Tech initiatives coming in handy for MISD

Marlin Middle School reopened  Monday, Oct. 5 after being closed for a week and a half due to coronavirus problems within the campus. 

Like many school districts across Texas, Marlin ISD has put a number of procedures in place to help mitigate COVID-19 within schools, including closing a campus or the entire district if needed. Both MHS and MMS closed from Sept. 23 - Sept. 25, after exceeding one percent of a positive district population. 

In a span of hours, both staff and students had to both mentally and physically prepare for the switch to learning virtually.

“This decision to transition to remote only instruction for the two campuses was not reached lightly and was made solely with an abundance of caution and respect for you and our students,” Superintendent Darryl Henson told staff in a mass email.

Marlin Virtual Academy, MISD’s “online academy,” was in full swing during the home learning days, aided by school provided technology. 

A number of google chrome devices, as well as mobile hotspots, have been purchased since the start of the pandemic. The district succeeded in observing a one-to-one technology ratio for all students in second through twelfth grade.

MISD educators, who have undergone training and development for these scenarios, were available during school hours to assist students as needed. “The transition has been seamless for some teachers and students, while it has been a struggle for others,” Henson disclosed to The Marlin Democrat. “Teachers who were already using a blended model of instruction (traditional combined with Google Classroom) were able to quickly acclimate to remote learning the next day.” 

District administrators carefully monitored new case reports, opting for Marlin High School to return to class as planned on Monday, Sept. 28. As of Sept. 25, there were 15 cases total within the district.

Henson says Marlin ISD plans to continue monitoring the COVID levels and will adjust their approach as the situation changes. For up to date information on Marlin Independent School District, head to www.marlinisd.org.