Sequoia High School with the help of the Sequoia High School Education Foundation (SHSEF) responds immediately to online education needs.
Over the last two years SHSEF has worked with Principal Priest on digital equity, bringing Sequoia High School to a 1:1 ratio of devices to students, placing technology into every classroom, and greatly expanding the Library Media Center’s collection of online resources. SHSEF funded staff development, allowing collaborative time to create cohesive well trained teams ready to address this huge challenge.
When Sequoia High School Principal Sean Priest got the call the school would be closing for several weeks due to the COVID-19 crisis on Friday morning March 13th, he immediately contacted his tech team and let them know he needed a Chromebook in the hands of any student who needed one by end of day. By 12:30, the tech had the machines and a check out process. By 2:30, 250 laptops had gone home with students to support online classrooms. By the following Friday, 200 internet hotspots had been made available by a community partner and distributed to families.
At the same time, the Family Support Center was contacting every at-risk family and assessing emergency needs. Families were connected with community support agencies, while emergency grants funded by SHSEF were offered to address supplies and other needs to ensure students had everything they needed to succeed in an online classroom.
By Monday, March 23rd, within 10 days of the shelter in place order, all of Sequoia's students were up and running for online learning! As Principal, Sean Priest could not be prouder of his staff, teachers and students and their community partners.
When Principal Priest sees parents of students and alums (from 6 ft away) they ask "How can I help?" He says supporting SHSEF with a donation will help right now and make sure that Sequoia has the programs and resources needed to bring the students back to stability this fall.