Students at District 205 will be going back to some form of in-person starting at the beginning of the month.
Members of the Board of Education in a special meeting Tuesday night approved a return-to-learn plan that would see students in classrooms with a hybrid learning model for three weeks before the district would transition to fully in-person.
Starting Monday, February 1, students will be back in classrooms two days a week, split between a Monday/Tuesday group and a Thursday/Friday group, with remote learning taking place when students aren’t in classrooms during the week.
District Superintendent Dr. John Asplund told board members that the plan would run for three weeks and then on February 22, the district would transition to fully in-person, five days a week.
The biggest hurdle to going fully in-person, according to Dr. Asplund, is an issue with transportation.
“So, I would tell you 100 percent we could be everyone back on February 22nd, however, we don’t have enough drivers right now, as it stands today to start February 22nd,” Asplund told board members. “That is because First Student did not have the ability to train drivers for many months because of COVID. All of those training opportunities were put on hold.”
Asplund added that the restrictions with First Student have been lifted and drivers are being trained but the district currently only has 27 drivers for 34 planned routes.
Parents could opt to keep their students learning remotely if they wished but Asplund explained that if that was the route they took, they’d be forced to keep students remote for the rest of the quarter.
“So, what we would offer parents is that this would be for the rest of the third quarter. That people could always opt-in and then pull back out. So, if [they said they’d start] in remote, they’ll have to stay in remote because those numbers for [bus routing] and things like that, and food service. It’s very dependent on [knowing a maximum] of how many students are in.”
Parents that decided to start in-person and then pull their student out could do so freely.
Students will be required to wear masks.
Board President Tianna Cervantez said that the community will have to help the district with this plan by adhering to public health guidelines. She said besides teaching students, the district has to ensure they’re doing so in a safe environment.
“Yes, our numbers are trending down. Yes, we have vaccines. But, this thing has not disappeared and the only way we are going to keep those things moving in that downward trajectory is if we all are doing our part. Every single one of us.”
She said she hopes that what comes from this time is a greater appreciation for what educators do on a daily basis.
“They’re not just teaching your children how to do ‘math facts’ and how to read. They provide stability. They provide support. They’re teaching them life skills. They’re your children’s cheerleader. They’re your student’s advocator. And, they’ve worked really hard during this time to do the best that they can in the environment that we’ve been given.”
Dr. Asplund also informed the board that if coronavirus numbers began increasing in the community the district would switch back to full-remote learning.
Board members were unanimous in approving the plan.
