HUNTINGTON – Gateway Regional opened outdoors on Sept. 8 and 9 for students in grades K-12 to pick up chromebooks, return any textbooks or library books they may have held onto, and return  band instruments for those not continuing band this year. Kindergarteners through grade 6 were also able to meet their teachers, who were set up under tents in front of Littleville Elementary School in the Gateway complex.

Families driving up gave the name of the student, then received a form pre-filled out with the student’s name and grade, and number of a preprogrammed chromebook. They then drove ahead to get their computers.

Technology Coordinator Chris Parker said they put a lot of thought into the day. All staff were gloved and masked, and they used a separate pen for every carload to sign the form.

Parker said each one logged into Google Classroom, where students could access all the pages and programs they will need in the GSuite for Education. Students in kindergarten through grade 6 were given a QR code to hold up to log in automatically.

Ninth grader Sophia Machnik and her mother Jessica Machnik of Russell were among the families picking up chromebooks on Wednesday. Sophia said she was looking forward to seeing her friends in school.  Jessica Machnik said they are both hoping that the school moves forward with the hybrid phases to include in person learning.

Parker said they had given out over 600 chromebooks by the Wednesday morning session, three of four altogether, and had another 100 left to go.

The last day of school in March before the closure, students were given their chromebooks to take home, giving Gateway the opportunity to begin remote learning when school resumed. “We literally walked into every classroom and gave them their dedicated chromebooks to take home,” Parker said.

Students in K-3 who didn’t have chromebooks did a hybrid of remote learning during the closure that was mostly paper-based. This year, all students in K-12 will receive one.

At the end of the school year in June, all students returned their chromebooks for reprogramming.
Parker said for families that don’t have broadband internet access, Gateway is purchasing 60 Kajeet hot spots. He said they are still in the process of assessing those needs through a survey, and will give students in Blandford and Middlefield, towns which are not yet hooked up, the first priority.

“We’re working really hard to make sure devices and hot spots are available,” Parker said.

Parker said 150 new chromebooks are on backorder, so they kept older ones that were scheduled for renewal in service until the new ones, which will go to the first and seventh grades, arrive.   

During the pickup last week, Gateway administrative assistant Stacy Stewart was also offering optional insurance for the chromebooks for $30, to help defray the cost of damage to the chromebooks.

In front of Littleville Elementary, on the other side of the parking lot, elementary school teachers were set up under tents to meet and greet their students after picking up their computers.

The first grade team, which included Chester elementary teacher Abigail Cadigan, Ruth Harper, a special education teacher; and Catherine Moriarty, Kristina Schultz and Gail Gingras, all first grade teachers in Littleville said they had already met 40 of their new first grade students.

Math teacher Kristina Schultz was also giving out a math tool kit, with pencils, sharpeners, erasers, flash cards and a welcome to first grade white board.  All of the children will have their own tool boxes, she said.  One of the COVID-19 guidelines is no sharing of supplies.

“This is the hardest year of teaching ever,” said Harper, talking about all of the planning that has been done.

All Gateway students will return remotely on September 15. The in person hybrid schedule will begin Sept. 22 for designated high needs students, Oct. 1 for preschool, kindergarten and first grade; Oct. 15 for second through 8th grade; and Oct. 29 for high school.  

The complete schedule with days of the week for in person learning for each grade is available on the district website at www.grsd.org.

Gateway Superintendent David B. Hopson said the Sept. 8 and 9 activities were successful, combining giving out chromebooks, meeting elementary classroom teachers and getting supplies. “Chris Parker and the staff did an outstanding job,” he said.

Hopson said in addition, a lot of the middle and high school teachers had also come in to start setting up their classrooms, after ten days of professional development. “There are quite a few cars in the parking lot,” he said.

When asked whether Hopson thinks the hybrid plan will stay on schedule, he said he does. “Provided the level of COVID infections stays low, we should be moving forward,” he said.

“I’m pleased the staff have all come together, decided what conditions are safe to come back.  Everybody is anxious to see each other and get the kids back. That would be a good thing,” Hopson said.