Cardozo Middle School (CMS) had its very first virtual back to school night last week. According to CMS Principal Kevin Bizzini the family participation for back to school night was moderate. The beginning of the school year has caused several challenges for all involved. However, the staff and teachers at CMS are hopeful as teachers are spending time troubleshooting computer issues along with students and families.

“Our community is experiencing intermittent connectivity issues; it is influencing steady continuity to instructional time and outreach efforts,” stated Bizzini. “The district has taken action to secure hotspots to help support families that are having connectivity issues.”

With empty hallways and the silence on a campus without students, it has been a very strange beginning of new school year for everyone. 

Staff is teaching from their classrooms on campus and child-care has been offered to those employees that have school-age children.

For the 2020-21 school year CMS has added five new teachers to the roster. There are two new sixth grade math and science teachers, one seventh grade math teacher, and one eighth grade English teacher as well as a resource specialist. Bizzini explained that two of the teachers are first year teachers and having their first experience in distance learning is not what they had hoped for as new teachers.

“Overall I am very pleased with how well-prepared teachers are to deliver instruction,” said Bizzini. “We have been moving toward building capacity for blended learning over the past couple of years; I think that has enhanced our level of preparedness to support student learning via distant learning.”