District 196 Students Will Start 2020-21 School Year In Hybrid Learning Model

Press release from Independent School District 196:

July 30 2020

Restart 2020-21

Safely Returning to the Classroom

District 196 students and staff will start the 2020-21 school year in a hybrid learning model, with a combination of learning at school and from home, following the state’s localized, data-driven plan to safely reopen schools. The Minnesota Safe Learning Plan determines the amount of time students can be learning in school buildings based on the COVID-19 case rate and trends of positive cases by county. Public health data and safety guidelines continue to inform development and implementation of our flexible learning models.

HOW HYBRID WORKS

Students will attend school in person two days each week, in A and B cohorts. Cohort A will be at school Mondays and Thursdays, and Cohort B will be at school Tuesdays and Fridays. Each cohort will be approximately half of students enrolled in the current class. On other days, students will be learning from home. Cohorts will be determined for all grade levels alphabetically (or by family) so students living in the same household attend school in person on the same days.
There is also a full-time distance learning option called 196 Digital Academy for families who do not want their children to attend school in person. The 196 Digital Academy has been redesigned from the emergency distance learning model that was implemented in the spring to a more consistent educational experience. Families must register for 196 Digital Academy by August 14, 2020.
The district design team continues to finalize plans for both models, which will be shared by August 10, 2020.
Most importantly, our plan is rooted in providing equitable access to high-quality education, protecting the health and safety of students, staff and families, and being proactive in our response to this unprecedented challenge. Schools are a place where relationships matter. And as a community, it is important we remain connected and collaborative in our work to provide students with the best education possible.

This press release was produced by Independent School District 196. The views expressed here are the author’s own.