Disaster recovery program for schools

Sep 18 2009

EdOptions (www.edoptions.com), an award-winning educational technology company, announced today that it will offer schools a built-in disaster recovery plan to provide an affordable, accessible strategy for educators to help ensure the continuity of learning. In case of a disaster, natural or otherwise (e.g. H1N1), all students in a school could quickly be added to the Web-delivered system and continue classes from home or another secure location with an Internet connection.

Government officials are especially concerned about the impact of H1N1 in schools because the virus appears to spread quickly among younger Americans. "We know that some students may be affected by H1N1. And our top priority is making sure that they have a way to get well, stay well and to keep learning," said Secretary of Education Arne Duncan.

"Everyone's goal should be to keep children healthy and in school. But if they get sick -- and some will -- we have to make sure that they don't fall behind," said HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.

EdOptions developed the Disaster Recovery Plan in response to the U.S. Department of Education Recommendations to Ensure Continuity of Learning During Extended Student Absence or School Dismissal. EdOptions designed its program to help educators start planning and acting now for the impact that the 2009 H1N1 influenza could have this fall and winter on schools and the learning process.

The Disaster Recovery Plan will help schools maintain the continuity of learning for (1) individual or small groups of students who are out-of-school for extended periods, (2) large groups of students disrupted by school dismissals or large numbers of faculty absences and (3) entire schools closed due to a natural disaster or pandemic (e.g. H1N1).

"Considering the effects of significant absences on student achievement, EdOptions will offer a low cost educational insurance policy to guarantee the continuity of education," said Tom Sawner http://www.edoptions.com/about/ceo_bio.html), CEO of EdOptions. "This program provides students both the flexibility they need as well as rigorous materials correlated to state learning standards."