RICHMOND, Va. (WAVY) — In Virginia, four public media television stations will soon air classroom instruction in response to social distancing and schools closing for the remainder of the academic year, according to a statement released on Wednesday.
The goal is to bring the teacher-led instruction into the homes of students from grades k-10. Beginning Monday, April 13 the shows will broadcast Monday through Friday from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. and will align with the commonwealth’s academic curriculum.
The service is geared to help those who do not have the ability to connect to high-speed internet which is used to access school distance learning programs.
The Virginia Superintendent of Public Instruction James Lane announced that the Department of Education has partnered with Blue Ridge PBS, VPM, WETA and WHRO Public Media to make this possible.
“I believe that ‘VA TV Classroom’ will make a tremendous difference this spring as schools endeavor to provide continuity of learning for students, especially in communities where online learning is a challenge,” Lane said. “This programming builds on the long-standing partnership between VDOE and public television to support teaching and learning across the state.”
According to the release, the “VA TV Classroom” schedule is as follows:
- K-3 instruction: airs from 1-2 p.m. with Standards of Learning-aligned content provided by WHRO Public Media. “Learn to Grow with WHRO” segments will be 15 minutes in length and led by teachers.
- Grades 7-10 instruction: airs from 2-3 p.m. with SOL-aligned content provided by WHRO Public Media focusing on Earth Science and Algebra 1.
- During the week of April 27: “VA TV Classroom” will add a special hour from 3-4 p.m. called “AP Prep Week,” with content provided by Virtual Virginia — in collaboration with WHRO — focusing on a different AP subject each day. The hour will include two 30-minute segments.
The “VA TV Classroom” channel guide is as follows:
- WHRO – WHRO World: via antenna 15.2, Cox 107 and Verizon FiOS 460
- VPM – VPM Plus
- Richmond area: via antenna 57.1, Verizon FiOS 24 and 524 (HD), Comcast 24 & 797 (HD), DIRECTV 57, DISH 57 and 9392 (HD)
- Charlottesville area: via antenna 41.2, Comcast 265 (HD) and 1146 (HD)
- Shenandoah Valley: via antenna 51.2, Comcast 9, 798 (HD) and 1042 (HD)
- WETA – WETA PBS Kids: via antenna 26.3, Comcast 266, Cox 801, Verizon FiOS 472 and RCN 38
- Blue Ridge PBS – SWVAPTV: via antenna 15.2, streaming services Blue Ridge Streaming and Project Southwest on YouTube, Citizens Cable 82, Cox 107, Comcast/Xfinity 264 and Lumos 17 (Shentel, Bedford, Covington, Glade Hill, Radford, Rocky Mount, Rustburg, and Wytheville: 157)
“I would like to thank Blue Ridge PBS, VPM, WETA and WHRO Public Media for providing this resource for students while schools are closed as part of the commonwealth’s strategy to slow the spread of the coronavirus and protect public health,” Lane said. “It is nothing short of amazing that these public media stations were able to create ‘VA TV Classroom’ and schedule its launch within a month of the governor’s initial order to close schools.”