Change Agent Case Analysis: COVID-19 and Chesapeake Public Charter

School

Derrick May

Towson University

ISTC-702; Educational Leadership and Technology

Dr. Caples

September 17, 2023

School Overview:

Chesapeake Public Charter School (CPCS) is situated in Lexington Park, MD, occupying

a unique space within an old medical building and former sports complex. These two areas

have been joined to create a spacious school building in the year 2007 (Chesapeake Public

Charter School, n.d.). Currently, the school accommodates 492 students, and its student

population remains relatively stable due to its enrollment process, which will be explained

later (St. Mary’s Count Public Schools, n.d.). The staff at CPCS comprises of approximately 50

educators and 4 administrators. Although the staff composition has changed since before the

pandemic, it still mirrors the pre-COVID-19 era.

CPCS opened its doors in August 2007, thanks to the generosity of a local

businessperson who donated space within the building and led fundraising efforts to

construct the school. Extensive renovations were required to transform the space into a

functional school, with construction beginning in late 2006, involving the addition of walls

and hallways. Construction work continues to this day as the school space continues to evolve

and grow. Initially, the school occupied only a small portion of the building, but as the school
community grew and fundraising efforts progressed, the school was able to purchase and

convert the entire building into a functioning educational institution. The school spans three

levels: the first level houses special area classrooms, the cafeteria, gym, nurse's station, front

office, and grades 2 and 4. The second floor, at ground level with the bus loop, hosts some of

the younger students in grades K and 1, along with grade 3 and the middle school. The third

floor is the smallest space, exclusively for grade 5. Each classroom has its unique set of

characteristics, reflecting the unconventional school building. While classrooms lining the

perimeter of the building have windows, they are non-opening due to the school's geothermal

energy source. Some of the interior classrooms are without windows. Nevertheless, most

classrooms have access to windows. It is often a bummer that they do not open though. Many

classrooms feature custom murals painted by a resident artist supporting the school's arts

programs. The hallways are adorned with artwork from every student in the school, aligning

with the school's mission of an arts-integrated approach to support state and county

curriculum standards and rigor.

CPCS serves the Saint Mary's County, Maryland community, and residents of the

county who have students registered in the county school system have an opportunity to enter

a lottery for admission to the school. Each grade has approximately 60 available seats, making

the lottery highly competitive. The current lottery system gives preference to students with

siblings already enrolled in the school and those with diverse economic backgrounds. The
school's demographic makeup mirrors that of the entire county public schools, which includes

62.16% White, 18.54% African American, 7.76% Hispanic, less than 5% Asian, less than 5%

American Indian/Alaska Native, and 8.71% two or more races (St. Mary’s Count Public Schools,

n.d.). The county also provides various special services for students, with the current

percentages being 13.48% for Title One (Elementary only), less than 5% for Limited English

Proficient, 31.17% for Free/Reduced Meals, and 10.52% for Special Education.

According to the most recent MSDE Maryland Report Card assessment, CPCS achieved

135.8 points out of a possible 176.5 points, earning 76.9% of the total earned percentage

(MSDE, 2021). In elementary state testing, 62.6% of CPCS students scored proficient in English,

and 42.5% demonstrated proficiency in math.

CPCS was fortunate to receive a substantial grant that supported the expansion of

technology within the school. Classrooms were equipped with laptops, and each grade level

received a set of tablet devices. The media center provided access to a robotics program, and

in addition to these technology resources, two instructional technology teachers and the

media teacher supported educators. Technology-integrated activities became a daily

occurrence in most classrooms, with teachers using email to communicate with one another

and supplementing lessons with videos, tutorials, and instructional aids. Students became

more tech-savvy, inspiring educators to incorporate the latest technology into their
instruction to engage students effectively. Many students were already familiar with

technology, even teaching teachers a few tricks, particularly with SMART Boards.

COVID-19:

In early March, news of the impending pandemic started circulating within our local

community. At the time, we monitored the situation closely and heard about other states

closing schools, although we didn't anticipate the extent of its impact on us. On March 12,

2020, former Maryland Governor Larry Hogan and former state superintendent Dr. Karen

Salmon announced a two-week closure of Maryland schools. That same evening, SMCPS

informed staff via phone that March 13th would be the last day for students and staff for two

weeks. Our CPCS principal followed up with an email, suggesting that we use the following

th
Friday, March 13 , as a day to introduce digital resources to our students for use at home

during the two-week closure. At the time, no one expected the closure to extend beyond two

weeks. However, the closure was extended until April 24th on March 25, 2020, by State

Superintendent Karen Salmon. This came as a shock to many as we were only expecting to be

th
out of school until March 27 .

After receiving the announcement from Dr. Salmon regarding the continued closure of

schools, the St. Mary's County school board convened meetings with educators and various

stakeholders to chart our course moving forward. The plan laid out that all educators in St.

