Benjamin Logan Schools officials announced several changes to the 2020-21 school year calendar Friday, along with providing additional re-opening plan details to district families.
The first day of school for Benjamin Logan students in grades 1-12 is now slated for Thursday, Sept. 10.
The first day of school for kindergarten girls will be Sept. 11, and kindergarten boys will be Sept. 14 All kindergarten will continue on Sept. 15, with the dates pending board approval.
Sept. 8 and 9 also are tentatively scheduled as staff preparation days and safe school training.
The school day begins at 8 a.m. and ends at 3:15 p.m. Dismissal from buses begins at 7:45 a.m.
Parents are asked to plan accordingly when dropping off students in the morning so that staff can provide appropriate supervision and social distancing, district officials said.
Face coverings are now required for students at school and while riding school buses, according to the governor’s mandate.
An alternative online learning option is available for Benjamin Logan students. Families who want to pursue that option need to notify Stephanie Snyder, superintendent’s administrative assistant, of their intent by Aug. 14 via e-mail to snyders.
For the online course work, Benjamin Logan Schools is be partnering with the Jefferson County Educational Service Center to offer the Virtual Learning Academy, an Internet-based educational curriculum and delivery system designed for grades K-12.
The Virtual Learning Academy offers courses that are fully aligned to Ohio’s Academic Content Standards.
At the high school level for those who choose the virtual route and then come back to in-person classes in January, their schedule could potentially include an online class to accommodate the structure of the master schedule, school officials said.
All elementary and middle school students are expected to take all four core classes while online (English language arts, science, social studies and math).
If a student chooses to do face-to-face instruction following the semester break, then they will be given a full schedule of core classes and unified arts courses.
The VLA options are customizable and interactive; designed to promote reading and the ability to analyze and articulate thoughts; developed by a public Educational Service Center; accessible online day or night, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year; flexible for special needs students; and housed on full-secure, off-site servers with hourly backups.
Benjamin Logan students who participate in VLA will remain enrolled as Benjamin Logan students. The point of contact for enrollment will be the guidance department in each building: elementary school, Susan Ridge, ridges; middle school, Susan Headings, headingss; and high school, Nicole Fuller, fullern.