The first two weeks back in session for the Warren County R-III School District has been as much of a learning experience for teachers and administrators as it has the students.

With 937 students — nearly 30 percent of the enrollment — learning from home with the virtual model, roles and responsibilities have been redefined. Technological challenges have also arisen, meaning a lot of adjustments daily.

“Any time you do something for the first time, there’s definitely going to be glitches,” said Superintendent Dr. Gregg Klinginsmith. “This year, everybody is a first-year teacher. It’s a new system, and to integrate all the products is challenging. Every day we learn about a new issue and do our best to solve that as quickly as we can.”

One unforeseen need may have been a command center or response system for fielding questions and concerns from those using the virtual model. R-III has employed Canvas as an online portal and is using Google Classroom as a transmission method for assignments and lessons.

“Something that has taken us by surprise was the support for people at home when they have technical issues,” said Klinginsmith. “We don’t have a call center or tech support team in the district. It’s our teachers and curriculum department that are fielding those concerns.”

Klinginsmith says the district is actively addressing inquiries and has been experiencing fewer setbacks each day. For families and students concerned about being adversely impacted by technical barriers outside of their control, Klinginsmith says communication with teachers about those challenges is paramount.

“Grace and understanding is the theme of this year,” said Klinginsmith. “We’ve got a whole new platform we’re launching. There are going to be issues, and we’re all learning together. As long as there is communication on legitimate technical issues, we’ll work with the kids.”

The highest percentage of virtual learners are at the high school, with 339 students taking at least one online class. Black Hawk Middle School has 244 students enrolled in at least one virtual class.

For those attending school via the traditional seated model, the transition back has been much smoother, despite the added requirements of social distancing and mandatory masks.

“Overall, things are going well,” said Klinginsmith. “I’ve been very proud of our student body. There’s been no issues with mask compliance at all. Kids have been respectful of teachers and administrators, and we very much appreciate their cooperation.”

Students in the third grade and above, as well as all staff, are required to wear masks until R-III is advised otherwise by the Warren County Health Department.

Periods such as lunch or recess provide a chance for students to temporarily remove face coverings.

“If the student is further than 6 feet away, we do give kids an opportunity to have mask breaks as long as they’re able to keep their distance and are outside that range,” said Klinginsmith.

Some students have taken an even more unique approach, using the hybrid learning model, which includes some classes being taken virtually and others within the seated capacity.

“There are some courses that lend themselves to being better in person than virtual,” said Klinginsmith. “We’ve not had any issues with that hybrid model.”