DELAWARE, Ohio — Buckeye Valley Local Schools in Delaware County released two back-to-school options.
One is based on the county's COVID-19 risk level. The risk level will determine whether students go back to class full-time, are in a hybrid model or do all-remote learning.
The other option is a dedicated online option.
Buckeye Valley decided students who selected for the first option will begin the school year on August 25 under the hybrid model. They will attend in-person classes two days a week. They will learn remotely the other three days. The district says it will re-evaluate after the first month of school.
The district says safety will take priority over academics for the first few weeks of classes.
Buckeye Valley also has a plan in case risk levels change after school starts. "We'd put the new plan into effect the following Monday," says superintendent Andrew Miller. "It gives parents a few days to arrange for child care. It gives our staff a few days to arrange things differently for the next week."
If risk levels constantly change from week-to-week, Miller says adjustments would have to be made for that.
Miller admits that social distancing when all students return to class could be difficult, but efforts are being made. "We told people to social distance to the extent that's reasonable," Miller says. "So we'll spread out the classroom as much as we can. We're going to have teachers review traffic patterns with the kids, hallway movement patterns so that people are staying far away from each other."
Miller says gym class will be outside whenever possible, and recess may have to be in smaller groups.
When it comes to other safety measures, masks are required for all Ohio students, but Buckeye Valley does not plan to do temperature checks upon arrival. "We're not going to do this when we come to the door. We haven't found a way that first, we could get students on the bus without causing a backup, or doing temperatures checks at doorways where there happens to be large gatherings," Miller says.
The district is asking parents to follow checkup guidelines at home before sending their children to class.
You can learn more about the district's back-to-school plan here.
