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January 22, 2021

The Chestertown Spy

An Educational News Source for Chestertown Maryland

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Omicron-Phi Chapter of Kappa Sigma: Sweet Appreciation for Frontline Workers

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Pete Fisher, parking attendant, UM shore Medical Center at Chestertown, and Omicron-Phi Advisor Dr. Aaron Krochmal.

Sometimes it’s the small things, a courtesy of holding the door open for someone, an elbow bump to an old friend, an attaboy for a job well done all the gestures of fellowship that brighten a community.

The Brothers of the Omicron-Phi chapter of Kappa Sigma fraternity at Washington College made such a gesture by delivering 500 lollipops to UM Shore Medical Center at Chestertown to revive the tradition of giving a to each person receiving a Covid-19 vaccination.

“The Brothers were looking for a way to thank and congratulate all the brave people caring for the health and well-being of all of Kent County,” says Executive Director, Chester River Health Foundation Maryann Ruehrmund.

It was also a great way to remind the community of Kappa Sigma’s volunteer efforts to raise awareness and money for worthy causes.

Kappa Sigma advisor Aaron Krochmal says that the 20-strong members of the Washington College fraternity wanted to reach out to the community healthcare workers as a token of their appreciation. “We thought it was a simple way to bring a smile to and thank those on the front lines in Kent County.”

The Omicron-Phi chapter of Kappa Sigma has a reputation in the community for doing good works. Since 2007, Kappa Sigma Fraternity at Washington College hosts their Semi-Annual Charity Pancake Breakfast held at the Emmanuel Church. The event includes all-you-can-eat pancakes, eggs, sausage, bacon, juices, and coffee for only $5.00. 100% of funds raised are donated to charity. Over the last 13 years, the event has raised nearly $40,000.

Kappa Sigma, founded at UVA in 1869, is one of the leading chapters for raising awareness and funds for philanthropic causes worldwide. Its worldwide Community Service Initiative has raised more than $6.7 million for charity and has volunteered over 1.4 million community service hours from 2015-2017. There are more than 200,000 living members, including 17,000 undergraduates in the fraternity.

More information about Omicron-Phi Chapter of Kappa Sigma at Washington College may be found here or the general fraternity here.

 

Proof of Concept: Talbot Mentors’ Scholar Program Showing Results

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Less than two years ago, Talbot Mentors decided to merge with the start-up Mid-Shore Scholars organization to expand their mission to improve young people’s personal and professional lives. In this case, Mentors folded in the Mid-Shore Scholars program to ensure that high school students were supported as they sought out higher education and the daunting challenges that come with the admissions process.

Two recent examples of this outstanding support are worth sharing with the community. One of their first students just completed her first semester at Washington College. Sheily Bartolon Perez passed all her courses with straight A’s even while coping with remote classes and the lack of the anticipated time with her professors.

Her cousin, Naiset Perez, took note of Sheily’s successful transition to college and also joined the Scholars program. Just a few weeks ago, she found in her email inbox the extraordinary news that she had been accepted at Dartmouth College, one of the most competitive undergraduate programs in the country.

For Talbot Mentors executive director Gerson Martinez, along with program director Vivian Landau, this kind of track record demonstrates that some of the region’s most disadvantaged young people can, with the right kind of support, find themselves attending some of the most demanding schools and thrive academically.

While Martinez is the first to note that Naiset and Sheily’s success stories have come early in a long-term strategy for Talbot Mentors, this kind of “proof of concept” has made everyone at the organization feel like they have something to celebrate.

This video is approximately five minutes in length. For more information about Talbot Mentors please go here.

Washington College Issues Statement on School’s Financial Situation

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To Members of the WC Community,

We have been receiving questions about the College’s financial situation and the actions that we have taken to assure the financial sustainability of the institution and the integrity of the academic experience for our undergraduates. The challenges we face are real, but our foundation remains strong. I am confident that the measures we are taking will in no way diminish the value of the exceptional educational opportunities we offer our students as Maryland’s premier liberal arts institution.

