tbabcock@timesrepublican.com
T-R PHOTO BY LANA BRADSTREAM
The Marshalltown Community School District is monitoring activity on school-issued Chromebooks, whether at home or in the buildings. Some parents have sought restriction of certain programs, such as Google Chat.
Near the beginning of the spring semester, parents of a Miller Middle School seventh grader were notified their daughter was taken to the office for her bag to be searched for a firearm.
The student messaged a friend through Google Chat a communication feature on the school-issued Chromebooks to say she had a gun. Directly after the weapon was mentioned, the student said it was fake and she was joking. A real or fake gun was not found.
The program launch last month gives kids the opportunity to interact with teachers one-on-one and in-person. Author: Jon Diaz (WOI) Updated: 10:23 PM CST January 23, 2021
MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa After the pandemic hit, some students at Miller Middle School in Marshalltown went to a totally virtual learning format. That meant little to no in-person contact with other students or teachers.
While the virtual learning option helped keep students and their families safe, it meant some students started to fall behind. To address the issue, Dave Glenn and Kristyn Kell, co-principals at the middle school, came up with an idea to open up time for virtual learners to come on campus three times a week, including Saturday.