Maya McFadden Photo
Families wait outside as school administration keep the amount of people in the lobby area limited.
James Hillhouse High School parents and students responded on short notice Monday to pick up Chromebooks to gain access to online schoolwork while New Haven Public Schools remain indefinitely closed due to the spread of COVID-19.
Hillhouse Principal Glen Worthy said families were given a notice via email, robocall, and text on Sunday that laptops would be lent out.
Other schools in the system were making similar loans.
About 10 Hillhouse administrators managed the scene at the high school, which first required the students and parents to come into the school lobby one family at a time. A security guard remained at the door letting people in from the light snowfall and rain outside.
As families waited outside, security reminded families that a phone and their student ID numbers would be needed to get a laptop.
The school administration was able to arrange the handouts today from 8 a.m until 3 p.m.
Hillhouse sophomore Regina Santana, 15, came to pick up a laptop with her mother. After receiving the email notice on Sunday, Santana’s mother said she decided to use her hour break to pick up her daughter and get the laptop. After picking the laptop up, Santana’s mother headed back to work.
In passing, one parent said to her daughter, “Your aunt can’t even get off of work today to get a computer.”
Families were then asked to sign a contract made up by the school requiring they keep the computers in good condition and return them by June. Worthy said if the contract is broken by students their grades and transcripts will be withheld. Hand sanitizer was offered to each person after using the provided pencils to sign the contracts.
Next families were directed down the hall to wait to pick up the computers. A line for computer pick up was strategically laid out in the hall to keep each group at least six feet apart from each other while waiting in line. The tiles on the floor were labeled with tape and classroom chairs to indicate where each person was to wait.
One parent, Shantell Warren, said Monday was her first time leaving her home since March 16. After picking up a laptop, Warren picked up a work packet for her son that the teacher, Ms. Celentano put together.
Students stand one square away from another in the computer pick-up line.
While in line students were asked to text their student ID numbers to a school phone number provided for administration to organize and track which computer each student got.
Once receiving the laptop and charger, families were offered sanitizer again and left through a side entrance of the school. As families exited a security guard reminded each person to “be safe.”
During the temporary closing, teachers will continue courses through Google Classroom which many but not all teachers used throughout the school year. The teachers that didn’t use Google Classroom in the past were trained and offered the choice between recording and posting their lessons or hosting them live for students.
After hearing families’ concerns about not having access to Google Classroom, Worthy joined other admin in an online meeting on Zoom Video Communications on Friday and decided to give the laptops out today. Parents were also asked to do a survey for the district to learn households’ access to technology and the internet.
Worthy said the school has 1,200 computers. which are enough for all students to get one to complete the online work. By 1 p.m Worthy said about 400 laptops were picked up.
“I know that most of my students don’t have computers and some internet,” Worthy said.
Sophomore Tanasia Quicksey walked ten minutes with her brother to pick up a computer she is familiar with to complete the work for her six classes online.
Teachers and Admin STILL have no instructions about grading, the end of the marking period, the legalities of online Zooming with minors. Why are teachers assigning work if it will not be graded and doesn't count? And How can it count when the majority of students are not doing the work???? The BOE spent hours arguing over the bus contract and paying part time people. Is the main job of the BOE not EDUCATION anymore? Teachers, admins, students, and parents are in the dark. Silence is worse than making the wrong decision.
Politicians::: whatever you do; someone will not like it. Do your best but make the tough decisions! Please!
My advice? Shut down for the rest of the year. Adjust curriculum in the fall to pick up where they left off. It is the fairest thing for everyone. Punishing students who do the work will spread ill will and mistrust amongst the youngsters. Unprecedented times call for unprecedented steps!