Below, you’ll find what I hope are brief, clear answers to the questions many of you are asking. As the situation evolves, I will do my best to keep you informed. Thank you.

Wayne B. Powell
Interim President

What is the College’s financial condition?

Washington College is dealing with a structural deficit, which means that expenses are exceeding revenue in the current year. COVID-19 has compounded the deficit. The structural deficit is projected to persist unless we take steps to restore balance. The College’s underlying financial condition is strong. Although we are currently operating at a deficit, the College benefits from a combination of favorable factors. Our endowment of $235 million is large for a college of our size. Our debt load is modest. Our Board and administration have been resolute in taking necessary actions to achieve financial sustainability.

What steps is the College taking to restore financial balance?

Like all of higher education, we are confronting challenging financial trends caused by COVID-19 as well as some earlier structural issues experienced by Washington College. The direct effects of the pandemic have worsened the trends in enrollment that the College experienced the past few years. College leadership has been quick to identify and address these challenges. We began the work of restructuring the College’s finances a few years ago as we started to reduce operating costs in order to achieve a balanced budget. This past spring, we continued that work with the creation of a Budget Task Force that had equal faculty and staff representation. The task force was charged with identifying and presenting possible budget savings to the President, Provost, and Board of Visitors and Governors. We are also advancing a range of ideas for revenue generation, including a new certificate program and summer courses.

What has the Budget Task Force accomplished?

The task force first focused on identifying millions of dollars in non-employee expense reductions. Additionally, because employee compensation accounts for so significant a share of the College’s overall budget, staffing levels were reviewed as well. The task force recommendations were approved by the Board and have taken effect across every area of the College’s operation. They have included both one-time and sustainable measures that are immediate and planned reductions in both academic and non-academic staff. Throughout the task force’s work, its guiding principle was to protect and preserve the quality of the student experience and to enhance the College’s achievement of its mission.

Did COVID create this problem?

The effects of COVID did indeed worsen our deficit. The primary impact was the loss of room and board revenue as well as increased expenses for testing and safety measures. The College made the difficult but necessary decision to forgo this revenue this fall in favor of the value we have for safety and academic continuity.

Are faculty positions being cut?

Yes, the operations of Academic Affairs are part of our overall planned reductions in costs, with reductions slated for both salary and non-salary expenses, including faculty positions. The budget cuts planned for Academic Affairs are proportionate to cuts made in the non-academic budget, most of which were implemented earlier this year. While the final number of faculty reductions has not been determined, the reductions are relatively few in number (fewer than 10), and better align faculty positions with enrollment trends.

How will faculty reductions be decided?

Some reductions in faculty appointments will occur in the coming academic year and have been communicated to affected faculty and departments. Additional faculty adjustments may result from an ongoing review of the College’s educational mission. This is intended to be a faculty-led process, through which the Provost works with faculty committees, department chairs, and the entire faculty to evaluate potential changes in staffing and the impact on educational programs.

Will academic programs be cut?

It is unlikely that any academic programs will be eliminated, although some may be reduced to be consistent with current and projected student demand. Any curricular changes will be a function of changes in enrollment and student demand.

How is the College approaching the question of unionization?

Federal labor laws governing collective bargaining restrict the College’s ability to comment on this issue at this time.

Have employee benefits or salaries been cut?

Yes, there have been benefits cuts, including the College’s contributions to employees’ retirement plans. We hope that some of the cuts – like the one-year suspension of the College’s contributions to qualified employees’ retirement plans – can be restored when we reach fiscal stability. The Board determined that the suspension of retirement contributions imposed a less immediate and painful impact than reductions to employees’ salaries or health insurance. The Board chose not to exercise the option of across-the-board salary reduction for all employees, choosing rather to limit salary reductions to senior administrators who report directly to the president, as well as the president, and hour reductions for a number of other staff members around the College.

Where are we going from here?

