West Haven Schools Preparing For ‘Distance Learning’

WEST HAVEN, CT — The West Haven Public School district is in the process of developing a distance-learning strategy, Superintendent of Schools Neil C. Cavallaro announced Tuesday. Cavallaro also told parents that the district is preparing for a longer than anticipated school closure.

The school district originally planned on a two-week shutdown and provided each student with a supplemental learning packet. Those packets were designed to keep students engaged in the short-term, according to Cavallaro.

“While we would like to believe that state-wide school closure will end as originally planned on Tuesday, March 31, we are now in the process of developing a longer-term strategy of distance learning,” Cavallaro wrote in a letter to the school community. “This will include students communicating with their teacher(s) at planned times during the day, online learning for those students who have access to a computer and the internet, and teachers taking daily attendance.”

For families who don’t have the necessary technology at home, packets will be made available to them at the meal sites set up at West Haven High School, Bailey Middle School, Carrigan Intermediate School and Washington Elementary School, according to Cavallaro. (To sign up for West Haven breaking news alerts and more, click here.)

Cavallaro said more information will be coming, but he wants everyone to “be prepared for when we’re up and running.” The goal is to be ready by March 23. Schools will be posting assignments and making them available at two-week intervals, according to Cavallaro.

“Frankly, given what I’ve been told by public officials, our local health department, and other area educators, begin to plan for a longer than anticipated closure,” Cavallaro said. “While we’ll hope for the best, it’s certainly better to be prepared.”