ROANOKE, Va. (WDBJ) - Thursday, Roanoke City announced major changes to its back-to-school plan. Almost all students would now be online-only when class starts back later this month.
“When it comes to that data, we can’t be tone deaf,” said Roanoke City Superintendent Verletta White.
According to White, this change all comes down to space.
With substantial community transmission of COVID-19 in Roanoke, students and teachers would need to be six feet apart at all times, something White says would have been too disruptive. “Moving teachers out of their buildings, or moving students into other buildings that they’re not accustomed to,” said White.
Under the new plan, almost all students - Pre-K through 12th grade - will be learning virtually for the first nine weeks of class. If conditions improve, Pre-K through 5th grade will be back in class two days a week for that second nine weeks. If they keep improving, all students will be back four days a week - the original plan - by January.
“Hopefully when we get to the moderate range, or the low range, and we’re hoping that’s before the second quarter, we can bring more students into the school house,” said White.
Parents would also be welcome to keep their kids virtual all year.
White says the division's Virtual Academy is up and running, and all students will have access to a laptop, and internet access through a partnership with Cox
“We’re ready. We’re ready for virtual instruction, that type of robust learning,” she said.
Childcare options for parents are still in the works. Earlier in the week, city officials said hundreds of people still need to by hired to make that a reality.
However, some students will still be in class in person later this month.
“We are bringing in-person students with special needs who spend more than 50 percent of their day in the special education setting, as well as our level one English learners,” said White.
White says there will also be an opportunity for students who may need remedial learning to have some face-to-face time with teachers.
The plan is still preliminary. The Roanoke City School Board will vote on it Tuesday, August 11.
Copyright 2020 WDBJ. All rights reserved.
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Roanoke reverses course, students to start the school year online - WDBJ
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