Washington College is taking this as an opportunity to assess, be creative, and come out as a stronger institution. We are turning our focus to our future, understanding that the competitive landscape for small residential liberal arts colleges is changing. Washington College will thrive in this new environment by making investments based on its strengths and focusing on ensuring the highest quality student experience.

Washington College Faculty Seek Union

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The faculty of Washington College has submitted a petition for voluntary union recognition to College Administration and the Board of Visitors and Governors. The unionization measure is supported by an overwhelming majority of tenured, tenure-track, and contingent faculty. Faculty would be organized under the Washington College Chapter of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP-WC).

The push for unionization comes on the heels of a turbulent few years for the College, which has included instability in leadership, the marginalization of faculty voices in strategic decisions, decreases in compensation and benefits, and most recently, the announcement that the College will terminate some faculty members this semester and begin a process of program change meant to terminate more faculty over course of the next two years.

“There is no denying it has been a tough few years for the College, financially,” said Prof. Ken Schweitzer, President of AAUP-WC. “The faculty are not the College’s fiscal stewards, yet we bear the burden of the decisions of those who are. Salaries have been stagnant for years, out-of-pocket insurance costs increased, cost of living adjustments ended in 2017, and this year the College completely cut retirement contributions – all while increasing faculty workload. At the same time, some senior staff salaries have gone up and faculty have been shut out of decisions that immediately and substantially affect our conditions of employment. The situation is untenable.”

College faculty have been discussing the idea of unionization since May, and the focus is on three main pillars: stability in fulfilling the College’s educational mission; financial transparency and accountability; and equitable and humane compensation and working conditions.

“The College is at a critical point in its history,” said Prof. Clayton Black, a member of the faculty-appointed group exploring unionization, “and unionization will ensure that all voices are equal partners in its transformation. We want to work with College leaders, which is why we’re asking them to sit down with us voluntarily and move forward together.”

“There is a lot of misinformation around unions – the biggest myth is that they divide workplaces,” said AAUP-WC Vice President Prof. Rachel Durso. “This is untrue. Unions provide critical, long-term structures to ensure all voices are heard and all members of our community are valued equally. Faculty know that; we’re confident College administration will understand that the overwhelming majority of faculty support a mandate to work together for the good of the future for our College.”

When asked about the potential role of the union on campus, Durso said: “Not only will we work for faculty, but we are exploring ways to help staff as well. Staff on campus, often some of the lowest paid members of our community, have been disproportionately impacted by the College’s financial situation. It’s totally unfair, and AAUP-WC is committed to supporting them and working to help in any way we can.”

AAUP-WC is an advocacy organization dedicated to improving classroom conditions for faculty and their students, defending academic freedom, encouraging faculty participation in shared governance, and protecting and advancing the professional status and interests of all faculty at Washington College. For information visit us online here.

Chesapeake Education: Dr. Powell Comes to Washington College

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Well before a pandemic hit America’s shores earlier this year, the job of a college president was listed as one of the most difficult in American education. Faced with rising costs and a lower applicant pool, these leaders were scrambling to recalibrate the role of a traditional liberal arts education for the 21st Century.

All of those long term strategic plans however were abruptly put on hold as the coronavirus quickly emptied college campuses. Millions of students were sent home while tenured professors had to pivot to online learning as the only viable, if not particularly satisfying, solution to keep students on track in earning their degrees.

While at the beginning of the COVID crisis, there was optimism that on-campus learning could resume in the Fall, the reality is that most schools have had to cancel those plans in the face of growing infection rates.

That was the painful decision Washington College made in August when the 239-year-old institution was in the midst of a presidential transition. The then-president Kurt Landgraf and the College’s board had agreed not to renew his contract in late spring. And, as with most institutions of WC’s caliber, it would typically require over a year to properly conduct a search for a new president. The question for the college leadership was whom they could bring on board during the interim when some of the most important decisions related to Washington College’s future would be made as it found its way back from the pandemic’s devastating impact on the school, its budget, and mission.

A few weeks ago, to the relief of many, they found that special person, Dr. Wayne Powell.

