OPS, DCPS detail decision to transition to all-virtual learning

November 12, 2020 | 12:10 am

Updated November 12, 2020 | 10:53 am

Graphic by Owensboro Times

Much of the decision by Owensboro and Daviess County public schools to transition to virtual-only instruction starting next week was due elevated cases of COVID-19 in the community. Officials said transmission within the school buildings has been minimal, but that the virus was affecting the schools due to community spread.

Officials with both school districts stressed how badly the administration wants to return to five-day-a-week in-person classes, but said the safety of students and staff is the top priority.

Daviess County moved back into the Red Zone of Kentucky’s COVID-19 incidence rate on Nov. 5, and the rate has steadily risen due to a sharp increase in the number of daily cases — prompting school officials to make the decision. 

OPS superintendent Matthew Constant and DCPS superintendent Matt Robbins discussed their district’s decision and provided some of the details of the plans moving forward.

The plans

OPS: All OPS schools will be moving to all-virtual instruction starting Monday and continuing through Dec. 4. Plans for what instruction look like beyond Dec. 4 will be announced on Dec. 3. 

DCPS: All DCPS high schools will go fully virtual beginning Monday, while P-8 schools will make the transition Nov. 23 — all continuing through at least Jan. 5. A decision will be made on or before  Dec. 26 regarding plans beyond Jan. 5.

Robbins said the phased approach was because high school students are the most capable digital learners and the largest population schools, and child care is less of an issue for parents. Further, he said they needed to reduce the numbers on school buses and also need some of the staffing capabilities to assist with P-8 schools.

On virus affecting schools

Constant: As we’ve seen elevated cases in the community, those have been coming into our schools. We haven’t seen an incidence of spreading within our schools — transmitting to one another — but we are noticing the increased rates in our community. That is impacting our school and our school operations.

Robbins: Both student and staff populations have been affected by positive cases and  quarantines — a reflection of the circumstances across Daviess County, Kentucky and the nation.  Although the spread has not predominantly originated within our schools …  the increasing level of incidents is creating challenges in the area of staffing, both in classroom and support roles, and students are missing in-person learning opportunities. 

On core services being affected

Constant: We announced at the beginning of this that when we felt like our core services were being compromised in any way in terms of teaching and learning or transporting or feeding kids, that we would have to make decisions about going virtual. We are at that point.

Robbins: Core district services involving the transportation and food services department have been impacted. This definitely was a factor in our decision making process.

On what virtual learning will look like

Constant: It helps that all of our students have access to a Chromebook. They will have that access at home. Those that may not have that access, we will get whatever they need in terms of paper resources. We will take what we’ve been doing with that A/B model and combine the A and B kids into one classroom again so that the teachers can teach four days a week online. We will expect the students to be online. 

Robbins: We will transition to a 5-day week of instructional delivery as we make the move to virtual learning. The Wednesday’s of each week will be more of a half-day of online instruction for the students, allowing the afternoons for teacher planning and preparation. We will resume to the same model we deployed from Aug. 26 to Sept. 14 for resource access and distribution.

On length of virtual learning

Constant: We needed to get some consistency and a plan out there right now. We know what’s going to happen over the Thanksgiving holiday. People will gather even though we don’t want them to. So we’re trying to account for that in terms of extending just a little bit past Thanksgiving break and then having the ability to reassess that. … We hope that announcing at least a three-week plan will give some mental stability in terms of what is going to happen.

Robbins: Consistency and stability within the school schedule remain a cornerstone for me in  making these decisions. Movement from schedule to schedule or uncertainty of schedule simply  does not work for DCPS staff, students or parents/guardians. Given the already-escalating number of positive cases in our community, and acknowledging that the upcoming Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays may increase community spread, we believe closing schools to in-person learning is the right thing to do at this time. 

On food services still being available

Constant: Meal service will still be provided at no cost to students Monday through Friday by drive-thru pickup at any OPS school except Emerson Academy, Hager Preschool and Seven Hills Headstart each day from 10:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. 

Robbins: Schools will communicate specific information to families and we will continue to serve meals at  pick-up locations across the district. Visit www.dcps.org for a list of serving times/dates/locations. 

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November 12, 2020 | 12:10 am

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