With schools closed statewide through at least April 24 by order of Gov. Jay Inslee to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, school districts throughout the state are looking at how to provide education and services to their students.

The Mercer Island School District is facing the same challenges as other districts throughout the state.

The district has provided iPads to 136 students and also has provided mobile hotspots to several families, according to MISD communications and alumni relations coordinator Craig Degginger.

It’s all a work in progress as the district’s learning services teams, principals, teachers and coaches work together to plan for how to continue student learning during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Teachers will be trying to help students make connections with each other and will not be creating a system where students spend hours a day in front of their computers,” Degginger said. “Our teachers will be looking at how learning in this environment can be equitably achieved. We ask for patience and grace as we work to support all students through distance learning.”

This week, April 6-10, the school district is observing its scheduled spring break, but when classes were set to resume, so will online learning.

The elementary schools will provide instruction by grade level, and topics will include language arts, math, science, Spanish, p.e., social studies, social/emotional, music and art.

“These daily schedules will involve online and offline activities,” Degginger said. “The district remains committed to the whole child and wants to emphasize the importance of managing screen time.”

The staff also will have family check ins, direct support times, and they’ll work as a team to develop curriculum in the coming weeks.

For Islander Middle School, teachers will work together to develop curriculum, and updates will be posted to the school’s Schoology website. Teachers will create “dedicated online direct connection/support time” (office hours) schedules, Degginger said.

The high school also is leaning on Schoology for communication of curriculum to students.

Teachers will create online office hour schedules and communicate it with students/families.

The staff and district are in discussion about grading and assessments in the 4th quarter (second semester). There will be no grades posted for the third quarter, Degginger said.

Finally, Degginger said high school seniors will graduate.

“We will be reaching out to the seniors regarding the senior activities and what they might need to look like if we are not allowed to return to school,” Degginger said.