CINCINNATI, Ohio — On Monday, Cincinnati Public and Cleveland Metropolitan School Districts rolled out TV lessons — an initiative to reach students who don’t have access to the internet.
- In Cininnati, CPS students can now tune in for lessons on the public access channel 15 on Spectrum cable
- Lessons are Monday-Friday, from 7:30 a.m. until 2 p.m.
- Every day, there's a different core subject
In Cincinnati, CPS students can now tune in for lessons on the public access channel, found on Spectrum channel 15.
Lessons are Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. until around 2 p.m. Every day there is a different core subject, including literacy, science technology engineering, reading and math and other resources.
Camilla Gilbert, a mother of a CPS student, says she thinks the TV lessons greatly benefit students who need it.
“With it being on TV, it allows people to at least get access to studying and lessons so that way they won’t be left behind when schools reopen back in the fall,” said Gilbert.
In Cleveland, CMS students can access lessons on CW 43 from 9 to 10 in the morning Monday through Friday. They too will be focusing on core content throughout each week.
Both schools are hoping to reach thousands of other students who haven’t had access to the online learning they’ve been using for weeks now.
It’s even more crucial now that governor Mike DeWine announced on Monday that Ohio schools will remain closed for the remainder of the year. Gilbert believes this was the best decision for students.
“They still are not sure what’s going on and what the reason why they can’t go back, especially the younger students who may be pre-school, kindergarten age group,” she said. They understand that they have to be safe, but they just want to be kids and play and hug and interact with their peers.”
CPS third grade student Natasha Barjon is one of those students eager to go back so “I can see my friends in person instead of being on FaceTime with them."
According to CPS, the district serves about 37,000 students and 83 percent of them qualify for reduced or free lunches, and those are the students they hope they can reach during this time.
And for those students who don’t have access to internet or cable TV, the school district is providing them with work packets and making phone calls to ensure they get the help they need.
Gilbert says the school district has done a great job of keeping everyone connected. She says she appreciates having access to other parents and teachers through a Facebook group.
“We’re able to kind of communicate as parents, with teachers, so that way we don’t get left behind or don’t feel like we are in this alone,” she said.
It is unsure right now whether the TV lessons will replace the online lessons, but if nothing else, the district is pulling together to ensure every student gets the education they deserve.