We all experienced a change in how education was delivered in 2020. Everyone was impacted -- parents and families, teachers and administrators. The pandemic has left its mark on many industries, and education is no exception. Moving forward, it's likely that certain aspects of education will need to change or adapt. We gathered together some of Oakland County's best education experts to talk about this ground-breaking topic and what we can potentially expect for the future of education. 

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Host: Oakland Schools' Communications Specialist Sarah Davis

The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed many issues when it comes to education access. Nationwide, there has been an increase in the number of students absent from school and it's not due to illness. This same issue has also been noticed in our state and Oakland County is no exception. More and more children are missing from classrooms and there is a myriad of reasons why. 

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Host: Oakland Schools' Communications Specialist Sarah Davis

In Oakland County, we are lucky to have a diverse community where many different nationalities are represented in our schools. However, many of these students need time to adjust to their new surroundings and life experiences after relocating from countries plagued by war, poverty and food insecurity. This podcast will explore ways teachers and the community can support our immigrant students in school.

Host: Oakland Schools' Communications Specialist Sarah Davis

In June of this year, Oakland Schools and the Oakland County Health Division formed a partnership called the Oakland Together School Nurse Initiative. This initiative led to the hiring of 68 nurses who were deployed to all 28 school districts in Oakland County. The nurses are to provide public health strategies and direction to staff and students with the goal of stopping the spread of COVID-19. 

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Host: Oakland Schools' Communications Specialist Sarah Davis

We know school leaders are between a rock and a hard place when it comes to planning class for the fall. They must think about students' social-emotional health AND learning needs. Both have to be attended to. Leaders can't pick one or the other. So, the question is, how do school leaders manage this balancing act?

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Host: Oakland Schools' Communications Specialist Sarah Davis

The transition back to school is going to be tough for everyone this year. Last year, with the pandemic, school went completely online then ended as it always does with the start of summer. But the bottom-line is in late August when students start coming back, it will have been months since they were in a classroom for face-to-face learning. This transition is likely to hit younger students the hardest as this may be the first time they have even gone into a classroom. In particular, the move from preschool to kindergarten is difficult for many youngsters.

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With school starting back up in the fall, many parents are having to make the tough decision of whether to have their children go back into the classroom or pick online learning options. For the past seven years, Oakland Schools has already been offering an online option for those interested. The program, called Virtual Learning Academy Consortium, or VLAC for short, offers an at-home learning program for grades K-12. In this episode, we talk with the director of VLAC who provides us with some tips and tricks for successful online learning this fall. 

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This is the second part of our series where we are interviewing Oakland Schools' employees who are helping out their communities. In the second segment, we will talk about two of our Oakland Schools' staff who are on the frontlines working to help those in need of food and shelter.

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Host: Oakland Schools' Communications Specialist Sarah Davis

This is the first of a two-part podcast where we are talking to Oakland Schools' employees who are helping out their communities. In this first segment, we touch base with our Oakland Schools Technical Campuses, as well as one of our early childhood compliance consultants. Both are great examples of going above and beyond during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Host: Oakland Schools' Communications Specialist Sarah Davis

Oakland Schools' Diversity and Equity Consultant Dr. Jay Marks talks about cultural proficiency and how he teaches the subject to school leaders and students throughout the community. 

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Host: Oakland Schools' Communications Specialist Sarah Davis