Ames Community School District Return to Learn Update: Start Date Phased Hybrid Metrics

Press release from the Ames Community School District:

August 5, 2020

Here is the latest information around Return to Learn for the 2020-2021 school year.

Calendar Update:

Monday night, the school board voted to move the start date for students back two weeks to Tuesday, September 8. Here are key adjusted dates for the 2020-2021 school year:

• New Teachers Orientation: August 20-24
• Teachers First Day: August 25
• Return to Learn Conferences: August 31-September 4
• First Day of Class: September 8
• Last Day of School for Students: June 8
• Last Day of School for Teachers: June 9

As we develop the structure around our “phased hybrid” plan (see below), this may also include additional adjustments to the 2020-2021 calendar. As a result, we will bring those revisions to the school board and communicate when finalized. Please know that the start date of September 8 for students will not change.

“Phased Hybrid” Delivery Model:

The school board made the decision to begin the 2020-2021 school year with a phased-in hybrid delivery mode. The conversation during the board meeting was thorough and robust and centered around staff and student safety and to make decisions for the District that can be sustainable.

As a District, the hybrid models that we were exploring did not include a phased approach to start the school year so this is a new direction for our staff. We will be working this week to integrate a phased approach to our previously developed hybrid plan that is half on-site and half online learning structured in A/B days.

We understand that a phased approach may not initially meet the 50% requirement as dictated by the governor’s proclamation. For the first four weeks, we will modify our hybrid model to 25-30% of students coming for face to face instruction on a daily basis. This will mean that during this four week period, we would be out of compliance with the governor’s orders because some students would spend more than 50% of their time online. It is our intention to move into the 50% requirement at the conclusion of the four weeks, given that the metrics in our community contribute to that approach. More details to come by the end of the week, with the board being updated on Monday, August 10th.

Local Metrics:

On Thursday, July 30, the Department of Education provided state-wide metrics and guidance to determine when school districts can use each of the Return to Learn models during the 2020-2021 school year. We were asked by the school board to finalize our own local metrics in partnership with Mary Greeley, Story County Public Health, and local physicians. These metrics will be used for decision-making on when to move between models. There was consensus from the board around the state metrics being too broad. There was fear that if these metrics were used it could put staff and students’ health in jeopardy.

Online Request Forms:

As we previously communicated, parents always have the choice to select the 100% online option for education. If you are ready to select that option, we have opened forms on our website to assist in our planning. If you are prepared to select the 100% online option, we encourage you to read the Q & A on our website before doing so.

https://www.ames.k12.ia.us/2020/07/official-form-request-online-learning/

This press release was produced by the Ames Community School District. The views expressed here are the author’s own.