7009 Varnum Street, Hyattsville, MD, 20784   (301)459-7311
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DISTANCE LEARNING IS UP AND RUNNING!


Several weeks before the shutdown, Principal Joy Morrow and the IT staff, Joanna Edwards, Jathan Wright, and Aisha Faison, were making preparations to move to a comprehensive curriculum in online teaching format if needed. On Thursday, March 12th, Governor Hogan ordered all MD schools to close.

Friday, the school sent resources and Chromebooks home with students and staff who would need them. The following Monday, NHA held an in-service training for all teachers and staff and began teaching online the next day, Tuesday, March 17th. Eight days later, the teachers regrouped for advanced online training to learn new technical tools and skills.

distance online learning school program


During this pandemic, the school has maintained instruction with few major interruptions and continues to improve their distance learning as we navigate this new territory.

- Candice M. Duncan, Ph.D, NHA Parent

      HOW IS IT WORKING?


NHA students are continuing to receive a comprehensive program of instruction in all core subjects, Math, Language Arts, Science, and Social Studies as well as Art, Music, PE, Korean and Spanish, Technology, and elective courses. Students receive direct online instruction from 9:00 am-12:30 pm and all teachers provide online assistance to students from 1:30 pm-3:30 pm.

The Maryland State Department of Education has endorsed the NHA Distance Learning program. 100% of our Seniors will graduate on time this year! Our graduating seniors are fully qualified to move on to college, and students remaining in our program will not have learning gaps as they move into the next grade!





Teacher asks "What is your best thing this week?" 3rd Grader answers, "My best thing is I get to see everybody every day (online)."

- New Hope Academy Student

FINDING NEW STRENGTHS


NHA Upper School students were already quite skilled in using technology for learning, having received technology instruction beginning in Kindergarten. After one month into online learning, everyone had found a rhythm. Although students miss being with their friends, some students find they enjoy online instruction.

Most teachers find they need longer planning time and have had to adapt their classroom management and assessment tools. Adjusted schedules allowed for more extended direct instruction in Reading and Math for the Primary grades K-2 and screen time was scaled back for Pre-K to be more age-appropriate.

Though very difficult, this experience will enable NHA staff, students, and families to emerge from this crisis with new strengths, broader technical skills, and a deeper community bond with the families who have entrusted their children to our care and educational services.




One of the unforeseen positives that the online classes have provided for our high school students is that they are getting a lot of practice using additional online skills that they would have needed to learn on a fast curve as a freshmen in college.

- Dolores Muhammad, NHA Teacher


Our community continues growing and learning!

Come GROW with us!