Hybrid, virtual restart chosen by parent/guardian route elected by New Kent School Board

Parents and guardians of students who attend New Kent Public Schools will be given the choice to educate their child either virtually or through a hybrid plan to begin the 2020-21 school year.

New Kent School Board members unanimously approved the two-option plan during the Aug. 5 regular school board meeting inside of the high school auditorium in front of approximately 50 attendees, with others watching the decision online.

The concept of offering parents the choice whether to have their kid instructed virtually or with a hybrid in-person plan was presented at the July 28 school board special work session on reopening the school system. With the coronavirus pandemic continuing to affect the world, school board members listened to more than 100 comments from parents, guardians, and stakeholders about how to reopen the schools. Feedback from those comments showed nearly a 50-50 split of those who wanted an all virtual start to keep students safe and those who wanted a hybrid start due to the inability to provide adequate Internet services and insufficient childcare coverage.

After having a week to filter the information, Superintendent of Schools Brian Nichols made his formal recommendation to school board members on the optional plan.

“This is by far the most difficult thing educators have ever had to deal with,” Nichols commented. “When we developed this plan, we wanted to make sure we had the health and safety of our students and employees at the forefront.

“School in the fall will look a lot different,” he added.

Under the hybrid option, students electing a hybrid start will attend in an alternating day format. One group will attend school buildings on Mondays and Wednesdays, while the other cohort will spend Tuesdays and Thursdays inside the building. Fridays will be strictly online learning unless a student with disabilities or ESL (English as a second language) needs personalized instruction.

Under the all-online option, students will log onto school-issued computers and devices for instruction. Lessons will consist of teachers in a real-time setting, with digital work provided through platforms.

Under both options, Mondays-Thursdays will operate under a time schedule similar to a typical school day. Fridays will be essentially half-days for students. At the elementary school level, the first 15-20 minutes will be dedicated for a host meeting, with students using the final 1-3 hours for independent learning and lessons. At the secondary levels, the first 15 minutes of each hour from 8 a.m.-11 a.m. is designated for check-ins and attendance. The next 40 minutes of that hour has the student switch to independent work. From 12:30-4 p.m., teachers and faculty will be in professional development or have office hours at designated time.

“One of the things people need to realize is that virtual school is not home school,” Nichols said. “Our digital learning environment will have New Kent teachers and staff working with our students.

“This plan was made to be as flexible and it can be modified at any time,” the superintendent continued. “The major shift factors are health data and staff data. That can change at any time, and other scenarios can drive us in other directors that are completely out of control.”

Families began receiving student intent forms on Aug. 6. The form offers a choice of the hybrid or all virtual instruction start. If a family selects the hybrid start, a second form for transportation will need to be filled out to provide information if buses will be needed to pick-up students. Submissions are due by Aug. 11, with families being notified by Aug. 14 of the final resolution and acceptance of their choice. Staff will began organizing schedules upon receiving that feedback.

Teachers will instruct from the classroom under both of the plans. No matter which plan is chosen by the parent, it is expected to be in place for at least the first 18 weeks, with a review of the current status of the educational environment taking place after the first nine weeks. New Kent students who are learning virtually or under the hybrid plan are eligible for school organizations, clubs, and athletic teams, even if they are being instructed at home. Parents/guardians are also considered eligible for organizations if their student is enrolled in New Kent Public Schools, such as the PTSO (Parent-Teacher-Student Organization).

According to Nichols, school employees have already modified several classrooms to meet educational and recommended guidelines from both the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) and the Center of Disease and Control (CDC). Instruction in the class may vary, such as music and art classes coming to a classroom instead of students learning in the designated area.

One thing that Nichols and school board members agreed is to expect the unexpected when it comes to the school year. Additional expenses include the purchase of PPE (personal protective equipment) for buildings, additional cost for transportation, and the expectation to hire two long term substitute teachers at each school to prevent rotation of substitutes in and out of the facility in case of staff shortages. Even then, the environment will continue to change.

Prior to final voting and approval of the plan, each board member commented on the outlook of education.

“At first, my hope was that we could return to in-person instruction at five days a week,” said District 1 representative Wayne Meade. “However, the challenge was the physical capacity of the elementary schools.

“They were at 110 percent before the guidelines,” he added. “It was not feasibly possible, even with a three-foot guideline. Eventually, I hope to get the kids back in the school. Nothing replaces face-to-face learning.”

For District 2 representative Kristin Swynford, she emphasized the importance of safety in the buildings, but also that school is more than just education.

“These options are intended for safety to protect our students, staff, faculty, and their families,” she said. “No matter the option though, there will always be risks.

“Students need school for more than education,” Swynford added. “They need it for nutritional and social purposes as well.”
District 4 representative Sarah Grier Barber commented that education as a whole has been shaken up.

“We’re rethinking on how to redeliver education to students,” she said. “Education has changed over the last 100 years and it has been shaken up in a matter of months.”

District 3 and vice-chairwoman Andrea Staskiel is hoping that the current experiences will encourage decision makers at the local level to invest more into the schools.

“We have to be diligent, but there are some things that are not in our hands,” she said. “The major needs of our students right now are that we need another elementary school and Internet access, items we have no control over.

“There will be costs associated with that,” Staskiel continued. “I urge you to reach out to your representative and show your support for those issues. A child deserves better than what we have to offer.”

Chairwoman and District 5 representative Gail Hardinge agreed with Staskiel, saying the schools has taken a brunt of the backlash due to making a decision with limited resources.

“I’m not sure why the issue of Internet has fallen on the back of the schools in this situation,” she commented. “But I hope each of you here, online watching, and elsewhere heard how tenuous this has been for our staff.

“Whatever decision is chosen today could change tomorrow,” Hardinge continued. “Staffing shortages can effect transportation, teaching, and force us into a different plan at any time.”

With that, school board members approved the choice of options 5-0. Nichols commented that staff will begin a plan for schedules and other related issues and plans to provide an update at the Aug. 17 work session.