Recently retired after fourteen years as president of Lenoir Rhyne University in Hickory, North Carolina, the former math professor, and academic dean has been given substantial credit in transforming a small Lutheran college into a Western Carolina university powerhouse. That included a 120% rise in its endowment value and an increase in its student body by 80%.

In the Spy’s Zoom interview with Dr. Powell a few days ago, he was the first to admit that no one can predict at this time the full impact of the pandemic on schools like Washington College. Nonetheless, like many crises, he also sees the opportunities that coincide with a challenge of this magnitude. President Powell also talks about the real value of the liberal arts education, how the field of mathematics has helped him in his management approach, and how he rejects his new job as a caretaker role.

This video is approximately eight minutes in length. For more information about Washington College please go here. Photo courtesy of the Hickory Record.

University of Maryland Examines Its Role in Structural Racism

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After a summer of national reckoning on racial injustice, the University System of Maryland is taking proactive steps to examine structural racism that may be inherent in its own system and across its 12 affiliate institutions.

The first part of this process within USM involves introspection, officials said Wednesday.

University System of Maryland Chancellor Jay A. Perman

“This is the gap analysis, measuring whatever that space is between what we say, what we stand for…on the one hand, and our actions on the other hand,” Chancellor Jay A. Perman said during a Board of Regents special meeting.

The board will examine indicators within its system, like diversity among faculty and its fairness with promotions and tenure. Board members will begin to collect data soon, Perman said.

The university system will also review how each campus is teaching issues of race, racism and social justice and where they can contribute additional scholarship to advance understanding on diversity and implicit bias.

The last piece of the plan involves ways in which the system’s institutions can be “anchors” in their communities by using their knowledge to eliminate racial disparities, Perman said. This means partnering with anti-poverty, criminal justice and health care organizations to create sustainable learning programs and to encourage students to participate in this kind of work.

Several USM universities gave updates on how they will implement this plan.

As a historically Black institution, Coppin State University has expanded its conversations on diversity into discussions about multiculturalism, Anthony Jenkins, the president of the university, said. “You can have diversity and not have multiculturalism, but you can’t have multiculturalism without having diversity.”

Coppin State is working with the Baltimore City Police Department on issues about police brutality, as well with community organizations to help address food deserts in Baltimore City, Jenkins said.

Although Frostburg State University has 46% students of color and has “achieved” diversity on campus, the challenge now is encouraging “inclusion” on campus, said Ronald Nowaczyk, the president of Frostburg State. Getting different groups together in social life on campus has been the bigger challenge, and student leaders are working together now to address that concern, Nowaczyk said.

The University of Maryland, Baltimore initiated a search for a chief diversity and equity officer who will report to the president, Bruce Jarrell, president of UMB, said.

Along with the University of Maryland College Park, UMB launched a new master’s degree in Public Safety Leadership and Administration that will start this fall for law enforcement officers and social workers to strengthen police-community relationships.

To successfully implement the system’s plan, universities must also incorporate its community residents into its efforts to address racial injustices, Jarrell said. UMB has a community engagement center for West Baltimore residents to access services that promote neighborhood and economic development, for example.

The broader problem may stem from the fact that over half of children of color in the state graduate from high school unable to read at an 8th grade level, one regent said. Even as the University System advances this plan to address structural racism, the crux of the solution may be to figure out how to increase the number of Black children who can read and work at a level that adequately prepares them for University, he said.

By Elizabeth Shwe

Washington College Officially Makes Its Fall Semester Online Only

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This morning, Washington College’s President, Kurt Landgraf, notified the college community that the 239-year-old liberal arts college will not be reconvening in person on August 24 as anticipated due to the coronavirus crisis.

The following is his statement to students, faculty and staff via email:

I am writing to provide an update on Washington College’s plans for the Fall 2020 semester and to inform you of some important changes.

