Springfield Business Journal_2020-04-06

14 · SBJ.NET APRIL 6-12, 2020 for online learn- ing at home. At Weller, there is a high number of economically dis- advantaged stu- dents. Jungmann said the district is com- mitted to provid- ing each student with at-home in- ternet access. The SPS Board of Education last month ap- proved the purchase of 2,000 mobile hot spots for $370,000. The district already had 800 in use, primarily for high school students. Lemmon said city and county stay-at- home orders in Missouri have been taxing on districts without technology and infrastructure in place. “What we’re really seeing … is just this great divide between rural and urban Missouri,” she said. “The rural internet crisis in this state is going to come to light if it hasn’t in the past few days.” But the district isn’t only focusing on its own students. Jungmann said its online course platform, dubbed Launch, has served for years as Missouri’s online school, with over 250 districts across the state accessing content. Over 20,000 students were enrolled before the coronavirus pandemic, and an additional 40,000 across Missouri signed up just in the past few weeks. Access to courses is being provided at no charge. “We obviously can’t staff up for all that, but most of these districts have teachers, they just might not have an online con- tent management system,” he said. Lemmon said the quick work to move classes online is virtual education’s time to shine. “I am so proud that we’ve done this well for so long,” she said. “This is my 20th year in our school district. I turned to a friend and said, ‘I feel like my entire career has led to this moment.’” EDUCATION Dear Drury community, During this unprecedented time, it’s easy to become a community of one – to worry about ourselves and our needs. But I would encourage us, rather, to become one community. Remember, social distancing does not mean social isolation. Stay home. But also, check on your neighbors, FaceTime friends, continue your pursuit of knowledge. In remembering who we are, we will retain what makes Drury University a special place. This too shall pass. It is our support of one another that will see us through to the other side. Stay safe and stay healthy, Dr. J. Timothy Cloyd Virtual: Launch program to reach 60K in state Continued from page 9 Jean Grabeel : Wellness and nutrition is the first priority of the district. Adapting in a Crisis by Christine Temple · ctemple@sbj.net For district employees, the well-being of each of the 25,000 students enrolled in Springfield Public Schools was the first priority following the COVID-19 pandem- ic. Jean Grabeel, director of health services for the district, said she’s never seen any- thing like this crisis in her nearly three decades with SPS. “I was around with H1N1. On the flip side of that, we had a vaccine,” she said. “We’ve not seen this wide- spread event ever. We’ve never closed the system down other than for weather.” She said the district has placed meeting the health, hunger and hygiene needs of students as priority No. 1. “It’s amazing – 67,000 meals have been given as of this last week. Our nutrition services staff has been amazing and doing food prep and getting those meals togeth- er,” she said. Every child is eligible to pick up free breakfast and lunch Monday through Friday 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at every SPS school. District spokesman Stephen Hall said, by comparison, in one week in early March, roughly 85,000 free and reduced- price breakfasts and lunches were distrib- uted in schools. Before the pandemic, 53% of SPS stu- dents met guidelines for free or reduced- price lunches. Grabeel said now that need is growing, and she expects the meals pro- vided to rise. “It’s widespread,” she said. “With this change in climate, many people have lost their jobs and don’t have regular income right now.” Grabeel said she has worked with nonprofits Care to Learn and Ozarks Food Harvest to provide kids with meals for the weekends and vouchers to pick up needed items at stores. But it’s not only physical needs. She said counselors are on call for wellness checks of at-risk students, and the dis- trict has ongoing partnerships with Burrell Behavioral Health and Isa- bel’s House. “With the environment we have right now, there is more stress, more worry and anxiety,” she said. At Weller Elementary School, Principal Rebecca Donaldson said her staff is closely monitoring students. She said staff iden- tifies which students are lacking internet access, who is at risk to run out of food and which students need extra educational SPS learning specialists host a video call to prepare for classes moving online. provided by NICHOLE LEMMON Nichole Lemmon : The need for the internet is on display during the pandemic.