HBHA Students Begin Their Second Week of Distance Learning after Kansas Closes K-12 Schools

Benji Kohl, Writer
March 29, 2020

Slider image by Aaron Kohl

As the number of corona virus cases in the United States and in Kansas rises, many states, including Kansas, have decided to close their schools. This closing of schools leaves many students attending school online to prevent further spreading of the virus. HBHA was included in this order, and distance learning has just finished its first week for middle and upper school.

An HBHA student beginning their online learning with a positive attitude. Image courtesy of HBHA teachers and parents

At 12:01 a.m. on Tuesday, March 24, 2020, the emergency order in Kansas requiring residents to stay home unless they are doing specific essential activities. The goal of this order is to have another precaution to stop further spread of the corona virus.

HBHA has decided to start distance learning. Distance learning requires that teachers use online technologies such as Zoom, whiteboard apps, and Screencastify. Teachers use these apps to teach from their homes. 

An HBHA student in an online class with Hebrew teacher Michal Cohen. Image courtesy of HBHA teachers and parents

According to HBHA high school principal, Todd Clauer, teachers have recently been learning how to use many of these new apps, and they have been preparing their classrooms so they can broadcast the same content and lessons to the students that they have been teaching at school. This whole ordeal has been new to everyone, students and teachers alike, and “certainly, teachers still have a lot to learn but are excited for the challenge and opportunity to make this transition to full-time distance learning” says Clauer.

Lower school faculty organized for students to take home their classwork. Image courtesy of HBHA teachers and parents

According to middle and lower school principal, Dr. Jessica Kyanka, the lower school and middle school teachers have been trying their hardest to learn new technologies and to take their classes online. She says that the teachers have been focusing on “maintaining that sense of human contact through video-conferencing.”  

HBHA faculty meet on a Zoom video conference to discuss online learning. Image courtesy of HBHA teachers and parents

All of the teachers across the school are trying to make the best of this situation and are figuring out how to handle a virtual classroom. The corona virus is something new for the entire world. The teachers have been working to ensure that the corona virus doesn’t stop them from teaching their classes.

“I could not be more proud of the teachers I work with. They are superheroes in my book,” Kyanka remarks.

HBHA teachers prepare their students for the coming two weeks of online learning. Photo by Benjamin Fine