Washington College’s highest priorities are protecting the health and safety of our community and providing an extraordinary academic experience. In light of these priorities, and in consultation with the Washington College Contingency Planning Group and the Board of Visitors and Governors, I have made these difficult decisions:

We will not be reconvening in person as a community on August 24
Fall Semester courses at Washington College will be offered online
The majority of students will study remotely, except as explained below
We remain hopeful for a return to campus in the spring, and will continue to plan for this result.

In June, we reported that Washington College was on track to reopen safely for the fall 2020 semester with a significant number of residential students. COVID-19 cases were on the decline across the country, and we expected that testing with timely results would be widely available. We also committed to monitor closely local, state, and national trends and modify our plans as necessary, based on public health considerations and our ability to protect the health and safety of our students, faculty, staff, and the surrounding community.

COVID-19 trends are going in the wrong direction nationally, and Maryland and Kent County are not exempt. Based on the latest guidance from federal, state, and local medical experts and public officials, we anticipate that matters may worsen in the weeks ahead. The resurgence has adversely impacted the availability of tests and associated turnaround time for results needed to satisfy CDC-aligned testing protocols. Despite our efforts, it is apparent that these factors are simply too great to overcome and our original plan to have students to return to campus and in person classes must be revised.

We are painfully aware that this decision is hugely disappointing for our students. We share your disappointment. It should not be disheartening, however. I chose to join the Washington College community in 2017 for many of the same reasons that you did. I was inspired by the vision of educating citizen leaders and the emphasis on moral courage, on thinking critically, on writing and speaking well, on preparation for a 21st-century career. This feels like a setback, but it does not need to be. While it will be a fall semester different from any other you will have or have had at Washington College, we are completely committed to making it every bit as rich, rewarding, and exciting as you expect. It may well be one that you will look back on as fuller and more intense than any other in terms of your academic focus and interactions with your professors and peers. This is an extraordinary time in our history, and we are built for this.

Our faculty and staff have worked hard to prepare for a traditional fall semester, but COVID’s specter was always top of mind. Our careful contingency planning enables us to fulfill our commitment to offering a top-flight robust academic experience to our students, and we have re-aligned our efforts and resources to better support online learning.

Faculty have been engaged in course planning and workshops throughout the summer in preparation for a fall that we expected could include remote learning.
All fall courses, except those that are always graded pass/fail, will use letter grades, not pass/fail.
Our Student Life staff and your Student Government Association remain focused on building community and social connections by working with student organizations to support a wide range of virtual activities, programs, and opportunities.

Under this new plan, a limited number of students may receive permission to live on campus or access campus facilities. Only students with a critical need for on-campus housing will be authorized to live on campus. Critical needs include students who lack another housing option or require campus access for graduation. Students living on or near campus will still take all of their courses online and campus facilities will be restricted. Students who wish to apply for permission to return to campus, whether to live in a residence hall or to access other facilities, must complete the form provided.

Room and board charges will be reversed for students who are not living on campus. We are also announcing a change to our tuition rate for the coming academic year. We are reversing the previously announced tuition increase for this year. This year’s rate will remain the same as last year’s. We will send updated bills and awards letters as quickly as possible.
Only applicable fees will be charged, including the health fee and the orientation fee for first-year students. The student service fee will be reduced by more than 50% for all students in the fall semester.

We know that you will have many questions. We have posted a series of Frequently Asked Questions throughout our Covid-19 Response pages, with many pertinent questions addressed on the Students & Parents and Financial Matters pages.

My thanks to you and to the entire Washington College community – students, faculty, staff, parents, alumni, and friends of the College – for your unwavering support and patience during this difficult time. Best wishes for a pleasant and healthy remainder of the summer. As we make our way through this unprecedented time in our history we can take comfort in the fact that the Washington College community has a long history of taking care of one another in good times and bad.

Kurt M. Landgraf, President

 

Mullen Takes Helm at WRUS

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What started out as a plan to retire evolved into the next chapter of Dave Mullen’s life, as he moved to the Eastern Shore to serve the community, staff, and students at Wye River Upper School.

On July 1, Mullen took over as the Interim Head of School at Wye River, a school with a familiar mission and job requirements to where he spent almost 30 of his 41 years in education.

