only the Program Manager can be the owner of a classroom to work with the students and they can’t join the classroom to be a co-owner of the classroom because they do not have district emails like the Program Manager does. So if a Team Leader wants to post materials, videos, or facilitate a virtual lesson the Program Manager has to set it all up. Some sites have up to 18 Team Leaders, making the work load on the Program Manager very heavy and intensive. Given all of this, our teams are still working daily to master distance learning so they can provide the best programming and support for our families as they can.