JACKSON, MI - All of Jackson County’s traditional public school districts are offering a choice between in-person and remote classes as the school year prepares to begin on Aug. 26.
That’s by design, as weeks of collaboration between Jackson County superintendents has resulted in each district offering the same basic choices for parents.
Countywide, district surveys found about 70% of parents were in favor of having in-person classes in 2020-21, which drove the decision to provide parents with a choice between in-person and remote learning, Northwest Community Schools Superintendent Geoff Bontrager said.
“We knew we needed to look hard at what our county, as well as our district families were saying to us,” Bontrager said. “We wanted to make sure that we gave parents and their kids choices.”
Here’s a breakdown of how each of the county’s 12 traditional districts are implementing back-to-school plans this fall and what safety measures are being taken to prevent exposure to COVID-19.
Columbia School District
Enrollment: 1,514
Start date: Aug. 26
Learning format: Columbia School District is providing a choice between face-to-face daily instruction and virtual learning from home. Under the in-person option, students are in the classroom all day daily.
Elementary students may choose to participate in an online virtual program by trimester and will be assigned a teacher to oversee their learning. Middle and high school students can choose the Learning at Home option due to medical or family reasons. These students will be assigned a course schedule and receive instruction through Google Classroom by their assigned teachers. Learning at Home attendance is required and grades and credit will be provided.
Safety measures: Masks must be worn by staff, except during meals or if they can’t medically tolerate wearing one. All students in grades 3-12 are required to wear a mask during the day, except while eating or drinking. Students in K-2 are required to wear masks in hallways, common areas, at drop off/dismissal and at times they may come in contact with students in another classroom.
Students will wear colored lanyards and be playing in assigned “zones” with their classroom group. All students are required to wear facial coverings on district-provided transportation. Students and teachers will have scheduled hand washing/sanitizing times every 2-3 hours. Frequently touched surfaces will be cleaned every 4 hours at minimum, while the library, computer labs, arts and other hands-on classrooms must be cleaned after every class period.
Concord Community Schools
Enrollment: 657
Start date: Aug. 26
Learning format: The district is offering parents an option of either in-person classes or online instruction, K-12. Face-to-face instruction for students in grades K-8 will take place Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, with Wednesday designated for online learning. Students in grades 9-12 will participate in a hybrid learning format under Phase 4 that includes two days of in-person instruction and three days of online learning by cohort. Wednesday is designated as online learning for all high school students.
Safety measures: Face-to-face class sizes will be capped at 60% of the fire code capacity. Students and teachers will have scheduled hand washing/sanitizing times every 2-3 hours. Frequently touched surfaces will be cleaned every 4 hours at minimum.
Masks are required for students in grades 6-12, unless they are eating, while students in grades K-5 will be required to wear masks only in common areas, like hallways. All students are required to wear masks while riding the bus.
East Jackson Community Schools
Enrollment: 887
Start date: Aug. 26
Learning format: Students will have the option of in-person classes five days a week in grades K-12 or an online remote learning option connected with the classroom. The school day has been shortened by a half-hour, rather than having a fully-virtual Wednesday. All students in grades K-2 have been provided with an iPad in the event the district moves to fully-online learning, while grades 3-12 have been issued Chromebooks.
In grades 7-12, students will participate in a modified block schedule that will limit movement in between classes. During week “A” students will attend “hours” 1, 3, 5 (which includes lunch in the classroom) and 7 on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and “hours” 2, 4, 5 (including lunch) and 6 on Tuesday and Thursday. During week “B,” students will attend “hours” 1, 3, 5 and 7 on Monday and Wednesday and “hours” 2, 4, 5 and 6 on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.
Students will have the option of opting in from online learning to in-person learning every four weeks.
Safety measures: The district will require staff and students to wear masks at all times, except when eating. Students are provided two reusable masks by the district. Sanitizer and wipes are provided for each classroom and extra sanitizing stations will be located throughout district buildings. Hand sanitizer will be required on each bus trip, while buses will be disinfected between all routes.
Social distancing will be practiced and reinforced, as feasible. Custodial staff will disinfect high-frequency areas along with regular deep cleaning of buildings.
“It’s very likely we are going to move through several phases of reopening as the pandemic progresses,” Superintendent Steve Doerr said. “We’re prepared to shift gears based on what we’re experiencing statewide in the pandemic, as well as in (Jackson County).”
Grass Lake Community Schools
Enrollment: 1,328
Start date: Aug. 26 (virtual instruction begins Sept. 2)
Learning format: Students have the option of remote online learning or face-to-face instruction. In-person classes will take place Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, with remote learning on Wednesday. For the first semester, the school day has been shortened by 55 minutes during face-to-face instruction days. Students have the option of changing their learning format option every nine weeks at the end of the marking period.
If the state moves to Phase 5, face-to-face learning will be offered five days a week.
