Southeast Missouri schools embrace alternative instruction methods to tackle weather disruptions

Beginning in the 2020-21 academic year, the State of Missouri began allowing schools to utilize up to 36 hours of alternative methods of instruction (AMI) instead of making up hours lost or canceled for weather or other emergency circumstances in person.

Multiple schools in Southeast Missouri — including the Jackson School District, Notre Dame Regional High School and Saxony Lutheran High School — have implemented AMI learning within their districts.

To qualify, each school must apply to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) before each school year. The deadline for the 2024-25 application was May 22. Through the application, each local education agency (LEA) must assure DESE that students will be actively engaged in the learning process to count attendance hours for state aid, that student work is completed and returned the day students return to the building and that teachers are providing instruction and are available to students during an AMI day.

Jackson

Jackson associate superintendent Janelle Pope said AMI has benefited the district since DESE allowed schools to use it to avoid make-up days. Since implementing AMI learning into its curriculum, Pope said Jackson has “fine-tuned lessons and procedures”, but the overall plan hasn’t changed significantly.

“In the years prior to AMI, we would have to extend our school calendar, which often created issues with attendance and conflicted with previously planned events,” Pope said.

Pope said the most significant challenge regarding AMI learning is that some students lack Wi-Fi access. Because of this, students within the district are allowed three school days to complete assignments distributed during AMI days. Additionally, when severe weather is anticipated, teachers often send home hard copies for students who may not have Wi-Fi access.

Jackson students in kindergarten and first grade use iPads to do their AMI work, and from second through 12th grade, each student uses a Chromebook. All devices are district-owned and loaned out to students.

Elementary teachers create virtual lessons in math and English language arts that is shared with students and their guardians via Seesaw — an elementary learning experience platform — by 11 a.m. on the AMI day. Secondary teachers post their lessons to Canvas — another learning management system — by 11 a.m. Lessons are created to take between 30 minutes to an hour to complete, and teachers must communicate available “office hours” in case a student or parent has questions or needs help.

Notre Dame

Notre Dame began implementing AMI learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. In a statement to the Southeast Missourian, Notre Dame officials said the option to utilize AMI has been “instrumental in helping continue education during winter weather or prolonged illness.”

While the AMI program has benefited the school, it “doesn’t hit the standard of education that (Notre Dame) students need and deserve.”

The school sends assignments to students between 8 and 10 a.m. during an AMI day, and students must turn their assignments in by 2 p.m. the following day. Teachers may provide video lectures, and assign quizzes and projects as well.

Each student at Notre Dame has their own Chromebook and licensing from the school, which they purchase. Teachers use Google Classroom to communicate and assign work to students. School officials said they don’t typically have issues with students not having internet access.

Saxony Lutheran

Saxony Lutheran began planning to use AMI — known as “e-learning” at Saxony — a year before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Principal Mark Ruark said he grew concerned after reading about a school that was destroyed by a tornado, which prompted him to meet with Saxony’s technology department to “develop a plan in the event our school experienced a similar situation.” Ruark said the school was able to “put it into action” during the pandemic.

“Our students and staff did not miss a beat,” Ruark said. “We were able to initiate e-learning at home immediately. While we have improved our plan, the basis remains the same.”

Saxony uses Microsoft Teams daily in school, so when school is forced to close, students can still meet with teachers and remain “academically engaged”.

“Given our abilities and technology, all our teachers are able to have each class join for face-to-face learning with attendance being taken during each class period,” Ruark said. “Since Microsoft Teams is a day-to-day function at Saxony, it allows Crusaders a level of comfort when completing coursework.”

Each student is issued a Lenovo laptop at the beginning of the year to do their classwork, and teachers can create a “face-to-face experience” with students through Teams.

Ruark said some of the challenges for e-learning days include loss of power or internet for staff and students. Since students come to Saxony from Perry, Cape Girardeau and Scott counties in Missouri, as well as some from Illinois, technological issues can arise. Despite this possibility, Ruark said students have a high participation rate when off campus.

Although Saxony has done well in implementing AMI, Ruark said “Nothing can replace the face-to-face learning experience when students are on campus.”

“Technology, while challenging at times, does prove to be effective when utilizing it in this manner,” Ruark said.