Return to Learn plan on agenda tonight

by Marianne Gasaway

The Clear Lake School Board will meet in special session tonight (Wednesday, July 29) to approve a “Return-to-Learn” plan for the 2020-21 school year.

Earlier this month Superintendent Doug Gee gave an overview of three different learning options: totally online, a hybrid of online and class time, or totally back in school.

Using the totally online option, all students would have their device and do their learning from home; attendance would be taken everyday, with work required to be turned in online.  Teachers would work from their classrooms each day.

Under a hybrid learning model, students would come to classrooms every other day, so one-half of the students are in a school building each day.  The students that are home would still be required to be working online and attendance would be taken.

Students returning to classrooms in the fall as normal would require the district to make certain accommodations for staff and students that are considered at-risk to do online work.

No decisions were made at the meeting because the district planned to send a survey out to parents to gather input.  The district is also working with the Cerro Gordo County Department of Public Health for a safe school start.

The school calendar passed earlier this year by the School Board calls for the school year to start Aug. 24.

Whichever route Clear Lake Schools

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take, the Iowa Department of Education has stated that attendance is mandatory and grading is required.

At its July 14 meeting district leaders said they will provide training for parents and have subscribed to a plan using Zoom as its online classroom platform.  One plan for hybrid learning has students attending school two times per week and logging in to the classroom two days; Fridays could be used for students needing additional help.  Another plan would have students rotate between classroom and online learning every other day.  A block schedule is being considered for high school students, which would involve three or four classes per day, rather than six or seven. Block scheduling would reduce the amount of times students would move through the school hallways.

The School Board will meet in the Clear Lake Administration Center Board Room.  A 5 p.m. planning/work session will precede the 6:30 p.m. meeting.

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