Amarillo area school districts switch to distance learning next week

AMARILLO, Texas (KFDA) - Amarillo school districts, teachers and Panhandle PBS are all transitioning to distance learning next week.

“The Amarillo area superintendents got together and decided that we needed to not allow students at school and start this distance learning platform. Starting Monday we will be calling it school at home,” said Cameron Rosser, assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction at Canyon ISD.

Amarillo, Canyon, Bushland, Highland Park and River Road school districts will all be making the transition to distance learning next week.

This is a transition that has been in the process for the last week with districts conducting their own studies, trying to make a plan of what is best for staff and students.

“Each teacher was making calls to homes and trying to reach out to parents and just do some information gathering, find out do they have internet access, do they have devices that they can access internet,” said Jimmy Hannon, superintendent at Highland Park ISD.

Most students will be learning through an online medium such as Google Classroom.

Canyon ISD says Google Classroom is easy to work with and most accessible, which is why they chose it.

Some districts, such as Bushland, have provided an electronic device to every student.

Most districts have provided as many electronics as they can for most students. For the younger students without access to Wi-Fi or a device, packets are available.

The main goal for many of these districts is to keep students from forgetting all they have learned this year.

“Our main goal with this, for now, is to keep students from regressing and losing what we have learned up to this point in the school year,” said Hannon.

To help with that, Panhandle PBS has created more content and websites available to teachers, parents and students for free.

“We just want to do our part to support our community at this time and provide these educational resources at a time that is needed most,” said Cullen Lutz, community engagement at Panhandle PBS.

Click here for the link to Panhandle PBS learning tools for you and your student during this time of distance learning.

Copyright 2020 KFDA. All rights reserved.