AUGUSTA — Students at Augusta Independent School will soon have an opportunity to continue learning on cancelled school days.
According to AIS Superintendent Lisa McCane, non-traditional instructional days have been approved for the 2018-2019 school year at AIS.
An NTI day is a school day with pre-planned activities, projects and lessons for students to utilize while at home on days school is cancelled, according to McCane.
“Districts are granted 10 NTI days per year,” McCane said. “Students complete their assignments through a combination of conventional lesson packets, project-based learning and digital learning activities. Students learning will continue on NTI days with the opportunity for skill reinforcement, remediation and enrichment. If students do not have adequate internet access at home, paper lessons are acceptable in place of digital assignments.”
McCane said the school district wanted to offer the NTI days during the school year, because it allows students an opportunity to continue learning while they are outside the classroom.
“The district has closed for inclement weather and illness the last several years, creating a challenge to keep students in a good learning rhythm,” she said. “We felt students’ learning is maximized when it’s not tacked on at the end of the school year when there are numerous end of the year activities and the focus shifts to summer break. Furthermore, it is difficult for the district to pinpoint the last day of school, graduation and the testing window,” McCane said.
McCane said the NTI days will also lower the amount of snow days that have to be made up at the end of the school year.
Packets will be sent home on Dec. 3 and will also be accessible through the district’s website. Parents are being asked to store the packets in a safe place until their child needs to use it.
“The district plans to utilize NTI days the first 10 days of inclement weather/illness,” McCane said.
If school is cancelled, students will be asked to complete the work within seven calendar days and teachers will report the student participation withing 14 days.
“It’s success depends on student’s participation,” McCane said.
In order to notify families when an NTI day is being used, the district will use the “all-call” system, social media and news outlets, according to McCane.
Lesson plans will be numbered individually so students will know which one to complete.
Anyone with questions about NTI days can contact the school at 606-756-2105.
