SARASOTA, FL – Hershorin Schiff Community Day School recently received a “Software and Learning Equipment” grant of $5,000 from Gulf Coast Community Foundation and Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation’s COVID-19 Response Initiative. This grant has funded training and the purchase of technology that is helping Community Day School to remain accessible for all of its families, whether they choose in-person or virtual learning for their students.
In consideration of the coronavirus, the school developed the Adaptive Learning program, which offers flexibility and peace of mind. The program – which is available to preschool juniors through eighth grade – enables families to make decisions about how students will attend school as public health conditions evolve due to the coronavirus, rather than have to lock in a decision for a whole semester or even the entirety of the school year (as Florida Virtual School students must do).
Community Day School was selected for a beta program through Google that incorporates in-classroom cameras and Google Home Hub devices that enable students to log in and benefit from real-time instruction. Additionally, with this program, classes can be recorded and catalogued, and accessed as desired at any time from a shared drive. Virtual school assemblies or special events can also be easily livestreamed for larger groups. The entirety of the resources is integrated into the school’s new, safe and secure Blackbaud learning management system.
“With the Google technology, students who opt for virtual learning can feel like they’ve got a seat in the front row of a classroom,” said head of school Dan Ceaser. “As our school year begins, we know parents and caretakers are struggling with making the ‘right’ decision for their students and families. We are so grateful for the grant from the COVID-19 Response Initiative of the Gulf Coast Community Foundation and Barancik Foundation, which is ensuring an equitable learning experience for all of our students – whether they are in the classroom or livestreaming from home.”
Earlier this year, Gulf Coast and the Barancik Foundation launched the COVID-19 Response Initiative, a joint philanthropic initiative to complement governmental response to the pandemic and ensure the well-being of our region. Since the launch of this initiative, nearly $1.7 million in grants has been invested to ease the strains on key organizations and those they serve who have been hit hardest by the COVID-19 crisis.
For more about Community Day School, go to CommunityDay.org or call 941-552-2770.
About Hershorin Schiff Community Day School
The mission of the Hershorin Schiff Community Day School, which serves students in preschool through eighth grade, is to impact the world by creating a community where children of all faiths demonstrate integrity, academic excellence, and a desire to improve the world. Community Day offers a rigorous, project-based academic program in a diverse and vibrant learning environment rooted in the Jewish values of honesty, integrity, mutual trust and respect. For more information, visit the website at communityday.org or call (941) 552-2770.