Owensboro Public Schools could have a hybrid model and a delayed start date for the next school year, but no plans are definite just yet.
OPS Superintendent Matthew Constant said his team is leaving their options open.
“We’re still awaiting more data from health experts. I know it’s frustrating for everyone, including myself,” he said. “We are thinking about every possibility — nothing is off the table.”
The upcoming school year is still slated to begin on Aug. 12, but other districts have been in talks about pushing their start date back. Constant said that idea would be discussed at the next board meeting.
OPS is preparing to send a survey to families regarding how Non-Traditional Instruction affected them at the end of the last academic year in order to see what instruction model parents and students prefer.
Despite all the unknowns and concerns, Constant said he was sure of one thing — OPS cannot start the 2020-21 school year pretending that the COVID-19 pandemic didn’t happen.
Later this summer, the OPS staff will undergo training related to COVID-19, including the pandemic’s effects on students.
“We have to recognize what has happened with our staff and families,” he said. “We can’t go back like nothing happened.”
