2020 Spring Report Beth Lenker reads to students during a virtual lessson Virtual Classroom, LIVE! Student Participant Data, Facts & Figures

www.sultanaclassroom.org I www.sultanaeducation.org Program Background Information

Adapting to Virtual & Distance Learning In March 2020, the Sultana Education Foundation cancelled its traditional spring field programs for K-12 students due to the COVID-19 crisis. In the course of a few days, teachers across the country were asked to transition to a format for which they had no training, with little or no time to develop technical protocols or pedagogical strategies. SEF’s staff quickly developed an online public resource, providing 50+ mini, asynchronous classes - including instructional videos, supporting curricula materials and exercises - that can be accessed by students, teachers, and parents 24-hours a day. Most of these mini-classes are drawn directly from SEF’s existing Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) certified curricula, allowing teachers to easily incorporate the classes into existing lesson-plans. Beth Lenker teaches a lesson on runoff using a watershed model Further Program Development In addition to the site, SEF launched an online field trip initiative known as “Virtual Classroom, LIVE!”, that proved exceedingly popular with students and teachers alike. SEF’s talented teaching staff made virtual lessons come to life using historic artifacts, primary documents, and even live critters from the Education Center’s Wet Lab. In May and early June, SEF conducted over 50 live sessions, reaching approximately 1,000 students from throughout Maryland and Delaware. SEF will continue developing the website and live programs ensuring the organization is poised to offer unique assistance to regional teachers during the 2020-21 school year. Chris Cerino teaches a lesson on water quality using a pH test kit

2020 Spring Report - Sultana Virtual Classroom Page 2 Program Testimonials

“Wow! I can’t say enough positive things about our grade level class meeting...It couldn’t have been any better. The kids were so engaged, and we love how interactive you made our hour together. -Tiffany Kennedy, Galena Elementary School (3rd Grade)

Brad Hirsh teaching in the Geography Classroom, now a “filming studio” for live lessons “One of the best experiences during two months of online learning was our Virtual Classroom LIVE! experience with the Sultana Education Foundation. The Sultana staff customized the program to my curriculum needs and engaged my students with artifacts and questions....I tried virtual trips with other organizations, but those did not have nearly the level of interactive learning and excitment as SEF’s. -Paul Taylor, Church Hill Elementary School (4th Grade)

A student shows off her craft made during a LIVE! lesson

“My son and husband both attended these virtual field trips and were super impressed with the way it was structured. I think it was my son’s favorite part of this Spring.

-Betsy Moyer-Taylor, Parent John Mann teaches a live lesson about Chesapeake Ecology, displaying an oyster fossil to students

2020 Spring Report - Sultana Virtual Classroom Page 3 Program Participant Information

Virtual Classroom LIVE! Participant Data For the Period May 1st - June 15, 2020

Number of Students Served Number of Students Served by Grade Level by County/Region

Total Students

Geographic and Population Reach Percentage of Title 1 vs Non-Title 1 Students Served** The primary target audience for the programs are elementary and middle school students from Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s, and Talbot counties in Maryland. Each of the school systems in these counties has a 15+ year relationship with Sultana, allowing staff to draw on long-term relationships with teachers and administrators. As demand from these core consituencies continues, the program will expand to schools outside this primary service area. Based upon school demographics, about 70% of participating students are from Title I districts, an indication of the high levels of rural poverty in the area. Working with public schools will also ensure that Virtual Classroom LIVE! programs will serve a demographic cross section of students representative of the broader community. **USDOE designation indicating high percentage of children from low-income families.

2020 Spring Report - Sultana Virtual Classroom Page 4 Program Participant Information Partner Schools, 2019-2020Partner Schools, 2019-2020 All Programs & FacilitiesAll Programs & Facilities *Virtual Classroom, LIVE! Current Participants *Virtual Classroom, LIVE! Current Participants

Maryland Howard County Tilghman Elementary School Glenelg Country School White Marsh Elementary School Anne Arundel St. Phillip Neri School Rockbridge Academy Kent County Delaware Galena Elementary School* Severna Park Elementary School* Townsend Elementary* H.H. Garnet Elementary School* Providence Creek Academy* Kent County Middle School* Baltimore County Kent School, Inc.* Wolfe Street Academy Kent School, Inc. - Little School* Pennsylvania Radcliffe Creek School The Swain School Calvert County Friendship Montessori School Mutual Elementary School Octorara High School Chestertown Christian Academy Springside Chestnut Hill Academy Rock Hall Elementary School* Caroline County Washington College Denton Elementary School Virginia Federalsburg Elementary School Montgomery County Rivendell School Greensboro Elementary School Green Acres School (3rd grade) Regents School Preston Elementary School St. Jane de Chantal Ridgley Elementary School Seneca Academy Washington, D.C. Cecil County Queen Anne’s County St. Patrick’s Episcopal Day School Cecilton Elementary School Bayside Elementary School Capital Hill Day School Mount Aviat Academy Centreville Elementary School* Tome School Church Hill Elementary School* Kennard Elementary School* Charles County Matapeake Elementary School North Point High School Queen Anne’s County High School Sudlersville Elementary School* Dorchester County Sudlersville Middle School* Choptank Elementary The Gunston School Maple Elementary School Wye River Upper School North Dorchester High School Hurlock Elementary St. Mary’s County Sandy Hill Elementary Chesapeake Charter School South Dorchester Elementary School Warwick Elementary School Talbot County Vienna Elementary Chapel District Elementary School Easton Elementary School Harford County The Country School New Covenant Christian School St. Michael’s Elementary School

*The Sultana Education Foundation will expand the Virtual CLassroom to as many of the schools on this list as possible, with a programmatic goal of being fully systemic in Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Tabot, and Queen Anne’s County during the 2020-2021 school year.

2020 Spring sultanaeducation.orgReport - Sultana Virtual Classroom / sultanaclassroom.org Page 5 Sultana Education Foundation 200. South Cross St. Chestertown, MD 21620