COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – The Coldwater Community School district announced reopening plans for the 2020-2021 school year over the weekend.
Two options were presented, one involves a combination of in person and virtual learning. The other would involve virtual learning if the state dials back to Stage Three due to increased cases of COVID-19 in recent weeks.
If the state is still in Stage Four, Superintendent Terry Ann Whelan says “Option A” will start with a Hybrid model. One half of their students, in Young Fives through 12th Grade with last names beginning with A-K, will attend school and have in-person instruction on Monday and Tuesday. The other half, with last names starting with L-Z, will attend on Thursday and Friday. The other three days of the week will be virtual for all students.
Whelan says this will allow the district to bring students in for face-to-face instruction at the same time allowing them to reduce class sizes and building capacity by 50 percent. She says they will continue this method until at least September 18th, as long as the State of Michigan does not move back to Phase Three. Whelan says they will scale up to a four-day in-person instruction model when conditions allow. Masks will be required for fourth through 12th Grade students and K-3 students will wear face shields.
The district’s “Option B” will be a fully virtual school monitored by Coldwater Community Schools staff. Whelan says students that choose this option must commit to remain in that program for at least a semester at the secondary level and at least a marking period at the elementary level.
Whelan says the safety of students and staff will continue to be their top priority. Classes in the Coldwater Community School district will start on August 24.