Having served as Head of School at The Nora School in Silver Spring, Md, for 29 years, moving into this position came naturally to Mullen. He aims to serve as the bridge between the founding Head of School, Chrissy Aull, and her long-term successor to be chosen later this year.

“The work that is done here at WRUS is the work I’ve done for most of my career,” Mullen said. “I really enjoy working with teens who have been frustrated in school, and for whom learning does not always come easily.”

The exemplary reputation of WRUS drew him to seeking the position.

“It’s important for me to be working with teachers and colleagues who have a true calling and commitment to improving the lives of kids, and I knew I’d find that at Wye River,” Mullen said.

A graduate of New England Conservatory of Music, Mullen earned a Master’s degree in Education in Administration and Supervision from the University of Maryland in 1991. For the past 29 years, he led The Nora School, a small independent college preparatory high school focusing on students with diverse learning styles. He retired as Head of School on June 30.

“I understand our students’ and families’ challenges because I’ve been doing this work for a long time. My own kids have had their learning struggles at various points,” Mullen said. “I know how challenges in school can impact families’ lives, and now they have even more turbulence to navigate as they work around COVID-19. The interim role is new [to me], and I’m excited to be seeing new ideas, learning, and meeting new people.”

Mullen also added he is “happy to help the school ‘set the table’ for the next leader and the next phase of the school’s growth.”

One of the challenges with which Mullen is grappling is how COVID-19 is affecting students. He has been working with the staff at WRUS in planning for both hybrid and online scenarios next fall.

Mullen also understands that the disease may be a factor for the foreseeable future. For him, that face-to-face interaction is critical to both academic learning and emotional health whether it is in person or virtually.

“Wye River did a terrific job moving online last spring and having classes meet every day, virtually, through the end of the school year. That kind of commitment shows real planning, thoughtfulness and attention to detail,” Mullen said.

Rather than having students constantly on a computer screen, he is enthusiastic about Wye River’s commitment to integrating daily physical education. He also hopes to develop the school’s mindfulness program to assist students, parents, and teachers in coping with the anxiety of today’s world.

Tackling a few elements of the Strategic Plan this year, Mullen will keep Wye River moving in the positive direction that has been the hallmark of the school’s 18-year history.

“I want to support the folks who’ve made a career here, and help them fulfill their hopes and dreams for the school going forward,” Mullen said. “We’ve been living in an age of anxiety for the last 20 years, from Sept. 11 to the great recession to the turmoil of the last several months. These kids have grown up having known nothing different.”

He continued saying “there’s a great need to take care of the people in our small

communities and help them navigate and get through these challenges in healthy and productive ways.”

One person who knew that Mullen could take on this leading role was founding WRUS Head of School Chrissy Aull, who said “with Dave at the helm of WRUS, I can rest well knowing that he is up to the daunting task of readying the school for all the matters Corona related. I don’t think there is any aspect of this challenge that Dave is not ready to address. He will lead the staff and families through this unforeseen situation.”

About Wye River Upper School:

Wye River Upper School is an independent high school serving the strengths and needs of bright students with learning differences. Located in Centreville MD approximately 20 minutes east of the Bay Bridge, WRUS offers daily bus transportation. For more info, contact Nicole Sophocles at 410-758-2922.

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WC-ALL Announces Fall Semester Courses

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The Washington College Academy of Lifelong Learning, a continuing education program for adult learners, has announced an exciting schedule for the fall semester, which runs from August 31st to December 4th, 2020.  Ed Minch, WC-ALL’s curriculum chairperson, has put together a team of new and returning instructors and stimulating topics for both six-week sessions.  This semester, because of the Covid-19 pandemic and the constraints this brings to Washington College, we have canceled Showcase and will be offering all events online, via Zoom. In these difficult times, Zoom classes offer us distinct advantages. They can accommodate large numbers, are not difficult to negotiate, and allow for relatively easy discussion.  Many of us have already used it, but if you feel you need help, please consult our website for clear and simple instructions.