Mary's would engage in a week-long professional development program to familiarize

themselves with and effectively utilize learning systems that would enhance support for our

students during the shift to distance education. Particularly for elementary educators, the

plan specified professional development focused on a learning system known as Imagine

Learning, which subsequently became the primary learning management system adopted by

SMCPS to assist students throughout the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year. This online

system provided students with reading and math instruction, with teachers assigning

different pathways each week and monitoring their progress. Communication was limited to

emails; video calls with students and families were not permitted during this period. It wasn't

until the following school year that we started using Google Meets for classroom meetings.

During this time, the school system realized that not every student had a device or reliable

Wi-Fi to access the Imagine Learning platform. Consequently, the county shifted to providing

one-to-one devices for all students, with tablets for students in grades PK-1 and laptops for

those in grades 2-12. Some families received hotspots for Wi-Fi service provided by the county

school system.

In the following school year, with COVID-19 still affecting our return to in-person

learning, SMCPS adopted Schoology for the county, and we were finally allowed to hold class

meetings via Google Meets. This was a significant improvement and allowed students to

collaborate in real-time through Schoology and Google Meets. It made virtual school feel

somewhat normal again and allowed schools to connect with their communities by holding
virtual family events and organizing school clubs via Google Meets. Students received

instruction through their personal devices, and while synchronous distance learning wasn't a

replacement for in-person learning, it reopened doors for learning and communication with

our students.

During this challenging period, my relationships with fellow teachers were crucial. I

had a core group of teacher friends at CPCS with whom I leaned on for support. We

communicated through text messages and Google Meets, sharing teaching materials,

participation strategies, and sometimes just venting about the challenges we faced. We often

felt like information was closely guarded by our school and the board, as we frequently

received updates on changes late on Fridays, requiring us to adjust schedules and

communicate changes to families by Monday morning.

Evaluation:

When the St. Mary's County Public Schools transitioned to virtual learning, our digital

learning resources were disorganized. Post-pandemic, we have a well-organized learning

management system, Schoology. Schoology centralized our digital resources in one place,

allowing students, parents, and colleagues to interact with them. Parents gained home access,

enabling them to view their students' assignment feedback, communicate with teachers, and

stay updated on school events. Students could access their resources, assignments, and

collaborative opportunities in one place through their student accounts. This level of
organization was absent before Schoology. At the beginning of the closure, students were

previously expected to work through assignments asynchronously without teacher support,

and families only received progress reports each Friday. Schoology was a game-changer and

the most effective change implemented during this period.

The biggest challenge during this time was ensuring that every student had access to

technology and could attend scheduled meetings. Many students experienced internet

connectivity issues during class or had trouble logging in, necessitating additional support

outside of our daily meeting window. Some students attended class from unconventional

locations like cars or shopping carts, making it difficult for them to attend to the lesson.

Educators felt that their efforts were sometimes in vain, with families not understanding the

significance of such a support learning environment. However, some families were extremely

supportive, and this period allowed them to gain a greater appreciation for educators' roles.

As of today, our school system continues to grapple with the impacts of the COVID-19

pandemic. This global health crisis significantly disrupted the learning and social experiences

of our students, necessitating continuous adaptation and response from their educators.

Additionally, there has been a heightened recognition of the importance of attending to the

social and emotional well-being of our students. The pandemic underscored the significance

of addressing mental health concerns and providing additional support to students who

encountered emotional challenges throughout extended periods of remote learning and social
isolation. Consequently, our schools have shifted their priorities towards the implementation

of counseling services, mental health resources, and strategies aimed at cultivating a positive

and inclusive school environment.

In summary, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has been profound, affecting both

my personal and professional life deeply. In the professional realm, it prompted a

reassessment of career paths due to the unique challenges of virtual teaching and negative

perceptions of educators from families. On a positive note, it also encouraged

experimentation and the use of technology, with Schoology being a significant improvement.

Challenges included ensuring technology access for all students and managing the learning

environment. Through it all, collaboration with fellow educators was essential for support and

sharing of resources.

References

Chesapeake Public Charter School. (n.d.). A Brief History of CPCS. St. Mary’s County Public

Schools. Retrieved September 14, 2023, from

https://cpcs.smcps.org/alliance/a-brief-history-of-cpcs
St. Mary’s County Public Schools. (n.d.). About Us. St. Mary’s County Public Schools. Retrieved

September 14, 2023, from About Us - St. Mary's County Public Schools (smcps.org)

Maryland State Department of Education. (n.d.). Chesapeake Public Charter School 2021-2022

Maryland School Report Card [Fact sheet]. 2022 Maryland School Report Card.

Retrieved September 16, 2021, from

https://reportcard.msde.maryland.gov/Graphs/#/ReportCards/ReportCardSchool/1/EM/

1/18/0813/0