BY MEGAN KROMER

Mariemont City Schools, along with many others, has been adjusting and re-defining education into something we have never experienced before amidst the COVID-19 crisis.

Shown below, I interviewed the Director of Teaching and Learning, Shannon Kromer, to shed light on questions and concerns Mariemont students have about remote learning and what it entails:

Q: Has there ever been anything like this that’s happened before in education? Or is this completely unprecedented?

A: This is completely unprecedented. The closest thing we had to dealing with anything like this was in 2008 or so when we had to get every kid in the school district a vaccination at school during the school day. We have never had a national emergency and have never had to shut down schools for this long.

Q: Are grades going to be pass/fail?

A: We are currently exploring all of our options for assessment and grading.

Q: How long is remote learning supposed to last?

A: The governor has declared schools closed until May 1st as of right now. Hopefully, we will be able to be back in school on May 4.

Q: How will remote learning affect our report cards? Our final transcripts?

A: We are discussing all of these kinds of implications and working closely with other schools as well. We are all in the same boat and want to make sure that we work together to make the best decisions for students.

Q: Do we have to take exams?

A: We are still exploring this possibility. 

Q: Will every teacher have a Zoom class?

A:  We hope that teachers will utilize the live aspect of a zoom meeting for classes. If they haven’t yet, probably soon.

Q: What will happen if I haven’t completed my community service hours?

A: Dr. Renner sent an email earlier concerning service hours…and I think the email stated that Mr. Wolfford would be in contact with information.

Q: Will we still be taking tests? How will that work?

A: You will be assessed on your learning but it will look different. We are reviewing different online assessment tools for teachers. Some assessment could be in presentation form also, with video, etc.

Q: Are office hours required or are they only for additional help?

A: It’s always good to check in with your teachers. If not for help, just to say hi. We need each other during this time!

Our Mariemont faculty and staff continue to recommend students and guardians check their emails regularly for updates and possible answers to any other questions they may have.

For more information, visit Mariemont City School’s Coronavirus Updates Webpage.