H-D, CAL Superintendent sounds off of Gov. Reynolds’ decision to close schools

Hampton-Dumont and CAL Superintendent Todd Lettow said Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds’ decision last week to close schools for the remainder of the school year brought a striking realization for staff.

“We really feel bad for the kids,” he said. “It would’ve been nice to be able to see kids before they left for the summer but that’s not reality right now.”

Previously, Reynolds announced that schools would be closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic through April 30. From April 13 to April 30, schools were allowed to issue either voluntary or mandatory instruction to students in order to not have to make up the time missed due to the closures. Both the H-D and CAL Boards of Education elected to pursue the voluntary model. Reynolds last Friday moved to close schools for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year.

Lettow said both districts will continue with the educational models approved by the boards, but are now looking at additional ways to provide students with the materials. On Sunday, students up to sixth grade received electronic devices at their schools in order to complete work online.

Students in seventh through 12th grade already had computer access due to the schools 1:1 program.

He said the district is also designing a process to exchange thumb drives with materials with students each week in order to cut down on the amount of people using the internet at one time. Paper and pencil materials are offered as well.

Along with continuing to provide educational material, Lettow said H-D will also look into alternate forms of a graduation ceremony and if scheduling major events such as prom later in the year could be a possibility.

“One of the things I feel bad about is our seniors that have those big events in there that they may not get to experience,” he said. “That’s their big day so we want to have something that would work for them.”

Lettow added that he was sorry for all students who will miss out on nearly three months of interaction with students and teachers by the time the school year was scheduled to end. He said staff is encouraged to reach out to students and check in when possible.

“It’s been very powerful for us to have teachers reach out to parents and students,” he said. “We want to continue that and a lot of times, those connections over the phone, talking back and forth, it’s how they’re doing as a person as opposed to just a student.”