Amid school closures, KVCR teams up with Riverside, San Bernardino county schools

As schools suspend classes to slow the spread of COVID-19, the local PBS and NPR member station, Empire KVCR, launched a partnership with the Riverside County Office of Education (RCOE) and the San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools (SBCSS) to support at-home learning. Empire KVCR is now offering students, families and teachers programming aligned to California’s state curriculum on TV Channel 24 and kvcr.org/education.  

“Our children will be our future scientists, doctors, nurses, and first responders, and they’re at home right now, eager to learn and grow,” says San Bernardino Community College District Interim Chancellor Jose Torres. “Even though schools may be closed, we must continue working together – families and educators – to nurture the life potential of our students.” 

San Bernardino Community College District owns the broadcast license for Empire KVCR. As part of the collaboration, the station is tailoring its weekday television schedule for students in Pre-K through high school. The Riverside County Office of Education and San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools are developing additional at-home learning content for high school students. 

“More than one million preschool to college-aged students in Riverside and San Bernardino Counties have seen their educational journeys interrupted due to school closures,” says Riverside County Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Judy D. White. “In these unprecedented times, partnering with educational leaders like Empire KVCR and SBCSS to develop innovative at-home learning tools will be invaluable for parents and students.” 

San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools Ted Alejandre is optimistic about the bi-county collaboration. “This is an exciting new partnership that will benefit our students, families and educators to further support at-home learning while schools are closed as a result of COVID-19,” says Alejandre. “It is critical that our students have continuity of learning, and that families have tools and resources aligned to statewide curriculum. Through this valuable, regional partnership we are expanding access to rich learning resources for students and families during these uncertain times.” 

At-Home Learning Weekday Schedule on Empire KVCR TV channel 24  

• 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. – Pre-K through 3^rd grade: Sesame Street (basic reading),Nature Cat (science and nature), PEG + CAT (math), Curious George (math and engineering), Daniel Tiger (social sciences), and Wild Kratts (natural science).
• 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. – 9^th through 12^th grade: American Experience (history) and NOVA (science).
• 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. – 4^th through 8^th grade: History Detectives, Wild Archaeology, and Huell Howser’s California Missions.
• 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. – Adult learners: Various programming on cooking, crafting, painting and woodworking.

Free Online Tools For Teachers and Families

• Educational TV schedule Empire KVCR is broadcasting programs aligned with California curriculum standards like NOVA, Sesame Street, History Detectives, Curious George, and American Experience weekdays from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

• PBS LearningMedia Empire KVCR is providing resource collections to PBS LearningMedia that correspond with its television broadcast schedule. Collections include curated media and lessons, sorted by grade level and subject area.

• Free Training Empire KVCR supports PBS LearningMedia webinars which are offered twice-daily.

• Tips and Tools for Teachers Empire KVCR provides access to tools, tips and blogs for teachers on various topics including “3 Ways to Turn Your Classroom Remote in a Hurry,” and “Misinformation, Data Literacy and the Novel Coronavirus.”

• Empire KVCR 91.9 FM / NPR News On 91.9 FM, Empire KVCR provides news updates on COVID-19, and announcements about upcoming TV educational programming.