Otherwise, we are operating as usual.  Students may register for as many classes as they wish for one inclusive membership fee.  Courses are taught by community members with interesting life experiences and expertise in a wide variety of fields. There are no educational requirements for membership and no papers or exams.  

This fall we are offering a wide range of courses which address both important and popular topics. Three courses continue for both Sessions.  Maria Wood continues to unpack the magic of Hamilton, now even more widely enjoyed thanks to television; Raymond Vergne looks at the many faces of Fascism; and Kevin Brien leads an exploration of the Confucian Way. Sign up for both sessions, or enjoy just one course.

Other courses in Session One, which begin on August 31st, include some timely topics: “Dangerous Infections and How they get the Upper Hand” (taught by Wendy Cronin); “Gun Control and the Second Amendment” (taught by Jim Astrachan); and financial advice for retirees, offered by Michael Durstein in “Passport to Retirement: Estate/Financial Planning for Retirees.”  Movie buffs will be happy to know that Charles Leary is examining “1974: American Film,” and some much-needed nostalgia is sure to be found in “The Golden Age of Ocean Liners,” taught by Jack Shaum.   Last, but certainly not least, Larry Lagattuta’s “History and Making of Bread” is bound to attract a crowd as the popularity of home-baking increases with our ongoing lockdown.

Highlights in Session Two include perennial favorite “Supreme Court,” in which John Christie leads two separate discussions of key cases heard during the 2019 term.  Art and literature are also recommended, as Beverley Hall Smith discusses “Artists of the 19th Century, Up Close and Personal,” and Jean Austin looks at “Short Stories Everyone Should Know.”  Financial tips continue with “Doc” Smith’s class on “Money and the Art of Contrary Thinking.” And finally our environment, near, far and virtual, is not forgotten.  Dick Lance helps us understand our Apple technology (“Some Tips to Ease Everyday Use of Your Apple ‘Toys’”); Dennis Herrmann introduces us to “Backyard Astronomy;” and Larry Vetter helps us consider “Practical Environmental Field Response.”

In addition to sponsoring fall and spring classes, WC-ALL continues to host a series of Learn at Lunch lectures. These will also be offered via Zoom and are free to all our members, though members will have to provide their own lunch.  The first lecture will be on September 15th.  Alexandra Kirtley, Curator of Decorative Arts at the Philadelphia Museum, will be discussing early Eastern Shore history.  On October 19th Mike Roberts will talk about Amelia Earhart, and on November 18th  Melissa Deckman of Washington College’s Political Science department will offer comments on the national election.

To learn more about all these activities, visit WC-ALL’s table at the Chestertown Farmers’ Market on August 8th and 15th.  The full course catalog and registration information are available at www.washcoll.edu/people_departments/offices/wc-all/index.php  or email wc_all@washcoll.edu.  

Registration for both fall sessions, by web or mail-in, runs from July 20th to August 21st. Please note that classes are filled as reservations are received; we recommend online registration.  All mailed registrations and check payments should be sent to S. Calloway, POBox 7885, Newark, DE 19714.  PLEASE NOTE:  the WC-ALL campus office is closed and WC-ALL is not responsible for registrations sent to the campus at this time.

 

Minding a Big Gap: Digital Divide Leaving Students Behind by Al Hammond

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The Covid-19 pandemic has made profound changes in how we live. Many adults have had to adjust to working from home. But for school-age children, the change in their lives since schools closed this spring has been even greater. How are they coping with learning from home? The experience of two Eastern Shore counties—Talbot and Kent—suggests that distance learning can work, but that it doesn’t work for some children or even some teachers. The problems include:

The digital divide. Talbot and Kent are fortunate, because in both counties every schoolchild had already been issued a digital device (tablet, chromebook, macbook, depending on age). In both counties the majority of families with school-age children also have internet access at home—even if kids sometimes have to share it with parents working from home.

