Remote learning producing too many ‘F’ grades, North Thurston principal tells board
Over the last several weeks, the North Thurston Public Schools board meetings have had a regular standing feature in which the board hears from an area principal about remote learning.
On Tuesday evening, North Thurston High School Principal Nick Greenwell shared his thoughts about remote learning.
He started with the positives, saying attendance is around 90 percent, which is higher than in spring, and he praised teachers for making the effort to convert to online teaching and for collaborating to make improvements.
Then he delivered the negatives, some of which were based on a recent survey of students at the school.
One glaring statistic: 667 students at the high school — nearly half the student body — have at least one failing grade. And those failing grades are evenly distributed from the ninth to 12th grades, he said.
“F rates are way too high,” he said.
He also said that 30 percent of students report having lower grades during remote learning compared to traditional learning.
Only 10 percent of students say they regularly have their computer cameras turned on during class. Students and staff are reporting feeling overwhelmed. “The work never seems to stop,” he said.
“They are doing the best they can,” Greenwell said, “but students just do better in a classroom setting in front of a teacher.”
The board also heard from North Thurston High School student Geralde Deguzman, who offered his remote learning perspective as well.
He likes his online schedule because it meshes well with his job and extracurricular activities, and he likes the comfort of learning from home.
But he, too, said the workload is overwhelming and he feels like he’s “turning in work rather than learning.”
When he needs help, reply times can be long, Deguzman said. He also doesn’t have the best internet connection.
“Because of that I can’t get the best education,” he said. “Overall, it’s hard to build a healthy classroom environment.”
School board members Gretchen Maliska and Dave Newkirk thanked Greenwell and Deguzman for their candor.
Maliska said she has two teens at North Thurston High School and was aware of some of the challenges with computer cameras.
“I do think it’s intimidating to turn your computer screen on and stare at yourself the entire time,” she said.
The downside to turning off the camera is that it’s easy to become distracted by other things, Maliska added.
Newkirk said the only way to make online learning better is to learn about the problems.
He urged students like Deguzman, and the student advisers to the board, Samir Amin and Natalie Scott, to “keep pressing on.”
Newkirk said it will make them more resilient.
“Our future is in good hands,” he said.
Students who need reliable internet should first reach out to their teacher to be directed to resources, district spokeswoman Courtney Schrieve said during the meeting.
Families also can check the district website for more information at https://www.nthurston.k12.wa.us/Page/25048
This story was originally published October 21, 2020 at 5:45 AM with the headline "Remote learning producing too many ‘F’ grades, North Thurston principal tells board."
