Area colleges turn to online instruction, Nevada R-5 remains status quo

Due to the global pandemic two local institutions of higher education, Cottey College and Crowder College, have turned to online instruction for the remainder of their semesters. It was decided prior to the conclusion of spring break that both schools were eliminating face-to-face classroom instruction for the remainder of the spring semester. The Nevada R-5 school district, meanwhile, is still on lockdown through at least April 3.

Cottey resumed its semester, and all classes, on Monday. Instructors were given leeway on how to proceed, as far as the methods utilized in conducting online coursework. At least one Cottey professor is using Zoom Video Communications for her class. Zoom is "a remote conferencing service that combines video conferencing, online meetings, chat, and mobile collaboration," according to Wikipedia.

"We're doing online, or alternative methods," said Cottey director of public information, Steve Reed. "My yearbook class, for example, which is a one-hour course — we're able to work online. I send the email instruction, and they complete assignments online. It's all email, and working online with the yearbook company's software. My students are able to create pages from wherever they are, as long as they have internet access."

Cottey recently required all current resident students, including those living on campus during spring break, to return home after spring break. The students were given until Monday (March 23) to vacate campus with their belongings. An exception was granted for students unable to do so, such as international students. The students granted an exception, and those who returned to the Cottey campus after being overseas for spring break, are required to be in a 14-day quarantine on campus.

"Most of our international students have an issue with being able to return home," Reed said, estimating that number is somewhere in the vicinity of 20 to 30 students. "Let's say an international student had been traveling over spring beak, and returned to campus — we have an isolation suite for those folks. They are quarantined for 14 days, so, they're probably still in isolation right now. Their meals are brought to them, they just can't leave that suite until the quarantine period has passed and they show themselves to be asymptomatic."

Reed also said the school is planning a virtual graduation ceremony at the conclusion of the semester. Details are still up in the air, as nothing has been finalized.

"A couple of us attended a webinar from a company that does virtual graduations," Reed began. "We will probably do some recording of speeches. We'll probably use students' photos, and announcement of names — and put it all online. That's still pretty much all up in the air, as far as how we're going to conduct that."

Crowder College

An official with Crowder College's Nevada campus, confirmed with the Daily Mail that all coursework has transitioned to online.

'It's going to be kind of up to the instructor on how they're doing it — what they want to do," the official said, adding that Zoom is an option. "We're not limiting our instructors to a certain way of instructing. We're allowing them to continue to move forward with their class, in a manner they feel comfortable doing so. It's up to the instructors to ensure the students are still getting quality instruction."

Although Crowder's campus is closed off to students, there was no interruption or pause in their semester.

"We never stopped having classes," the official noted. "Once we made the (decision) to close the campus after spring break, we transitioned right then to online instruction."

The official confirmed the spring graduation ceremonies, which take place on the main campus in Neosho, have been canceled. "The graduates will be welcome to participate in a future ceremony — whether that may be next December, or whenever. That information will be sent out to the graduates at a later date."

Nevada R-5

There currently has been no change from the status quo with the Nevada R-5 school district. All classes are currently suspended through April 3. The situation, however, is fluid.

"Right now, no change," R-5 Superintendent Tyson Beshore told the Daily Mail on Wednesday. "On the homepage of our district website, we have a list of resources for families and students. If they want to take part in those, it's on their own — activities that we're not grading. If they want to (participate) we're providing those resources. At this time, that's all we're doing until we know more."

Beshore said he would be taking part in a conference call in the coming days that should shed more light on the situation.

"Twenty-five or 26 school districts in the Springfield area all shut down (Tuesday) through April 24," Beshore noted. "Kansas City and St. Louis were already doing that. So, the writing is on the wall, it's probably going to go through the 24th."

Beshore said he told city officials via a conference call on Wednesday that it's looking like the district will fall in line with Kansas City, St. Louis, and Springfield districts.

"We have not made that determination yet," he said during the conference call. "We're kind of waiting, and seeing what is going on with everything. But, it looks like it could be that."

Beshore reiterated that any official announcement pertaining to that likely won't come until the first part of next week, at the earliest.

"We want to make sure that we're getting all of the information, and see what changes are taking place, and not jump too quick," Beshore explained. "I sure don't want to say April 24, and we could be back sooner than that."

Beshore added that he will be in contact with the other Vernon County superintendents, and that they will make a return decision in consultation with the health department.