CLEVELAND — 3News is staying in contact with several superintendents during the pandemic for an ongoing discussion on the pandemic’s impact on education.
Jeff Talbert, Superintendent of the Canton City School System says despite the challenges there is one main goal.
“The goal is to make sure that the kids are engaged. If they’re not engaged, we need to find out why. And if there’s something, some gap we can close, something else, some support that they need, that we’re able to point them in the right direction getting that need met,” says Talbert.
The superintendents we spoke to understand COVID-19 has put a lot of families in a tough position this school year. Joe Spiccia, Superintendent of Wickliffe City Schools says the concerns are valid and are being addressed.
“We have parents, lots of them, who will have to go to work and the hardship of having a student home is a difficult one for sure,” says Spiccia.
Superintendent Kathi Powers of the Twinsburg City School system says keeping the lines of communication with schools open can help make sure students are on track in terms of school work and resources.
“More than anything else we have to make sure that what we need is available to our staff and to our students,” says Powers.
Of course, we’re all still in the middle of a pandemic. Jodie Hausmann, Superintendent of Bay Village City Schools says safety is top of mind.
“We’ve been working closely with the Cuyahoga County Board of Health, the superintendents meet and talk with them every Friday. So were learning alongside them and we’re gonna do our very best,” says Hausmann.
No school system will get it perfect, but CMSD CEO Eric Gordon is asking for patience and support during what will be an exceptionally unique school year.
“This is a new world for everyone of us and we have to go into this with the spirit thinking we’re going to figure this out, we’re going to help kids be successful, families be successful, and their teachers to be successful as well,” says Gordon.