‘Remote learning has been a challenge,’ local superintendent says

LORENA, Texas (KWTX) – Teachers and administrators faced a learning curve of their own at the start of the new school year as they combine classroom instruction with virtual learning.

“We are having to learn and there is a growth mindset there,” Lorena ISD Superintendent Joe Kucera said.

“Remote learning has been a challenge,” he says.

Kucera says his district, like so many others, are still mastering the art of virtual instruction.

“We are better at remote learning at the end of October than we were in August,” he says.

“Our hope is that we will be better at the end of November than we were in October.”

Kucera says the results with students thus far have been a mixed bag.

“We are having some students being very successful with remote learning and others are not so much,” says Kucera.

One thing they and other districts are keeping in mind, the ongoing threat of COVID-19.

The Lorena ISD dashboard Friday showed one case involving a student at Lorena Elementary, one case involving a student at Lorena Middle School and five cases, three involving students, at Lorena High School.

“This is going to be an ebb and flow situation throughout this school year,” Kucera said.

While other school districts in the area such as the Marlin ISD are requiring remote learners return to campus, Kucera says Lorena has no plans to do that.

“We are committed to providing remote learning through the remainder of this school year,” he says.

“When something happens we are going to deal with it and take it and move forward.”

Copyright 2020 KWTX. All rights reserved.