School board member pushes for live-streaming classes in Laconia

LACONIA — With city schools poised to return gradually to full-time, face-to face instruction, the School Board heard concerns regarding remote instruction and the level of safety once more students return to the classrooms.

About 80 percent of the district’s 2,000 students are attending school under a hybrid schedule, alternating between in-class instruction, and remote learning via computer.

Last week the board approved a plan to phase out of the hybrid schedule and transition to a normal five-day-a-week schedule over a month-long period starting Oct. 19.

Under the plan, parents would still have the option to continue with full-time remote instruction. At present about 20 percent of students are learning that way.

But School Board member Dawn Johnson said at Tuesday’s meeting that she fears that students who are receiving full-time remote instruction are falling behind their peers who are receiving a combination of face-to-face and remote instruction under the hybrid schedule. Johnson said if those students now decide to return to school full-time they will be behind the other students in their class.

Johnson said live-streaming classes to students who are learning remotely would ensure that all students are getting the same course content at the same time.

Superintendent Steve Tucker said school officials had considered live-streaming, but ruled it out because teachers were not comfortable with that method.

“Not using live-streaming because teachers are not comfortable is not a good reason,” Johnson responded.

She said teachers, despite the challenges, had been able to shift quickly to remote learning last March when the COVID crisis hit.

“There are technology challenges (with live-streaming),” Tucker said.

“We’ve upgraded our technology and the students all have internet access,” Johnson replied.

Johnson said live-streaming would also allow middle and high school students who are learning remotely to have access to the same courses as students in face-to-face classes.

At present mathematics, English, science, and social studies are the courses being offered to remote learners, who are unable to take any elective courses, such as foreign language.

Board Chairwoman Heather Lounsbury told Tucker to re-examine the issue of live-streaming and come back to the board with his findings and recommendations later this month.

Meanwhile, Tucker said the district is still unsure what the split between face-to-face and remote students will be starting in mid-November, although indications are there will be fewer remote learners than there are now.

While most parents of elementary school students have responded to indicate whether their child will attend in-person or remote classes, the response from middle or high school parents has not been as great, Tucker said.

As of Tuesday, 41 percent of Laconia High School parents had not responded. Tucker said the low response rate was making it hard for officials to gauge how many teachers will be needed for remote classes.

The deadline for parents to submit their registration is today.

The registrations show that only about half as many elementary students will be learning remotely after Nov. 16 as there are now.

Parent Jeff Greeley said he had not responded to the registration survey because he was still looking for more details from the district.

“I want more information so we can make a safe choice,” he said. “Tonight we got a little closer. It’s all about safety for me.”

Sarah Dea, a parent with two students who are learning remotely due to health reasons, said she was concerned over the possibility her children would have to wait until late afternoon to interact with their teacher, which she said was too late. She also objected to the possibility of live-streaming classes, saying that would be “too much Zoom time for young kids.”