When masks, plexiglass dividers, and elbow bumps are the norm, a school newscast can create a sense of connection, set a positive tone, and increase student engagement during hybrid and distance learning, writes elementary school STEAM coordinator Ashley Blackwelder. ⁣ ⁣ Teachers and students at Blackwelder’s school collaborate to make news videos that delight the entire school community, including parents—the videos are posted on the school website and shared privately on YouTube. Students learn to use a green screen app to create a newsroom-style background image, and work with video production software to generate professional-looking intros to the newscasts.⁣ ⁣ Blackwelder explains that social distancing is easy: She films one student at a time and sanitizes the “news desk” between takes. All grades can participate, creating a shared experience that creates a strong sense of connection among students.⁣ ⁣ The daily news program offers a low-risk way to encourage hands-on but social...