Safety measures: Masks must be worn by staff at all times, except during meals. Students in grades 6-12 also are required to wear masks in class. Masks must be worn by all students in hallways and common areas, except during meals. All students and staff are required to wear face masks while riding the bus. Students in K-5 are to wear masks unless they remain with their class throughout the day and don’t come into contact with students from other classes.
Family members or other guests are not permitted in buildings, except under extenuating circumstances. Breakfast is served to elementary students in their class, while lunches will be staggered in all buildings and served in gymnasiums and other large areas. Hand washing and sanitizing stations are located throughout buildings. Teachers are encouraged to maintain six feet of distance from students as much as possible.
“We surveyed our parents and the majority of them wanted their kids back in school face-to-face,” Superintendent Ryle Keiser said. “We did Wednesday as a day off to do some cleaning, but also to get all of our kids into the mood of doing virtual in case we ever do shift down into phase 3.”
Hanover-Horton School District
Enrollment: 1,138
Start date: Aug. 26
Learning format: Students have the option of in-person learning or daily at-home learning. In-person learning will take place under a typical format on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, with all students learning from home on Wednesday. With at-home learning, teachers will upload video recordings, with many of the lessons downloadable for students to work offline. Students have the option of switching from remote to in-person after the marking period.
Safety measures: Middle and high school students are required to wear masks all day, unless they are eating lunch. Elementary students must wear masks when leaving their own classroom. Seating in the cafeteria will be limited to meet social distancing requirements. Students must wear masks to the cafeteria, removing masks once seated. Clear dividers will be in place to minimize the spread of germs during mealtimes. The cafeteria will be cleaned following each lunch group.
Elementary classrooms containing a primary group will be cleaned often throughout the day. Elementary groups and middle and high school classrooms will be cleaned in between every class change. Frequently touched areas will be disinfected regularly. Elementary playground equipment will be wiped down at least once per day with children sanitizing their hands before and after recess.
Jackson Public Schools
Enrollment: 4,678
Start date: Aug. 26
Learning format: Jackson Public Schools will return to the classroom this fall under a hybrid model, with students attending in-person classes two days a week. Under the schedule, cohort “A” students will attend in-person classes on Monday and Tuesday, while cohort “B” will be in classes on Thursday and Friday, with Wednesday set aside as a day to clean the district’s buildings. Parents who are not comfortable sending their child to in-person classes may opt to enroll their child virtually through South Central Michigan Virtual.
Under the “flipped model,” teachers will record videos of themselves delivering direct instruction in each subject for students and their parents to view at home. Teachers will utilize synchronous learning time via Zoom, Google Meet and phone calls for small group and individual lessons
Safety measures: Students in grades 6-12 will be required to wear a mask, including on the bus, while it is recommended for students to wear masks in grades K-5. If a student or staff member comes to school without a mask on, they will be provided with one. Hand washing will take place every 2-3 hours. Sanitizing wipes are provided in each classroom, while portable portable sanitizing stations are placed in strategic locations within all buildings.
Custodians will do a walk-through every three hours throughout the school on all frequently touched surfaces. Bathrooms will be cleaned every four hours. Hand sanitizer is required for students entering the bus, with dispensers located on each bus. Buses will be cleaned after every route.
“It’s a large task and kind of a moving target, as we try to create options for students and families to engage in education safely and for us to bring our staff back to an environment that is safe, but also one that is nurturing for our students,” Superintendent Jeff Beal said. “I believe we have built a plan around flexibility – around our ability to step forward into Phase 5 and really move more toward in-person education.”
Michigan Center Schools
Enrollment: 1,368
Start date: Aug. 26
Learning format: Students have the option of in-person learning five days a week or a remote learning option to do all their work online. All learning content will be accessible through the student’s designated learning management system.
Safety measures: All staff and students are required to wear masks at all times inside school buildings and on the buses, with the only exception being during meals and for those with medical documentation indicating they can’t wear a face covering.
Staff will clean touch points consistently throughout each day, disinfection classrooms once every two hours for a cohort group or after every class period. Playground equipment will be disinfected after use. Students are required to use hand sanitizer before entering the bus. Buses will be properly cleaned after every route is completed. Disposable masks will be available on buses for any student that needs one. Weather permitting, windows will remain open to encourage airflow.
“We knew that our plan needed to be equitable for all of our students, regardless of which modality they chose for learning,” Superintendent Brady Cook said in a message to district parents. “For us, that meant giving every student the opportunity to have access to technology, connectivity, school meal programs, social emotional supports and more.”
Napoleon Community Schools
Enrollment: 1,326
Start date: Aug. 26
Learning format: Students have the option of face-to-face learning five days a week for phases 4 and above, or a fully-remote learning option. Daily attendance and assessment are required under the fully-remote learning format, with grades and credits given for grades 3-12.
Safety measures: Students are provided with three masks by the district. Masks are required for all middle and high school students, and for elementary students in hallways and classroom transitions - except when eating or drinking. Facial coverings must always be worn by staff except for meals. Face masks are not required for those who are unable to wear them for medical reasons.
