A number of Bellefontaine City Schools officials and staff provided an in-depth look during the Monday evening board of education meeting at the district’s blended learning model that is being proposed for the 2020-21 school year – where the student body is divided in half and pupils attend school in-person two days a week and complete online coursework from home three days a week.
Board members will vote on the proposed plan to reopen during the COVID-19 pandemic at a special meeting that has been set for 6 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 12, at the Bellefontaine High School Distance Learning Center.
Also during Monday’s meeting, the board appointed a new member, Karen Wilson, to fill the unexpired term of 31-year board member Anne Reames, who moved out of the district. The term continues through Dec. 31, 2021.
Regarding the school’s reopening plan, Superintendent Brad Hall said as the district opens its buildings in September, there are three goals kept in mind: A plan that continues a tradition of high-quality education; protects the health and safety of students and staff; and keeps students in school as a result of the district’s actions.
The district is proposing the following weekly schedule: Mondays are online days for all students: Tuesdays and Thursdays students with last names A through L attend in-person; and Wednesdays and Fridays, students with last names M through Z attend in-person. Blended families will use the last name of the oldest sibling.
Teachers will be available five days a week to assist with online coursework, which will be completed through the Schoology platform – a paid version of what was used in the spring, which should be more accessible for families, officials related.
During the last month, BCS conducted survey of district parents to determine how many families wanted to enroll their children in 100 percent remote learning for the upcoming school year. Hall said between 16 to 20 percent of families, depending on school building, opted for this online option.
Based upon those numbers, school staff members began modeling their classrooms to determine how many students could safely be accommodated utilizing guidelines released by healthcare professionals, including 3 feet of space between desks, how many pupils would be in the hallways, cafeteria, entering and exiting the building at a time and etc.
Teachers and staff quickly found that it would be difficult to safely accommodate the traditional classroom sizes with these stipulations. However, cutting the student population in half provided a more manageable option, presenters said.
For example, at the high school, the usual 573 total students would be reduced to 286 students in blended learning. Those numbers for each of the other buildings are: middle school, 455 students but 227 in blended learning; intermediate school, 422 students but 211 for blended learning; and elementary school, 419 students, but 209 students in blended learning.
“As we peeled back the layers, we could see that 10 to 12 students in a classroom would be a much better compromise,” Bellefontaine Middle School Principal Lynda Holycross said.
“I’m responsible for not only my family and children, but the children who belong to about 500 families,” Bellefontaine Intermediate School Principal Krista Adelsberger said. “I take my job seriously and I feel like with this blended approach, I can look parents in the eye and say that your children are safe with me. “
“At the elementary school, we’re not always at our desks, but oftentimes at stations throughout the room, so this provides us with more ‘wiggle room’ for the kids when we don’t have as many in one classroom,” Elementary School Principal Pat Martz said.
The superintendent said while he would like to have all students in the classroom every day, this blended model is “the best education we can provide based upon the environment…
“We want to remain open and it is in my opinion that not limiting the large number of students who could be in our buildings seriously jeopardizes our chance of remaining open. “
Shanel Henry, executive director of instructional services, reported on the Schoology platform, which she said can be personalized for each student so that “it helps them master skills at their own pace.” Hours will be flexible for pupils to log in to complete their assignments.
Roger Ely, director of administrative services and transportation, also reported on the cleaning requirements that will be in place during the school year. He said the chemicals used in the process meet EPA requirements and also kill COVID-19, the SARS virus and etc.
“The summer provided us with ample time to prepare for the work that will be so important to the health and safety of our students and staff,” he said. “Our custodians realize the gravity of their actions and how important it is to keep the building and high-touch surfaces clean.”
Cleaning carts will be available for each learning area, and hand sanitizing stations are being added to every classroom as well.
“Everyone really has a team approach to this, and our teaching staff is willing to step up to help wipe down surfaces between classes,” Ely said.
The superintendent asked the board to consider this blended learning model prior to the Wednesday meeting, when there will be time for more discussion and the vote. Board President Scott Abraham thanked each of the school staff members in attendance for their respective roles in developing the detailed plans.
“We appreciate all of the work that everyone has done and your thorough plans to keep the children in our district safe,” he said. “These are unusual times, but we are doing everything we can to work at this together and for the benefit of our students and staff.”