The reality of school closures

My kids cheer when there’s a snow day.

Of course they do. Snow is awesome when you’re a kid.

But they’re actually pretty upset about their district closing to prepare for remote learning. They know one of the teachers at their school is being tested for COVID-19 and they’re concerned.

Plus over the next few weeks their school plays, sporting events, art shows, and field trips are cancelled. Birthday parties and planned vacations are on the chopping block.

But while my kids are feeling disappointed,  I know that many parents are stressed out about truly critical issues.

Many families rely on schools to provide meals, before- and after-school care, mental health and disability services, a safe and nurturing environment if their children are homeless, etc.

So while a school closure will be disruptive to our life, my thoughts are with the families for whom a school closure is absolutely devastating.

Let’s not forget that schools provide so much more than online learning.

We know administrators and teachers facing school closures are dealing with incredibly tough stuff. Times of emergency only heighten existing inequities.

If schools close, what will happen to the families who don’t have adequate home internet access or proper devices? Who will stand in for parents who aren’t given paid time off to supervise student learning?

While school and district leaders focus on supporting the families that need them the most, BrainPOP can help by providing quality content and learning experiences. That means providing free access to BrainPOP for any school facing closure.

(Use promo code: BPCVFAE1)

Our job right now at BrainPOP is to help make access to home learning as easy as possible so we can be of service during this difficult time.

Teachers and students are already familiar with BrainPOP’s format and there’s no additional set-up to access BrainPOP from home.

We continue to believe access to information is empowering for everyone. 

We’ve received hundreds of thank yous from parents and teachers for our handling of topics on Coronavirus and Washing Hands. We’re glad that BrainPOP has been able to help reduce stress and ease fears. This feedback has kept us going these past few weeks as we’ve made preparations for remote work, canceled conferences, and our own childrens’ schools have begun to close.

We’re all in this together and we’ll get through it together.

Karina Linch, Chief Product Officer, BrainPOP

PS: Please feel free to share your school closure stories with me on Twitter: @mslinch