Classrooms will be sanitized in between every class. Visitors or guardians will be allowed in the building for extenuating circumstances only. Every staff member will be required to complete a Google Form; as a health screening prior to entering the building. Students will eat both breakfast and lunch in their classrooms at the elementary level, while middle school students will eat lunch in the cafeteria, or if necessary, the gym to allow spacing. High school students will have multiple lunch periods to account for career center needs and cleaning of the cafeteria.
Northwest Community Schools
Enrollment: 3,620
Start date: Aug. 27
Learning format: Students have the option of attending in-person classes or a virtual option. Face-to-face learning will take place Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, with Wednesday reserved for virtual learning for all students and a deep cleaning of school buildings. Once school is in session, students will remain in the chosen option for a minimum of four weeks.
Safety measures: All students and staff are required to wear a face covering while in school buildings, unless they have a medical exemption. Students will be allowed to remove masks while eating and drinking. Face masks are not required for students outside, with recess being held outside whenever possible. Playgrounds will be sectioned off to allow for social distancing and cohort separation.
Students are required to wear face masks on the bus, which will provide hand sanitizer for students on entry. Buses will be cleaned in-between runs. Breakfast and lunch will be served in the classroom or in small groups of 50 or less with boxed meals. Only essential visitors are allowed in buildings and they must wear a mask. Personal protection equipment stations will be placed in multiple locations throughout all buildings.
“We looked at the hybrid format, the problem with that is it creates problems with things like daycare and that consistent time when kids are at school,” Superintendent Geoff Bontrager said. “Face-to-face for our county is a better option, if possible.”
Springport Public Schools
Enrollment: 1,016
Start date: Aug. 26
Learning options: Students have the option of in-person classes or a virtual learning instruction model. For students in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade, in-person classes will be held Monday through Friday, while grades 6-12 will attend in-person Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, with virtual learning on Wednesday. Teachers will communicate with remote students through weekly phone calls, videos and emails, along with providing both live and pre-recorded lessons via SeeSaw and Google Classroom.
Safety measures: All staff and students are required to wear masks on the bus, in hallways and common areas. All staff and students in grades 6-12 are required to wear masks in the classroom, while students in K-5 also are required to wear masks in the classroom, unless they remain with their class throughout the day. Staff and students must have a medical exemption to not wear a mask.
Frequently-touched surfaces will be cleaned every four hours, while all buildings will be cleaned nightly. Students riding the bus must wear a mask, if able, and sanitize their hands on entry. Buses will be cleaned after runs. Weather permitting, windows will be kept open on buses.
Vandercook Lake Public Schools
Enrollment: 843
Start date: Aug. 26
Learning options: Students have three different learning options this fall: remote learning, in-person classes or a hybrid combination of remote and in-person learning. The remote learning option will require students to complete work online with district-provided Chromebooks and iPads.
In-person classes will be held Monday through Friday, while the hybrid model allows parents to work with administration to develop a plan that allows for flexibility on required days a student must attend in-person. All hybrid requests and details will require building administrators’ approval.
Safety measures: All students and staff on school building premises will be required to wear a face masks, except when eating and during recess/brain breaks. Face masks also are required on buses, along with using hand sanitizer on entry. Buses will be cleaned after every run. The district plans to consistently clean frequently touched surfaces after every class period. Visitors will not be allowed in buildings without administrative permission.
Western School District
Enrollment: 2,912
Start date: Aug. 26
Learning options: Students have the option of fully-online remote learning or face-to-face classes. In-person classes will take place Monday through Friday, with a half day each Wednesday to allow for teacher collaboration and additional cleaning.
Under the remote option, teachers will deliver the same lessons and assessments as the in-person model. All students are provided with district-issued devices for remote learning. Students will have the option to decide between in-person and online options every four weeks.
Safety measures: Masks are required for all students and staff, except during meals and other occasional breaks. Students will be provided three washable masks. On buses, students must wear a mask and use hand sanitizer prior to entry. Classes will have their own section of playgrounds without intermingling with other classes. Breakfast and lunch will take place in classrooms.
No people outside of school staff will be allowed past the office at any time. Social Distancing will be encouraged when physically possible. Disinfecting protocols will be increased in frequency and thoroughness. At Western Middle School, surfaces will be wiped down by students before they leave the class.
“Our community is very spread out when it comes to comfort level right now - there’s some angst,” Superintendent Mike Smajda said, noting about two-thirds of parents expressed a desire for in-person classes. “A great number in our community want the option to either come back in-person or get online. We felt it was important to give parents the choice of whether or not they’ll send their child back to school.”
READ MORE:
Jackson Public Schools approves hybrid plan that includes in-person classes
How the first week of school went inside a Michigan elementary
Behind the scenes as Jackson Public Schools prepares more than 35,000 meals for kids each week
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