Every Global Academy of Phoenix teacher wore a mask with the school's logo on it — a lobo, or a wolf — and their name.
Educators manned several different stations down the stretch of road that usually serves as the pick-up and dropoff point for students on school days. But on Tuesday, the roadway was a drive-thru for parents to pick up school supplies.
At the end of the line, like a drive-thru restaurant, parents were handed a reusable plastic bag. In the bag was a tablet and a mix of other supplies you might see inside a classroom: Scissors, a pencil case, crayons, a ruler, a dry erase board, a canister of Play-Doh and more.
As the new school year begins virtually in the midst of COVID-19, educators don't want to limit learning to screens.
Too much screen time might take a toll on children. And younger students in particular are distracted easily, Amy McBeth, a sixth-grade teacher at Global Academy of Phoenix, said. They need time for hands-on learning.
But the pandemic has also hit family finances hard, making access to supplies even harder for low-income families in metro Phoenix. While students could share communal supplies during a typical school year, the pandemic has created the need to supply students individually.
So school districts like the Alhambra Elementary School District in Phoenix have had to undertake massive efforts to get the supplies and materials for students.
"We believe in hands-on," Melody Hodges, Global Academy's principal, said. "We believe in doing to learn. And so we want to give. We want to provide whatever we can to help facilitate those hands-on activities at home."
Global Academy of Phoenix gave out iPads and learning supplies for students taking classes virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Arizona Republic
Gathering supplies
Ray and Ernestina Arvizu have long held supply drives for students in the community.
This year presented far more challenges than previous years: CDC guidelines forbid large gatherings, so they couldn't give out supplies to everyone at once like they usually do: in a big room or community center.
After talking with Alhambra school district officials, the Arvizu family decided to partner with the district. In setting out to find supplies, Ray Arvizu said they wanted to include resources for kids that made sense in the pandemic.
Supply packs include a dry erase board, which makes it easier for kids to show teachers answers to group questions, and a face mask, which will come in handy when students eventually return to in-person classes.
"We're adapting to what we think is in the best interests right now for the kids," Arvizu said. "There's just a lot of need. There's devastation across the board."
Walmart donated many of the supplies for Alhambra's learner kit. Middle school students at Global Academy of Phoenix are also receiving tablets through a Verizon program which provides them with free internet access. Families pay $10 to rent them for the year.
McBeth also said the school district has partnered with Arizona State University to supply kids with kits to plant mini gardens at home. When they go back to school, she said, they'll bring their mini gardens and re-plant them in a school garden.
"When we come back to school," she said. "When, not if."
How to help
There are a few ways to donate to schools, students and teachers during the pandemic:
- Arizona-based Treasures 4 Teachers accepts donations of goods and funds to help improve classrooms and virtual classrooms.
- Donorschoose.org allows teachers to request funds for certain projects and supplies, and you can search for teachers in Arizona. Some teachers are raising money for digital supplies.
- The Arizona Commerce Authority and the Arizona Department of Education are still collecting mobile hotspots to share with students who have no way to connect to internet at home.
Reach the reporter at Lily.Altavena@ArizonaRepublic.com or follow her on Twitter @LilyAlta.
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The Link LonkAugust 12, 2020 at 09:00PM
https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona-education/2020/08/12/arizona-schools-send-supplies-home-help-struggling-students-coronavirus/3346046001/
Schools send supplies home to help struggling students - AZCentral
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