North Judson-San Pierre Officials Consider Implementing eLearning

Posted on February 23, 2018
Author Jacque Ryan, WKVI

Officials at North Judson-San Pierre schools are discussing the possibility of implementing eLearning in the future.

During Tuesday night’s school board meeting, Superintendent Dr. Annette Zupin told board members that with the number of snow days and delays recently, some teachers and community members have been asking about bringing eLearning to NJ-SP

While discussing the possibility Dr. Zupin stated, “Please know that I will not do that unless the teachers are ready and not just the teachers, we need our community to understand what it is so if we choose to go this way, we’ll be sure to prepare everybody for it.”

She said she’s been researching the implementation of eLearning and talking with Department of Education representatives, who say there are expectations and parameters associated with such a decision. Requirements include ensuring that students have appropriate access to necessary technology and making sure that staff provides meaningful lessons for those days.

The superintendent later mentioned NJ-SP believes there is no “alternative” or “substitute” for quality teachers instructing students, therefore they don’t want to regularly trade a traditional school day for an eLearning day. However, she did say they feel it is important to expose students to digital learning on a regular basis and it would be nice to offset a couple of make-up days when they have inclement weather that results in a cancelation.

Dr. Zupin said that within the last two weeks, teachers and administrators have engaged in positive discussions about eLearning, and they’re ready to move forward with the concept. Before that can happen professional development and practice need to occur and parents need to be informed about the process.

Zupin said it is the hope of school officials that NJ-SP students and faculty will utilize approximately two to three eLearning days in the 2018-2019 school year. During the meeting she did say that depending on the level of readiness, there’s a chance they may even try it out sometime this spring.