Interview with Kelly Griffith, Superintendent Talbot County Public Schools

But some children—as many as 15 percent—have no access at home, either because they live in remote locations or because their families can’t afford it. (In both counties, about 50 percent of the students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch.) Others have some access, maybe over a mobile phone, but not enough to stream a live session with a teacher or even to download a big homework file. So for these children, access means traveling to a WiFi hotspot, assuming that the family has a car and a parent at home who can drive them there and wait while the student goes online. Both counties have scrambled to provide more hotspots, working with county IT departments and commercial service providers; and both counties now have WiFi on their school buses, so that they serve as a kind of mobile hotspot. Talbot has also been mailing weekly packets of schoolwork to students who can’t get them any other way.

It’s not just students who lack access—so do some teachers is both counties. It’s a measure of their dedication that those teachers have been driving to school to deliver lessons from an empty classroom or even, in some cases, teaching from their car while parked at a WiFi hotspot.

Teachers are essential. As Bill Poore, Kent County Public School’s IT director says, “Zoom doesn’t replace a teacher’s hands-on help” with reading, or a stubborn arithmetic problem. And while some parents feel comfortable providing that kind of help at home, others do not—especially if it’s been a long time since they confronted an algebra problem or are simply not familiar with the devices and software tools that enable distance learning.

The schools are attempting to help: Kent County has adopted an on-line learning management system that simplifies things for kids or parents, and they have bought all-new devices for every student for the coming year. Talbot focused this past spring on basic topics that could be most easily grasped by a student or a parent without a teacher’s real-time presence (so-called “asynchronous learning”) and is working to have students catchup and finish any incompletes with week-long “boot camps” over the summer. But as Talbot County Public School’s Superintendent Kelly Griffith explains, “synchronous learning is important, because it increases student involvement.”

No one knows yet whether schools will be able to reopen in September, and even if they do, whether parents will feel comfortable sending their children while the pandemic is still active. So Griffith’s goal is to get everyone connected—to close the digital divide, one way or another—and she is seeking state permission for virtual programming. That might mean scheduled sessions with both teacher and students online together: English composition at 9, arithmetic at 10, science at 11.

Making rural broadband—and more effective learning—a policy priority. Last week, governor Larry Hogan announced a $45 million program to address the education digital divide. It includes a plan to build out wireless educational networks in western and southern parts of the state and on the Eastern Shore, using wireless frequencies reserved for educational use or other available frequencies. Hogan’s plan also includes money for devices and software tools, and for innovation grants to help public schools test new online educational strategies. It’s not likely that these new networks will be in place in time to help the coming school year, but it’s nonetheless a worthwhile effort that will eventually help to close the digital divide in rural Maryland.

The broader challenge, however, is to rethink education strategies. No matter how good the technology is, teachers will still need to play a central role. But why not design the educational process so that it happens seamlessly at school and at home? Why not use virtual reality tools (including virtual field trips) and hands-on interactive tools (such as 3D printers) to enhance student engagement—techniques now being rapidly adopted for industrial training? Why not use artificial intelligence tools to monitor student learning in real time and adjust the process individually to how each student learns best? It’s pertinent that in international comparisons, U.S. school children rank behind those of 12 other countries in reading and no better than 30th place in mathematics—and those dismal rankings haven’t changed in recent decades. Moreover the labor market is changing much faster than school curriculums—we’re going to need more software engineers and data managers and fewer truck drivers or assembly line workers.

Maybe the disruption of the schools by the pandemic—and the renewed attention to enabling every student to learn—will turn out to be the catalyst we need to reinvent education too.

Al Hammond was trained as a scientist (Stanford, Harvard) but became a distinguished science journalist, reporting for Science (a leading scientific journal) and many other technical and popular magazines and on a daily radio program for CBS. He subsequently founded and served as editor-in-chief for 4 national science-related publications as well as editor-in-chief for the United Nation’s bi-annual environmental report. More recently, he has written, edited, or contributed to many national assessments of scientific research for federal science agencies. Dr. Hammond makes his home in Chestertown on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.

Dave Wheelan contributed to this article