SCCPSS to offer evening classes for grades K-5

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) -Savannah-Chatham County Public Schools announced a new virtual learning program offering evening classes for kindergarten through fifth grade on Monday.

The program, referred to as “TWILIGHT,” is intended to help families with scheduling needs as well as providing students with additional support.

Sessions will be held Monday-Friday from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. The remainder of the release is available below.

Students who choose to sign up for the program will be dual enrolled in their assigned home schools and in a virtual TWILIGHT option. Students may also elect to participate only in the TWILIGHT option. However, your child may not be taught by a teacher from your home school during the TWILIGHT virtual learning session. The same instructional resources used during the day will be used for the TWILIGHT option. When the virtual learning period ends, students may transition back to their home schools for face-to-face instruction or elect to stay with the TWILIGHT Virtual Learning Program.

The TWILIGHT option is a district approach where students and teachers will be from a variety of schools. Due to this unique approach, a variation of scheduling models could occur such as multi-grade classes. Additionally, larger class sizes might also occur.

District leaders say they want to accommodate families and students who need support.

“We know that we want to be able to provide that accommodation for those families who need it the most and that’s what this is all about,” said Dr. Vallerie Cave, K-12 School Transformation and Innovation, SCCPSS.

Dr. Cave says 60 parents have already registered for the Twilight Program. The district says teachers have the choice to join and funds have been set aside for them.

“It’s also an opportunity for additional money for teachers to make,” said Dr. Kimberly Hancock, Learning Support Services, SCCPSS.

The schedule works like this: Classes and tutorials will be 45 minutes. They’ll include core classes and others like P.E. and art. There’s also a 30 minute independent practice time at the end of each day. Fridays will be used for independent learning and small group tutorials.

“There’s really a two prong approach where students who just need a little bit more support like our students with disabilities. They can login. They can join part of this for extra support in ELA or math.”

The district says for now, most of the children signed up need support in English/Language Arts and Math.

“Children who will do it for tutorial, will have a live instruction during the day and they’ll also have additional small group live instruction in the evening which is a win-win for everyone.”

District leaders say they’ve spent a lot of time putting this option together to help families and their students find success.

The district says they’ll be delivering meals in the evenings in addition to the meal stops that happen earlier in the day.

They also will be providing WiFi hotspots upon request. The application for the Twilight Program is open now and closes September 8.

There is no cap on how many students will be allowed in.

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