Winchester Public Schools Superintendent Jason Van Heukelum presented possible options to the School Board on Monday night on what reopening the city school division might look like.
Gov. Ralph Northam closed schools across the state in mid-March over coronavirus concerns. On Tuesday, Governor Northam announced a three phase re-opening plan, with Phase One beginning immediately. Entering Phase Two and Phase Three will require school divisions to submit a student instruction plan to the Virginia Department of Education.
The first phase relies on remote learning but allows in-person instruction for students with disabilities in extended school year services. The second phase will extend in-person instruction to students in preschool through third grade and English Learner students. The third phase permits in-person instruction for all students, but classes will look dramatically different, with strict social distancing guidelines in place.
On Monday night, Van Heukelum proposed three possible options if the school division is approved to enter Phase Three for modified in-person instruction.
Van Heukelum told the School Board he expects the division to enter Phase Three in mid-July to early August. If that happens, schools could possibly open August 10, when students are currently scheduled to return. While schools could technically open in Phase Two, he said ideally they could open in Phase Three with fewer restrictions.
The three options are:
Option 1
50% of students attend classes for 50% of the school day. This would be the most constraining option, because it would require at least 25 new buses or expanding walk zones across the school division.
Under this model, students would attend class for 3.5 hours per school day. Elementary students would either go to class from 7:30 to 11 a.m. or from 12:30 to 4 p.m. Intermediate and secondary students would go to class either from 8:30 a.m. to noon or from 1:30 to 5 p.m.
Secondary students would also have a “twilight” option where they could take classes from 5:45 to 8 p.m.
The evening option would allow older students who work or watch over siblings during the day to still take classes.
All three reopening options include the twilight scenario as well as Saturday sessions for students who need extra support.
Option 2
Known as the alternating day option, students would go to school all day every other school day. This would require half the students attending on a given day to start 45 minutes ahead of a second group of students, so there would be staggered starting and end times to the school day.
For elementary students, school would run from 7:15 a.m. to 2 p.m. or from 8 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. For intermediate and secondary students, classes would either run from 9 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. or from 9:45 a.m. to 4 p.m. The twilight time for secondary students would be from 5 to 7:30 p.m.
Option 3
Students would go to school two days a week all day following the times in the alternating day schedule. This would give teachers a whole day in the week to prepare instruction and focus on distance learning design.
All three options would offer 100% distance learning to students concerned about returning to school because of COVID-19.
While the division has received more than $800,000 in federal stimulus funding to be used over the next two fiscal years to address coronavirus-related concerns and changes, Van Heukelum said he has joked with his staff that he has already spent that money at least three times.
“All of these models cost more not less,” he said.
For the two-day and alternating day options, bus drivers would need to be hired full-time. Each driver would have to do eight bus runs, split between the morning and afternoon.
“We’re going to wear out our buses,” he said. “It’s a challenging proposition and problem to solve and you want to meet the needs of the community and families and then you have all these constraints that tie your hands.”
Now that Northam has announced the reopening plan for schools, school officials at the local level can start making plans.
Officials with Frederick County and Clarke County school divisions have not discussed their reopening options at a school board meeting yet.
Attending Monday night’s meeting held virtually from the Central Administrative Office at 12 N. Washington St. included Winchester Superintendent Jason Van Heukelum, School Board Chairperson Allyson Pate, School Board Vice Chairperson Marie Imoh and board members Bryan Pearce-Gonzales, Richard Bell, Karen Holman, Mike Birchenough and Elyus Wallace. Board member Erica Truban was present virtually. The meeting was publicly held through Zoom.
SOURCE: WinchesterStar.com