COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Columbus City School District is getting ready to welcome back students on Monday as they prepare for the blended learning model.
This includes pre-K through third grade, students with complex needs and career tech kids at the downtown high school and Fort Hayes Career Center.
Fourth and fifth-grade students will return on Feb. 8 for two days a week while older students will remain virtual until the district works out transportation details.
The district said over the next two weeks more than 26,000 kids will return to school. The teachers are already in the buildings getting their classrooms ready.
We spoke with pre-K teacher Linda Reynolds, who said she’s been missing her students and that virtual learning has been challenging but good.
In her classroom, there are nine desks with dividers. This is because of the blended learning model, where students will alternate between in-person and virtual learning.
She’s excited to have her kids back but knows it’ll be another adjustment.
“The hardest part is me not being able to hug them, sit them in my lap,” Reynolds said.
She said each kid will have their own supplies and bin, which will prevent them from sharing anything.
She’s prepared her class over Zoom to go back in person, but she understands with little ones, they may need some reminders.
“I know through the day, we’ll continue to say, stay in your seats, stay in your area,” Reynolds said.
Reynolds had parents approach her with concerns or questions and she said she’s had a chance to go over her set-up and precautions.
“I was fortunate enough to sit on the panel last week with the superintendent and some others and I was able to show my classroom and kind of give some ease to some parents,” Reynolds said.
Pre-K through fifth grade principal Tyree Pollard said teachers will have what they need in order to be safe.
He said pre-K and special needs teachers will receive gowns. He said those teachers, plus other teachers in other grades, will receive masks, face shields, hand sanitizer, gloves and wipes.
Other safety measures in place include having only two kids at a table in the cafeteria, all facing the same way.
There are social distance and directional markers on the floors and walls.
The principal said because the hallways are large enough, they are able to have the students go two different ways.
For bathroom breaks, only three kids are allowed in the restroom at a time and they have to have a pass. They are required to use paper towels and no hand dryers.
Another precaution is not allowing access to the water fountains. Pollard said students can bring their own container of water or get water bottles from the school.
“The responsibility is huge because lives are in our hands, so we have to maintain our social distancing, we have to wash our hands and wear our masks at all times, to make sure we keep a healthy, safe environment,” Pollard said.
Octavia Hickman is the head custodian at Columbus Africentric Early College. She’s been a leader in putting some of these plans into place and says they have everything they need.
She said they have plenty of supplies ready to go and will get new supplies every month.
“We’re ready, we’re definitely ready, I know we can take care of it, I’m just waiting on the kids to get here,” Hickman said.
Cleaning is, of course, a big focus. When we asked Hickman what the biggest target would be, she said any touchpoints.
“Doorways, all doors, touchpoints, most people don’t think about it, but it would be a common touchpoint. It could be the door frame, the door handle, it could be just part of the wall when you walk by,” Hickman said.
She said they’re covering it all.
CCS district officials are confident in the measures being taken.
“This is a multi-tiered plan. We’ve been in contact with the Columbus Department of Public Health, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, our staff, our teachers, our union partners,” said Ramona Reyes, Vice President of the Columbus Board of Education.
Reyes said she understands some parents may be anxious to send their kids back.
“I think we’re all scared right? Everything is constantly changing. The good news is that we have modeled and borrowed best practices from other school districts that have been doing this very well,” Reyes said.
She said the district wants transparency and to answer all questions, even the tough ones.
“That’s why we have a FAQ on our district website, but we are also following a lot of parents who ask, 'you know I mentioned something on Facebook or I sent out an email and haven’t responded.' We are working as hard and diligently as we can to ensure that we answer all the questions,” Reyes said.
Reyes said they are also closely monitoring questions being asked on their social media pages.
She said the website holds a lot of the questions being asked, whether that’s on safety measures, who goes back when, transportation or cohort details.
As for the principal who we spoke with, he has some words to the community, staff and parents.
“I want to say thank you to all of the stakeholders, community, parents and teachers for showing grace over the last 12 months. We know it hasn’t been easy,” Pollard said.