St. Louis, MO — April 28, 2020 – Nine Network’s founding “educational television” mission is more relevant than ever during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since March, Nine has been providing at-home learning resources to assist educators and families across our region during the crisis.
Now, it is taking those resources to the next level with Teaching in Room 9. Beginning this week, two hours of literacy and math instruction for students, pre-k through fourth grade, will be broadcast weekdays from 12:30–2:30 pm on Nine PBS. The grade-appropriate lessons, taught by committed educators from their homes across the region, ensure area kids have access to quality teaching during this academic year shutdown and into the summer, regardless of access to internet or computers.
Nine’s at-home learning for kids is informed by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and education leaders across our region to assure that parts of the established public-school curriculum are covered. These lessons will air through July.
Nine’s response to the health crisis builds on years of commitment to education. Its early childhood work on the ground with the youngest and most vulnerable learners and PBS KIDS® television programs have been proven to help close the achievement gap between children in lower-income families and their more affluent peers.
“We’re providing free, educational television when St. Louis needs it most,” says Amy Shaw, president and CEO, Nine Network of Public Media. “We’ve never had a time like this, with everyone at home and parents working from home while caring for their children and managing their learning at the same time. All of our education resources are designed to help kids and families with at-home learning.”
Nine has also created an online Educator and Caregiver Toolkit, which includes broadcast, online, and mobile resources, as well as learning tools and tips that can be text messaged to phones at nineNet.org/learningtoolkit.
About Nine Network of Public Media
Nine Network of Public Media is a multifaceted organization creating a network of individuals and organizations empowered by public media to strengthen civic life. One of the nation’s most watched public television stations, Nine Network offers the people of the St. Louis region multiple ways to explore the world and become engaged in civic life. Nine’s platforms include four distinct broadcast channels (Nine PBS, Nine World, Nine Create and Nine PBS KIDS®), the Nine Center for Public Engagement, the Public Media Commons, social media, and online. Nine Network’s rich legacy of serving the community was launched in 1954 and continues through our vision of a strong and healthy community working together through public media and our mission of igniting the spirit of possibility.
For more information, contact:
Matt Huelskamp
Vice President/Chief Marketing Officer
(314) 512-9117
mhuelskamp@ketc.org