McKeesport seeking survey input about online learning

By JEFF STITT
jstitt@yourmvi.com
McKeesport Area School District officials are seeking important information from families to ensure every student has access to online learning materials.
School districts around the state have been working for weeks to develop remote and distance learning plans for students as a result of Gov. Tom Wolf’s order to close schools through the end of the academic year.
MASD is collecting information to determine “how we can best meet the technology needs of families during the coronavirus health crisis.”
Superintendent Dr. Mark Holtzman is calling on district parents and guardians to fill out the “McKeesport Area School District Home Technology Survey 2020.” Among the survey questions are whether or not students have access to the internet and devices such as laptops, iPads, Google ChromeBooks or electronic tablets that can connect to the web.
The survey, which is in the form of a Google Docs interactive document, are due Friday and can be found at: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScs48FpDyjEtOJgMXzYu6dLkZVCRf95eqiJRzBgRq9J9hdhGA/viewform. It can also be found on the district Facebook page and on its website under the alerts tab, which is marked with a red and white exclamation mark.
Some districts were already “1:1 schools” prior to the coronavirus-related school closures. This means that every student within the district has access to an internet connection at home and access to a 1:1 device, which is often loaned to them through the district, so students can access school materials, check their grades and attendance records, take tests and submit assignments online.

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