Recognizing the great need in the community for safe, controlled environments for students engaging in virtual education, the Albany Museum of Art is offering space for school pods beginning Monday, Aug 31, 2020.

With the COVID-19 cases seeing increases in recent weeks, the Dougherty County School System is opening its 2020-21 school year with virtual instruction. Many parents, especially those who are working full-time jobs during the day, are joining with other families to form school pods, which are small groups of students with an adult facilitator who guides the students through their online lessons.

“We as parents and caregivers all have mixed feelings and face logistical challenges with the new normal of virtual learning,” AMA Executive Director Andrew J. Wulf, Ph.D., said. “The AMA is happy to provide clean and quiet spaces that can become virtual classrooms where peer-to-peer and teacher-to-student connections can be further humanized, and where we can continue to serve our community.” 

As part of its work to help build a stronger community through art, the AMA is offering use of its classroom as a quiet, safe location for school pods, AMA Director of Education and Public Programming Annie Vanoteghem said. 

"Elementary and middle school students often thrive in a small group setting with encouraging peers and leaders to guide them through their schoolwork and keep everyone on task,” Vanoteghem said. “We want to do all we can to respond to the needs of the community by allowing these small groups of students to use our classroom. 

“My hope is that our local students can use our space to have a structured, focused and safe environment in which to learn and be with friends."

GUIDELINES 

• Ten 3 ½-hour pod session periods are available Mondays-Fridays. Morning sessions are 9:30 am-1 pm and afternoon sessions are 1:30-5 pm.

• Each pod is registered monthly and may choose up to five sessions per week.

• Each pod must have at least four students and no more than eight students. Masks are required. 

• Each participating family in the pod must be an AMA member. 

• Pods may use the AMA guest wi-fi. 

• Each pod is responsible for providing its facilitator (maximum of two), its technology and supplies, and sanitizing and cleaning up the class area after each session. 

• The cost is a monthly $25 maintenance fee for each family participating in the pod.

FOR INFORMATION OR TO REGISTER

Contact AMA Director of Education and Public Programming Annie Vanoteghem at 229.439.8400, or email her at [email protected].

CURRENT AMA EXHIBITION 

n  JUAN LOGAN: creating & collecting is in the Haley Gallery July 9-Oct 24, 2020.

n  Works by Brian Willmont is in the East Gallery July 9-Oct 24, 2020.

n  Viberations from Pasaquan is in the West Gallery July 9-Oct 24, 2020.