To provide teachers time so they can provide the best instruction to students, the Williamson County School Board approved eight Flex Asynchronous Day dates at its October 19 meeting with the first on Friday, November 13.
The approval comes after a successful pilot of an asynchronous learning day September 22 at middle and high schools and at Hillsboro School. On these days, teachers will have planning and collaboration time with their colleagues and opportunities for professional development. The goal is to improve instruction delivery to students during the pandemic.
“With all of the changes brought about by COVID-19, our teachers have to prepare for multiple class scenarios and multiple ways to teach,” said WCS Superintendent Jason Golden. “They need more time to plan, more time to collaborate and more time to improve their lessons. We recognize it’s a heavy lift, but this is all so that our students can receive better instruction.”
These flex days, which will all take place on Friday, will be largely asynchronous. At the elementary level, students will have three synchronous times scheduled throughout the day. At the secondary level, students will have the opportunity to talk with their teachers about specific subjects at a scheduled time. Individual schools and/or teachers will communicate schedules with families.
Meals from the school cafeteria will still be available during Flex Asynchronous Days. The School Age Child Care (SACC) program will continue to run throughout the day as staffing allows. Students with unreliable Internet access will be able to spend the day in the school building.
As a result of the Flex Asynchronous Days, there will be no Late Start Days during the second semester. Late Start Days will only continue through the end of this semester. The following Fridays will be Flex Asynchronous Days for students in kindergarten through twelfth grade, including elementary online students:
- November 13
- December 4
- January 15
- January 29
- February 5
- February 26
- March 12
- March 26
