Accelerate Magazine July 2020

JANUARY 2020 MAGAZINE The school’s virtual eighth-grade graduation included a drive-by parade with viewing of the light display. Muskego: Students were able to apply skills learned in class while at home, to build a double Adirondack chair, made from old skis. Students were also able to apply skills learned in class to repair a community member’s shed for project-based virtual learning. Merton: It is impossible to deliver virtual instruction in the exact way it would be delivered in the classroom, so everyone had to get creative and stretch their knowledge to create experiences that allowed students to continue moving forward, without being together each day. Students learned about their own learning styles. While some students thrived in a more self-timed environment, others learned to value the in-person support of teachers and peers in maintaining motivation and pacing. Arrowhead: The pandemic has been an adventure for Arrowhead High School, as well as for our community, state, country and world. Despite the last quarter of the school year presenting significant challenges for everyone, the feedback from student, parent and staff surveys was primarily positive about the virtual learning process, communications and results. Our Administration wishes to express enormous gratitude to the students, parents, faculty and staff, and several support organizations including the Waukesha County Public Health Department, who worked long and hard to strive for success for our students. St. John's: Like all schools, the rapid switch to online learning presented numerous challenges. The unique opportunity it provided was a real-life exercise in adaptability, perseverance, and human potential. We are very proud of the way our staff and students navigated this situation. Students were required to become more engaged in their own learning than ever before. Adapting to the new environment, struggling through the challenges, and realizing that they can learn in new and different ways was an invaluable experience for our students and teachers alike. •