***Read it sooner! This content was previously published in the March 19, 2020 edition of the V&V***
Courtesy of San Diego County Office of Education
KPBS, San Diego Unified, and the San Diego County Office of Education are providing TK-12 educational programming during the Coronavirus school closures. Launched on Monday, March 16, the initiative, “At-Home Learning: Where Children Matter,” will bring 12 hours of state standards-aligned television programming scheduled by grade level, and free access to a digital library of educational resources.
KPBS programming and PBS Learning-Media educational resources are free to families, educators, and the community to support learning during the school closures. The partnership will help to ensure students and families have access to robust learning materials.
“It’s critical that learning continues for all students in this time of uncertainty,” said Dr. Paul Gothold, San Diego County Superintendent of Schools. “Schools may be closed but our responsibility to our students’ future remains. We can’t let students who have worked so hard lose that hard-won progress away from the classroom.”
For educators and administrators, SDCOE has also launched a directory of resources to support alternative curriculum delivery. The site includes planning documents, open educational resources, links to free video conferencing and learning management systems, and details on free internet access programs for families. Go to https://covid-19.sdcoe.net/ for resources and more.
“This collaboration provides students in San Diego Unified and throughout the county opportunities to continue their learning during this crisis with equity and access in mind,” said San Diego Unified Superintendent Cindy Marten.
There are more than 500,000 students in the county, including the 3,150 children SDCOE educates each year through our Juvenile Court and Community Schools. The programming and schedule help districts and schools bridge the digital divide and provide equitable access to learning for all students at home, regardless of access to the internet or computers.
Broadcast Resources:
Beginning Monday, March 16, KPBS 2 will broadcast 12 hours of programming selected to
meet the TK-12 California educational standards. The programming will be from 6 a.m. to 6
p.m. in viewing blocks by grade level:
• 6 a.m. to 8 a.m. – Grades TK-3
• 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. – Grades 4-8
• 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. – Grades 9-12
How to Watch
A student does not need access to a computer or the Internet to watch. Tune into KPBS 2 with an antenna at channel 15.2, or on Cox 811 or Spectrum 1277. The programming and digital content is also accessible via mobile. Direct TV, Dish, and AT&T U-verse do not carry
KPBS 2. If you have this service, change the input on your TV to use the antenna and watch over the air on channel 15.2.
Digital Resources
California students and educators have immediate access to an online library of free educational resources from PBS LearningMedia, including videos, associated lesson plans,
hosted training sessions, and self-guided how-to resources for teachers. These will accompany PBS’s trusted programs and align with current classroom standards.
How to Get Started
Educators and parents can join a 15-minute webinar to learn how to use PBS LearningMedia California. Live webinars are hosted twice daily through Bay Area public
media station KQED.
• Register to join at 7:30 a.m. or 3:30 p.m.
PBS LearningMedia is committed to inclusion, diversity, and accessibility. With this in mind, PBS is continuously taking steps to improve the website to meet online usability and design standards recommended by WCAG 2.0 AA and other standards outlined by the Americans
with Disabilities Act (ADA). The site works with screen readers and meets contrast requirements for the visually impaired. For assistance with the site visit the PBS LearningMedia help webpage.
Additional SDUSD
Visual Arts Resources
In addition, San Diego Unified has a resource link for extracurricular visual and performing
arts resources for students. Though the educational resources are not graded and are intended to support independent content-area learning, they are robust and fun for all ages. For more information visit https://sites.google.com/sandi.net/vapavirtualresources.
