Aug. 20, 2020
On Aug. 18, the Johnson County Department of Health and Environment (JCDHE) met with superintendents to review the gating criteria for the 2020-21 school year. With the community COVID-19 numbers as they currently stand, we are in the red category of the JCDHE gating criteria. This means that when school resumes on Sept. 8, our middle and high schools will be learning remotely in the district’s Systemwide Online learning plan for the first few weeks of the semester. On Sept. 22, we will study the data again to determine next steps. It is our hope that we can transition safely into full in-person learning after that time.
After input from health officials, staff and families, district administration has decided to begin the year cautiously by having elementary students start the year in a hybrid model. In the hybrid model, elementary students will be divided into two groups by alphabet. Half the students (group A) would attend school in-person on Monday/Tuesday and participate in learning activities at home the remaining three days (Wednesday-Friday). Group B students would attend school in-person on Thursday/Friday and participate in learning activities at home the first three days of the week. On the days students are not at school, they will have daily contact with a teacher. For middle and high school, the Systemwide Online learning schedule will match the building on-site schedule.
Please note that the hybrid model applies only to those families who chose in-person learning at registration. Families who chose remote learning at registration will stay with the remote learning group. More information will be released in the coming weeks for each learning group.
Additionally, activities and athletics will be handled on a week-by-week basis to determine safety and next steps.
We share in your disappointment that we could not begin the year as we hoped, with a full, in-person option. In the end, the safety and health of students and staff is our first priority. There will be many questions and we are committed to providing answers. Thank you for your patience. More information will be coming soon.
In the meantime, here are some important items that we would like to share:
- As we have mentioned in the past, Systemwide Online and Remote Learning will be vastly different than the Continuous Learning Plan of last spring. Students will receive more direct instruction, greater accountability with daily interactions with staff, required attendance, assignments, feedback and grades.
- Beginning on Aug. 31, class lists and student schedules will be available on ParentVUE. If you have questions or needs regarding schedules, please contact your school.
- Our plan is to start the year in a virtual/hybrid format and regularly review data to determine next steps. On Sept. 22, we will review the data provided by JCDHE, then communicate with families whether we will transition into hybrid or in-person learning, or remain in Systemwide Online learning mode. Expect communication from us every step of the way as we determine next steps. When students transition back to hybrid learning or in-person learning, any student who chose remote learning at enrollment would stay in the remote environment for the duration of the semester.
- Schools will communicate with families about plans for distribution of technology devices. Please watch for communication from schools about device distribution as we get closer to the start of the school year.
- The district has available mobile hot spots for families in need of assistance with internet access. Families can contact their child’s principal to check out a mobile hotspot free of charge.
- Information related to special education and Individual Education Plans will be communicated to families by building teams in the coming weeks.
- Thank you for your patience as we navigate this ever-changing situation. We greatly appreciate you and all of your support and input. We truly are stronger together.
Olathe Public Schools Administration
