Urbana School District releases fall 2020 reopening plan: K-12 students would attend in-person two days per week
As the school year approaches rapidly, Urbana families can now get an idea as to what school will look like for children in the community this fall
On Wednesday, July 8, the Urbana School District #116 publicly released a statement summarizing its fall reopening plan. The statement can be read online by clicking here.
As the Urbana School District has conducted stakeholder surveys, planned extensively for the last several weeks and taken Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) considerations into their decision, it recommends a blended plan of remote and in-person instruction for the return to school in the fall.
All students in grades K-12 attend two days per week, learn remotely the other three days
The plan has students of all grades, K-12, attending school in-person two days per week and learning remotely three days per week. Special attention will be given to ensuring families with multiple children are assigned the same “Group A” or “Group B” schedule to ensure siblings attend school on the same days each week.
Wednesdays would be an “all remote day” for all students in the district, with Group A attending two days that week and Group B attending two other days.
What will remote learning look like?
- Recorded teacher videos or synchronous, live-streamed instruction
- Remote small group work via conferencing platforms
- Flexible student work time
- Individual teacher check-in with students (phone, email, virtual)
What will in-person learning look like?
- Smaller class sizes, making it possible to provide a six foot distance in the classroom
- Minimize student transitions by moving teachers from room to room instead of students from room to room
- Per ISBE requirements, “all staff, students, and visitors to the buildings, wear a face mask while in school”
Transportation was identified as “one of the toughest challenges,” and the school district is evaluating staggered arrival/dismissal times to deal with this issue.
They also mentioned that other options are being discussed for students with special needs or English learners who may need “a more individualized attendance option.”
Will there be an all-remote option?
According to the statement, the district is still evaluating whether families will be permitted to choose an all-remote option if they choose not to send their children to in-person instruction this school year. If that were to officially be made an option, “instruction would not likely always align with the blended instruction model detailed above.”
In conclusion
The statement concluded with acknowledging that there would likely be more changes as the school year approaches. “Please understand the guidance is continually changing, and we anticipate more changes as we approach the start of the school year.”
If you’re an Urbana School District parent and want to provide feedback, send an email to board@usd116.org, a group email address that includes all seven current board members and the superintendent, and all board members will receive the message.
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Our Back to School Series
Part 1 — Back to School: School Physicals Required for Illinois Schoolchildren
Part 2 — Back to School: Immunizations Required for Illinois Schoolchildren
Part 3 — Back to School: Champaign-Urbana Area School Registration Information
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Part 5 — Back to School: Dental, Vision Exams Required for Illinois Schoolchildren