Superintendent John Kellogg today released to staff and families the Westerville City School District’s proposed plan to reopen schools for the 2020-21 school year.
The plan, which represents months of work by a variety of teams and reflects input gathered during surveys of families and staff, outlines educational delivery scenarios, including a fully-online option, as well as health and safety measures that will be put in place when students return for in-person learning. The plan includes the following:
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The first day of instruction for all students is being delayed until Wednesday, August 19. The district will open the school year in a Blended Model, a combination of in-person and online learning to reduce the number of students on site at any given time.
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Students will receive a "Back to School during COVID 19" packet to complete prior to their August 19 start date.
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Under the alternating “A Week/B Week” schedule, half of our students will begin attending school in person on Wednesday, August 19, while the other half is on remote instruction for the rest of that first week.
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Students will continue to follow the alternating “A Week/B Week” schedule moving forward.
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UPDATED 7/22/20:
The first day that students will begin attending classes and receiving instruction according to an alternating “A Week/B Week” schedule is Monday, August 24. However, all students will be required to participate in Remote Learning Days on August 20 and August 21. For those two days, students will receive important details about the upcoming school year, what to expect during blended learning, and how to get support when needed. There will not be a gentle start for preschool or kindergarten students this year, and there will not be a “sixth-grade only day” for the first day of instruction at the middle school level.
Under the alternating “A Week/B Week” schedule, half of our students will begin attending school in person on Monday, August 24, while the other half is on remote instruction for the week. Students will continue to follow the alternating “A Week/B Week” schedule moving forward. Families will soon be notified if they are on the A or B schedule and will be able to contact their school principal to request a change.
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The district will offer the Westerville Virtual Academy as a year-long option for families who prefer 100% virtual instruction for their students in grades K-12.
Per board policy/guidelines, PK-12 students will be required to wear face coverings when in halls and common areas, as well as if distancing by space and/or partitioned areas is not possible (permitted exceptions identified). PK-12 students will also be required to wear face coverings while riding in a district vehicle. Facial masks will be required for anyone coming onto school property during the day and/or for school functions.
Details of the plan can be found at www.wcsoh.org/backtoschool. Also, be sure to view additional details about the district's Responsible ReSTART plan at www.wcsoh.org/ReSTART